6 Volkswagen AG Cars to Look Forward To
Automotive News released a series of articles describing its vision for the five-year product pipeline of Volkswagen AG, which includes Vo...
https://99pm.blogspot.com/2015/01/6-volkswagen-ag-cars-to-look-forward-to.html
Automotive News released a series of articles describing its vision for the five-year product pipeline of Volkswagen AG, which includes Volkswagen, Porsche, and Audi. It’s a compilation of rumors, facts, and inside sources that attempts to paint a picture of what we can expect from VAG through the end of the decade. Despite sensibility reigning supreme with the Volkswagen group, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some very hot upcoming cars that evoke plenty of emotion. Hybrids, crossovers, roadsters, and supercars … this list has ‘em all:
We’ve already discussed the Phaeton, and most of the automotive industry is excited to see if VW’s super-luxe sedan will actually succeed this time around. Last time, it was way more expensive than any other VW offering, and it ate into Audi A8 sales — so, basically, it was a non-starter before it even got started. This time, Volkswagen has had plenty of time to come up with a good business plan for the U.S., and when it ends up coming back, we’re optimistic that it won’t suffer from the same maladies as before.
(2009 Non-U.S. model shown.)
It might sound like heresy to old 911 fanatics, but so should the terms ‘power steering’ and ‘coolant.’ For those unafraid of the slow, steady march of time, AN reports that Porsche plans to give the ubiquitous 911 a plug-in hybrid variant. We assume it will be based off Porsche’s knowledge gained from the 918 Spyder hypercar program. The 918, Porsche’s fastest and most expensive car, has been very well-received by both the press and owners, so we think that a 911-based adaptation would have equal levels of success.
(Current 911 shown.)
Europe already has the new Audi TT, but the U.S. won’t be receiving it until later next year, as is the current trend with most VAG cars. Since we’re left waiting, we’ve included it on this list. It’s going to be built on the same platform as the Audi A3 and the Volkswagen Golf, and it has a far more aggressive, angular style that should add way more visual flair than before. To top it off, it’ll be the first Audi in the U.S. to receive Audi’s new instrument-cluster display, which eliminates the standard nav screen in favor of a driver-centric infotainment system.
(European TT shown.)
Honda’s introducing the HR-Z, which will be built off the Fit’s chassis. Buick has the Encore, Chevrolet has the Trax, and Jeep will soon have the Renegade. That means VAG will be without a competing subcompact crossover; but things won’t stay that way for long. VW’s future offering will likely be built on the same MQB platform that will soon underpin all of VW’s smaller cars, and it will likely appeal to the same car-hating segment that’s made the current crossover market so popular. It’s not great news for enthusiasts, but since this is a hot-selling market, it’s great news for VW.
(Volkswagen T-ROC concept shown.)
Lamborghini, Volkswagen’s very expensive brother, already released the successor to the Gallardo, the Huracan. That means Audi’s R8, which is based off the Gallardo, is just a little long in the tooth. Thankfully, Audi’s whipping up a successor to the current R8, which will be based off the Huracan. We’re assuming the general shape will stay the same, to keep the differentiation against the Lambo, but it’s likely to have the Huracan’s V-10 engine and the same virtual dashboard that will be included in the upcoming TT.
(Current R8 shown.)
People like to mock the Boxster and Cayman as “not true Porsches,” despite the fact that everybody who’s driven one of these two cars has shouted their praises from the rooftops. Like it or not, Porsche builds some outstanding driver’s cars, and that won’t change if Porsche aims to capture a lower tax bracket. According to AN, Porsche is hard at work making a business case for a new entry-level roadster that would be “shorter, lighter, and less expensive than” the marque’s current offerings. If it starts at the $45,000 that AN is predicting, we think it will be an undeniably huge hit.
