15 More Amazing Vehicles

Topher Welsh is back with another image collection! Here’s what he has to say : “Time for another vehicles roundup! We got some amazing looking vehicle renders for you to check out… mostly cars, but some others are thrown in the mix. If you have any favorites that I’ve overlooked, please post them in the comments!”

VW Golf Mk2 Turbo in Studio by Alexandre Guilbeault



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Red Personal Old Mini by mygue



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Smart by wuops



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Volkswagon Routan by Sergio



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“VANDAL” Nissan Skyline GTR tuned version by Impluse Design



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Audi R8 by nitin.grg



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Train 3Ds by needse



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Tank by needse



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Mini Front WIP by needse



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Doom Buggy by needse



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R8 by vizardTP



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ZHPre by parhams



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Audi S5 Sportback by YUXdesign



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Hudson by dj



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Honda Car by Mantra

15 More Amazing Vehicles

Volkswagen Vans - Different Options To Choose From

Volkswagen Vans offers three different vans options to choice from. They all have style and great performance as rated by the customers that have purchased them.

kokobware.net

Volkswagen EuroVan

Image via WikipediaFrom 1993 to 2003 Volkswagen manufactured the Eurovan. Earlier versions has a low power engine but thee Volkswagen Vans changed it because of customer demand. All models came stand with air conditioning, power windows, and power door locks. They also had driver and passenger side airbags. This can be found at dealerships that sell used vehicles or from individual owners. Overall customers who purchased this van have loved it especially the later models.

Volkswagen Routan

Image via WikipediaThe first year of making this van was in 2009.  It is a seven passenger van that offers a lot for a busy family. The Routan is built just like the Dodge Caravan and the Town and Country by Chrysler. Actually the are all made at the same plant in Canada. This van has a European feel to it. It is still very stylish and full of features. This van has room for seven passengers and all their stuff. The Volkswagen Vans Routan has thirteen cup holders, this alone can almost decide if you may want to purchase this van. Plus there is a third row fold in the floor seat. Additionally included in all models are rear and front 12V power outlets for all your gadgets charging needs.

Volkswagen Vanagon

Image via WikipediaThis van was manufactured from 1988 to 1991. There were several versions to choose from during that time span. You had  the standard Vanagon, Vanagon GL, GL Camper, Carat,  Multivan, and finally the Wolfsburg Limited Edition. They all came with a 2.1 liter engine. These vans were considered the ultimate family vehicles with carpeting , air conditioning, front bucket seats, and a padded instrument panel. Most owners of these vehicles are in love with them. They are no manufactured any longer but can be found at used car dealers or purchased from previous owners.

No matter what you are looking for Volkswagen Vans has designed a van that can fit the needs of your family. Compare the models side by side. New or used you will not be disappointed by either vehicle.

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Baby This and That

A Creative Leak

Katie asked in the comments somewhere when I'm due, …
I'm due around Nov 3. If you ask me in person I'll say around Halloween. And the oldest daughter around here has a birthday the day before Halloween. So she's concerned.
What if I'm in the hospital on her birthday? Who will make her a cake? What about having a birthday party? All the attention is going to be on the baby and not on her birthday. Yes, she's said it. I cringe - but at the same time I applaud her honesty.
Cakes out of the freezer taste delicious. I'm sure she'll get a fabulous birthday cake. I've tried to assure her that she'll always be special and we won't forget her birthday. …
Maybe when the time comes, she'll change her tune a little. Maybe that depends on how close their birthdays are.
Moving on... someone took my picture the other day. I usually move out of range when the camera comes out. …
And in other preparations for Baby... we bought a minivan. A Volkswagen Routan. It's nice. It's comfortable. The kids like having more space than they had in the CRV. They still load up their more space with Stuff.

Driving it feels kind of like driving the Pilot. … One nice thing is the doors stay locked until the driver opens his/her door. One thing that bothers me a little is that the radio stays on until the driver opens his/her door. It's the little things in life I guess.

Here they make the VW symbol with their fingers. Some with more dexterity than others.
Posted by joanna at 5:13 AM

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Day 1: Lancaster, PA – Road Trip With The Family – VW Style

New York Chica

Posted on August 14, 2010 by Lisa

OK, so it’s been a long 49 days since our family road trip with the star of the trip, the Volkswagen Routan.
I know, I know. That was way over a month ago and you must be thinking, ok, why is she writing about this now? Honestly, life got in the way especially when there’s kids involved and well, it was also a sad moment when the vehicle was picked up.
Really it was.
Just thinking about the extra leg room we had, the luxury of dual tv screens with wireless headphones, automatic door and trunk opener, leather seats, a built-in GPS, satellite radio, emotions can indeed get in the way.  The biggest surprise was that during the whole road trip, our 3 kids did not fight at all!
That alone was the icing on the cake. No doubt about it.
Compared to our Kia Sorento (where my kids are cramped and bicker A LOT!) , the Routan is a fabulous minivan.  It doesn’t even feel like a “soccer mom’s” vehicle. The  Routan has the speed, the style, the kick, the look, the luxury, the “everything” that a well-made vehicle has to offer.  This is definitely our next vehicle.
::Sigh::
I really miss the Routan.  I really do.
Ok so back to the road trip.  Sorry, I got sidetracked for a moment.
Day One
…Our first stop was to Lancaster, PA.
…We arrived to Lancaster around one so we did pretty good on travel time.  The first thing we did was check in to our hotel and leave our bags in the room. We met up with my sister, my mom and her boyfriend.  … we headed out to Walmart to get some gardening tools and flowers so we can plant them next to my dads tombstone.
After our visit to the cemetery, we headed out to a local park where my family decided to have a picnic just for us (can I get a awwwww….lol).  They made a huge deal because of us.
How sweet.  My aunts and cousins arranged a huge picnic at the park (the same park where my dad, my sister and I ate crabs) with food, drinks and goodies and all we had to do was to bring ourselves.…
I was so amazed and grateful they went out of their way for us.
After spending some quality time with my family and doing some eating and drinking, we decided to go back to our hotel room to rest for our early rise to Philadelphia, PA.
What a long day but it was all worth it.
PLEASE stay tuned for Day 2: Philadelphia, PA – Road Trip With The Family – VW Style.
Disclosure: The Volkswagen Routan was given to us as a loaner for review purposes only.  It was made possible by the MWW Group. Thank you so much for making our road trip “extra special”  Amy.

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2010 Volkswagen Routan Execline Road Test Review

Confused Identity?

carpages.ca

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Chris "Emmy" Jackson » Canadian Auto Press

Zoom In
Who'd ever guess that the world's best-selling minivan hides under the Routan's skin, and its GC/T&C roots are a good thing in this case. (Photo: VW)
So, before you ask: no, Volkswagen's minivan isn't a Microbus. It doesn't look like a Microbus, and it doesn't have the same attitude. And I don't know why that's the case. Yes, I know it would have been awesome if VW had recreated the Microbus.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me introduce you to the Volkswagen Routan. It's not the sort of van that Volkswagen is known for, but it's got plenty going for it nonetheless. Rather than designing its own van from the ground up, Volkswagen teamed up with the avowed minivan experts of the industry at Chrysler. Since it's arguable whether Chrysler or Volkswagen invented the minivan, with the early-eighties Dodge Caravan or late-fifties Microbus, respectively, it seems only fitting that these two companies would join forces. The Routan is based directly on the Chrysler Town & Country.
Zoom In
Looks good coming and going... (Photo: VW)
At a glance, this isn't obvious. Volkswagen has done a good job of giving the Routan a complete exterior makeover. This seven-passenger van shares the VW lineup's smooth, uncluttered lines and a handsome grille whose contour lines dip into the front bumper.  The headlights are a combination of round and angled elements, like those of the Passat, and high-intensity discharge headlamps are available.  At the rear, gently curving taillights flank a large rear hatch, the better for swallowing cargo.
Zoom In
Layout is identical, materials are better. (Photo: VW)
Zoom In
Fabulous family hauler gets best-in-class features of Chrysler vans with VW refinements. (Photo: VW)
The Passat seems to have donated its instrument panel as well; Volkswagen drivers will find a familiar layout and materials when sitting in the front seats.  Moving back in the Routan, however, the illusion begins to unravel. The materials are nicer, but the layout is identical to that of the Chrysler Town & Country on which it's based. That's not a wholly bad thing, of course, as the Routan is available with dual power sliding doors, a 115-volt outlet for household electronics and a remote start, like the Chrysler. The sound system's head unit and the available touch-screen navigation system are lifted from Chrysler's parts bin, and though they don't quite fit ergonomically with the Volkswagen bits, they're easy enough to use. Ultrasonic rear parking assist is available, as is a JoyBox Multi-Media entertainment system with a 30GB hard drive and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with dual nine-inch video screens for second and third-row passengers. Chrysler's cool UConnect mobile wi-fi is also available on the Routan. The power-operated third-row seat folds into the floor or flips over for tailgating parties, but the Routan doesn't offer Chrysler's rotating Swivel n' Go seating (with the centre table like VW's old camperized bus) or the Stow n' Go seating system that allows the second row seats to be tumbled under the floor when more cargo room is needed; the VW's second-row captain chairs are more comfortable however. …
Zoom In
Nothing better than a minivan for versatility, and the Routan is big inside. (Photo: VW)
…Two V6 powerplants are offered; a 3.6-litre V6 that produces 197 horsepower and a 253 horse 4.0-litre V6.  The 4.0 is the more sophisticated of the two, and it's got enough power to adequately propel the 2,000+kilo (4,500-pound) Routan. Six-speed transmissions are standard with both engines, so fuel economy is decent, topping out at an EPA equivalent 9.4 L/100km on the highway; the Canadian rating system estimates 7.4 L/100km, while the city rating is 12.2 via the Canadian system or 13.8 by more realistic US EPA standards.
Zoom In
The Routan delivers a fabulous ride and decent handling. (Photo: VW)
To sum it all up, you'll have to lose those expectations of a GTI-like driving experience. The Routan's suspension consists of MacPherson struts up front and a twist beam at the rear. Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is standard, as it is on all VW products, and anti-lock brakes are also standard. The Routan is a competent driver, but the underpinnings lack the Germanic touch of the rest of the VW lineup.
Routan pricing is in line with the rest of the Volkswagen lineup--that is to say, it starts out reasonably enough, and can be equipped up to top-line luxury levels. The base Routan Trendline starts at $28,075, and walks all the way up to a base price of $50,575 for the top of the line Execline. This model has no options, kitted out with a navigation system, sunroof, power-folding third row seat, remote start and the rear air suspension, making it a top-flight minivan. …

In response to "Volkswagen Routan May Be Dropped From Line-up, Good Idea?"

Image via Wikipedia

Motortrend.com has an article entitled "Volkswagen Routan May Be Dropped From Lineup, Good Idea?" Below is the comment I left on that article.

The Routan has the youngest ownership of all minivans. In fact, there are only a relatively few vehicles that have younger average ownership. The youngest being the Jetta. Routan is positioned right for VW's market.

I suspect that the Phaeton will be positioned as the last car the Baby Boomers buy. We are dying off, and our profit contribution is decreasing for multiple reasons. But VW may be making a demographic play (provide a new luxury sedan that old guys can like because it doesn't look like the car all of their buddies drive.)

VW was smart to start with the best selling minivan in the US. The Routan has the features that Americans want. It is somewhat differentiated from the Honda and Toyota van that are viewed as practical (read, old fogey). It has an up-market feel compared to the Grand Caravan (GC is plebeian). Chrysler Town & Country is for the pre-boomer who can't get in and out of sedans anymore and who remember when Chrysler meant quality and engineering. (My 75-year old Dad drives a T&C--though he likes my Routan and he says that people who call it a T&C wannabe are idiots.)

The Sharan won't sell here in large quantities. The most mentioned feature by Routan owners is the power sliding side doors. The younger American buyers want power sliding side doors. The Sharan has conventional doors that don't convert well to sliding doors. Some complain that their isn't enough room in the Routan--so how will they feel about even less room of the Sharan.

I hope VW continues to target the younger minivan market. I hope Version 2 is built in Chattanooga on a VW chassis but in the same size configuration. They must add a TDI.

I wouldn't be surprised if Fiat drops the minivan or sells it off with the Ram family. That will end the comparison between the VW minivan and the Chrysler minivan.

Now here's a thought, VW should buy Ram and the mini-van, along with the Windsor plant. Then the Routan won't be like the T&C, but maybe VW will sell T&C units through Fiat/Chrysler. This move would also get VW into the US truck business.

I feel that VW should keep an American minivan that draws a younger market, I have mixed feelings about the Phaeton. While I'm a baby boomer (who started late with babies of his own) who is curious about the Phaeton, I wonder why I would buy one instead of an Audi (it's sister car)?

Riding in Style with the Volkswagen Routan: On the Road to Sesame Place

Mommies With Style blog

Wed, Jun 23, 2010

We recently took a road trip down to Sesame Place as a mini-family vacation, before our third child arrives in August. I was able to test drive a Volkswagen Routan (MSRP $25,000- $42,500) down to Langhorne, PA, from our home in New York City.

The Routan was absolutely fantastic. As someone who hasn’t driven a new vehicle since 1994, I immediately fell in love with it. We were able to go from Queens to Langhorne (and back) without refueling! The ride was smooth – we did not feel a single bump in the road! City mileage per gallon was 17 and highway mileage per gallon was 25.

The features were terrific — we loved the dual remote-controlled power-sliding doors, remote-controlled rear door, rearview backup camera, luxurious leather seats, DVD players, satellite navigation system and radio, and the U Connect Bluetooth! There are several versions of the Routan; the S, SE, SEL and SEL Premium- which ranges from basic to fully loaded).

The Rearview Backup Camera was genius. When you’re backing up, you see live video of things like kids and pets — as well as other vehicles who might be behind you. It was like having eyes in the back of your head! The Routan also had front and rear 12V power outlets — so you can recharge things on the go. If you put the two rear seat rows down, there is 144 cubic feet of available cargo space. Since we have two children at the current time (#3 comes in August), we put the rearmost seat down and used that for storage.

The JoyBox Entertainment System went over really well. The multimedia rear-seat entertainment system has a hard drive and a USB port, so one can transfer music and picture files from CDs and even play movies while parked. It was great to play DVDS for my kids as we drove. There’s a screen for 2nd and 3rd rows. Also, the touch-screen navigation system can let me map out our route back and forth to Sesame Place. The only thing we didn’t like about the navigation was that it kept telling us it was rerouting due to traffic. It said this constantly and drove my husband crazy — we usually use a detachable Garmin GPS that doesn’t do that. We wished we could find out why the touch-screen navigation in the Routan was doing this and ended up turning it off most of the time. The seats were roomy and the version we tested came with sumptuous soft leather seats. As someone who just learned how to work bluetooh (thanks to Jabra), I loved that I could pair my phone with the Routan’s UConnect^® Bluetooth^® system, which let you answer and make calls by using voice commands. We really enjoyed testing the VW Routan and can recommend this vehicle 100%!

Volkswagen North America provided a VW Routan for review purposes.

Test Drive: 2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline

{The model designations and prices are for the Canadian market. The U.S. models are referred to as the S, SE, SEL, and SEL Premium. SE up has RSE (Rear Seat Entertainment) standard or available as an option. U.W. pricing seems to be more favorable than Canadian pricing.}

CanadianDriver

Review and photos by Chris Chase

Photo Gallery:
2010 Volkswagen Routan

In my profession as a test driver, occasionally the right vehicle comes along at just the right time. My wife’s grandmother passed away at the beginning of April, and in the process of settling her estate, my mother-in-law had to find some way to move her mother’s belongings out of her apartment, … to someone who could use a bunch of old but well-cared-for furniture.

Enter this week’s Volkswagen Routan tester, which I picked up a couple of weeks after grandma’s passing. My mother-in-law … struck gold on a Friday, when she was put in touch with someone … who would be very grateful for … a queen-sized bed frame, mattress and box spring, a loveseat and wingback chair, two bedside tables, a six-drawer dresser, and a few other odds and ends.

2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline. Click image to enlarge

Great! We had a place to take the furniture and a way to get it there, but the question was whether it would all fit in one go; …

There was a brief moment of panic when I realized that the mattress, box spring and headboard wouldn’t fit inside the van. I was thankful, then, for the Routan’s roof rails and cross bars, which allowed us to tie the mattress and box spring to the roof, with the headboard sandwiched in between. The rest of the load was drama-free: the dresser fit crossways behind the front seats, with the loveseat, chair and tables in back, and a bunch of smaller odds and ends squeezed in wherever they would fit. One load, one trip and a lot of time saved.

… This van was added to VW’s line-up in late 2008 after the company’s research showed that 15 per cent of VW owners had left the brand to purchase a minivan when their needs dictated a larger vehicle. … [The] company … {knew} they wouldn’t sell Routans in the same numbers as Chrysler moves its Dodge Grand Caravan and Town & Country, so rather than design its own van from the ground up, VW partnered with Chrysler to base a van on the American platform.

2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline. Click image to enlarge

The Routan shares most of its makeup with the Chrysler and Dodge vans, but on the outside, only the roof and door panels are shared, to create a van distinctive enough to set it apart from its domestic siblings. Its powertrain choices are limited to one: a 4.0-litre V6 and six-speed automatic that also serves the Chrysler Town & Country and is the uplevel choice in the Dodge Grand Caravan.

Rated at 251 horsepower and 259 lb-ft of torque, it’s a strong motor, but not terribly refined. …

Acceleration is brisk, but the engine never sounds like it’s having a good time. This transmission is one I’ve noted before for how it bangs off great up-shifts in hard acceleration and downshifts readily for passing manoeuvres, yet often feels clumsy and unsophisticated in normal driving. The Routan’s fuel consumption ratings are 12.2/7.9 L/100 km (city/highway); I averaged 14 L/100 km in city driving.

2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline. Click image to enlarge

If Volkswagen has done a good job making the Routan stand apart from its Chrysler siblings looks-wise, the German brand’s suspension tuning makes a major difference in how the Routan goes over the road. Where the Town & Country wafts and wallows in response to rough roads, the Routan feels much more European, with a firmer ride and less body roll in corners. I’d hesitate to call it entertaining, but it certainly is more so than the Chrysler.

Volkswagen’s interior designers gave the Routan its own look and feel on the inside, with more soft-touch surfaces and a more attractive dash layout than in Chrysler’s vans. That said, the climate controls are still too low on the centre stack and there are a few cheap touches that remain, like the junky-feeling shifter and Chrysler’s electronic ignition switch, which never feels like it has a good grip on the key. I also wish Volkswagen had put its own steering wheel in the Routan. Instead, it makes do with the Chrysler wheel, which has stereo controls (on the backside), but doesn’t incorporate Bluetooth controls, which instead are located on the right-hand side of the navigation/stereo unit, far from the driver …

The Routan doesn’t offer Chrysler’s Stow ‘N Go second-row seats, which makes for more comfort, but less convenience, as these ones have to be removed from the van and stored somewhere when you need maximum carrying capacity. They’re pretty heavy, so lifting them out is a task, but they do have small wheels that allow them to be rolled across flat surfaces. The third row seats fold away into a well in the very back of the van, making for a flat load floor.

2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline. Click image to enlarge

Our tester was a Highline model, which is priced at $40,575 {Cdn}, part of the price that must be paid for niceties like power sliding side doors, power tailgate, alloy wheels, automatic climate control, eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, heated second-row captains chairs, power adjustable pedals, steering wheel audio controls and numerous other interior and exterior trim items. It’s worth noting, though, that many of the items included on my tester are also standard on the one-rung-down Comfortline model. My test vehicle also had the $2,425 {Cdn} Navigation Package, which adds navigation, a rear view camera and a USB connection for the stereo for a total MSRP of $44,580 {Cdn} including freight. For the record, the top-end Execline trim is worth $50,575 {Cdn} and includes navigation, a rear-seat entertainment system and flashier trim pieces, like 17-inch wheels (in place of sixteens) and chrome exterior mirrors and door handles.

The Routan is a more pleasant driver than its Chrysler and Dodge-badged siblings, … At that point, it’s a decent van for a Volks-phile, but otherwise, it might make more sense to spend similar money on a Japanese van and benefit from their superior reliability. …

Canadians, however, might appreciate being able to buy an import-branded van that’s built in Canada – the Routan is built alongside the Chrysler and Dodge versions in Windsor, Ontario. Honda and Toyota build their Odyssey and Sienna vans in the U.S.

If the Routan proved anything to me, it’s that among light-duty vehicles, there’s still nothing out there to compare to a minivan’s ability to carry seven or eight people in decent comfort, or move a small apartment’s worth of stuff in one shot. I know I was glad to be able to put this van to good use while I had it, and there’s a grateful family out there who’s probably pretty happy about it, too.

Pricing: 2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline

Base price: $40,575

Base price (Trendline): $28,075

Options: $2,425 (Navigation Package of navigation system, rearview camera, stereo USB port)

A/C tax: $100

Freight: $1,580

Price as tested: $44,580
Click here for options, dealer invoice prices and factory incentives

Specifications

Buyer’s Guide: 2010 Volkswagen Routan

Competitors

Buyer’s Guide: 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan

Buyer’s Guide: 2010 Chrysler Town & Country

Buyer’s Guide: 2010 Honda Odyssey

Buyer’s Guide: 2010 Kia Sedona

Buyer’s Guide: 2010 Toyota Sienna

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

Chris Chase is an Ottawa-based automotive journalist. He is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).