2014 Volkswagen Microbus Illustrations

VW Operations 101: Piëch always gets his way—even if it takes 12 years.

Car and Driver
BY JENS MEINERS, ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTIAN SCHULTE
December 2010
Pages: 1 Photos

• Photos (16)

Image by SOCIALisBETTER via FlickrRemember the Microbus concept Volkswagen brought to the Detroit auto show in 2001? Styled under the direction of former VW design chief Hartmut Warkuß and a pet project of erstwhile VW CEO Ferdinand Piëch, it fell out of favor when Bernd Pischetsrieder took over as CEO and installed his own design head. Although the van had moved close to production—VW even had a plant in mind to build it—its lines did not fit former Peugeot and Mercedes designer Murat Günak's styling language, and the project was cancelled in 2006.

Piëch must have made a mental note, because now the Microbus is back, on the front-wheel-drive platform of the Touran, a Golf-derived compact minivan not sold in the U.S. The retro-futuristic van likely will be just slightly smaller than the original concept, but look nearly identical. It will be unveiled in 2013, and production is expected to start in 2014.
Motivation for the new Microbus will come from several engines in VW’s parts bin, including four-cylinder gas and turbo-diesels. Power will be channeled to the front wheels through a manual transmission or VW's six- or seven-speed dual-clutch gearboxes. All-wheel drive is a possibility, and VW might build a range-extended EV version in the style of the Chevrolet Volt.
U.S. sales are almost a certainty. The New Beetle had its greatest successes here, and the old "Lovebus"—which you can still buy new in Brazil as the Kombi—is still fondly remembered. Production of the Microbus will coincide with the launch of another new, bigger van, a replacement for the Chrysler-supplied Routan to be built in Tennessee on VW's own platform. It just goes to show that, in its race for world domination, VW will be paying equal attention to mainstream and niche. For that, we are grateful.

Related articles

• Report: VW design chief says new Microbus is in the cards (autoblog.com)
• "Volkswagen Microbus concept under development: report" and related posts (caradvice.com.au)
• Spokane woman recovers VW microbus stolen in 1974 (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Volkswagen: What's New for 2011

Edmund's Inside Line

Image via Wikipedia2011 Volkswagen Routan: Volkswagen's minivan gets a new engine — the 283-hp, 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that's also new to the Chrysler minivans for 2011. This new V6 is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Volkswagen has also made some mild revisions to the Routan's cabin.

Related articles

• Volkswagen of America Increases November Sales 24.2% (autoandracingnews.wordpress.com)
• Volkswagen: Please Build Us A Camper On This Platform (ridelust.com)
• Volkswagen of America November sales up 24.2% (newstatesman.com)

Heels on Wheels: Minivan Comparison: VW ROUTAN vs DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

SEE ALSO: Volkswagen Buyers Guide
SEE ALSO: Dodge Buyers Guide
The Auto Channel
HEELS ON WHEELS
By Katrina Ramser
San Francisco Bureau
The Auto Channel
INTRO TO THE ROUTAN AND CARAVAN VEHICLES
One well-known minivan – the Dodge Grand Caravan – gets pitted against a relatively newcomer to the family driving market, the Volkswagen Routan. Will German engineering beat American-made machinery? Or will the Routan be revealed as a clone or “Mini-Me” to the Caravan?

Image via CrunchBaseI drove a 2010 VW Routan with a 197-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Available in S, SE, SEL and Premium trims; my SE test drive featured a healthy list of standards for a step above base including an 8-way adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, 17-inch alloy wheels, power-sliding rear doors, tri-zone manual climate control, removable second-row captain's chairs, the upgraded V-tex upholstery, Bluetooth and an upgraded audio system with a 6-CD changer. The addition of the RSE (rear seat entertainment) brought a DVD player, a power liftgate and satellite radio. Total vehicle price came to $33,500. There were no add-on packages to configure.

And I drove a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan also with a 197-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Available in a base van, SE, Hero and SXT trims; my Hero test drive featured a trip computer, heated exterior mirrors, third-row power ventilated windows, 3-zone temperature control, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifting knob and a 6-speaker audio system with SIRIUS satellite radio. Optional packages included a $1,495 Popular Equipment Group (remote start, power liftgate, passenger-side power sliding doors), a $1,875 Single Screen DVD Entertainment System (6.5-inch touch-screen display, 30GB hard drive for storing songs, backup camera) and a $220 special sliding front console with cup holders. Total vehicle price came to $29,490.
Don’t let the Routan’s slightly different looks fool you: If you haven’t figured it out yet based on engine stats, the minivan is essentially a rebadged of the Caravan. Both feature the second and third-row Stow ‘n Go seating system, and identical safety features and results.
HEELS ON WHEELS REVIEW CRITERIA
Stylish But Comfortable Results: Two major interior differences were apparent: The Routan had a nicer or “leatherette” seating material and a navigation system, whereas the Caravan had cloth seating material and no navigation. The dash build inside the Routan is a little larger or expansive, which give a sense of more frontal space. Both vehicles have the standard Stow 'n Go setup, which consists of a pair of second-row captain's chairs that disappear into the floor along with the third-row bench for a flat floor featuring 140 cubic feet of cargo room. Unfortunately, Stow 'n Go seatbacks aren't as comfortable as larger seats.
Reliability & Safety Factor: Safety features are the same – but I find it odd the Caravan charges for anti-lock brakes (ABS) in their Power Equipment Group. Powertrain and basic warranties are the same. Both feature “Good” rating for frontal and side impact crash tests with the IIHS. But the only minivan on the 2010 IIHS Top Safety Pick is the Toyota Sienna.
Cost Issues: Base price for the Routan starts at $ while base price for the Grand Caravan begins at $21,800. Look into current Dodge incentives. The most surprising thing about the Routan is how affordable VW allowed this minivan to be.
Activity & Performance Ability: The driving experiences of the V6 engines are identical – swift, responsive and quiet. The difference is in the seating. Do you want to sit up high, like a bus driver? Choose the Caravan. The Routan’s driver seat tends to cradle the body more. It has been slighted repeatedly by critics both vehicles cannot compare to the performance of the Honda Odyssey in regards to handling refinement.
The Green Concern: Both vehicles retain 16-city/23-highway driving mpg for an average of 18 mpg – to be expected with a V6 engine. The smaller 4-cylinder found inside the Toyota Sienna can get you 19-city/24-highway driving mpg for about a 2-mpg improvement.
FINAL PARTING WORDS
The Grand Caravan feels a little bland next to the VW Routan’s special German genes that make an un-cool car like a minivan into something sleek and desirable. Furthermore, consumers should not have to pay extra for some of the Caravan’s optional features like a power liftgate, remote start and special cup holders; I also l appreciated how the Routan doesn’t offer such traditional packages but just well-equipped trims. And prices are the same when you consider my Routan test drive was equipped with a touch-screen navigation system and the Caravan test drive was not.
©2010 Katrina Ramser

Related articles

• Officially Official: 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan reports for family duty (autoblog.com)
• Wheels: Chrysler's New Minivans Coming for Christmas (wheels.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Man up to the new Dodge Grand Caravan minivan (content.usatoday.com)

November 2010 YTD Sales Figures

Volkswagen's Routan achieved a 98.5% increase and Golf and Tiguan also experienced strong increases in sales compared to November 2009.


Volkswagen's TDI clean diesel models had another strong month with 4,304 total sales.

"It's no surprise the all-new Jetta and Touareg models did well for November but it's also good to see increases from models such as the Routan, Tiguan and Golf," said Mark Barnes, Chief Operating Officer, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "Our TDI clean diesel products continue to gain popularity as customers realize the benefit of this product."

PRNewswire published the November and YTD sales figures of the auto-makers who sell in the U.S. From these reports, we glean the following data:

Brand YTD  - 11/10


Chrysler   102,495

Dodge       89,057

Honda       98,035

Kia         20,151

Mazda       14,892
Nissan         177 (discontinued)
Toyota      89,509
Volkswagen  14,714

Total      429,030
Volkswagen's market share of van sales is 3.43%, in the target range declared when the Routan was introduced.

Related articles

• Volkswagen of America November sales up 24.2% (newstatesman.com)
• Volkswagen: Please Build Us A Camper On This Platform (ridelust.com)

Dr. Ulrich Hackenberd-Volkswagen Routan – Cool Video

31 Days of Cool Cars and Hot Savings: Day 3 | TrueCar Blog

Friday, December 3, 2010 5:00 am

Image via CrunchBaseTrueCar Blog

Welcome to Day 3 of TrueCar.com’s 31 Days of Savings.  Yesterday we featured the luxury of Lexus, the simplicity of Mitsubishi and the fuel economy of Chevrolet.  So far, we have featured 5 cars that offer at least a 10% discount, with discounts as high as 24%.  Now is a great time to buy.
As a reminder, the following needs to be remembered when considering these deals:
• Incentives and leasing programs are subject to change and should be confirmed with your dealer
• Many of the 2010 models are great deals because they are in short supply, check with your dealer for inventory
• Many of the 2011 models are just becoming great deals as 2010s go completely away
• Advertised lease specials can be improved upon, as we have stated previously
…
Deal #2:  2010 Volkswagen Routan S

Image via WikipediaThough the TV show Lost featured the iconic VW van in full-on retro mode over the course of its 6 years, most people stopped thinking about Volkswagen as a maker of minivans sometime after Woodstock.  But the manufacturer still makes outstanding vehicles and, though this might be in short supply because of model year changeover, getting your hands on one is a great buy.  The TrueCar average price is $23,082, which represents a 14% discount from MSRP.

Related articles

• TrueCar.com Pricing Can Lower Advertised Lease Payments (prnewswire.com)
• Report: Today is the best day all year to buy a new car (autoblog.com)
• BMW Tops Lexus, Mercedes in U.S. Luxury Auto Sales for November (businessweek.com)

The MA List: 6 Concept Cars That Cried Wolf!

The Car Connection

Source: MotorAuthority.com

2001 Volkswagen Microbus concept
Enlarge Photo
Concept cars are a mixed breed. Sometimes, they're the real thing slightly disguised, and sometimes they're way-off abstractions in the Tomorrowland vein.
In a handful of cases, concept cars are annoying knock-offs of the boy who cried wolf, without the bit that makes the fairy tale appealing. You know, the part where the boy gets eaten.

Image via WikipediaNow, to be fair, there's more reality in most any concept car than in an episode of Operation Repo. We can't remember how many times Honda or Lexus has placed a production-ready car on an auto-show stand and called it a "concept"--think Model X, LF-A. And even among the purest flights of fancy, there are some ideas that spring to life from them.

With auto show season in full swing, we're already hearing new talk about old trial balloons that have floated overhead, sometimes for most of the past decade, promising to take up real production-line space but never following up on those empty threats. These are the ones we'll have a hard time believing are real until someone can actually document a registration down at the local DMV.
The list of repeat offenders isn't too long, and some of them truly are lovely to contemplate. Still, we don't want to hear any more from these six concepts until they're ready to do something, or get off the pot. Or until they're eaten.
2001 Volkswagen Microbus

Image via WikipediaThis week's prattling on about a new Microbus has only reminded us of the long, sad history of VW concept vans. Yes, we were there when the 2001 concept captivated Detroit (!). And then it went dormant. A decade's worth of teasing didn't help--and neither did the 2009 Routan, an anti-Bus if there ever were one. Back in 2008, we gave you plenty of reasons to doubt the return of Microbus, but now it's VW teasing once more. With a new mid-size sedan coming, it's not out of the question that a big crossover with a Microbus badge might emerge from Chattanooga--but that flat-faced front end is a killer to recreate. And if it can't be done, is the result really a Microbus?

Related articles

• "Volkswagen Microbus concept under development: report" and related posts (caradvice.com.au)
• Report: VW design chief says new Microbus is in the cards (autoblog.com)