VW – Automotivetry.com – Motor Sports, Exotic Cars, and Everything In Between

For $62,335, The Wild And Super Rare VW Beetle RSi Will Trade Your Flower For VR6 Power

There are a few cars that can stand out on the road as the VW Beetle RSI, the fastest version of the New Beetle that was produced in a limited number of 250 units between 2001 and 2003.

A pristine example of this crazy machine is listed for sale on eBay UK with a price tag of £45,000 ($62,335). Besides the obvious visual modifications differentiating it from any other Beetle, including the fully redesigned bodykit, double rear spoiler, and 18-inch OZ Superturismo wheels, the RSI came with a sporty suspension and chassis setup, uprated brakes, Remus exhaust, and a more powerful engine.

Under the bonnet, there is VW’s naturally aspirated 3.2-liter VR6 engine also found in the Golf R32 that in this case produces 224 hp (165 kW / 224 PS) and 320 Nm (lb-ft) of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox and the 4Motion all-wheel drive system, allowing for a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration in 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 225 km/h (140 mph).

Inside, the beautiful Recaro bucket seats are upholstered in orange leather and the details from carbon fiber and billet aluminum will make sure no passenger mistakes it for a regular Beetle.

Watch Also: Rare VW Beetle RSi V6 Thrashed Around The ‘Ring

This specific VW Beetle RSI had a single previous owner and has traveled 17,500 miles (28,163 km) since new. It is 100% stock and comes with a full service history. From the pictures, it looks like it is in decent condition considering it is almost two decades old.

While owning a rare vehicle like that is undeniably cool, paying $60K for a Golf-based model feels kind of weird. The seller, who also owns a VW Golf R32 and a Mini Cooper, believes that the RSI will go up in value, even though currently it is listed for less money compared to its original price which was around $80,000 back in the early ’00s.

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The VW Golf R Story Starts With The 1989 Golf Rallye

The GTi might still be the most famous Golf badge, but in enthusiast circles the Golf R has carved out an equally respected reputation thanks to its extra shove and all-wheel drive traction.

The modern R name and 2.0-liter turbo four/all-wheel drive layout dates back to 2009, when the Mk6 R replaced the V6-powered R32. But you can clearly see its origins in this 1989 Golf Rallye that recently appeared for sale on Collecting Cars.

Okay, maybe that was a poor choice of phrase. It’s difficult to ‘see’ the connection because while the modern R is über-restrained on the outside, giving no clue to what’s going on under the skin, the Rallye is the total reverse with its body arch flares and a different headlight design giving it a look unlike any other Mk2 Golf.

The reason for the boxy arches – and for the Rallye itself – is Volkswagen’s ambition to win in Group A rallying in the late 1980s. The Golf GTi had notched up wins in lower levels of competition, but Group A was dominated by four-wheel drive hot hatches like the Lancia Delta Integrale – a car Volkswagen had no rival for.

So it created the homologation special Rallye, building 5,000 units to keep the FIA happy. The all-wheel drive system came from the Golf Synchro, and Volkswagen’s engineers added a G-Lader supercharger to a GTi’s 1.8-liter engine that was chopped down by 18cc so that it wouldn’t bust the 3.0-litre limit when FIA’s 1.7x multiplication factor for forced induction motors was applied.

Unfortunately for Volkswagen, the Rallye never really delivered. The competition car was no match for the Delta Integrale, and the street car was much slower than it looked like it should be. The G-Lader engine made 158 hp and 166 lb ft of torque, far more than the GTi and GTi 16v, but the car was much heavier, and 0-60 mph times were in the eights, 2 seconds slower than some rivals.

But it’s still hard not to want one looking at these pictures of this Italian market car. The aftermarket exhaust and 212,000 miles (132k miles) on the odo point to a life well lived, but it has apparently been recently restored, including a respray and supercharger rebuild. And crucially, the important original features are there, including the Rallye logo seats and 15-inch multispoke wheels that look slightly lost in arches designed to house much fatter racing rubber.

Who else would love to see a modern Golf R take a leaf out of the Rallye’s book and amp up the attitude?

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The Volkswagen Passat W8 Was A 275 HP Family Sedan With A Rather Unusual Engine

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Volkswagen was experimenting with W-shaped engines and as it turns out, buying one of the marque’s W-powered models doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.

Volkswagen’s first W engine was conceived by then-CEO Ferdinand Piech and consisted of three VR6 six-cylinder banks configured in a W shape. This engine was unveiled in the Bugatti 18/3 Chiron concept and eventually downsized to a W16 engine for the Bugatti Chiron and a W12 for the Bentley range. One of the brand’s lesser-known engines is its W8 that powered a special variant of the Passat.

The 4.0-liter W8 featured two narrow-angle 15-degree VR4 cylinder blocks arranged on a common crankshaft at an angle of 72 degrees. It delivered 275 hp and 273 lb-ft (370 Nm) of torque and the small packaging meant it could be mounted longitudinally in front-wheel drive vehicles.

The W8 Passat hit the market with the aim of appealing to “buyers looking for high performance and quality in a subtle and affordable package.” It came standard with a 4Motion all-wheel drive system and was offered with either a six-speed manual or a five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. At the time of its launch, it was the most expensive Volkswagen model ever, priced around $40,000, and included standard features like tinted and heat-insulated glass, bi-xenon headlights, and park distance control.

Just 11,000 examples of the W8-powered Passat were produced and a look on AutoTrader reveals three examples that are up for sale in the U.S. The cheapest of the trio is priced at $3,900 with 115,000 miles on the clock while the second is priced at $4,068 with 172,720 miles. A lower mileage model that’s been driven 90,500 miles and has the six-speed manual is also looking for a new home for $11,900.

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Explore The 2021 VW ID.4 With The Help Of Augmented Reality

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VW has launched a special online tool using augmented reality prior to deliveries of the all-electric 2021 ID.4 kicking off in the United States.

Dubbed the VW Showroom, the tool allows shoppers to use their phone to place an ID.4 somewhere in your home, driveway, or anywhere else for that matter. Users of the app are able to walk around the vehicle as they would in a real showroom and can view it from all angles.

In addition, the AR technology allows you to choose between six exterior colors for the ID.4, including red, blue, black, white, and two shades of grey/silver. There are also two different wheel designs that can be chosen. You can also take a virtual tour of the VW’s interior, although there are no areas of customization in the cabin.

Volkswagen says it took an international team of 17 people three months to develop the tool. In addition to the ID.4, it can be used for the new 2022 Taos, which is heading to the United States next year as a rival to the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Kia Seltos.

VW’s U.S. range for the ID.4 starts out with the Pro model that’s available from $39,995 and comes standard with an 82 kWh battery pack that drives an electric motor with 201 hp and 228 lb-ft (309 Nm) of torque. The next step up in the range takes shoppers to the ID.4 1st Edition which has the same powertrain but is better equipped and available from $43,995.

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2021 VW Arteon Gains Two New Powertrains, Lower Starting Price In The UK

VW customers in the UK can now order the 2021 Arteon and Arteon Shooting Brake with two new powertrains and a more affordable starting price.

The facelifted Arteon is now available with the 148 HP 1.5-liter TSI engine, which drops the base price of the model down to £31,965 for the fastback and £32,765 for the Shooting Brake variant.

The other new engine is the 2.0-liter TDI diesel with 197 HP (200 PS), which is the most powerful in the range, at least until the Arteon R and Arteon eHybrid models arrive in the next few months.

The Arteon with the 197 HP 2.0-liter TDI is offered with both front- and all-wheel-drive, and is paired exclusively to a seven-speed DSG transmission. VW claims a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint in 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 145 mph (233 km/h) for both body styles.

Other engine options include the 148 HP 2.0-liter TDI and the 187 HP 2.0-liter TSI, with the latter being offered exclusively with a seven-speed DSG transmission and front-wheel-drive.

The range of the updated Arteon includes three trim lines – SE Nav, Elegance, and R-Line. The base SE Nav offers more kit as standard than the previous Arteon, including a Digital Cockpit, a three-zone climate control system, an 8-inch MIB3 infotainment system, adaptive cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, six-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat and more.

The Elegance trim features 18-inch alloys, keyless entry, a rear-view camera and Travel Assist. Finally, the more dynamic R-Line gets 19-inch wheels, dual trapezoidal exhaust tips in addition to a model-specific body kit, a sunroof, rear tinted glass and interior ambient lighting.

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How About An Open-Top VW Golf GTI Based On The Old Audi A3 Cabriolet?

Remember the Audi A3 Cabriolet that was dropped for 2020? Well, someone does and thought it would be a good idea to make an open-top Volkswagen Golf GTI based on its defunct cousin from Ingolstadt.

Mind you, the only Golf bits in this rendering are the front end, GTI badges and taillights, as everything else is pure A3 Cabrio, including the overall styling of the back end, the profile, and probably even the interior, as we can see the older infotainment screen mounted on top of the dashboard.

Review: 2021 VW Golf GTI – Time To Find Out If The New Hot Hatch Is Worthy Of The Name

While KDesignAG was busy coming up with this odd Volkswagen/Audi mashup, the automaker has already launched the new-gen Golf GTI in Europe. UK pricing starts at £33,460 ($43,337) for the six-speed manual and £34,960 ($45,280) for the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, whereas in Germany, it will set buyers back at least €37,607.38 ($44,285).

The United States won’t be getting the latest Golf GTI until the third quarter of 2021, and while pricing will be announced in due course, we expect it to start at around $30,000.

It will launch with the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine powering the European variant, which puts out 242 HP (245 PS / 180 kW) output and 273 lb-ft (370 Nm) torque. The nought to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint takes 6.2 seconds with the optional DSG gearbox and the front-wheel drive hot hatch has a top speed electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h).

Note: These are KDesignAG’s renderings that are in no way related to or endorsed by Volkswagen

Oettinger Releases A Number Of Parts For The New VW Golf Mk8

Several tuning companies have already previewed or launched accessories for the eighth generation Volkswagen Golf, and one of them is Oettinger.

The German tuner has chosen to keep things discreet, although anyone familiar with how the popular compact hatchback looks like will spot them in a blink of an eye.

Setting the front end of the car apart from the standard models is a new apron, which not only makes it look sportier, but also reduces lift, according to Oettinger, which has tested all the parts in the wind tunnel. The side skirts are new as well, and so is the diffuser lip, which has a three-piece design, with a removable middle section that allows the mounting of a tow hook.

There’s also a roof spoiler, whereas for the 7.5×18-inch alloy wheels, you will have to turn to Volkswagen themselves, as these are from their official Accessories range.

Watch Also: 2020 VW Golf eTSI – Still The Compact Segment’s Default Choice?

Oettinger says that all components are of OEM quality and are delivered prime, save for the roof spoiler, which is shipped in glossy black, though they can be finished in any color to either match the car’s paintjob or contrast it.

All parts can be ordered from the official Volkswagen partners this summer and will eventually be joined by similar offerings for the upcoming GTI front-wheel drive hot hatch. The AWD Golf R is still in development, but we think that it will end up in the tuner’s catalogue too once it launches.

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