Tag Archives: Volkswagen

Dieselgate: the prequel

Where there’s smoke, there’s scandal

Long before aging hippies and more respectable members of the general public fell victim to the Volkswagen emissions-cheating scandal, there was the Oldsmobile diesel.

“Das problem”

Born of high oil and gasoline prices at the tail end of the turbulent 1970s, GM’s diesel engine (in 4.3-litre and 5.7-litre guises) seemed the answer to many consumer demands – better mileage, more power, cheaper operating costs.

By the dawn of the 80s, diesels were slapped into nearly everything GM produced, from low-end Buicks to Cadillacs.

Sales peaked at 310,000 in 1981, representing 60% of the diesel market in North America – no small feat considering the amount of Mercedes, Volvo and, yes, Volkswagen diesels being imported at the time.

Just watch this breezy and glamorous promotional video for the 1980 diesel Oldsmobiles.

Seems like a dream come true, right?

Well, the dream of the 80s didn’t stay alive for long.

Customer frustration grew after people had lived with their diesel Oldsmobiles for a while. Poor performance, noise and unreliability emerged as the biggest complaints, and the engines were phased out of the GM lineup by 1985.

So derided were the rumbling power plants, that it created a stigma around diesel that continued in American to this day.

Earlier this year, that stigma seemed to be lessening. Volkswagen TDI models were still rolling steadily off lots in the U.S. and Canada, as they had been for years, while the light-duty 3.0-litre EcoDiesel was being lauded for its use in Ram pickups and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Chevrolet’s popular Cruze had just become available with a powerful 2.0-litre turbodiesel that, though rare in the marketplace, was receiving positive press.

Then, the news came that a small European environmental group and a West Virginia University had exposed one of the biggest scandals of the modern automotive era (and there’s been quite a few lately).

Dieselgate is more than just news of a faulty part or a shady corporate cover-up – it comes across as the indictment of an entire fuel. One that powers an engine that can trace its roots back to 1890.

Time will tell how the technology survives this scandal, the eventual recalls, and multiple investigations by regulatory bodies on both sides of the Atlantic. Perhaps oil burners will shrug off the black eye, though it’s possible that – in the face of stricter emissions requirements – automakers might just give up and go in a new direction.

Now, please enjoy this video of an early-80s Oldsmobile 98 diesel starting up.

Motoring, à la française

The Hyundai Intrado sport crossover concept comes unwrapped at the Montreal International Auto Show.

Thoughts from the 2015 Montreal Auto Show

There’s few things as unsexy as driving in Canada in the middle of January.

Brutal cold is never sexy, nor is starting your car in that same nostril hair-freezing temperature and shivering while the heater valiantly tries (and fails) to blow warm air.

Road salt and brown-grey slush covers everything – roads, sidewalks, your car, your pants – while the weather forecast teases you with warmer weather (which never materializes) on the last day of the week.

So it was fitting that the mercury was holding steady at minus 25 when I left Ottawa for the warm, glitzy confines of the Montreal Auto Show this past week.

Thankfully, the only salt to be found inside the Palais des Congrès was on my Old Dutch potato chips.

Here it is – the 2084 Camry! Actually, the Toyota FT1 concept is meant to tease a future design direction for the company.

Unlike past years, lots of concepts were unveiled this time around, and mainly from Japanese automakers. Could it be they’re feeling a growing ‘beige’ backlash to their sensible but reserved offerings?

The wildest concept by far was the Toyota FT1, a two-seater supercar that was red enough and low enough to arouse Prince. Missing a drivetrain, the FT1’s totally un-Camrylike styling is a direction the company rep said Toyota plans to go in.

No word on whether the FT1 will be appearing alongside Corollas in Toyota showrooms anytime soon, but I somehow doubt it.

Supercars are hot, but they aren’t big sellers. Most of the concepts revealed at the show were a little more sensible, and shared a common theme: compact, sporty, 2-door crossovers aimed at adventurous, urban Millennials.

Subaru’s VIZIV 2 concept (another 2-door sport crossover!) reflects the company’s future styling plans.

Have you finished vomiting yet? Yes, the ‘adventurous, urban Millennial’ is the new, hipsterized ‘young urban professional’ of yesterday.

Whether you’re grabbing your beard buddies and heading down to the Vance Joy/Lumineers concert, taking your open relationship girlfriend to the Lena Dunham book signing, or ironically shopping for Mason jars or corduroys by yourself, these concepts were meant to arouse apathy and muted passion all at once.

Subaru brought its VIZIV 2 concept, Hyundai rolled out the Intrado, and Volkswagen showed up with the T-ROC. Together, the concepts were meant to imply a design and market direction, one that (if accurate) should have America’s young people toasting their good fortune with overly hoppy craft beer.

Paging Millennials – the Volkswagen T-ROC might be the lifestyle you need.

All joking aside, the concepts have definite appeal. A Jack-of-all-trades vehicle that combines sportiness with modern amenities, a city-friendly body length and usable utility would seemingly be the perfect vehicle for a childless one-car couple.

They could easily be a second, more ‘fun’ car for a Baby Boomer couple. Or, just maybe, individuals of all ages might come to the conclusion that – based on its attributes – this is the car for them.

Besides the concepts, a number of models ready and waiting to be bought were given some time in the limelight.

The North American unveiling of the Mazda 2 revealed a newly KODOized styling job, a new 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-G engine, a longer wheelbase and basically upgraded everything. Despite the freshening up, it looks like the 2 will retain the sprightly personality it has made for itself.

The front end of the 2016 Mazda 2 shows off its new KODO design language.

The Fiat 500X, the larger crossover built atop the stretched 500L platform that underpins the Jeep Renegade, impressed with its pleasing proportions and tasteful trim. Compared to the 500X, the 500L looks like a birthday cake after a grenade attack.

Lincoln’s refreshed-for-2016 MKX was at the show, but wasn’t afforded any unveiling time. Still the black MKX in the display reflected the new MKC-inspired styling job well. The treatment can best be described as ‘safely, subtly stylish’ and can only do good things for the mid-size SUV as Lincoln continues with its turnaround.

Missing from the Montreal show (due to overlap with the Detroit show) was the 640-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V sport sedan, which was a damn shame, though the ATS coupe and stunning Elmiraj concept gave journos something sharp (and sharp-edged) to look at.

The Cadillac Elmiraj concept rolled into Canada to show us what a luxury American coupe should look like.

I was hoping to come across the Hyundai Santa Cruz concept, but alas, no dice. Unveiled in Detroit, the clamshell door, short-bed unibody pickup concept has generated a lot of interest, and not just because it seemed more ‘fleshed-out’ than other concepts.

The Santa Cruz is downright appealing. While the ‘crossover coupe’ was all the rage at Montreal, I wouldn’t bet against this ‘crossover pickup’ getting the green light from Hyundai before long. It seems like the company was trying to strategically gauge consumer demand by unveiling a nearly production-ready prototype.

Build it, I say.

Magic bus

Patriotic people-mover: a pre-1972 Volkswagen Microbus resting in Kingston, Ontario.

There are few vehicles are more soaked in stigma than the iconic Volkswagen Microbus, in all of its many forms.

(For a car that comes close, see the Chevy El Camino)

Nothing says hippie counterculture, free love, and daisies shoved down gun barrels like the Microbus, which defined an era thanks to its spacious interior and ability to serve as a rolling canvas for wannabe artists.

While the lovable German people-mover was indeed the ride du jour of the Age of Aquarius, it should be remembered that the Microbus line both preceded and outlasted Jim Morrison’s career.

Born in Germany in 1950 to serve as the utility-minded stablemate of the equally iconic Beetle, the Microbus was designed to fill many niches. Called the ‘Type 2’, and known in Europe as the Transporter, the bulbous VW was produced in numerous body styles ranging from pickup to panel van to camper, not to mention the desirable ‘Deluxe Microbus’ (a model festooned with tourist-friendly skylights).

A second-generation Microbus (right) reverts back to nature alongside a 1980s-vintage Vanagon in Ottawa, Ontario.

A slow evolution followed the introduction of the Microbus. Though it departed the U.S. market in 1979, continued in production in Latin America until 2013.

The first-generation Microbus ran from 1950 till 1967 and featured engines ranging from 1.1 to 1.5 litres, while the second-generation took the model from The Summer of Love until the end of the Carter Era (1979). A slightly modified Gen-2, still containing an air-cooled engine, lived on in Mexico and Brazil well into the 21st Century.

Those second generation models are often remembered by North American non-owners as impassable barriers encountered while struggling up a steep mountain grade.

Ready for soccer practice or a Woodstock revival, these ’72 VWs had space to spare.

Certainly, the Microbus was no rocket. The second-generation engines were gutsier than before, but those 1.6 to 2.0-litre power plants still topped out at 70 horsepower.

Diesel Volvo wagons (the kind favoured by those with grey beards and elbow patches) could blow them into the weeds.

But speed wasn’t why owners and enthusiasts gravitated to the Microbus. A unique sense of character, combined with space and efficiency, was the vehicle’s true charm, and it continues to draw new fans.

A quick Google search will reveal a world of potential friends to any Microbus owner.

The longevity and continued adoration of the VW Microbus proves that a vehicle doesn’t have to be fast to be fun, and that practicality and familiarity counts for something in an industry obsessed with the Next Big Thing.

Class(ic) act

The 2015 Volkswagen Classic offers retro styling cues and more standard equipment at a price that undercuts a stock Beetle (photo: Volkswagen of America)

If you’ve been waiting since 1997 to get your hands on a special kind of Volkswagen (New) Beetle, your long wait is over.

For 2015, buyers can sign on the dotted line for a VW Beetle Classic – a value-oriented model that offers upgraded standard equipment and retro styling cues at a price that undercuts that of the base model.

Volkswagen of America announced on Sept. 23 the immediate release of these limited-edition models, which they say come in at $1,500 lower than a base Beetle with automatic.

Powered by a 1.8-litre turbo four (the same as the base model), the Beetle Classic’s most noticeable styling departure is its attractive retro wheels, which feature a chrome centre cap, blacked-out spokes and a chrome outer ring. It’s a style I’ve always liked, but I’d never imagined what they’d do for the looks of a Beetle until now.

Besides the new rims (and a decklid spoiler that I find totally out of place on a ‘Classic’ model), the car comes equipped with classy leather-wrapped handbrake lever and shift knob, as well as two-tone leatherette upholstery. A Sirius XM satellite radio and navigation system are also standard, as is a 6-speed automatic transmission.

For a vehicle whose name and historical lineage predates World War Two, it’s weird that an automatic transmission would come standard on this model. However, if you can’t drive a stick but just LOVE Beetles, this is your chance to get what you want while saving money at the same time.

The Classic still has a lower starting price than a base Beetle equipped with a manual transmission.

Volkswagen Beetle sales are not a huge part of the company’s revenue stream, but they do seem to stay consistent over time. The Classic is clearly a way for VW to craft some renewed attention for the model and possibly achieve a sales bump as well.

Being a limited-edition model, buyers can choose from three basic paint colours – black, silver and white – when they slap down their $20,195 (U.S.) for their new retro ride.

Too bad about the spoiler and tranny, though.

Links: http://media.vw.com/release/843/

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01/volkswagen-beetle-sales-figures.html

Volkswagen’s big herausforderungen

“Das problem”

China’s growing appetite for buying anything that has four wheels and isn’t from Japan has been a boon to many automakers, and Volkswagen is no different.

The German automaker joins the likes of GM, Jaguar and BMW in reaping the financial rewards of the voracious consumerism overtaking that society. However, the boosted revenue from the Chinese market hasn’t corrected a growing problem at VW – and that is the stagnancy of the brand overall.

The Wall Street Journal reports that while the company’s net revenue rose 12.5% this last quarter (year-over-year), actual profits for the VW brand are dropping as costs rise.

(See article here: http://tinyurl.com/k2q9we3)

China notwithstanding, VW just isn’t doing the big business in Western markets that it had hoped to just a few years previous. The company’s luxury brands – Audi and Porsche – are the only VW products making gains in the U.S.

Invaluable vehicle sales website www.goodcarbadcar.net (bless their hearts!) shows Audi sales in the U.S. up 13.3% year-to-date compared to 2013, while Porsche is up 8.3% for the same period.

Volkswagen? Well, U.S. sales of its vehicles are down 13.6% compared to last year, dragging the company’s overall sales down 5.3% below 2013 numbers.

In Canada, a much smaller market that has traditionally been partial to small cars, VW sales saw a modest 5.2% year-to-date increase over 2013. However, this number takes into account a big sales month for July; at the end of June, year-to-date VW sales were in the negative, down 2.3%.

Meanwhile, Audi and Porsche sales in Canada have risen 9.9% and 33.9% (respectively) so far this year.

Recent media reports have shown a serious sales slump in South American, which is traditionally a strong market for VW.

When Bugs aren’t enough

So, what’s an automaker like VW to do to lure back those buyers? What do the United States and South America want from it? A giant SUV? A super-cheap subcompact? Vans?

On the U.S. front, it has been reported that a seven-seat midsize SUV is America-bound, but one new niche vehicle isn’t going to turn the tide and hold it there. My personal feeling is that an exciting new small car that isn’t the Golf – something a little smaller, a little cheaper, and a lot more high-tech – could do well in North America, but it could be problematic as well.

Perhaps a four-door coupe version of the Jetta will turn things around…

Europe, Asia, South America and just about everywhere outside of the U.S. and Canada already have the super-compact VW Polo, and have for years. Slotting another small car there into the existing lineup wouldn’t make sense, and producing a new non-Polo vehicle for North America could be an expensive proposition given the limited market and the public’s yet-unknown interest.

Could something be built on a Polo platform? Maybe it could be called a Fox, for retro name recognition. Or: are there enough aging hippies and budding flower children to really make a Microbus or a mini-Microbus a success?

Another idea would be to squeeze more sales out of VW’s existing lineup. Is it possible to diversity the Golf/Jetta/Passat even more?

These aren’t decisions I have to make, and that’s a good thing. Time will tell what strategy VW employs.

Driven to Attraction

If it has an engine, it has a heart