Autoblog

Volkswagen BlueSport roadster still on-track after all?

Zach Bowman — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Etc., Volkswagen, Diesel

The on-again, off-again Volkswagen BlueSport roadster is, well, on again according to EVO Magazine. The publication reportedly spoke with Uli Hackenberg, head of engineering with Volkswagen, who said the company's dealers are mistaken when they say there won't be a market for a vehicle like the BlueSport. Hakenberg said that the rise of hardware like the Toyota GT 86 and Subaru BRZ, alongside the upcoming next-generation Mazda MX-5 suggests buyers are once again willing to put down cash on an entry-level sports car. Throw in the fact that the dollar is regaining strength and European vehicles start to look even more competitive in the Land of the Free. Despite this, recent reports have indicated that the BlueSport's planned sibling at Porsche has been delayed, and its other planned sibling, the Audi R4, is understood to have been canceled back in May.

As a result, Volkswagen is reportedly going to ask its dealers to once again gauge demand for a mid-engine convertible. The roadster will need to see sales estimates of at least 50,000 units worldwide in order to get the go-ahead from corporate. Even if that happens, it will likely be a good three years before we see the production model touch down. Maestro, cue up the sad trombone if you would be so kind.

Volkswagen BlueSport roadster still on-track after all? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW Bluesport Roadster might finally be dead before it lived

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Performance, Volkswagen

A Black Knight stalks the ramparts of corporate castles, he carries a shield decorated with a wreath of beans, he swings a double-edged spreadsheet and he rides a terrifying black mare called The Bottom Line. His name is The Business Case and if a new report from Autocar is accurate, he's done his foul work again, this time dealing another blow to the already-long-delayed Volkswagen Bluesport Roadster. Even though the engineering work for the two-seater convertible is reportedly finished, it appears no one can come up with a way to support the necessary sales projections of 50,000 units annually.

That is in part because Jonathan Browning, head of VW USA, apparently doesn't see the point of expanding VW's product portfolio with another model (a truly unexpected sentiment coming from Volkswagen as far as we're concerned). The U.S. being the largest consumer of sports cars, our sitting this one out puts the 2009 Detroit Auto Show showcar in a tough spot.

Synergies being what they are, that also puts Bluesport's brand brothers from Audi and Porsche in doubt. Audi plans for an R4 will apparently get iced in light of the news, but Porsche might have dodged a bullet: it wanted a four-cylinder 550-successor, but not one that would eat into Boxster sales, which this car almost certainly would. The Bluesport isn't officially dead yet, but at three years in and counting, you can be sure there's a hand on the life-support plug.

VW Bluesport Roadster might finally be dead before it lived originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche 550 rumors resurface

Zach Bowman — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Etc., Europe, Porsche, Rumormill, Luxury

Another day, another rumored entry-level Porsche. Auto Express is reporting that the German sports car manufacturer may be looking into resurrecting the 550 moniker for a new sub-Boxster model. Stop us if you've heard this one before, but the article claims that the ride will be based on the same bones as the Volkswagen Bluesport Concept that debuted way back in 2009.

The resurrected 550 will get its power from a new 1.6-liter flat-four with a galloping 200 horsepower. The pep will reportedly be shuffled to the rear wheels via a good old-fashioned manual transmission, though Auto Express reports that Porsche may eventually offer a PDK dual-clutch gearbox, as well.

Curb weight is expected to land in the 2,600-pound range thanks to the use of a manual top, and the dash to 60 miles per hour should take somewhere in the neighborhood of six seconds. Is your mouth watering yet?

Porsche 550 rumors resurface originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Volkswagen Bluesport gets the green light

Zach Bowman — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Budget, Performance, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Volkswagen, Rumormill, Diesel

Volkswagen BlueSport Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Now this is interesting. Hot on the heels of rumored turmoil in the VW/Audi/Porsche house over the BlueSport roadster, AutoExpress is reporting that VW has given the droptop concept the green light for production. Color us skeptical. It's not that we don't want to believe that VW has told its squabbling children to cool their jets so that ze people's automaker can bring the world an efficient and entertaining ragtop, it's just that there's a noticeable lack of details baked into the AutoExpress piece. Specifically, which of the three automakers will get to build the thing.

An "unnamed source" has confirmed the car for production and given the publication a quick peek at the final version of the car. Lucky them. AutoExpress goes on to say that the BlueSport will come with a 178-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo-diesel engine as standard equipment, though a variety of other power plants will also be available. Those include the twin-charged 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine from the Polo GTI as well as a turbo 2.0-liter gasser from the Golf GTI.

It all sounds great as it floats around the vast vacuum of the internet, but until we see something from Volkswagen itself, we're not exactly ready to call this one a done deal.

Gallery: Detroit Preview: Volkswagen BlueSport Concept

[Source: AutoExpress]

Report: Volkswagen Bluesport gets the green light originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Volkswagen BlueSport ready for production, estimated cost: $30k. Will it happen?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Hybrid, Performance, Green, Volkswagen, Rumormill

Volkswagen Bluesport Concept - Click above for a high-res gallery

After getting an exclusive first drive of the Volkswagen BlueSport roadster, the lucky scribes from AutoWeek write of the machine as if it's headed for production. This is contrary to earlier reports coming from an unnamed VW insider which indicated that the program had been placed on hold due to the dire state of the global economy.

We hope AW's right about the BlueSport's production possibilities, especially after reading about how close to production-ready the roadster appears to be. If the German automaker does find a way to build the BlueSport, it will reportedly show up in in the States in 2013 starting for somewhere around $30,000, depending on the powerplant that VW decides to place behind the two occupants.

The turbocharged, direct-injected diesel mill currently in the concept, which VW says delivers nearly 42 miles per gallon in everyday driving, could very well be joined by at least one of VW's gasoline-burning units - possibly the 265-horsepower 2.0-liter installed in the Audi S3 and Volkswagen's own Scirocco R and Golf R. As always, we'll keep our eyes and ears open for more details as they become available.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Volkswagen BlueSport Concept

Gallery: Detroit Preview: Volkswagen BlueSport Concept

[Source: Auto Week]

REPORT: Volkswagen BlueSport ready for production, estimated cost: $30k. Will it happen? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2009: Volkswagen Concept BlueSport roadster live

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:27:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Performance, Volkswagen

Click above for a live gallery of the Volkswagen Concept BlueSport

Volkswagen's Concept BlueSport should go a long way towards making the term "diesel performance" a household name. While it might seem to be an oxymoron to some, seeing it at the Detroit Auto Show, we can tell you that if it reaches production, everyone will be a believer. While officially just a concept for now (and the interior is a dead giveaway this isn't production-ready), the two-door roadster sports a 2.0-liter turbodiesel four mounted amidships. It puts out 180 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque and pushes just 2,600 pounds via a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Expect a 0-60 of 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 140, all while returning about 35 mpg on the European cycle and upwards of 62 mpg in "Eco" mode.

The BlueSport might look a lot like an Audi TT with a Scirocco nose, but unlike its corporate sibling, the mid-engine layout provides a 45:55 front-to-rear weight distribution. It's also a tidy package at just over 13 feet in length, with a 96-inch wheelbase, a front track of 58.5 inches and a rear track of 60 inches. So it's about the same size as the TT, but in reverse. In person it seems much smaller than the Audi and reminds us of the Porsche Boxster more than anything, which isn't a bad thing. Stylist Walter da Silva explained his design inspiration in great detail for the assembled masses, unfortunately he did it in Italian, without subtitles, so we have no idea what he said. We did understand what Volkswagen Chairman Martin Winterkorn said, and that was that VW is officially committed to growth with cars that will continue to offer maximum excitement with minimum consumption, and the BlueSport is a perfect example of that philosophy. We say build it and bring it, ASAP. Hit the jump for all the details in the pres release.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Volkswagen BlueSport Concept

Gallery: Detroit Preview: Volkswagen BlueSport Concept

Continue reading Detroit 2009: Volkswagen Concept BlueSport roadster live

Detroit 2009: Volkswagen Concept BlueSport roadster live originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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