Autoblog

For those of you impatiently waiting for the VW Jetta Sportwagen, there's something new over at VW.com to keep you busy a few more days. Along with photos of the car inside and out, there are stats, options and a base price that's closer to the true price than the rough estimate we had before. Entry-level price for the anxiously-awaited wagon is $24,500. The site says you get an 8-speaker stereo with aux-in, ABS and traction control for that number.

We assume that's with the 5-speed and 170 hp, 2.5 liter gasoline engine that gets 21 city, 29 highway. Which ain't too bad, actually, but not nearly as good as the mid-50s highway mileage the site brags about for the optional TDI. Sadly, there's no mention of how much you'll pay for ticking the TDI box on the option sheet. Or for the 6-speed Tiptronic or the panoramic sunroof or those sweet-looking leather seats. VW also let slip on the site that the Tiguan will be available this spring. Thanks, Julio, for the tip!

[Source: VW.com]

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What happens when you take a Jetta Wagon, give it GTI-topping power, a stereo to wake the dead, and 4Motion all-wheel drive? You get the Golf Variant RaVe 270 concept that VW's showing off in Essen. The car's name is derived from its hopped-up GTI engine's 270 horsepower and the techno beats being emitted from its 13-speaker 1400-watt audio system. (Get it? Techno...Rave. Yeah, we rolled our eyes, too.) A full body kit including an aggressive new front fascia lends the RaVe some visual presence to go along with its extra ponies, with 19" five-spokes and a pair of double-barreled exhaust tips finishing off the lowered wagon's visual upgrades.

Strip out the ridiculous audio/video system and you've got something that seems pretty doable from a production standpoint. An AWD sportwagon with more power than an R32 and better fuel economy to boot (9.1l/100km or 25.8 mpg) is an attractive proposition, indeed. We're sure VW's paying close attention to the reaction the RaVe's getting from show attendees.

[Source: Volkswagen]

As station wagon lovers ourselves, we were just as disappointed as many of you were when we heard the news that the new Jetta Sportwagen had been delayed due to a plant fire which destroyed 12,000 - 15,000 cylinder heads. After all, with nearly as much space as the average SUV or minivan but with much better fuel mileage and more sport to go with it, what's not to like? And those are just the practical considerations. What about how the car drives? That's an excellent question, so, when we got a chance to get some seat time in an '08 Jetta Sportwagen at the 2007 American Station Wagon Owners Association Convention, we jumped on it.

Here are a few quick details to keep you interested enough to keep reading after the break, which is where you'll find our driving impressions. The wagon (or... wagen) version of the Jetta has 32 cubic feet of cargo space with the back seat in place, and more than double that with the seat folded down at 66.9 cubic feet. Engine choices start with the 2.5 liter inline 5 cylinder with the 2.0T engine as an upgrade. If you're into saving gas with an oil-burner, the 2.0 TDI will be available too. That engine will give up to 60 miles per gallon on the highway..

Follow the jump for more.

Are you impatiently waiting to check out VW's new Jetta Sportwagen? Looks like you'll be waiting a bit longer. Autoblog has confirmed a rumor on the VW Vortex forums that the August launch of VW's new Jetta wagon has been delayed. The posting on the forums said an engine plant fire was to blame, but that remains unconfirmed.

Keith Price, VW's public relations manager, tells Autoblog that the company, "Lost some production" and will roll out the 2.0FSI Turbo models with the official launch of the Clean Diesel wagons in early 2008. Price said to look for a "tiny trickle of 2.0FSI Turbo cars at intro, and an even split of 2.5L and Clean Diesel in dealers to follow" in March.

With a dearth of inexpensive, but spacious wagons on the market, this is indeed disappointing news for those hoping to snag one of these budget five-doors this year. But if it's the diesel model for which you pine, Price said those are on schedule for March, and that, "Clean Diesel Sportwagens will be hot."

We take that to mean, "Get in line."

Thanks for the tip, Scott!

UPDATE: Keith Price wrote us back to confirm a plant fire that destroyed between 12,000 and 15,000 cylinder heads is to blame for this delay. He also says pricing for gasoline and diesel models has still not been finalized.

As expected, Volkswagen will introduce its Jetta Sportwagen in New York this week and we say it's about time, guys. Two years is too long. VW says to look for this sporty 2008 5-door in dealers this August with a 170-hp, 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine at first. The Germans will then offer the 2.0T 4-cylinder pumping out 200 hp. In January, VW promises a 2.0-liter diesel variation, as well.

The SportWagen's 32 cu. ft. of cargo space is fairly spacious compared to the competition. It can carry 5.4 cubic feet more of stuff than the Volvo V50 and 15.7 more than the Mazda 3 wagon. Lay the VW's back seats down and the space more than doubles to 66.9 cubic feet, which is getting on up into Passat Wagon territory. Continuing with the whole little is big theme, an optional 12.7 square foot panoramic roof is available.

Pricing has yet to be made official, but VW Vortex is guessing about $1,000 over Jetta sedans, so somewhere in the upper teens, lower 20s.

Click through to the jump for the official press release, and be sure to check out the gallery for more photos.

[Source: VW Vortex]

Click image for high-res photo gallery

Yesterday in Geneva, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn officially introduced the world to the new Golf Variant. Early reports, including a VW press release issued in late February, indicated that the car would launch with a pair of gasoline and a pair of diesel engines. The official word at Geneva has changed to include just one gasoline engine and a pair of TDIs. The 1.4L TSI 4-cylinder won't appear in the car at launch...a last-minute change, from the looks of things. The press release pasted after the jump still mentions "two gasoline engines" in a section that didn't get the required edit. The absence of the TSI makes the 2.0 TDI the top-flight engine in the new wagon. It generates 140 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque while sipping fuel at a rate of 42 mpg. That seems pretty impressive to us, and we're sure the economically-minded TDI driver will be able to wring even more out of it in terms of fuel economy. (Paging Chuck Goolsbee...)

Continues after the jump...

[Source: Volkswagen]

Click for hi-res mini-gallery

Here's a first peek at Volkswagen's Geneva-bound Golf Variant. The new station wagon will launch with a choice of two gasoline and two diesel engines underhood. The topline petrol-drinker gets the 1.4L TFSI "Twincharger" that's good for 140 horses. The available diesels are rated at 105 hp and 140 hp, and each one is good for over 40mpg.

Cargo capacity is around 24 cubic feet with the rear seats up and baloons to 54 cubic feet when they're stowed. They fold completely flat, making it easy to load up all your stuff. No official word yet on if/when we'll be seeing it, but our friends at the Jalop say to look for it in NYC in April. We wouldn't be averse to seeing it arrive stateside as the Jetta Wagon -- with a nice, punchy GLI model topping the range. Pretty please, VW?

[Sources: VW (pics), MotorAuthority, Jalopnik]

This isn't officially official, but hearsay confirmation has the Jetta Wagon (Golf Variant) bowing at the Geneva show. The Jetta Wagon is expected to land in the US later this year, and we hope it'll drive a surge in wagon interest. We've seen a preview of the basic shape in the form of the Skoda Octavia Scout. We think the Jetta/Golf has a smoother, more attractive face, and without the heavy plastic cladding, the car looks much lighter on its feet. We wouldn't mind the addition of a GLI Wagon to the model range, either. That would make the MkV platform attractive to folks who want a little spice in their ride, but need even more cargo versatility.

Speaking of versatility, a Jetta Wagon is the perfect size for buyers currently opting for soft-roaders like the CR-V or RAV-4, though both of those have grown considerably in their last refresh. We're not sure where the wagon stigma came from, as some of our favorite cars are wagons (a Volvo Turbo wagon, for example, is a thing to behold), and they're far more useful and practical than the sedan versions of the same car. We await the arrival of the Jetta wagon and hope that it will appeal to the fuel-economy geeks among us with an available diesel powertrain, as well as lighting the fires of those who like to round corners quickly with a more sprightly version like the GLI. Combining the two would be a nice touch.

[Source: Carscoop]