Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Rumormill: VW Microbus back on the table?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/rumormill-vw-microbus-back-on-the-table/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/rumormill-vw-microbus-back-on-the-table/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/rumormill-vw-microbus-back-on-the-table/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above for a hi-res gallery of the '01 VW Microbus concept

The 2001 VW Microbus concept was really cool; so much so that it looked like it was headed for 2005 production. Then the project started getting expensive at the same time the U.S. dollar began to hit the skids. So, then-boss Bernd Pischetsrieder swung the axe, and it was curtains for the retro breadbox. Fast-forward to the present. Instead of a spiffy new Microbus, we now have the Routan, which is fake German for "Dodge Caravan." Not very exciting, to say the least.

A revival of Flower Power's official vehicle seemed hopeless -- until now. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that VW's entertaining the possibility of a 21st-century Microbus built on the same platform as the new sedan that'll pe produced at VW's Chattanooga, TN facility. An unnamed "senior Volkswagen official" told the paper that European production's basically a non-starter, and Volkswagen Group of America's Jill Bratina played it coy, saying only that a second vehicle line out of Chattanooga is "conceivable in the foreseeable future." A locally-built, car-based Microbus is an idea that certainly piques our interest. How about yours?

(Oh, and by the way, should you ever decide to move to Brazil, you can still kick it old-school down there in the meantime.)

Gallery: 2001 VW Microbus Concept


[Source: Sydney Morning Herald via Squob.com]

Rumormill: VW Microbus back on the table? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chattanoogakombimicrobusvolkswagenvwSat, 06 Sep 2008 18:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Volkswagen considering a Microbus revival?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/20/volkswagen-considering-a-microbus-revival/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/20/volkswagen-considering-a-microbus-revival/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/20/volkswagen-considering-a-microbus-revival/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Volkswagen is one of those brands that evokes a lot of nostalgia. The Who is an iconic band from the 60's. That's why when Volkswagen decided to revisit the Microbus concept they looked to members of The Who for guidance. While not only playing a song titled Magic Bus, The Who also used a VW Camper for touring in their early years of existence. They encouraged Volkswagen by expressing interest in a more economical and safer update of the Camper.

The new Camper concept being researched at Volkswagen is nicknamed Bulli. As with many current design trends, the Bulli will have a stripped out retro appearance. The aim is to appeal to more frugal consumers. The possibility is there if they can achieve demand for enough units. We just hope they keep them off the racetrack and inside the paddock.

[Source: Auto Express]

Volkswagen considering a Microbus revival? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Oct 2007 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MicrobusThe WhoTheWhoVolkswagenVW MicrobusVwMicrobusSat, 20 Oct 2007 19:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Magic Bus: Project VW reveals hidden surprise]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/21/magic-bus-project-vw-reveals-hidden-surprise/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/21/magic-bus-project-vw-reveals-hidden-surprise/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/21/magic-bus-project-vw-reveals-hidden-surprise/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Back in the 60s and 70s, the VW Micro-bus had quite the hippie reputation, with flower power and home-grown pharmaceuticals being part of the mystique that helped make the real original minivan a 1960s icon. For the owner of a 1958 double panel restoration project, the drug connection hit a little close to home. When checking out the undercarriage of his new purchase, TheSamba forum member Joshua B. found 14 LBS of marijuana stashed away. While we can't provide an exact street value of such a find (if you can, let us know in the comments) we can assume that it's a hell of a lot more than the value of this rusted out old groove-mobile. If you plan on trying to contact Joshua about his find, don't bother, he already disposed of it. If anything, we can say that marijuana definitely kills enough brain cells to forget all about storing 14 LBS of chronic under a VW, which doesn't seem like something someone would ordinarily forget about. It doesn't take Fred, Velma, and Shaggy to figure out that these forgetful smugglers are total rejects.

Thanks for the tip, Aaron!

[Source: TheSamba]

Gallery: VW Magic Happy Bus!


Magic Bus: Project VW reveals hidden surprise originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>marijuanamicrobusVWweedTue, 21 Aug 2007 11:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Artist creates life-sized VW Bus out of wood]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/08/artist-creates-life-sized-vw-bus-out-of-wood/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/08/artist-creates-life-sized-vw-bus-out-of-wood/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/08/artist-creates-life-sized-vw-bus-out-of-wood/#commentsFiled under: ,



Well, this is interesting. By his own account, sculptor Lee Stoetzel is "very interested in the far-reaching power of nature." If you needed further evidence of this, it's currently being displayed at the Mixed Greens Gallery in New York in the form of an almost-full-scale VW Transporter built out of wood and steel (but mostly wood). The craftsmanship is very impressive, and if you've simply gotta have it, you can put it in your...well, somewhere (Flower bed? - Ed.)... for a mere $65,000 USD. As impressed as we are by Stoetzel's work, we'd still rather buy a perfect example of the real thing...for less. Then again, we aren't the most cultured bunch.

Make sure you check out his sportbike made of shells, too.

[Source: Mixed Greens Gallery via Hemmings]

Artist creates life-sized VW Bus out of wood originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 May 2007 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lee stoetzelLeeStoetzelmicrobusmixed greensmixed greens galleryMixedGreensMixedGreensGallerytransportertype 2Type2Tue, 08 May 2007 16:35:00 EST<![CDATA[24 Hours of Le Mons adding $800 VW Microbus for rule enforcement]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/12/24-hours-of-le-mons-adding-800-vw-microbus-for-rule-enforcement/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/12/24-hours-of-le-mons-adding-800-vw-microbus-for-rule-enforcement/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/12/24-hours-of-le-mons-adding-800-vw-microbus-for-rule-enforcement/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You may remember our post on the 24 Hours of LeMons last October, but if not we'll refresh your memory. The 24 Hours of LeMons (pronounced like "lemons" if you didn't get the joke yet) is an endurance race of cars purchased and prepped for $500 bucks or less. The entire event is perhaps the greatest automotive parody we've ever encountered, with the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans being the subject of its satire.

While past races included a People's Choice award for drivers voted the biggest jerks on the track (last year's recipient was Car and Driver, whose prize was the unceremonious destruction of their $500 Oldsmobile Aurora), organizers of the event have invested in a new piece of equipment to help enforce the rules of the road course. According to Automotiveblogger.net, a 1973 Volkswagen Microbus has been purchased for $800 and is intended to "make life miserable on the track for drivers who aren't obeying the track rules."

While the author of the blog post appears to be in with the organizers of LeMons in some way, he didn't want to spoil the surprise and reveal exactly how they would wield the Microbus as a weapon against rule breakers. The $800 Microbus apparently tops at around 30 mph, however, so we don't imagine it will be chasing down violators in the turns. Perhaps a penalty box? We'll have to wait until at least the "Championship Race" in early July to find out what the organizers of LeMons have planned.

24 Hours of Le Mons adding $800 VW Microbus for rule enforcement originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24 Hours of LeMons24HoursOfLemonsenforcementLeMansLeMonsMicrobusVW MicrobusVwMicrobusThu, 12 Apr 2007 16:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Cartalk names Top 10 Scariest Cars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/30/cartalk-names-top-10-scariest-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/30/cartalk-names-top-10-scariest-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/30/cartalk-names-top-10-scariest-cars/#commentsFiled under: ,




What do the 1980 Chevy Monza and the 1973 VW Microbus have in common? They are among Car Talk hosts Tom and Ray Magliozzi's Top 10 Scariest Cars list. Of the Monza they say, " Whenever one of these beauties reared its ugly grille in front of the garage, every mechanic with more than six weeks' experience would go running for the men's room and lock the door." Another car on the list, the 1987 Ford Festiva, gets this derision from the brothers: "We once got in trouble for saying this car came right from the factory with a funeral wreath on the grille."

If these cars aren't scary enough, submit your own nomination.

The whole list after the jump.


[Source: cartalk.com]

Continue reading Cartalk names Top 10 Scariest Cars

Cartalk names Top 10 Scariest Cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aztekcartalkchevrolet monzaChevroletMonzachevy monzaChevyMonzaclick and clackClickAndClackford festivaford mustangford pintoFordFestivaFordMustangFordPintoh1halloweenhalloween carsHalloweenCarshummermicrobuspintopontiac aztekpontiac trans amPontiacAztekPontiacTransAmRay MagliozziRayMagliozziscariest carsScariestCarsscary carsScaryCarssuzuki samuraiSuzukiSamuraiTom and Ray Magliozzitom MagliozziTomAndRayMagliozziTomMagliozzivolkswagen microbusvolkswagen thingVolkswagenMicrobusVolkswagenThingvw microbusvw thingVwMicrobusVwThingMon, 30 Oct 2006 19:55:00 EST