Autoblog

Watch bystanders try to put out fire on transporter full of new Volkswagens

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST

Watching a small fire that no one can stop from becoming a big fire is like watching a train wreck in Super Slo-Mo. That is the spectacle we get from a rural two-lane road in Poland when a transporter truck hauling seven Volkswagen Passat wagons catches flame.

The cause appears to be some sort of tire or axle failure on the trailer that starts a small fire under one of the cars. For unknown reasons, no one among the bystanders has a fire extinguisher, so they try to put the flames out with snow. That doesn't work, and then when it takes 12 minutes for the volunteer fire department to arrive in their vintage Mercedes-Benz pump and get the first stream of water shooting - almost five minutes before the state fire department - the conflagration is big enough to cook cattle and s'mores for Zeus.

The transporter inferno is on the long side at 23 minutes, but you'll find it all in the video below.

Continue reading Watch bystanders try to put out fire on transporter full of new Volkswagens

Watch bystanders try to put out fire on transporter full of new Volkswagens originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen rules out Passat wagon for North America

Noah Joseph — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Volkswagen

If you're smitten with the new U.S.-market Volkswagen Passat but were hoping for a bit more cargo capacity, we've got some bad news. According to the latest reports, Volkswagen of America has no plans to offer a Passat wagon in the North American market. (Can't say we didn't see this one coming.)

This news breaks despite reports of the European-market Passat wagon spied testing in the United States. The two models - European and American - are completely different vehicles, and the Passat wagon seen undergoing development on our shores is apparently the overseas model.

The previous-generation Passat wagon suffered from poor sales as American customers continued to shift from station wagons to taller crossovers. As a result, Volkswagen is reportedly preparing a seven-seat crossover to join the Tiguan and Touareg and go up against the likes of the Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer. But for those who still prefer a wagon, the Jetta SportWagen is now the company's only choice here in the States.

Volkswagen rules out Passat wagon for North America originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen CrossPassat in the wings?

Zach Bowman — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Crossover, Volkswagen

When Volkswagen launched its 2012 Passat, we were a little disappointed to hear that American buyers probably won't be able to dive into a wagon version and that the company's 4Motion all-wheel drive system wasn't slated for the option sheet either. Volkswagen's engineers said that the platform simply wasn't suited to putting power to all four wheels, despite the fact that the body tray clearly has a center tunnel to accommodate a driveshaft. Now Autobild is reporting that the German manufacturer may be considering the creation of a Passat-based crossover that would offer all of the storage and go-anywhere goodness of a Passat Wagon 4Motion.

According to a poorly translated report, the vehicle will boast a taller ride height and plenty of plastic body cladding to protect it from the slings and arrows of errant rocks and sticks. All-wheel drive will be an option as well, though there are no solid details on what to expect from the engine or transmission departments.

Do we like the idea of jacking up the Passat to make it fit into the crossover crowd? Some of us do, some of us don't. Either way, we're guessing that the vehicle would be little more than a spring-and-damper swap away from riding as low as its four-door counterpart. Still, all of that plastic body cladding doesn't seem to fit with the typically clean design language, but we'll take a Passat wagon of any sort, even if it's been given the Allroad treatment. It'll take some time to find out whether there's any meat to these rumors, of course, and it'll likely take more time still to figure out if the rumored model might see North American dealers. In the meantime, head over to Autobild to see a full rendering of the vehicle.

Volkswagen CrossPassat in the wings? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen opens floodgates on 2011 Passat

Zach Bowman — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Wagon, Europe, Paris Motor Show, Volkswagen, Diesel

2011 Volkswagen Passat Wagon - Click above for high-res image gallery

Fresh after the 2011 Volkswagen Passat unveil at this year's Paris Motor Show, VW has unleashed a deluge of information and photos of the new sedan and its wagon counterpart. As with most manufacturers, Volkswagen seems bent on giving buyers all the tech they can stand. The 2011 Passat will ship with goodies like a fatigue detection system, the VW equivalent of the Volvo City Safety system and adaptive cruise control, among other tricks. Volkswagen says that it has also made the new Passat as quiet as can be thanks to in the dash and doors to keep exterior noise at bay.

The 2011 Passat will launch with a variety of engines depending on the market, including three diesel mills and four gasoline plants. The company also says that two DSG gearboxes will ship along with those mills in both six- and a seven-speed configurations. For those that prefer to row your own cogs, a six-speed manual will also be available.

We mustn't forget, however, that the United States will not be getting this version of the Passat. Instead, Volkswagen has an all-new sedan (tentatively called "NMS" or "new mid-size sedan") slated for U.S. consumption in the not-too-distant future. The 2011 Passat you see here is scheduled to go on sale in Germany at the beginning of November. The rest of Europe will have to wait a few more months after that. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Passat

[Source: Volkswagen]

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Volkswagen opens floodgates on 2011 Passat originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Passat Wagon reveals its roomy rump

Steven J. Ewing — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Wagon, Volkswagen

Volkswagen Passat Wagon spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery

When the 2011 Volkswagen Passat sedan launches later this year, a wagon variant won't be too far behind. Our spies recently snapped these photos of the next-generation Passat ~~estate~~ ~~touring~~ wagon running around, and even though a leaked photo has revealed what the car's face should look like, we're still squinting and staring to see if we can make out the wagon's rear features.

From what we can tell, it looks to be all business out back, which means that interior load space should be pretty darn capacious, especially with the rear seats folded flat. Will it come to America? That's hit or miss right now, but if it does, expect Volkswagen's 2.0-liter turbo four to be under hood, while other markets will get a range of diesel powerplants. We'll have a better idea of what to expect closer to the Passat sedan's reveal at this year's Paris Motor Show. In the meantime, take a look for yourself in the gallery below.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Passat Wagon

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Passat Wagon reveals its roomy rump originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Volkswagen CC, Passat recalled for steering malfunction

Chris Tutor — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: Recalls, Volkswagen

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Volkswagen CC

While sporting around the Southeast in Volkswagen's new CC recently, failure of the steering system was not something we worried about. Apparently, though, it should have been. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall of all 2009 Volkswaken Passats, Passat Wagons and CCs sold for steering problems. According to the recall description, a damaged capacitor could mean the driver's "steering input is not properly addressed." Which, of course, is hardly ever a good thing.

Luckily, the recall affects only 130 cars and has resulted in no accidents.

[Source: NHTSA via Edmunds Inside Line]

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen CC

2009 Volkswagen CC, Passat recalled for steering malfunction originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: Volkswagen Passat Variant TSI EcoFuel

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:18:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, Green, Volkswagen

Click above image for gallery of live shots of this high mileage Passat from Geneva

The Passat Variant (aka Estate, Wagon, Family Truckster) TSI EcoFuel popped up in Geneva today, joining Volkswagen's other super efficient headline grabber, the Golf TDI Hybrid. This particular VW uses the company's first natural-gas powerplant. If you look closely, you'll see that VW put a mirror at the rear of the display to show the natural gas storage tank mounted where a regular old gas tank would normally be on petrol versions. And as we learned from the press release (after the jump), it doesn't sacrifice power in the name of economy. This Passat pumps out 110-kW / 150-PS from its TSI engine. That's a direct-injection turbo, in case you weren't paying attention. It should sip just 5.2 kilograms of gas for each 100 kilometres of motoring fun. Look for this "concept" to appear in sedan and wagon versions by the end of the year.

The press release after the jump and check the gallery below.

Gallery: Volkswagen Passat Variant TSI EcoFuel

Continue reading Geneva 2008: Volkswagen Passat Variant TSI EcoFuel

Geneva 2008: Volkswagen Passat Variant TSI EcoFuel originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW recalling recent Passats in the US

John Neff — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 16:13:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Sedan, Wagon, Recalls, Volkswagen

Volkswagen announced today that it is issuing two safety recalls for some 2006 and 2007 model year Passat sedans and some 2007 Passat wagons. According to the automaker's press release, the first recall affects some 2006 Passat sedans that have a wiper motor that could conk out in heavy rain from moisture entering the wiper motor. The second recall involves 2006/07 Passat sedans and some 2007 Passat wagons that could have a power brake vacuum line that fractures and becomes disconnected when it's cold outside. VW says about 62,000 vehicles are affected, all of which were sold in the U.S. and Canada. Owners will get a letter in the mail from VW with instructions on how to find their dealer and get these issues fixed fast.

The full press release can be found after the jump.

[Source: VW]

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VW recalling recent Passats in the US originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Dec 2006 16:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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