Autoblog

The Tiguan is one of eight models making their Frankfurt debut.

Volkswagen is gearing up for Frankfurt and has no intention of disappointing the seething throngs of media-types when it lifts the curtain on its home turf. A total of eight new models will debut, including the Tiguan, six BlueMotion-equipped models and, most intriguing, a new micro car dubbed the City Expert that's equipped with a powerplant that "will beat where the flat-four 'Boxer' engine once did in the Beetle."

We've reported on rumors of a rear-engine vehicle in the past, and although it was easy to dismiss with a shrug, the market is ripe for an ultra-inexpensive model that VW claims is "sensationally flexible." That last part leaves us wondering what kind of body styles the City Expert will be available in, likely a three-door hatch, four-door sedan and five-door wagon. It's safe to expect that luggage space will be at a premium, considering the rear-mounted mill and the radiator, A/C and battery are likely to be fitted up front.

The real question is what kind of motor will fill the trunk, and rumors are beginning to circulate that two- and three-cylinder powerplants will provide motivation. We'll have to wait until next month rolls along to get all the official details, but in the meantime get your speculation caps on and read through the press release after the jump.

[Source: VW]

It may be the case that Audi's foray into the midtacular* world of mid-engine cars won't end with the new R8 super sports car. German outlet Autobild claims that Audi is considering a smaller mid-engine sports car called the R4 that would obviously make life a little harder for the Porsche Cayman and Boxster. It's also claiming that Audi may revive the rear/mid-engine NSU TT, the car after which the current TT was named. The original NSUs were much like the European version of the Corvair, featuring rear-mounted air-cooled four- and two-cylinder engines. The hotted up version was, of course, called the NSU TT. It's hard to tell through the garbled Google translation how solid any of this information is, but we're certain the success of Audi's mid-engine R8 will play into Ingolstadt's future product plans.

*"midtacular" on loan from Comedy Central and The Daily Show / The Colbert Report. We have to give it back before tonight's episodes.

[Source: Autobild via German Car Blog]