2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Facelift: Is this the first Official Photo?

The facelifted 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan has said to have made a brief stint on the automaker's German web site today before the company hastily removed it. We found the aforementioned page but now it redirects to a 404 error.

Unlike the supposedly leaked brochure of the refreshed Tiguan we showed you last summer, this photo showing the standard and possibly the more off-road capable Track & Field model, appears to be real. The most notable difference is of course the new front fascia styled in line with VW's latest family face. Word has it that the updated Tiguan SUV will make its world premiere at the Geneva motor show. We'll be sure to keep you updated on any new information that comes up.

Source: Volkswagen via Autopareri

2012 VW New Beetle Caught Testing, will get 2.0T and Possible Hybrid

Before you are spy pictures of an all-new second-generation New Beetle. While the test mule appears to still be wearing the current model's nose and rear, the big news here is the appearance of the less "cute" and more "masculine" roof line that seems to be part Beetle and part stubby Chrysler Crossfire or Porsche 356; take your pick.

Volkswagen hopes the larger and lower-slung Beetle, which should get at least a few cues from the Ragster concept, will make the retro compact more appealing for the style- and space-conscious (and men, too, we hear).

Also, the actual production front and rear fascias will likely be more chiseled in order to be closer related to VW's current design language.

Other than the brand new design, power trains should be similar to Volkswagen's Golf/Jetta lineup. That means an entry-level 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, a 2.5-liter 5-cylinder, and 210-horsepower-strong 2.0-liter turbo engine in the States. For other markets, the Beetle will also appear with a variety of smaller gasoline mills as well as some TDI diesel units.

We should have more info and pics as we get closer to the Beetle's debut (right now, that's anywhere from L.A. in November, Detroit in January, or Geneva in March). That's also when we should be getting some information on any Cabrio, hybrid, Turbo S, and 4Motion variants.

By Phil Alex

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Paris Show Debut for Redesigned 2011 Volkswagen Passat Confirmed

The Paris Motor Show organizers have confirmed the world premiere of the facelifted Volkswagen Passat in both sedan and Estate body styles. Expect the first photos and intel on the revamped Passat to go up just before the grand opening of the show on September 30.

From what we've seen in the spy photos and videos, VW's offering in the mid-size segment will receive significant styling changes to the front and rear ends, including a new hood and grille, plus redesigned bumpers and head lamps / tail lights, for a crisper and more dynamic look.

A plusher cockpit with higher quality materials and a refreshed design is also in the cards. Other changes inside will include new audio and navigation systems as well as the introduction of new extras.

It is believed that for the most part, the current lineup of engines, including the four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline and diesel units, will be carried over to the facelifted model.

(Video via: Youtube/AMS)

SPY VIDEO: 2011 Volkswagen Passat Saloon and Estate Facelift

Here's a spy video of the redesigned (and not all-new, as some reports suggested) for the 2011 model year, Volkswagen Passat that will break cover at the Paris Motor Show in October and arrive in dealerships early next year.

Caught here in both four-door sedan and estate body styles while trailer testing, the new Passat is expected to receive a new front- and rear-end design that will bring it more in line with the automaker's latest products such as the Scirocco and more recently, the 2011 Jetta.

The Passat's interior will also be refreshed for the 2011 model year. As you can see in the spy video after the jump, the steering wheel and the door panel designs are new. Expect to see some other changes including new audio and navigation systems as well as fresh trim options.

Unless Volkswagen surprises us, the engines and transmission options will be carried over unchanged (for the most part) from the current model.

Video: Youtube/AMS

SPY SHOTS: 2012 Volkswagen Golf Mk7 Test Mule

What at first blush appears to be the current VW Golf, is in fact a test mule for the all-new, seventh generation of Volkswagen's best-selling model, which is planned to hit showrooms worldwide sometime in 2012.

Although hidden under bodywork from the current car, the blistered and wider wheel-arches are a clear indication that the test mule is running the next generation Golf's underpinnings.

More specifically, the Mk7 will be built on the VW Group's more space-efficient and, according to sources, substantially lighter, MQB platform that comes with a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs. First seen on the new Sharan minivan, the flexible MQB platform will be used on a raft of VW Group models including the next Audi A3, which is expected to be revealed either in late 2011 or early 2012.

Under the bonnet, the Golf Mk7 will feature the latest generation of turbocharged petrol engines with direct injection and fuel-efficient turbo diesels, ranging from a small-displacement 1.2 TSI all the way up to upgraded versions of the 2.0 TSI in the GTI and the 'R' AWD sport models.

Volkswagen has already confirmed that it will also offer an all-electric, plug-in variant as well as hybrid [gasoline-electric or diesel-electric] versions of the new Golf.

The Golf EV plug-in model will make its market debut in 2013 and according to the automaker, it will be equipped with an electric motor delivering 115HP and 270Nm / 199 lb-ft to the front wheels and a set of lithium ion batteries. In the current development phase, that combination is said to offer a driving range of up to 150 kilometers or 93 miles.

Given that Volkswagen has not yet started to test actual Mk7 prototypes, it's hard to say what the next Golf will look like. However, the new Jetta saloon with its sharper profile and snout as well as some video shots of an early clay model that we showed you last year (see pictures below), should provide some hints for the styling.

Along with the three- and five-door hatchback body styles, the new Golf will form the base for a range of future models including a convertible, estate and the successors to the Scirocco and Touran MPV.

2011 VW Tiguan SUV Facelift Leaked Brochure Real? Probably Not...

A snapshot, allegedly showing a page from the official brochure of the facelifted 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan compact SUV, has been making the internet rounds today.

We can't confirm or deny the authenticity of the picture with the Tiguan SUV on the right-hand corner of the page, but red flags did go up once we discovered that the rest of the photos are from the official brochure of the... recently facelifted VW Touran minivan. Don't believe us? Check out the 2011 Touran's brochure after the jump.

Via: Autoweek & Worldcarfans

____________________________________________________________________

2010 VW Touran Minivan Brochure

SCOOP: Mystery Sedan Spied, Could it be the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta?

The folks over at GM Inside News have a mystery car on their hands. Forum member 'GMfan1111' snagged a pair of identical sedan models, both of which featured an unfamiliar badge on the boot.

We'll agree with most members from the forum that the car's styling cues including the pronounced lower side lines and the shape of the fascia, as well as its relatively compact dimensions point towards the next generation of the Volkswagen Jetta (see a spy video of the 2011 model here).

In this case, the mystery logo was probably used as an attempt to trick people / spy photographers into thinking that it's not a VW model.

Of course, we could be totally wrong and the car(s) seen here is something different altogether. Any thoughts? Leave them in the comments section below.

Via: GMInsidenews

2011 VW Touareg SUV Prematurely Revealed Through Scale Toy?

In the latest incident involving leaked photos of die cast replicas of future cars, two pictures depicting what is said to be a scale model of the next generation of the VW Touareg lit up the motoring press in Europe.

The images suggest that Volkswagen's designers more or less kept the basic shape of the current model and sprinkled it with the firm's latest styling cues (we know, how exciting....) especially up front which appears to share a lot with the most recent VW's like the Golf, Polo and Scirocco.

That makes sense if we are to believe the reports coming out of Germany saying that the second generation of the Touareg is in essence a re-bodied version of the existing model with numerous updates on the tech side.

The new 2011 Touareg is expected to have its official premiere this year.

Via: Worldcarfans