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VW's Space Up! Will Lift Drivers' Attitudes

POSTED May 15, 2:19 PM

The “Space Up!” is a new concept vehicle from

Volkswagen. Why is the Space Up! going to cause

the jig to be up for the competition? Because this

people transporter is simply the real deal.

The VW Space Up! - The Next Small Wonder?

The Shape of Things to Come?

The car is described as a small space wonder.

Its outside measurements come in at just over

12 feet in length and 5 feet 4 inches in width. The

bottom line is that this car has the interior space

of a much larger vehicle. This is due to the engine

being located in the rear thus freeing up additional

interior space. Furthermore, the four seats can be

folded-down, reconfigured, or easily removed. The

front and rear doors open from the center allowing

a large opening for importing and exporting cargo.

Easy Entry and Exit

Walter DeSilva is the Chief Designer of the Volkswagen

Group. Regarding the vehicle’s space utilization he says:

“In formal design terms, one can see that the Space Up!

is fun and at the same time offers maximum space on the

smallest of platforms. Our new small family brings a smile

back to the road.”

Another thing that will bring smiles to consumers’

faces is that the Space Up! will be available in gasoline,

diesel, or electric drives for excellent fuel economy.

In today's driving environment, plenty of space and

fuel economy are indeed a winning combination.

I welcome your comments or vehicle questions at

my auto web site: www.DriveTheBestBook.com.

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VW Will Try to Pick-Up New Customers

POSTED May 14, 6:23 AM

VW is testing an all new pick-up truck that

will be named the Volkswagen Robust or Taro II.

The company is getting into the truck business to

add additional customer sales.

Spy Photo of VW's New Truck - The Robust

Volkswagen cars are known to be well-built and

durable (I have one with over 492,000 miles in the

clock!). This bodes well for a four-wheel drive truck

that will handle rugged off-road terrain.

As with its competitors, the Robust will be available

in single cab and double cab offerings. Power will

come from a common rail diesel and possibly a V6

gasoline engine.

The truck will compete with others such as the Nissan

Navara, the Mitsubishi L200, the Isuzu Rodeo, and the

Toyota Helix.

Possible Final Look of VW's Truck

A SUV offering will also possibly be build on this

truck’s platform. It would go head-to-head with

the Mitsubishi Shogun and the Nissan Pathfinder.

Look for the truck to first be available in the UK by 2010

and then arrive in the United States.

I welcome your comments or vehicle questions at

my auto web site: www.DriveTheBestBook.com.

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Two New VW Beetles Motoring Your Way

POSTED May 13, 5:45 AM

The original VW Beetle started out as a war related

vehicle. Later, it became known in Germany as the

“People’s Car.”

The Beetle was first imported to the United States

in 1949. It had a simple design including a horizontally-

opposed 4-cylinder air-cooled engine located at the rear.

Because the weight of the engine was over the rear wheels,

the car went well through mud and snow like few other cars.

The First Beetle - Rear Wheel Drive

A new Beetle, based on the Golf platform, came on the

automotive scene in 1998. Initially, Volkswagen was not

going to build the car, however, in 1994, the public gave an

explosive thumbs-up to the concept Beetle and the company

moved forward. This car has a water-cooled 4-cylinder

engine located at the front of the car powering the front wheels.

With the weight of the engine over the front wheels, this car

motors through snow and poor weather conditions.

The Current Beetle - Front Wheel Drive

In 2009 Volkswagen will provide a model update for the

current Beetle. In 2010/2011 VW will likely also introduce

a smaller Beetle that resembles the iconic original but in

a modern format. The car will again have a rear engine

powering the rear wheels. It will be equipped with a 750 cc

2-cylinder engine and also 1-liter 3-cylinder gas and

diesel engines. The car will have inexpensive front and

rear independent suspension and other hardware.

A Future Beetle - Rear Wheel Drive Again

Like the original, the new smaller Beetle will represent

a simple and pure driving experience. This is welcome

given an increasingly complicated age that includes

among other things, high fuel prices. In one way this

new Beetle will be very modern however, it will get

50-70 mpg on the highway.

I welcome your comments or car questions at my auto

web site: www.DriveTheBestBook.com.

Categories: VW Beetle , Fuel Economy

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The Versatile Nissan Versa

POSTED May 12, 5:05 AM

With fuel prices moving toward $4.00 per gallon,

several fuel efficient new cars have hit the market.

These cars include the Dodge Caliber, Honda Fit,

Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio5, Nissan Versa, Suzuki Reno,

and Toyota Yaris. The base price for this group is

from just under $13,000 to $15,000.

Fuel economy is on most drivers' minds and the

average fuel economy of these cars is 30 mpg in
the city and 35 mpg on the highway. Although

these cars are small on the outside and easy to

park, they are quite large and useful on the inside.

A road test of the Nissan Versa hatchback determined

that it can seat three people in the back seat. With the

rear seat folded down, out of the six other cars, it tied

for first place in cargo volume, and at 70 miles per hour,

it was the second quietest car of this group.

The Nissan Versa Hatchback

The Versa is available with a Continuously Variable

Automatic Transmission (CVT) that gets about 35 mpg

on the highway. Overall, the Versa scored near the top

when compared to the other cars in this group.

My personal drive of the Versa determined that it

has comfortable front seats and a roomy and versatile

interior. The engine is reasonably powerful with good

passing ability. The Continuously Variable Transmission

is smooth at all times and it helps to maximize fuel

efficiency. The interior fit and finish are good, and the

car handles well with reasonable ride quality.

If the $13,500 base price of a new Versa is more

than you can spend, used Versas are becoming available.

It is one car to look for!

I welcome your comments or car questions at my

auto web: www.DriveTheBestBook.com.

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Two that Do the Redline Anytime

POSTED May 10, 6:52 AM

Over the past 40 years, Porsche has developed and

refined one of the most successful sports car ever,

the 911. The flat-six boxer engines and drivetrains

have gone from air-cooled to water-cooled; from

non-turbo to twin-turbo; from rear-wheel drive to

four-wheel drive, etc. In the beginning, the engine

had about 120 horsepower and today it can deliver

over 450 horsepower.

The Porsche 911

In recent years, car offerings from BMW, Lexus,

Infiniti, and others have been pushing up against

the 911's horsepower advantage. Porsche was

starting to encounter the limits of the flat-six boxer's

horsepower capabilities.

A number of years ago, it was rumored that Porsche

had considered a flat-eight boxer engine for the 911.

However, even the flat-six hung off the car's rear axel.

The car's weight distribution was highly rear-biased,

and thus the 911 has had and continues to have

unique and somewhat challenging handling

characteristics.

A flat-eight boxer engine would have certainly

enabled Porsche's 911 to pull away from competitors

with horsepower. However, the greater weight and

power of the engine would have increased the 911's

challenging handling characteristics. Consequently,

Porsche would have put the 911 in a conundrum of

more power being a plus, but increased inappropriate

handling characteristics being a minus.

In 2006 Porsche has introduced a "mid-engine" hardtop

sports car named the Cayman. It shares the same

floorpan and some other components with the Porsche

Boxster convertible. This has enabled Porsche to spread

the cost of production between the two models, thus

lowering the Cayman's cost of production. Given today's

increasingly competitive automotive environment, Porsche

will be better able to maintain an acceptable profit margin

on the Cayman, but also sell the car at a reasonable price.

The Porsche Cayman

Is $50,000 for a Cayman 2.7 reasonable pricing? The

Cayman's lap times at Nurburgring have been right on

the heels of the more powerful 911. What the Cayman

lacks in horsepower to the $80,000 911, it closes the

gap with its superior handling. Look for the Cayman to

overtake the 911 as it gains the 911's more powerful

engines. Because of competitive pressures, it is likely

that Porsche will basically keep future prices of the

Cayman stable while offering more powerful engines.

What if the competitors continue to increase the

horsepower of their cars? Porsche has the ability to

put a flat-eight or a flat-ten cylinder engine in the

Cayman, and because of the mid-engine design,

the car's handling would remain balanced and

exceptional.

Overall, the Cayman has the shape of a great

sports car. The driving experience is smooth and

refined with precise shifting and excellent brakes.

Last, but not least, the Cayman obtains about 20mpg

in the city and about 28 mpg on the highway.

With the Cayman, Porsche has jumped out in front

again! The almost endless possibilities to add more

power, great handling, and reasonable production

costs are a fabulous combination for Porsche. In the

near future, buying a Cayman in the used car market

at a 25%-35% price reduction will be a fabulous

opportunity for consumers too!

I welcome your comments or car questions at my auto

web site: www.DriveTheBestBook.com.

Categories: Porsche 911 , Cayman

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Kyle Busch
Kyle is an auto enthusiast and consumer advocate with over 30 years of experience. Author of “Drive the Best for the Price…” He welcomes your comments and car questions on his website www.DriveTheBestBook.com . Kyle’s car has over 490,000 miles and he even has the same name as the #18 NASCAR driver.