2013 Volkswagen Golf MKVII Rendered

2013 Volkswagen Golf MKVII Rendered

Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn is pushing hard to reach his target of surpassing Toyota and making VW the world’s No. 1 car brand by 2018. To accomplish that goal, Winterkorn is bringing the next-generation Golf to market in 2013, a year or two earlier than planned. But that’s not the only reason the new Golf couldn’t wait. The latest VW Polo has grown in size and refinement, effectively closing the gap between it and the current, sixth-gen Golf.

The next Golf will have styling to differentiate it from the rest of the hatchbacks in VW’s lineup. Expect edgier bodywork and lower and wider dimensions. Wheelbase and overall length will grow slightly to increase interior volume. There will be no experiments regarding packaging, as a VW ­engineer says: “[Expect] higher-quality materials and some innovative features. That’s it!” What will be new is an eight-inch touch screen on top of the center console that will work like an Apple iPad or iPhone and provide radio controls and navigation, as well as in-car Internet access.

Another reason for the Golf VII’s earlier arrival involves cost cutting. Underpinning the body will be the new Modulare Querbaukasten (MBQ) architecture that also does duty in the next Audi A3, likewise due in 2013. MBQ is the Volkswagen Group’s revised front-drive, transverse-engine platform: All cars on it will have the same distance between the front-axle line and the foot pedals, a move that greatly reduces the number of front-end structures used by VW and its subsidiaries. Today, the conglomerate claims to use 18 different front-end modules, a number that will be reduced to two. In all, more than 60 models of the Volkswagen Group (Škoda, SEAT, VW, and lesser Audis) will be built on the MQB, enabling a tremendous cost savings. VW’s luxury brands will continue to use their own dedicated platforms.

Powering the new Golf will be the now well-known, turbocharged and direct-injected (TSI) gasoline four-cylinder engines. Displacement will range from 1.2 to 2.0 liters, with output as high as 300 horses in an all-wheel-drive variant. All diesel engines will be new and will meet Europe’s stringent Euro 6 emissions standards, which begin in 2014.

The Golf  VII will be adaptable to a number of alternative powertrains and designed to carry compressed-gas tanks, batteries, or hybrid units. A plug-in hybrid Golf, dubbed “Twin-Drive Golf,” will have a 31-mile electric range before the gas engine kicks in to increase the range to 372 miles. According to Winterkorn, VW is prepared to sell 300,000 electric vehicles per year by 2018. Presumably, none of those will be Golf carts.

2012 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet

2012 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet

The first Volkswagen Cabriolet—based on the first-generation Rabbit—was a huge success, but the company’s last economy convertible was the Golf III, face lifted in 1999 to resemble the Golf IV. After that, the Golf Cabrio's place in the lineup was filled by the Beetle convertible and, to a lesser degree, the Eos. But VW has reconsidered and is re-launching the softtop Golf Cabriolet at the 2011 Geneva auto show. It is based on the current Golf MkVI and arrives curiously late, considering that the entirely new Golf MkVII is just around the corner. Perhaps another cross-generational freshening is in the plans.

In any event, the sixth-gen Golf is one of our favorite compact cars, and, at least aesthetically, the removal of its top worked out beautifully. A chrome strip around the shoulder stretches the Golf Cabriolet’s visual length, and the fabric roof disappears almost entirely when lowered. Aside from toplessness, visual variations from the fixed-roof Golf are few: The windshield is more canted, and Golf R–style LED taillights are standard.

Why Cloth Tops are Great

The trunk holds nine cubic feet of luggage regardless of whether the Cabrio’s top is open or closed. By contrast, the metal-roofed Eos can hold 11 cubic feet with the top up, but only seven when it’s stowed—and it is 8.2 inches longer than the Golf.

The Golf Cabriolet’s cloth top—which features a glass window—is built at the former Karmann plant in Osnabrück. Volkswagen claims it is so well insulated that the Cabrio will be one of the quietest convertibles on the market. The roof lowers fully in just 9.5 seconds and at speeds up to 18 mph, so drivers won’t have to worry about ticking off drivers behind them when they use a red light to drop the top, only to be surprised by a premature green. Instead of a fixed roll bar, rollover protection behind the rear seats deploys instantly if necessary. A fixed roll bar would have aided structural rigidity, however. Despite the absence of one, the Golf Cabriolet is reinforced in several key areas. The sills and rear subframe are strengthened, and diagonal members in the floorpan further aim to keep the convertible tight and relatively rattle-free.

A Very European Engine Lineup

VW will offer the Golf Cabriolet with six engines, all of them turbocharged and direct injected. The four-cylinder gas lineup includes a 105-hp, 1.2-liter; a 122-hp, 1.4-liter; the 160-hp, 1.4-liter Twincharger; and the GTI's wonderful 210-hp, 2.0-liter. The most powerful engine, sadly, will not be available with a manual transmission. Diesel proponents will be able to choose between 105-hp, 1.6-liter and 140-hp, 2.0-liter fours.

In metropolitan areas plagued by parking troubles, the Golf Cabrio’s smaller footprint alone is good reason to choose it over the recently face-lifted Eos—and there is something to be said for the simplicity and quick operation of the fabric roof as well. But American urbanites won’t know what they’re missing, because the Golf Cabrio won't be offered in the U.S. Being built in Europe, it would have to be significantly more expensive than the next-generation Beetle convertible, which technically will be positioned as a premium variation of the Golf. Moreover, its pricing would then step on that of the Euro-built Eos, from which it would cannibalize sales.

Frankly, we’re just glad the Golf Cabriolet will come with a fabric roof as opposed to a retractable hardtop. Considering the fact that folding hardtops are heavier, slower, and eat up far more trunk space when stowed, it’s a trend that many of us feel can’t end soon enough.

Italdesign Giugiaro , Volkswagen Go! and Tex Concepts

Italdesign Giugiaro , Volkswagen Go! and Tex Concepts

The Geneva auto show is an important one for Giugiaro, as the design house usually uses the Swiss show to unveil something striking and wedgy, something supercar-ish. But the past two years have been a little different. At the 2010 show, the firm showed the Emas subcompact concepts, and this year ripped the sheets from a couple of Volkswagen models. (This makes sense, of course, given that VW recently purchased a 90.1-percent stake in Giugiaro.) Said to be the firm’s “interpretation for the Volkswagens of the future,” the pair are dubbed Go! and Tex.

Volkswagen Go! Concept

Like the majority of concepts these days, the Go! is intended for urban life and, as is the fashion for such cars, has an all-electric powertrain. Built on Volkswagen’s MQB modular transverse architecture, this little MPV is eight inches shorter than a Golf but is designed to have lots of interior space, and that’s enabled by its Passat-equaling 106.3-inch wheelbase and short overhangs. The overall exterior design isn’t a huge departure from current Volkswagens, but the Go! features concept touches like an all-glass roof, cameras in place of side-view mirrors, and electric everything, including the rear sliding doors. We’re happy to see that Giugiaro took special note of modern cars’ often crappy outward visibility; the Go! eschews a high beltline and was intentionally given more glass. The fascia of the five-door incorporates xenon and LED headlights, as well as air-flow adjusters for cooling the electric motor. The rear hatch can be opened using a foot sensor similar to the one found on the Euro-market Passat.

Indoors, you’ll find four identical bucket seats; they’re all electrically adjustable. The rear seat can fold via remote control for increased cargo space, and Giugiaro says the front center armrest folds back so that the driver can exit from the passenger side in tight parking situations. (What’s wrong with the all-American solution of slamming the door into the car next to you?)

The driver’s instruments, including the feed from those side-view cameras, are displayed in a futuristic layout at the base of the windshield. This was done, says Giugiaro, to minimize the driver’s change in focal point so that they can better spot pedestrians. Only the lower third of the side glass lowers, like the windows of the De Lorean DMC12 or the Subaru SVX. The Go! gets its go from the VW Blue-E-Motion electric-drive system, with the battery pack located below the floor; it has a projected range of up to 149 miles.

Volkswagen Tex Concept

Named after ranger Tex Willer, an Italian comic-book hero, the Tex concept is supposed to embody the sporty side of VW. With four seats, front-wheel drive, and a design that looks like a cross between the current GTI and Scirocco, that message was received loud and clear, although we’re firm in our belief that sporty vehicles should be a little more exciting to look at than this.

Nevertheless, the Tex is a very clean design, and it has 19-inch wheels, flared fenders, functional brake-cooling intakes, and a sculpted bodyline that rises toward the tail. The windshield and roof are a single piece of glass which can be tinted electronically. A high/low set of rear spoilers live on the car’s hind end.

Powered by a plug-in hybrid system called “Twin Drive” that we expect to see debut on the 2013 Golf, the Tex has a turbocharged 1.4-liter gas motor that kicks in after the projected 22-mile electric-only range has been surpassed. Power is routed through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and Giugiaro predicts 62 mph can be reached from a stop in about six seconds. The top speed is pegged at 137 mph. Not bad for what’s essentially just a hybrid edition of one of our favorite front-drive cars, the 10Best-winning Golf/GTI.

Keep in mind that both of these cars are Giugiaro’s own interpretations for future VWs and not a definite styling direction from the company itself. Neither the Go! nor the Tex are that radically different from the current lineup, but with Volkswagen buying all of Italdesign Giugiaro except the kitchen sink, we can’t help but think these two concepts could actually foreshadow future small VWs. That would be fine with us. But, Giugiaro, sass up that Tex just a little, won’t you?

2012 Hyundai Genesis ,

2012 Hyundai Genesis ,

Hyundai’s Genesis coupe will receive the same 333-hp, 291-lb-ft 3.8-liter V-6 engine that the company recently announced is headed for the Genesis sedan. The revised powerplant—which features direct injection—offers a good bump in power over the outgoing V-6 engine, which made 306 hp and 266 lb-ft. At 333 hp, the Genesis coupe will top its six-cylinder pony-car rivals; the Chevy Camaro offers 312 hp, while the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger each pack 305-hp sixes under their hoods.

Although Hyundai will almost definitely continue to offer a traditional six-speed manual gearbox when this engine arrives in the Genesis coupe, the plan for the V-6’s two-pedal option isn’t yet clear. While the six-speed auto could hang around, the most likely transmission is an eight-speed automatic of the torque-converter variety. Developed in-house by Hyundai, this is the transmission that will be mated to the same V-6 in the Genesis sedan.

Based on the heavy use of camouflage in the accompanying spy photos, we also anticipate that a modest cosmetic face lift will arrive at the same time, sharpening the looks of V-6 and four-cylinder Genesis coupe models. (Speaking of which, in spite of the outstanding 274-hp turbo four offered in the Sonata turbo, the four-cylinder Genesis coupe will probably soldier on with its current 210-hp engine.)

There is a distinct possibility that this car, seen testing in the snow, is packing all-wheel drive, which company CEO John Krafcik has said is headed for the Genesis coupe at some point.

With available all-wheel drive, the more-powerful V-6 engine and a new automatic gearbox on the way, it’s clear Hyundai wants people to take it seriously in this segment. It’s rearming at the right time: In addition to a slew of American rear drivers, the long-baking Subaru/Toyota rear-wheel-drive coupe is just about to come out of the oven. We just hope Hyundai has budgeted some development time to sort out the Genesis coupe’s tooth-chipping ride.

2012 Hyundai Veloster

2012 Hyundai Veloster

The 2012 Veloster Hyundai is showing at the Detroit auto show is the result of the company asking itself the question, “Why can’t we have two coupes?” The rear-wheel-drive Genesis coupe does leave room in the lineup for a playful front-drive model targeting the likes of the Mini Cooper and Scion tC. That slot in the lineup is now filled by a compact five-seat hatchback that looks like a Honda CR-Z with a glandular problem.

The cause of the Veloster’s oddness is an asymmetrical body that makes the car appear slightly disfigured. On the driver’s side, the little car has a single normal door, while on the passenger side there are two, which really makes it a coupe in idea only. Form following function usually results in less-strange solutions, but the rear door is practical and it opens to a surprisingly large rear seat. If you’re worried about how that will affect the British—and who isn’t?—don’t. Right-hand-drive markets will get a four-door Veloster. (Add in the hatchback and they’ll technically get a five-door to our, uh, four-door hatch.) Around back, the Veloster has a Honda CR-Z–style two-piece glass hatch that is intended to aid rear visibility, although the crossbar dividing the panes in such arrangements usually hinders the view instead.

Like Many Mutants, Familiar Underneath

Under the skin, the Veloster is largely conventional, with the exception of its optional dual-clutch automatic transmission, Hyundai’s first such gearbox. A strut front suspension and a twist-beam rear hold standard 17-inch wheels or optional 18s on a 104.3-inch wheelbase (the new Elantra’s wheelbase is two inches longer). Powering the Veloster is a direct-injection 1.6-liter four-cylinder that makes 138 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque. Our sources have confirmed a 210-hp turbocharged version of the same engine will make it to European models late this year, and we figure that we’ll get it, too. Transferring the go to the front wheels (despite the crossover-ish profile, all-wheel drive will not be available) will be a six-speed manual and the aforementioned six-speed dual-clutch automatic; manual models are said to weigh in at a surprisingly light 2600 pounds, with the dual-clutch version tipping the scales at 2650. Hyundai claims that the Veloster will achieve up to 40 mpg on the EPA highway cycle.

While the mechanicals may be conservative, the electronics in the Veloster take a small step into the future of in-car telematics. A seven-inch touch-screen is standard even if you don’t opt for navigation. In addition to storage for music, pictures, and video—all easily uploaded through a USB input—it comes equipped with Pandora internet radio fed through a connection with the driver’s smartphone. Other possibilities include an RCA jack and a 115-volt outlet that allow for gaming consoles to be plugged in and played while the Veloster is in park—because Gran Turismo 5 is the new campfire, you know. Blue Link, Hyundai’s version of GM’s OnStar crash, safety, vehicle diagnostics, and turn-by-turn navigation service, will be standard and will come with a temporary free subscription.

Pricing has not been announced, but considering the vehicles that Hyundai lists as the Veloster’s competition, base versions likely will start around $16,000, with a loaded-up Veloster rising toward $21,000. While the $2000 buffer that will leave between the Veloster and the Genesis coupe is slim, we can’t imagine too many people will cross-shop the two.

2012 Hyundai Genesis

2012 Hyundai Genesis

Hyundai used the 2011 Chicago auto show to drop a thoroughly revised Genesis sedan, but has the car really been on the market long enough for a refresh? Well, maybe not—it first landed at dealerships in the summer of 2008—but in light of the powertrain upgrades and cosmetic tweaks for the 2012 Genesis, we’re sure nobody will complain about the early face lift.

5.0 Isn’t Just for Mustangs Anymore

A more powerful member of Hyundai’s Tau V-8 family had been a foregone conclusion for some time. Now it’s here, in the engine bay of the new Genesis 5.0 R-Spec. The R-Spec badge was introduced on harder-core, lighter-optioned Genesis coupes, but the Genesis sedan version is more about adding performance than stripping out luxuries. First, the engine.

Rather than replace the existing 4.6-liter V-8 with the new 5.0, Hyundai will keep both in the Genesis line, with the big-boy V-8 being an R-Spec exclusive. We obtained preliminary specs for the 5.0-liter on a trip to Korea last June, and now those specs have been confirmed. The engine will produce a meaty 429 hp at 6400 rpm and 376 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm. (To read more about how Hyundai cranked up the heat in its V-8, check out our rundown.) The power will be routed through Hyundai’s new, in-house-developed eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Genesis 5.0 R-Spec also gets what Hyundai is calling “more aggressive chassis tuning,” although, based on our experience with the overly flinty ride in our long-term Genesis 4.6 sedan, this initially strikes us as a little like Old Country Buffet promising to have more food in the future. Luckily, it sounds like firmer suspenders aren’t part of the menu—in fact, the lower models are receiving recalibrated suspensions to fix the ride problem. Instead, the Genesis 5.0 R-Spec promises to up the 4.6’s sportiness quotient by packing larger front and rear stabilizer bars and 13.6-inch front brake rotors, larger than those on any model last year. It also gets unique 19-inch wheels.

Finally, the exterior and interior are tweaked to complete the R-Spec transformation. The Genesis 5.0 R-Spec will be available only in Black Noir, Platinum Metallic, and Titanium Gray—paint-speak for black, light silver, and dark silver—and will feature dark chrome inserts in the headlight housings and R-Spec badging on the rear deck. All interiors will be black, and the steering wheel is fully wrapped in black leather, as opposed to the wood-and-leather tiller in the Genesis 4.6.

V-6 Gets Direct Injection, New Gearbox for All

Even with all this attention lavished upon the new 429-hp Genesis, Hyundai hasn’t forgotten about the rest of the range. To begin, both the 3.8-liter V-6 and 4.6-liter V-8 models receive the new eight-speed automatic as standard equipment for 2012, in place of their six-speed autoboxes.

Bigger news lies under the cars’ hoods. The popular 3.8-liter V-6 model gets a zinger of an upgrade with the addition of direct injection, which helps pump up power from last year’s respectable 290 hp to an impressive 333. Torque increases, too, from 264 lb-ft to 291. Hyundai expects the Genesis 3.8 to now score 29 mpg on the highway cycle when the EPA rates it, an improvement from the port-injected 3.8’s 27 mpg, although the company isn’t releasing any estimates about changes to the outgoing model’s 18-mpg city rating. Thanks to the eight-speed box, the 4.6-liter V-8’s highway fuel-economy figure adds 1 mpg, with the Genesis 4.6 now rated at 17/26.

As mentioned, Hyundai says it has tweaked the suspension damping with an eye toward improving the ride on both 3.8- and 4.6-liter models. As part of its suspension work, the V-6–powered Genesis gets a larger rear stabilizer bar to better mitigate body roll. Also, the 3.8 upgrades to the 13.0-inch front rotors of the 2011 4.6, while the 2012 4.6 adopts the same 13.6-inch front platters as the R-Spec.

Look, Ma, New Looks! And Features, Too

R-Spec badging should be enough to tip off passersby that that model is the latest Genesis, but just in case, all 2012 Genesis sedans have noticeably modified exteriors. The front fascia is now more aggressive, with a wide lower air intake, while the headlight assemblies have been overhauled for a fresh look and to add de rigueur LED accents and daytime running lights. The profile incorporates a new rocker-panel design akin to what you’d find on a tuner-shop shelf, as well as new 17-inch wheels on the V-6 model. In the back, the taillights are restyled and the exhaust tips extend through the rear bumper rather than from underneath it.

Inside, the non-R-Spec models offer new “woodgrain” colors, which we hope include one called “Resembles Real Wood.” The options sheet also will grow to include a new lane-departure warning system, power-folding mirrors, and heated rear seats. All thrilling stuff, huh? Hyundai probably thinks—and rightly so—that the 5.0-liter V-8, chassis updates, new transmission, and R-spec trim will be enough to generate excitement about this refresh. Hyundai tells us that the R-Spec should run between $45K and $50K—likely toward the high end of that spectrum—when it goes on sale late this spring or early this summer. No mention was made of pricing or on-sale dates for the other 2012 Genesis models, but we figure they'll hit around the same time wearing stickers similar to the $33,850 (3.8) and $43,850 (4.6) tags worn by the 2011 versions.

2011 Ferrari FX , FX70

2011 Ferrari FX , FX70

To maintain its standing as the indisputable leader of the go-fast world, Ferrari channels most of its energies into its highly successful F1 racing program, and then pumps out a couple thousand really fast road cars per year to sustain it. And every few years, Ferrari builds something that more or less blends both worlds together. These are the superstars of supercars with names like F40, F50, Enzo, the track-only FXX, and soon, the car you see (kind of) here: the FX70.

Underneath the clever camouflage—seemingly cobbled together from the front clip of an F430, the body and rear of a Scuderia, and the outer taillamps of the 599GTB Fiorano—is the chassis of Ferrari’s next big thing.

The massive FXX rear wheels give it away, placed further back in the body than they would be if this was a real Scuderia and, of course, looking far too big for the car—like a little kid wearing his dad’s shoes. Oh, and there’s a big, center-mounted tailpipe that recalls those of the Lamborghini LP640 Murciélago and Reventón.

What’s underneath all that? That’s unconfirmed at this point, but our spies say it sounded completely awesome as it rumbled by, amid rumors it houses either a twin-turbo V-12 of about 800 horsepower, or a more eco-sensitive (in adherence to Euro emissions requirements) twin-turbo V-8 of perhaps 700 horsepower. Either way, don’t expect to catch up to one unless you’re in an F-18 fighter jet.

What we don’t know is if this is the rumored Millechili (or whatever its name will be in production), or will exist in addition to the lightweight two-seater.

Production would be extremely limited and, in proper Ferrari tradition, the precious few will be offered first to the tycoons, royalty, and dictators currently nestled at the top of Ferrari’s VIP list who already own several of this car’s predecessors. And they can each expect to shell out at least a million bucks for one.