“Love the VW K70 – because it opens up a new VW era”this was the advertising slogan used for the launch of the Volkswagen K 70 50 years ago. With a water-cooled front engine, front-wheel drive and modern styling, the mid-sized sedan actually did usher in a new era at Volkswagen.

At a press conference held in Salzgitter on October 20, 1970, Volkswagen presented the new K 70 and the plant built especially for the production of this model. “A new Volkswagen, different to all the others made to date – the VW K 70,” the press folder said. In fact, the notchback sedan broke new ground in many respects. With this new model, Volkswagen was on the threshold of a new, successful era.

Technology. With the water-cooled engine and front-wheel drive of the K70, Volkswagen accomplished a changeover to a drive concept that was entirely new for the brand and would later achieve success with the Passat and Golf. The K70 had a state-of-the-art chassis with independent suspension. The extraordinarily long wheelbase allowed an especially spacious interior and provided very good handling.

Safety. Despite all the comfort of the K70, one of the main emphases was on active and passive safety. Features such as a reinforced passenger compartment, crumple zones at front and rear, a fuel tank at the rear in the protected area and preparation for safety belts on all seats as a standard feature set new standards.

Design. The uncluttered design with its clear lines, which is still attractive today, proved to be ground-breaking. The notchback sedan was designed byClaus Luthe, one of the major automobile designers of his time. His design signature is also evident in later Volkswagen models such as the Golf and the Polo.

Convinced from the start

Karl-Günter Queißer is an eyewitness who experienced the K70 and the upheaval at Volkswagen right from the start. The 79-year-old started his career with Volkswagen in 1970 as a vehicle painter at the new plant in Salzgitter. He still remembers the first few years very well, a time of upheaval and transformation. “That was really something quite special,” he says, remembering the era of the K70.

He was soon convinced by the car with its water-cooled front-mounted engine, four doors and its sensationally spacious interior and trunk. He already bought his first K70 in 1971. Until then, he had driven a Beetle and the changeover was a quantum leap. After he had driven three K70, a Golf appeared in his garage. “Things keep moving,” says the man who generally welcomes change and enjoys the experience.

From K70 to ID.301

Nowadays, he drives a K70 LS and a Golf 8. By purchasing the K 70, he has fulfilled a dream and he regularly takes part in rallies and organized trips with his classic. In September, an excursion took him to his old place of work in Salzgitter. With his fan club, he had really wanted to celebrate the anniversary of the K70 with a special organized tour and event. Unfortunately this was not possible in view of the situation this year. He therefore celebrated with a small group of people in Salzgitter and remembered a very special era. More and more employees stopped by the unusual vehicle and their former colleague Queißer answered all their questions enthusiastically.

He is very proud of the fact that he has driven every generation of the Golf to date. With the new Golf 8, the digital Golf, he is once again welcoming change and challenges with open arms. After all, things keep moving. He is also sure that an ID.3 will also take its place in his garage.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Volkswagen is celebrating a quadruple win at The Sunday Times Motor Awards 2020, adding to an already bustling trophy cabinet for the brand, and a successful year so far.

The Volkswagen Golf and up! GTI led the charge with category wins at The Sunday Times Motor Awards, with the technology-packed Golf winning ‘Family Car of the Year’ and the plucky, fun-filled up!GTI taking the ‘Value Car of the Year’ title. The Golf’s breadth of appeal and position as the standard-setter for the C-segment were noted and praised by The Sunday Times judges, while the up! GTI’s clear Mk1 Golf GTI DNA was key to the pocket rocket’s success with the panel.

So far ahead of its competitors was the Golf, that it was also crowned overall ‘Car of the Year’, jointly with its Volkswagen Group stablemate, the Porsche Taycan. And last – though certainly not least – the fourth award went to the Volkswagen brand, which was named ‘Manufacturer of the Year’. The publication reserved particular praise for the brand’s range of MEB-based ID. cars, of which the ID.3 has already arrived on UK roads.

Volkswagen’s 2020 is set to continue this momentum, with the imminent arrival of the updatedArteon, new Arteon Shooting Brake and the revised Tiguan. Furthermore, high-performance R variants of the Tiguan and Touareg will arrive in early 2021, shortly followed by the Arteon R, and the ID.4 – the next chapter in the Volkswagen ID. story. The series versions of the ID.3 will also open for order in the coming weeks, making the wider line-up of the ground-breaking electric hatchback available to the motoring public.

The eighth-generation Golf has been praised by experts since its launch earlier this year for its dependable blend of quality, innovation, driving experience and appeal to all. It is a benchmark not only in its segment, but across the automotive industry overall – a true ‘People’s Car’. Alongside this proven recipe, the Golf was the first volume model in Europe to launch with innovative Car2X technology – a system with the potential to revolutionise car safety, providing advance warnings of dangers ahead, facilitated by its ability to pass details on to other Car2X-equipped cars. This way, notice can be passed back through traffic to give warning of an approaching hazard, emergency vehicle, or another unexpected scenario on the road.

Will Dron, Editor of The Sunday Times’ Driving.co.uk, said: "The Golf continues to be the benchmark against which all other family cars are judged. The new model is the perfect blend of forward-thinking and everyday practicality, with a modern but familiar shape and a strikingly high tech, minimalist interior. Its astonishingly wide selection of powertrains will suit every type of driver, too.

“The up! GTI, meanwhile, captures the spirit of the original Golf GTI — a pocket rocket that's great fun to drive but won't break the bank. And while Volkswagen is still developing high quality cars that are testament to its esteemed heritage, we also had to recognise the brand for its renewed focus on hybrid and electric models — the ID. range is one to watch and its arrival could mark another significant moment in the history of motoring."

Andrew Savvas, Managing Director of Volkswagen UK, said: “During a year like 2020, recognition like this is inspiring for all at Volkswagen UK, with our icon – the Golf – awarded with ‘Family Car of the Year’ as well as the overall ‘Car of the Year’ title by The Sunday Times.

“The up! GTI’s success as ‘Value Car of the Year’ is also pleasing, given its status as a through-and-through driver’s car with GTI DNA running through it. It is a great value, brilliantly fun package.

To win the ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ award, though, is something else entirely. This recognises every car we offer, from the up! itself to the Touareg luxury SUV, and includes hot-off-the-press models like the newly-introduced ID.3, the upcoming ID.4, updated Tiguan, and a raft of exciting R models to set pulses racing. It also recognises the level of investment we are making, compared with other car brands, in the field of e-mobility. I am really pleased and proud for Volkswagen to receive this prestigious accolade.”

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

The new Golf Mk8 is picking up even more speed. Following on from the GTI, GTE and GTD, Volkswagen is now presenting the next highlight from its sporty family of Golf models: the new Golf GTI Clubsport. This vehicle marks the next chapter in the brand’s tradition of high-performance GTIs: the first Golf GTI Clubsport was launched in 2016 on the 40th anniversary of the iconic sports car. It is now followed by the new Golf GTI Clubsport, a modern compact sports car that not only impresses due to its high engine power but also thanks to a new high in driving dynamics.

With the world premiere of the new Golf GTI Clubsport, Volkswagen is writing the next chapter of the successful Golf story. The Clubsport has a power output of 221 kW (300 PS) and is the new flagship model of the eighth Golf GTI generation. With its enhanced turbocharged engine, new fully connected running gear, and the brand new Nürburgring driving profile designed for the legendary Nordschleife track in Germany, the Golf GTI Clubsport marks a new milestone for driving dynamics among front-wheel-drive sports cars.

Outstanding driving dynamics. 

Many of the details in the Golf GTI Clubsport have been enhanced, including the even more agile turbocharged engine (EA888 evo4), which now delivers 221 kW (300 PS) and 400 Nm of torque, and the new sports running gear equipped with a new Vehicle Dynamics Manager. In the new Golf GTI, a new Vehicle Dynamics Manager already closely integrates control of the electronic differential locks (XDS) and the lateral dynamics components of the optional adaptive chassis control DCC. Even at this level, the feature offers noticeable performance benefits. In the new Golf GTI Clubsport, however, the standard electromechanical front-axle locking differential is now included in the Vehicle Dynamics Manager’s network for the first time.

Karsten Schebsdat, Head of Driving Dynamics, Steering and Control Systems at Volkswagen: “Networking all driving dynamics systems means that the new Golf GTI Clubsport handles even more neutrally and precisely than the classic Golf GTI. For the legendary Nordschleife track, we have also programmed a new Nürburgring profile, which specifically adapts the running gear components in the new Golf GTI Clubsport to this race track.”

A genuine Clubsport. 

It is obvious from the outset that the new Golf GTI Clubsport fits in on the race track, too: its customised front end is very striking. The bumper looks almost open at the bottom – only the radiator grille trim with the honeycomb design typical for GTI models and the larger aerodynamic wings offer resistance to the head wind. At the rear, the two-part roof spoiler catches the eye, which is a unique hallmark feature reserved exclusively for the Golf GTI Clubsport. The front spoiler and rear wing are much more than just design features – they significantly increase the downforce on the sports car. The Golf GTI Clubsport rolls off the production line in Wolfsburg with 18-inch alloy wheels fitted as standard. A special diffuser, a body lowered by 10 millimetres, and wider side sills also enhance the overall sporty impression. Another new feature: oval tailpipes replace the round version in the sports exhaust system, with one tailpipe positioned on the left and right of the body.

Countless GTI-specific features also customise the vehicle interior, including premium sport seats in ArtVelours, which even provide support when cornering at high speed, plus a sports steering wheel with perforated leather grip zones and paddles for the standard 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG). Aluminium-look pedals and other superior details round off the exclusive interior design.

A brief look back. 

Volkswagen is continuing the tradition of high-performance GTI models with the new Golf GTI Clubsport: the first Golf GTI Clubsport5 was launched in 2016 on the 40th anniversary of the iconic sports car. The original member of the Clubsport series developed 195 kW (265 PS) and temporarily delivered 213 kW (290 PS) using a boost function. This car was followed in the same year by the Golf GTI Clubsport S in a limited edition of 400 units with a continuously available output of 228 kW (310 PS). Driving the Golf GTI Clubsport S, pro race driver Benjamin Leuchter set a new lap record for front-wheel-drive vehicles on the Nordschleife at Nürburgring in May 2016.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

The new ID.4 has arrived – with the versatility of an SUV and the sustainability of an electric vehicle. Presales of Volkswagen’s new, electric SUV are simultaneously launching in Germany and further European countries only one day after its world premiere. There are two preconfigured edition models to choose from: the ID.4 1ST and ID.4 1ST Max. Both generate an output of 150 kW (204 PS), feature a battery with 77 kWh and very generous equipment. The ID.4 is launching in the world’s largest market segment, the compact SUV class.

Klaus Zellmer, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand with responsibility for Sales, Marketing and After Sales: “The ID.4 is our zero-emission response to the unbroken SUV trend and the next step on our way towards offering climate-neutral mobility for each segment. The ID.4 impresses in terms of its function, design, price and sustainability. I am confident that we will spark a passion in customers around the world with our first electric SUV.”

Redefining the SUV.

For the very first time, Volkswagen is offering a fully electrically driven SUV, the ID.4, generating zero local emissions. The ID.4 also merges all benefits customers appreciate about SUVs. Its clear-cut, flowing design inspires at first glance. The sporty and powerful electric vehicle also boasts an impressive acceleration. The high-voltage battery installed in the floor of the body guarantees a centre of gravity that is ideal for driving dynamics and balanced handling. The modular electric drive matrix (MEB) grants ample space in the vehicle interior with compact exterior dimensions. Colours and materials in the vehicle interior are both modern and homely. The luggage compartment volume is 543 to 1,575 litres, depending on the rear backrest position.

Modern and simple: operation and connectivity

The cockpit has been clearly structured and is almost exclusively controlled by touch functions and the intelligent Hello ID. voice control. Optional features include an augmented reality head-up display, which combines the displays with the actual surroundings. The Discover Pro navigation system brings We Connect Start online services on board while IQ.Drive assist systems make driving even more masterful. Software and hardware have been designed in a new architecture that makes it possible to transfer updates to the car after having purchased it.

Two variants upon the order launch.

ID.4 1ST and ID.4 1ST Max edition models have a battery with an energy content of 77 kWh (net) on board – enough to cover a range of around 490 km (WLTP). It is situated under the passenger compartment, thus shifting the car’s centre of gravity downwards. The electric drive motor at the rear axle generates 150 kW (204 PS). The ID.4 sprints from standstill to 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds while its top speed has been limited to 160 km/h. 21 centimetres of ground clearance and the large wheels underline the sporty and powerful character.

Very comfortable: the ID.4 1ST

The ID.4 1ST has 20-inch Drammen design wheels. The Exterior Style package and the tinted rear windows lend it a very stylish appearance. Front seats, multifunction steering wheel and the windscreen can be heated. The background lighting can be adjusted in 30 colours, stainless steel pedals feature Play & Pause design. A 2-zone Climatronic air conditioning system rounds off the range of convenience features. The Discover Pro navigation system is on board, as are vital assist systems – Front Assist, ACC stop & go adaptive cruise control and the Lane Assist lane keeping system. A rear view camera system helps when manoeuvring. The ID.4 1ST additionally features a highly energy-efficient heat pump that boosts the range in low temperatures as well as a towing bracket as standard.

Leaves no wishes unanswered: ID.4 1ST Max

The ID.4 1ST Max includes almost the full range of available equipment: in addition to the scope of the ID.4 1ST it includes further features. Interactive IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights and 3D LED tail light clusters especially catch the eye on the exterior. 21-inch Narvik wheels sharpen the handling in conjunction with progressive steering and adaptive chassis control DCC.

In the vehicle interior, the ID.4 ST Max boasts superior comfort. It includes electrically adjustable seats, a tilting and sliding panoramic sunroof, acoustic glass, 3-zone Climatronic system and an electrically operated boot lid as standard. The top-of-the-range model also comes perfectly equipped in terms of operation, connectivity and driver assist systems: the augmented reality head-up display, central 12-inch display, Comfort mobile phone interface, Travel Assist, Side Assist and Emergency Assist are all on board.

An ID.4 Pro Performance model is additionally available to order in Germany. It delivers identical, technical key data: 150 kW (204 PS), 77 kWh battery, a range of 522 km (WLTP) and a price starting at €44,450. An even more reasonably priced ID.4 entry-level model will be added to the product line at the beginning of 2021. At this point the ID.4 Pure will be available to order throughout Europe, offering a range of up to 340 kilometres (WLTP) at a price of under €37,000.

The comfortable ID.4 1ST comes with a price tag of €49,950 while the ID.4 1ST Max is available for €59,950. All models fully qualify for environmental grants: in Germany the net grant amounts to €9,000 each. The limited-edition models are restricted to 27,000 units. Once they have sold out, they will be followed by the pre-configured models. They bundle the most in-demand equipment options as part of appealing packages.

Carbon-neutral balance: production and operation of the ID.4

The ID.4, which is produced at the Zwickau plant,is carbon-neutral along the entire value chain. Volkswagen is launching a comprehensive package on the market called We Charge which makes it possible for customers to charge their electric vehicle in a sustainable, connected and convenient way. At home, the ID.4 1ST and ID.4 1ST Max can be charged with Volkswagen Naturstrom from renewable sources and along motorways customers can charge with direct current supplied by suitable charging stations. Thanks to an output of 125 kW this is done speedily: it takes a mere 30 minutes to recharge the energy to cover the next 320 km (as per WLTP).

Global car – electric mobility on key markets in Europe, China and the USA

As of late, Volkswagen has been supplementing its traditional product portfolio with the ID. family, a new, independent product range. Following the compact ID.3 model, the new ID.4 is the brand's second, fully electric model. Five plants on three continents will be producing the new, electric SUV: series production has already kicked off in Zwickau, in Saxony. Production will also launch at the Chinese plants in Anting and Foshan before the end of the year. The production launch in Chattanooga (USA) and at the plant in the German city of Emden is planned for 2022.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com