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Volkswagen Classic will be presenting five automotive highlights during the 2019 Classic Days at Schloss Dyck: the race-proven “Mille Miglia” Beetle, the VW-Porsche 914/4 celebrating its anniversary, and the record-breaking W12 Nardo. The “World Champion” Beetle also represents the pinnacle of performance in the world of Volkswagen, while the Apal Buggy provides plenty of summer driving fun.

From 2nd to 4th August 2019, the moated castle of Dyck in Jüchen, Lower Rhine, will be hosting a unique classic car and motor festival. The 14th edition of the Classic Days is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors – offering a colourful, hands-on experience of automotive history, atmospheric motorsport and an automobile garden party.

Legends, birthday celebrations and fun cars in the Classic Corner area

This year, Volkswagen Classic will be presenting unique vehicles from six decades of the firm’s history on the large lawn in front of the castle, the Classic Corner.

Mighty record-breaker: Visitors can see the power of the Volkswagen W12 from a distance. The 440 kW (600 PS) sports car broke ten international records on the high-speed circuit at Nardò (IT) in 2001, improving on those times in 2002. The experimental vehicle also claimed a world 24-hour record in 2002 with an average speed of 322.89 km. The records set by the W12 Nardo remain unbroken to this day.

Popular world champion: On 17th February 1972, the Beetle became the world’s most-produced automobile. The first Volkswagen special edition appeared to commemorate this record. A Beetle 1302 S “World Champion” from that 1972 special edition will be on display in Jüchen.

Air-cooled fun car: The viper-green Apal Buggy just makes you want to head straight for the sea. Early in the 1960s, the beaches of California were dotted with home-made vehicles based on the Beetle, and the dune buggy craze soon reached Europe. Belgian specialist manufacturer produced the GFK bodywork mounted on a shortened 1972 Beetle platform.

50th anniversary of the first production mid-engined sports car in Germany: In 1969, Volkswagen and Porsche presented a two-seater sports car. The VW-Porsche boasted a mid-engine concept and made use of air-cooled Porsche or Volkswagen motors. It sported Targa-topped, rounded bodywork with a roll bar and was available to buy until 1976. To mark the anniversary, a VW-Porsche 914/4 from 1974 will be appearing at the “Volkswagen Vielfalt” (Volkswagen Variety) special race.

Refreshment in real style: Another classic vehicle will delight visitors to Schloss Dyck: the Volkswagen Classic ice cream van. Delicious ice cream from a lovingly designed ‚Bulli‘ - snacks don't get any sweeter than this.

Classic Days kick-off: The Volkswagen Classic communication activities will be expanded by its own social media channels.

facebook.com/volkswagen.classic.de
instagram.com/volkswagen.classic.de

Original parts from Wolfsburg: Volkswagen Classic Parts will be presenting a range of spare parts and the Volkswagen Certificate. This functions as a birth certificate, documenting the original delivered condition of every classic Volkswagen. The datasheet also provides technical information about the car. This service, provided by Volkswagen Classic Parts, replaces the previous offerings from Volkswagen Heritage and the Stiftung AutoMuseum Volkswagen.

1,000-Mile Beetle Among Racing Legends

Taking part in the Mille Miglia is a distinction in itself – and the Ovali Beetle competed for the third time in 2019. The world's most famous road race has been run over 1,000 miles through Italy since 1927. Volkswagen Classic stayed true to the 1956 Ovali Beetle when constructing an exclusive replica of the car to compete in the 2011 and 2012 “Mille” and the rear-mounted Porsche engine provides the full 55 kW (75 PS). The “Mille Miglia” Beetle will lend a historic motorsport feeling to the Racing Legends.

Glimpse of the future with the record-breaker Volkswagen ID.R

Volkswagen has prepared a real highlight: The electric Volkswagen ID.R will be driving at Schloss Dyck for the first time. Using the title “Past | Present | Future”, the Autostadt will be presenting legendary racing cars from the Volkswagen Group. These will include the multiple record-breaking ID.R – which will also be taking part in the show races on the castle circuit.

In 2018, the first electric race car from Volkswagen mastered Pikes Peak (USA) in record time. Experienced driver Romain Dumas (F) was at the wheel of the 500 kW (680 PS) Volkswagen ID.R. Just one year later, he drove the enhanced version of the ID.R to a new track record for electric cars on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. In July 2019, the ID.R. broke Nick Heidfeld's 20-year-old circuit record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (UK). And the story continues: In September, Dumas will be the driver as the ID.R scales the mystical road to “Heaven's Gate” on Tianmen Mountain (China) for the first time. But before that, the electric racer will display a hunger for records at Schloss Dyck and show how Volkswagen is already redefining the motorsport of the future.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

First-class, superior and sophisticated – Volkswagen celebrates the production of one million Touaregs with the special “ONE Million” model. The anniversary model now joins the flagship’s model range and has an impressive range of exclusive equipment.

Since the end of 2002, the Touareg has been an integral part of Volkswagen’s model range. Volkswagen presents a stylish special model to celebrate the production of one million Touaregs. Its special features include completely new paintwork in Sechura Beige (optional) and two new types of wheel rim – either high-gloss polished 20-inch Bogota wheels or 21-inch Suzuka wheels in Adamantium Silver. The tasteful exterior is further accentuated by darkened rear lights, high-quality sill panel trims with the inscription “ONE Million” as well as a badge on the B-pillar – also bearing the words “ONE Million”. Wheel arch strips and a diffuser are also painted in Black Glossy. The special model can be upgraded with the R-Line Black Style exterior package, including exterior mirrors in Reflection Silver for example.

This stylishness continues in the car’s interior: The exclusive Puglia leather seat covers coloured with olive leaf extracts make sure of that. The upper parts of the front seats and the insides of the doors are decorated with high-quality diamond stitching in Amber Brown. These elegant seams can also be found on the dash panel, the steering wheel and the gear lever. Even the vehicle key is covered in top-quality Puglia leather. The elegant overall impression is finished off by a variety of decorative trim elements in Silver Wave and the fully digitalised Innovision Cockpit, whose screen is used to control the air conditioning system and seat heating, among other things. It is the focal point of the vehicle interior. Prices for this special “ONE Million” model start at 80,880 euros (for the Touareg with V6 TDI1 210 kW/286 PS).

The Touareg always was a technology leader

Volkswagen Slovakia’s site in Bratislava is the only assembly plant worldwide to produce the Touareg for the Volkswagen brand. The first Touareg to be produced in 2002 was already a technology leader. Thanks to this top-end model, the Volkswagen brand developed into one of the world’s leading full-range providers – and now serves all important segments, from the small city specialist to the high-end SUV.

The Touareg itself soon became a best-seller: almost one million car drivers decided in favour of generation one and two (beginning in 2010). The current third generation looks set to continue this successful course. With a new maximum of technological innovations, authentic and dynamic SUV design and high degree of suitability for everyday use. The new Touareg also boasts a maximum trailer weight of up to 3.5 tons. The latest generation has new highlights such as maximum connectivity and some partially automated driving functions that significantly increase convenience and dynamics.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

The new Passat is the car for frequent drivers. Volkswagen is now bringing this popular company car to market equipped with the next development stage of operating and Infotainment systems. Hardware and software together form an intuitive interface with which onboard convenience and communication can be optimally adjusted by means of online-based functions and services. In the Passat, five components combine to form the current level of connected mobility: a new generation of Infotainment, an online connectivity unit (OCU) with integrated eSIM, “Volkswagen We” as an online ecosystem, the “Digital Cockpit” and a head-up display.

Online Infotainment. The new Passat boasts a standard “Composition” radio system (including 6.5-inch display) as well as the optional “Discover Media” (8.0-inch) and “Discover Pro” (9.2-inch) navigation systems. They are coupled with an online connectivity unit, which is always online (on request) – even without a connected smartphone – thanks to eSIM. New functions and an extensively redesigned menu navigation have been introduced in the “Discover Media” and “Discover Pro” navigations systems. They belong to the third generation of the modular infotainment matrix (MIB3). The superior “Discover Pro” navigation system is now also equipped with “App Connect Wireless”. This means that “Apple CarPlay™” can be used to integrate many iPhone apps wirelessly.

MIB and” Volkswagen We” as one unit. Thanks to the OCU and eSIM, the Passat will be synchronised with a completely new range of internet-based information and service options. “Volkswagen We” is a digital ecosystem developed by Volkswagen for this purpose. It enables apps, online functions and services to be offered conveniently. It couldn’t be simpler: via the “Volkswagen We” online portal, customers receive their individual “Volkswagen ID” with which they can access functions and services such as those of “We Connect” and “We Connect Plus” directly through the Passat’s Infotainment system or a connected smartphone.

An overview of the “We Connect” and “We Connect Plus” functions.

“We Connect” (free of charge) and “We Connect Plus” (free of charge for a year) are part of the Passat package as standard.

A few examples of “We Connect” functions:

Status information about doors that may be open or lights turned on, the current parking position and “Automatic Accident Notification”
In connection with “Discover Pro”, compatible Samsung smartphones can serve as vehicle keys.
It is also possible to download “In-Car apps” such as “We Park” (cash-free parking) and “We Experience” (special offers from restaurants, shops or filling stations) via the Infotainment system.

“We Connect Plus” contains additional functions (depending on equipment) such as

an online anti-theft alarm and online auxiliary heater – controlled by smartphone with the “We Connect” app.
The Plus range also includes Online Route Calculation, Online Map Update and, of course, Online Voice Control.
In addition, the internet radio and Apple Music and TIDAL streaming services can be used with an optionally bookable data volume.
With “We Connect Plus”, “We Deliver” can also be booked in order to make the Passat the recipient of deliveries and services.

The In-Car apps (“WE Park”, “We Experience” and “We deliver”) are being launched to market with the Passat in certain regions in Germany with selected partners.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Volkswagen has developed a new state-of-the-art manual gearbox: the MQ281, as it is known, works efficiently and saves up to five grammes of CO2 per kilometre depending on the engine-gearbox combination. The new Passat is the first vehicle to be equipped with the MQ281, followed by almost all vehicle classes of the Volkswagen Group.

Nobody took much notice of manual gearboxes until now. However, only slight modifications were sufficient to improve efficiency and consumption with a huge impact on emissions and the environment. Although they function unobtrusively, manual gearboxes have a significant share of the gearbox market worldwide due to a high installation rate.

The trend towards vehicles from the SUV segment with large-diameter wheels places high demands on the gearbox. “With the MQ281, we have developed a highly efficient manual gearbox that reliably meets these demands – and is soon to be introduced into a number of vehicle classes in the volume segment,” explains Helmut Göbbels, Head of Manual Gearbox and Four-Wheel Drive Development at Volkswagen. The MQ281 has a torque spectrum of 200 to 340 newton metres, which means it completely or partially supersedes the current Volkswagen gearbox designs with the internal designations MQ250 and MQ350 respectively.

It is based on a 2.5 shaft concept and boasts a high gear spread of maximum 7.89. On the one hand, this guarantees good driving off performance – even for heavy vehicles with large wheels – and facilitates, on the other hand, “downspeeding”, which is (fuel-saving) driving in high gears with low engine speed.

Development of the new gearbox focussed primarily on improving efficiency. “Here we employed virtual development methods,” says Helmut Göbbels. “This enabled us to design a completely new oil conduction system. Using a variety of oil conduction measures, we are able to achieve a uniform and optimum lubrication of gear wheels and bearings, reducing the amount of lifetime oil required to just 1.5 litres.” To further reduce friction, a bearing concept adapted to the gearbox was developed. The design used friction-minimised bearings with low-contact seals.

Material use and its distribution for the gearbox housing was also optimised. With the aid of a further virtual development tool, a strength-optimised housing structure could be designed. The new housing supports the noise requirements of today (avoidance of undesired secondary noises) and therefore ensures improved driving comfort through less audible and noticeable vibrations in the vehicle.

As is the case with many Volkswagen gearboxes, the MQ281 is produced in-house. Ramp-up is currently underway in the factories in Barcelona (Spain) and Córdoba (Argentina).

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

It is a battle of the technology concepts at the “Goodwood Festival of Speed” (04 to 07 July 2019) – electric drivetrain versus petrol engine. Volkswagen travels with the ID.R electric race car to the famous motorsport revival in southern England, where it will take aim at the course record, which has stood for exactly 20 years. Back in 1999, Nick Heidfeld (D) set the fastest time of 41.6 seconds in a Formula 1 car, the McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13, driven by a V10 naturally-aspirated engine generating roughly 574 kW (780 PS). Only last year, the ID.R, which has a system performance of 500 kW (680 PS), set a new record for electric cars in Goodwood. Romain Dumas (F) was at the wheel of the ID.R, the sporty spearhead of the fully-electric ID. family of production vehicles. In doing so, he also set the third fastest time in the history of the event.

“A change is taking place in the field of production vehicles and in motorsport. Electric cars are becoming increasingly more powerful and have long since reached the same level as cars with combustion engines in many areas,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets. “In Goodwood, we want to show that the electric drivetrain in the ID.R can mix it with Formula 1. However, whether or not Romain Dumas can successfully challenge Nick Heidfeld’s track record also depends on the conditions at the weekend.”

Weather and track condition play crucial roles

The unsettled weather in southern England and the condition of the route in the grounds of Goodwood House are just a few of the uncertainties, with which the team is confronted. “It is difficult to judge correctly how much grip the track will provide. That changes all the time over the course of the weekend,” says driver Romain Dumas. Volkswagen partner Bridgestone is supplying the ID.R with particularly soft, and therefore extremely grippy, race tyres for the sprint up the 1.86-kilometre route. The tyre manufacturer’s technicians are familiar with the challenges faced at the “Festival of Speed” – Nick Heidfeld set his all-time record on Bridgestone tyres back in 1999.

The biggest differences in the technical configuration of the ID.R compared to last year are the size of the lithium-ion batteries on board and the energy management. “The latest evolution of the ID.R has been optimised for a sprint,” explains François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director at Volkswagen Motorsport. “In Goodwood, the only things that count are maximum power and minimum weight. With drive on board, the ID.R weighs less than 1,000 kilograms.” The ID.R covered roughly 20 kilometres when it set the all-time record at the “Race to the Clouds” on Pikes Peak (USA) in June 2018 and the electric record at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (D) about four weeks ago. That is more than ten times the length of the route at the “Festival of Speed”.

Away from the track too, Volkswagen will have plenty to offer the 200,000 plus spectators expected at the event. Fans and anyone interested can form their own impression of the fascination that is electromobility at an elaborately designed exhibition stand. Among the exhibits will be the ID.31, other models will follow. With its electromobility offensive, Volkswagen brand is planning to become the global number one by 2025, with more than 20 fully-electric models and over one million cars sold every year – zero-emission and networked.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

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