Community

Air heads unite for a 1,700-mile cruise

For the past 19 years, groups of intrepid air-cooled Volkswagen owners have set out on a 1,700-mile journey along the Pacific Coast, driving south from Washington State to the U.S.-Mexico border. Since its inception, this “Treffen Cruise” has been organized by Airhead Parts—a Ventura, Calif.-based distributer and manufacturer of components for air-cooled Volkswagen models. Volkswagen of America decided to get in on the fun this year, joining the California leg of the trip with two rear-en

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Company

How Volkswagen Chattanooga changes kids’ lives through mechatronics

Imagine: programming a robot, using a 3D printer to create a fidget toy or dissembling then reassembling a Passat’s engine. Thanks to Volkswagen Chattanooga, in collaboration with a local university, Chattanooga-area high school students have the chance to experience all of these activities while attending summer camp – for free. The annual Volkswagen Summer Camp, now in its third year, serves as a precursor to the company’s Automation Mechatronics Program (AMP), a VW Academy-run dual program

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Community

For one family, winning a Volkswagen Atlas was a dream come true

When Patti Shenk signed up her family for the Four Wheel Family Face-Off contest on Disney/ABC’s syndicated daytime talk show “Live with Kelly and Ryan” she didn’t even know what the prize might be. The New Jersey mother of four was just hoping for some quality time and a fun day off from the typical busy routine. But the day was nothing but routine. After besting three other families, the Shenks won a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas SEL Premium. So what do they think about their newest family m

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GRC

Double 1-2 Finishes in Seattle all but Lock Up Driver’s Championship for Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross

Tanner Foust was nearly perfect in Seattle, claiming two victories in the 2017 Red Bull Global Rallycross season’s last doubleheader, almost ensuring a Driver’s Championship victory for one of the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross teammates at the season finale in Los Angeles. Scott Speed drove two competitive and smart races to protect his lead in the championship points, finishing second in both events at Evergreen Speedway behind his teammate. The results bring the team its fifth and sixth 1-2 f

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Community

Inside Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias’ dream VW collection

Everyone has an attachment to their first car, a certain nostalgia that makes them want to relive every memory from those years. For comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, success has allowed him to turn that passion for the VW Bus into something close to an obsession. Ten years ago, the comedian decided to go back in time and purchase a 1968 Volkswagen Transporter, his first car at age 17. The project of finding and refurbishing the Bus quickly turned Iglesias into a collector. Today, the comed

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Community

Michael Andretti on racing, rallycross, and a potential electric future

With one of motorsport’s most famous names, Michael Andretti was born to play an important role in North American racing. As a driver, he did just that, becoming one of the most-decorated racers in American open-wheel motorsport, and he’s continued to make a mark even after hanging up his helmet. His successful Andretti Autosport operation has competed since 2009 across a diverse array of racing disciplines, with dozens of victories and several series championships. In 2014, Andretti Autospor

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Community

Eleven miles, 318 curves: Watch VW Golf R owners tame the Dragon

For the past 11 years, Volkswagen Golf R and R32 owners have gathered on the North Carolina/Tennessee border to enjoy some of the country’s most beautiful scenery and mountain roads surrounding the famous “Tail of the Dragon” – U.S. Route 129. The road’s 318 curves over some 11 miles draws a steady crowd of driving enthusiasts. Earlier this year, Sean Maynard, a specialist in experiential marketing at Volkswagen of America, attended the event and invited his friend, and new Mk7 Golf R owner,

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Community

Saying ‘GTI-do’ in a VW-themed wedding

Agnes and AJ Miragliotta run their own visual media company, Waxwing Media, in Dallas. Well before they met in 2015, both had grown into avid fans of the Volkswagen Golf GTI – with AJ owning a Mk5, and Agnes driving her customized Mk6 GTI she calls the “TurboTurtle.” That shared passion led to their meeting and their relationship, so when the duo took their vows last fall, they did so in a way that weaved their enthusiasm into the fabric of their lives. We asked Agnes to give us some insight

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Community

A hard ride for a good cause: Ride On for Red Nose Day

Imagine biking nearly 400 miles in four days through the mountains and deserts of Nevada and southern California, burning through as many as 20 bottles of water each day during your eight to 10 hours on two wheels – just for fun. It’s not a spin class gone horribly wrong. It’s one of two long-distance rides hosted by professional racing cyclist and bike enthusiast, Tim Johnson to raise money and awareness for this year’s Red Nose Day event, called Ride on For Red Nose Day powered by Walgreen’

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Vehicles

How the I.D. Buzz evokes Volkswagen’s first electric bus

Volkswagen has a long heritage with electric propulsion. Ferdinand Porsche, the engineer who designed  the Volkswagen Beetle, made a name for himself with his first electric car in 1900 (one later adopted to become the world’s first hybrid.) But it would be some 70 years before a production electric vehicle would carry the Volkswagen brand – and it’s likely not one you’ve ever heard of. The global oil crisis of the early 1970s set many automakers to work looking for alternatives to gasoline p

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Community

Tanner Foust and Volkswagen give one school an unforgettable show and tell

Each year, students in Jim Cowhey’s second grade class at Highlands Elementary School in Spring Valley, Calif., write to different companies across the U.S. to learn more about the business world and how various organizations operate. When their letters reached the desks of the Volkswagen PR and Marketing departments, a plan was hatched to surprise the kids with a special visit to their classroom. “The night before these letters found their way to my desk, I was telling my son how important i

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Vehicles

How much is that old Volkswagen worth, anyway?

Always wanted to own a classic 1967 Volkswagen Beetle? Been looking for a vintage VW Microbus to relive the nostalgia of the 1970’s? While the market can count on new cars substantially getting better year-over- year, the collector car market ebbs and flows in ways that can puzzle even the experts. “The collector car market is undergoing a massive revolution as millennials are getting buying power, which is why cars from the 80’s and 90’s and even some 70’s models, are starting to double,

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Community

How to build a Global Rallycross car, the Volkswagen way

Despite its short three-year history, Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross has quickly become one of the most successful teams in the Red Bull Global Rallycross series, earning two driver’s championships and a manufacturer’s title since its debut. The quick success can be attributed to a unique partnership between championship-winning race team, Andretti Autosport, and the similarly successful Volkswagen Motorsport outfit in Germany. Working together, the two organizations have created a formidable te

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Vehicles

Volkswagen’s I.D. CROZZ, the electric SUV concept, makes its world debut

Few automakers have made the commitment to electric mobility that Volkswagen has with its I.D. series concept vehicles. The original I.D. unveiled last year in Paris was the preview of an all-electric VW going on sale by 2020, and the vanguard of a future Volkswagen electric fleet. The I.D. BUZZ revealed in Detroit showed how a similar vehicle could embrace the fun and flexibility of the original Microbus. This week in Shanghai, Volkswagen revealed the third concept in the ID series. Dubbed t

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Vehicles

Saving the manuals, one Golf Alltrack at a time

Last year, just 3.1 percent of all new vehicles sold in the United States came with a manual transmission, the lowest share in decades according to U.S. government data. Despite the benefits of driving feel, social acceptance among enthusiasts and even anecdotal evidence of how three-pedal cars can confuse carjackers, many automakers and their customers have chosen to shun the stick shift. But not Volkswagen. The first Volkswagen Beetle sold in America came with a manual transmission. That wa

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Philanthropy

How a Passat parked inside a hospital helps people get moving again

The mint-green sedan was the first thing you noticed inside the inpatient therapy gym at the Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation. Parked facing a window, with its engine compartment chopped off, the 1978 Pontiac with matching-green vinyl interior looked a bit alien next to the treadmill and staircases – but all are tools that help patients reacquaint themselves with the outside world. While that car served Siskin Hospital for the past 26 years, Volkswagen Chattanooga thought it could

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Magazine

America’s Best SUV Bumper-to-Bumper Transferable Warranty arrives on the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas & Tiguan

For most Americans, a car will be the second-largest purchase they make in their lifetimes, behind only a home. It’s a commitment not just of money, but time and resources. Published research shows the average new-car buyer holds onto his or her vehicle for six years – yet most bumper-to-bumper warranties don’t last nearly so long, leaving owners potentially exposed to repair bills for manufacturer defects or unease for the next owner when they choose to sell it. Today, Volkswagen took a step

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