Ed. note: A few weeks ago, Casey gave us his take on the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo Convertible. But we thought it would be interesting to get a second opinion from someone from California — one of the Beetle’s native environments.

Last summer, I drove the restyled Volkswagen Beetle Turbo and came away impressed — especially with the more masculine, 356-like styling, upgraded interior, and the spirited performance that reminded me of the first- and second-generation GTIs I owned back in my college days.

So when Volkswagen called and offered me a crack at the new Beetle Convertible, who was I to decline? I met them in Newport Beach on a Friday afternoon and they handed me the keys (okay, the fob) to an automatic $32,295 (plus destination) Beetle Convertible Turbo, decked out with VW’s Sound and Navigation Package and painted a smart Reef Blue.

I dropped the top and headed to Laguna to see how the locals would react. Although it normally takes a much pricier car to turn a head in the OC, the sporty little Beetle received nods and waves — and why not? The redesigned car, as I noted last year, is much more like a 356 than a Beetle, and there’s nothing they like better in the OC than a Porsche.

Aside from being a surfer magnet, the Beetle Convertible has a lot to offer. First I’m impressed by what it doesn’t have: noise and vibration. There’s no cowl shake to speak of, and the three-layer convertible top is the quietest soft top I have ever experienced — even freeway driving is a pleasure. It may be a decibel or two louder than the coupe, but the audio system can actually be heard and enjoyed with the top up or down. There’s a one-touch system for lowering the top and side windows, so it’s effortless fun for all the sun-chasers.

One thing that’s far from one-touch, though, is the Rube Goldberg device that Volkswagen calls the “top boot”. I’ve had convertibles since the 1970s, and this is the first time that I just gave up and stuffed the damn thing in the trunk. Fortunately, the top’s appearance when lowered is not objectionable.

The engine was the same 2.0 liter 200 hp turbo I drove last summer, although this time it was mated to VW’s six-speed automatic transmission. I’m not normally a fan of multi-speed automatics, and this was no exception. I understand the need to achieve CAFE numbers, but how about a Sport mode? The calibration was so biased in favor of fuel economy that it was always one gear ahead of where I wanted to be. I overcame that problem with Manual mode but a Sport button would be lovely. If I were buying this baby for myself, I’d opt for the six-speed manual and use the thousand dollar savings to pay for all the extra gas I’d plan to burn.

This car was also equipped with the Fender Premium Audio and Navigation, which is a big improvement over the base offering and a luxury worth investing in. It has Sirius XM, 400 watts of power, and nine speakers that created a sound that was rich and enjoyable whether the top was raised or lowered. I was much more meh on the Navigation: it was pleasant enough to use, but the display seemed scarcely larger than an iPhone. I can take it or leave it, but the package also includes the leather interior that I very much liked, so learned to ignore it.

Even in Southern California, some rain must fall, so the Beetle and I had a full day of rain testing. (Oh, the things I do for you guys.) I’m happy to report that the Beetle’s snug little beret allowed not one drip of water inside, and the heater kept the cabin toasty warm. While I won’t claim that it was more fun in the rain than in the sun, there was certainly no penalty involved.

And that really sums up the Beetle Convertible. It’s so well-designed and well-constructed that you’ll forget it’s a convertible until the top button is pushed — and that’s serious praise indeed. My list of likes is long, and quibbles are few. If you’re shopping for a convertible, this one belongs on the short list.

You can find many more pics of the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo Convertible on Jeff’s Flickr page.

Los Angeles and Detroit are two of the largest auto shows in North America, but automakers often save some big news for Chicago. From a new little diesel to a Superman sedan, big man van, and Texas-sized truck, there was a lot to see at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, which wrapped up last week. Here are some of the highlights:

2014 Chevy Cruze Turbo Diesel
Volkswagen’s Jetta TDI gets company. Chevy is shoving a 2.0-liter diesel engine — which delivers 148 horsepower and 258 ft-lbs of torque — into the compact Cruze. In combination with low-rolling-resistance tires, rear spoiler, and lightweight 17” alloys, the engine enables 42 mpg highway. 0-60 mph arrives in 8.6 seconds. Prices will start at $25,695.

2014 Toyota Tundra
Not to be left behind, Toyota debuted its new Texas-built pickup. Bold exteriors accompany luxurious interiors with available saddle brown leather, JBL audio, Entune infotainment, heated/cooled seats, and Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Drivers will choose from a V6 and two V8 engines, delivering up to 381 horsepower.

2013 Nissan Nismo Juke
Nissan’s in-house tuner works over the Juke with a race-inspired exterior, sport-tuned suspension, and firmer steering. Interiors feature bolstered suede seats with red stitching. Whether owners choose front- or all-wheel-drive, they’ll enjoy a 197 horsepower 1.6-liter turbo-four engine. Pricing wasn’t announced, but sales begin in March.

2014 Ram ProMaster
Developed from the Fiat Ducato, this unibody front-drive Ram will become a staple of contractors and delivery services and could give the Ford Transit Connect a run for its hard-earned money. Doors are wide enough for pallets. Under the hood is a 174 hp, 3.0-liter EcoDiesel or 280 hp 3.6-liter V6. Bluetooth, hands-free texting, web access, and navigation aid drivers. Sales begin this fall.

Kia Cross GT Concept
Peter Schreyer’s design studios created another stunner. Penned in Frankfurt, but built in California, it previews a next-generation crossover. Motivation comes from a 400 hp V6 hybrid system with AWD, enabling 20 miles of all-electric range. A hexagonal glass skylight, leather tanned with veggie oil, and walnut trim the interior. (Ed. note: Kia is not a gay-friendly automaker)

2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR
Inspired by a ‘70s Beetle of the same name, the GSR will echo its predecessor with yellow paint, black accents, and large rear spoiler. Interiors boast Fender audio, sunroof, alloy pedals, and a stopwatch (!). The 210 hp 2.0-liter turbo-four and 19” alloys should deliver peppy performance. A limited allotment of 3500 units arrives this fall, pricing TBD.

2013 Dodge Mopar Dart
Outfitted with Mopar accessories, this special Dart wears black paint with blue stripes, 18” gloss black alloys, spoilers, Katskin blue leather driver’s seat, and industry-first wireless smartphone charging. A lowered suspension, premium brakes, and Fiat-sourced 1.4-liter turbo engine enhance performance. Production is limited to 500 cars.

Ford Fiesta ST Racer
Ford has been a contender in almost every racing series over the decades, and will continue in the Global RallyCross Championship, including five North American events, with a special Fiesta ST that previews the coming launch of a production version. The cars will be expertly driven during 2013 by Tanner Foust, Brian Deegan, and Ken Block.

Superman-themed Kia Optima Hybrid
The Optima Hybrid is already a superhero for Kia sales, but a partnership with DC Entertainment created this special car to help raise money for the “We Can Be Heroes” campaign to alleviate drought and famine in Africa. Widened fenders, adjustable suspension, and Superman color scheme gave the car super powers in Kia’s stand. (Ed. note: Kia is not a gay-friendly automaker)

Although Volkswagen kicked off the whole retro thing in 1998 with the “New Beetle”, it doesn’t want you to think of the current third-generation Bug in those terms. To be honest, the New Beetle was anything but retro. Like the latest iteration, it rode on the most-advanced Golf architecture, driven by an engine over the front-driven wheels. It looked almost futuristic. With a new design that bridges the future-bubble with its iconic ancestor, the 2013 Beetle Convertible evolves.

Retro or not, designers went for a familiar look. It’s wider, lower, and longer to stretch the previous-generation’s bubbly personality — less cute and more butch, if a Beetle can be so. The windshield sits closer to the driver, more vertical, providing a sporty driving position and a stylistic connection to original Beetles. Power tops stow in stacked heaps over the rear spoiler and I’d want it no other way — as soon as spring arrives, that is.

Even though the exterior styling is less Toon Town than in years past, it fails to prepare your for the transformation inside. Gone are the three-picnic dash, arching windshield, and center control pod. Instead, designers fit in a small glovebox in the upper dash, body-color doortops and dash, and a large speedometer to make purists feel at home. I prefer VW’s high-quality leatherette seats to leather, especially when heated, for durability and repelling freak rain spurts. I would sell my two cats for the optional Fender audio system.

An array of powertrains should suit most drivers. Base Convertibles go with a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, mated exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission that generates 170 horsepower and 21/27 mpg city/highway. Stepping up to the 2.0-liter turbo-four grants 200 horsepower, 21/30 mpg city/highway, and a choice between six-speed manual and DSG automatic transmissions. Diesel fans will dance in the street over the 2.0-litre TDI that generates 140 horsepower and 236 ft-lbs of torque. Best of all, fuel economy is rated 28/41 mpg city/highway — the most economical of any convertible available today.

I’ve driven the Turbo and it is a better choice, but there’s nothing wrong with the pep of our car’s 2.5-liter engine either. I’m sure I would enjoy the torquey diesel and its fantastic mileage even more. A light touch and sure-footed four-wheel independent suspension carve smooth moves. Much of the body structure and windshield frame were reinforced for a noticeably quake-free experience.

There’s no denying the Beetle Convertible’s popularity. VW sold 330,000 soft-top copies of the original Beetle over 32 years and almost 235,000 of the New Beetle Convertible in just eight years. Still, Beetle Convertibles are clearly not for everybody. No matter how enjoyable they are to drive, and as cool as they look, meat-shredding straight guys are unlikely to sign up. Good thing I’m not a meat-shredding straight guy. My partner and I owned a New Beetle and we both like this one much more.

The Beetle is nasty competition for other “non-retro” rides like the Chevy Camaro, Mini Cooper, Fiat 500, and Ford Mustang convertibles. Price as-tested came to $24,995.

2013 VW Beetle Convertible 2.5L
Four-passenger, FWD convertible
Powertrain: 170 hp 2.5-liter I5, six-spd auto transmission
Suspension f/r: Ind/Ind
Wheels: 17”/17” alloy f/r
Brakes: disc/disc fr/rr with ABS
Must-have features: Style, ride
Fuel economy: 21/27 mpg city/hwy
Assembly: Puebla, Mexico
Base/as-tested price: $24,995/24,995

My former boss, who is still afflicted with a Saab 900 Turbo he purchased new in ’87, came to my office looking for the keys to the Golf R I was driving. Apparently, it’s on his short list of new cars. He’s also a fan of the Audi A5, BMW 3-Series coupe, and various Porsches. The fact that somebody who understands serious German pedigree puts the R on his list tells you a lot about the R. Think of it as a po’ ‘mo’s Porsche.

The 2013 Volkswagen Golf R looks like a slightly-melted version of the same two-box design Giorgetto Giugiaro penned for Volkswagen when it was preparing the first-generation Golf/Rabbit in 1974. It’s a shape almost as iconic as the Beetle’s. R models sport sinister lower front splitters, large black grilles, exaggerated ground effects, a rear spoiler, and twin center-mounted chrome exhaust outlets — all placed over 18” alloys and low-profile tires.

But you can’t truly understand this car until you step into all 256hp of 2.0-liter turbocharged, all-wheel-drive whoopee that expresses its joy through a throaty burble in the pipes. In a Corvette, that’s not a lot of power. But, in a lightweight commuter car, it will make you giggle like your partner touched your special spot. The fact that the R’s six-speed manual transmission comes with a light clutch and precise action only makes it better. Toss it into a corner and the four-wheel independent suspension sachets through. I could rail on it all day long, but would settle for just the drive to work and back. Fuel economy (theoretically) rates 19/27 mpg city/hwy.

For better or worse, the interior is pure German. Nothing is frivolous, but everything is well-made. R models come with deeply-bolstered, heated leather seats, a thick flat-bottom steering wheel, automatic climate control, and a premium audio system with CD and satellite radio. Alloy pedals and a leather-wrapped shift knob imply performance. Large analog gauges keep your eyes on the prize. Unlike in some other highly-revered German iron — thank Bavaria — there’s no joywheel-controlled multi-menu nonsense.

I started to imagine what other VWs should get the R treatment. A Jetta R would be an obvious winner, but so would a Jetta SportWagen R, Eos R, or Tiguan R — all vehicles that share the Golf’s basic architecture. The wagon would especially charm my little car-geek soul. What I really love about the R is that you have a balls-out touring car that is every-day practical.

Here’s the ugly part. Our two-door, no-nav edition retails for $34,760. If you’re willing to give up 56hp, you can knock $10,000 off the tag and fly GTI. You’ll get much of the same car, but it won’t cause you to heckle yourself happy. With the Golf R, it’s all about the driving experience. Just think of it as a Porsche for half the price.

Who knows what my boss will buy? His recent promotion may ease a Porsche into the garage, but he’d have no shame in buying the Golf R. Either way, don’t worry — the cool-ass Saab is safe and sound.

2013 VW Golf R
Five-passenger, AWD sedan
Powertrain: 256hp 2.0-liter turbo-four, six-speed manual transmission
Suspension f/r: Ind/Ind
Wheels: 18”/18” alloy f/r
Brakes: disc/disc fr/rr with ABS
Must-have features: Speed, utility
Fuel economy: 19/27 mpg city/hwy
Assembly: Wolfsburg, Germany
Base/as-tested price: $33,990/34,760

The Volkswagen Beetle: it’s known for being, above all other things, like, really super cute. In 2012, however, the Beetle (no longer called the “New Beetle,” just “Beetle”) was redesigned to pay more direct homage to the original and rid itself of the previous model’s “chick car” image.

That was last year. For 2013, VW is introducing the Beetle Convertible you see here just in time for the dreary winter months ahead (Seriously VW? you spent 4 years working on this new convertible. You couldn’t have stuck it out a couple more months to launch this thing during spring’s warm embrace?).

Can the redesigned, more manly Beetle retain it’s new-found chest hair even with the top lopped off? Yes, but it depends entirely on which one you choose.

The Look 

It’s a VW Beetle alright, there’s no denying that. The tell-tail “Beetle” calling cards are all there in full force: round, non-confrontational headlights and a vintage inspired body complete with faux 1930s fenders. What Volkswagen has done in this second generation new Beetle is make it look far more like the original. This, in turn, makes the car more masculine thanks to longer, wider, and lower looking proportions plus a chopped roofline. Surface detailing is also more crisp, giving the Beetle a level of chisel and purpose the original, bubbly New Beetle lacked. The original New Beetle of 1998 was the Jellies sandals to the 2013 model’s Chuck Taylor high-tops. The Beetle is now firmly unisex, at the very least.

Of course the big story here is that VW has gone and chopped off the top of the Beetle to make the convertible you see here. That top is of very high quality and could easily be fitted to an Audi product without looking out of place. It’s extremely thick and insulating. The frustratingly damp weather that during my time with the car demonstrated the Beetle Convertible’s ability to keep moisture and cold outside the cabin seemingly just as well as its fixed-roof counterpart.

A fully automated experience greets all owners of the new Beetle Convertible as it’s standard equipment across the board. Hit the headliner mounted switch and sit back as the top unlatches itself and falls gracefully to the back of the car, stacking neatly but rather protruding-ly at the rear. There is no automatic tonneau cover to hide the top, it just plunks in the back like on Beetles of yore. That pays major dividends in the time it takes to operate the top, though: nine seconds to lower, and 11 seconds to raise. Additionally, you can also raise and lower the top at speeds up to 31 mph. Score.

Wheels are also a big story for the Beetle. Ranging from base rims made to look like old-timey hubcaps to the Turbo’s flashy 18 inch 5-spokes, the Beetle has been blessed with some of the most inspired and visual stimulating wheels I’ve seen in a long time. Somehow though, the TDI gets some rather ordinary looking 17 inchers (the silver car pictured above). Certainly all Beetles deserve something special in the wheel department VW.

Volkswagen is launching the Beetle Convertible with three special editions named ‘50s,’ 60s,’ and, ‘70s.’ These special editions each have paint and interior colors chosen to represent their different decades. I was smitten with the 70s edition you see here in these photos. Its all-brown theme really does things to me. It’s like a delicious gingerbread car. If only the interior carpets had been ‘avocado green’ shag. Now THAT would have been totally bitchin’.

For the manly among us, the Beetle Convertible retains it’s dom-top looks only when outfitted as a Turbo model in dark colors with the big rims. That may be some pretty blatant stereotyping but let’s be real: a denim blue Beetle Convertible with caramel interior and the TDI’s b*tch wheels is not going to pass as bi/masc/discrete at the local gay sports bar. Truth talk.

The Inside

Your mom will be disappointed: the beloved bud vase is gone. In fact ‘cute’ has been completely eradicated in this new Beetle, with the original’s “Britney Spears, lollipop, curved-everything” aesthetic banished. In it’s place is a no-nonsense, upright design that pays homage to the original Beetle. Those looking for flair and oddity will have to settle for the little old-fashioned secondary glove box sitting right in front of the front seat passenger. The rest of this cabin is pure business.

Materials are improved from the old car, if only in texture and color. Hard plastic is still the name of the game here but VW does a very good job at making those plastics feel high quality. Fit and finish was superb in all models tested.

A couple niggles though. I was a put off by the amount of open “blanks” below the climate controls. These pesky little place holder buttons serve no purpose but to sit there and remind you of the options you DIDN’T get in your car. The thing is, I couldn’t figure out WHICH options those “blanks” were holding the place for as all the test cars in the fleet had the same number of “blanks.” Also, seriously VW, you couldn’t find it in your hearts to put automatic climate control in a car costing over $32,000?

Back to the positives, though. The Fender audio system, which Volkswagen says 40% of all Beetle buyers have been popping for, is phenomenal. Easily the best audio offering in its competitive set, the Fender system pushes out 400 watts through an amp, subwoofer, and eight speakers and sounds absolutely fantastic with very little distortion. Pump up that Carly Rae Jepsen with the top down, and the people in the cars around you will be bobbing their heads in sync with your jam. It’s that powerful and clear.

The Drive

The Beetle Convertible will arrive in showrooms with three engine options: a base 2.5 liter 5-cylinder with 170 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, a delectably sporty 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder pumping out an even 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, and for the diesel-minded, the 2.0 liter turbocharged diesel mill putting out a meager 140 hp but a pavement churning 236 lb-ft of torque.

Of course the driving experience is largely dependent on which engine you choose. I sampled all versions so let me break it down for you like this:

2.5 – There is a reason this is the base engine. Though not really underpowered there is truly very little fun to be squeezed out of this unit. The Beetle Convertible is a hefty vehicle, ringing in at 3206 pounds in 2.5 guise. That’s about 400 pounds more than a VW Jetta for comparison, a vehicle which itself feels slow with the same 2.5 liter mill. On top of all of this not-much-funness is the fact that this base engine smacks you in the face with WORSE fuel economy than the to other engines (both of which are more fun to drive, not to spoil the rest of my article for you) at 21 city, 27 highway. If you can afford to, skip on up to the 2.0T or the 2.0 TDI as they are both more rewarding engines.

2.0T – The belle of this ball if you ask me, the 2.0T is perfectly suited for the Beetle’s small and sporty demeanor. Though not a light vehicle, the Beetle, by nature of its small stature, is inherently toss-able. The small but powerful 2.0T strikes the perfect balance for this chassis. Not only is this engine the most fun, the suspension has been firmed up for the Turbo offering better handling that is significantly more connected and sporty than either the 2.5 or the TDI. It gets even better as the 2.0T gets better gas mileage than the base 2.5 at 21 city, 29 highway (auto). If you’ve got a little extra cash to burn on your Beetle purchase this is where I’d throw the money.

2.0 TDI – The big story for this engine is the fuel economy. Rated at 28 city and 37 highway (for the automatic that most customers will opt for) the TDI achieves great fuel economy without the need to lug around a ton of batteries. While only rated at 140 hp the 2.0 TDI delivers more torque than either engines and that pays off in spades. This little engine has plenty of power for the average user and is even a bit fun when you really poke the pedal in some twisties. Plus, the TDI makes a pleasant puttering at idle that you can’t help but smile at. It somehow fits the nature of this happy looking vehicle.

In the End

Pricing for the 2013 Beetle Convertible starts at $24,995 for the base 2.5 automatic and heads up to $32,295 for the all options included with the 2.0T automatic. The TDI starts at $27,895, with a manual transmission standard on that model. Those are fair prices when you consider that all Beetle Convertibles come with a fully automatic top, alloy wheels, heated front seats, bluetooth for both calls and music streaming, and adjustable ambient lighting in the doors.

Regardless of any gender stereotyping, this new Beetle Convertible is a solid, high-quality vehicle with a lot to offer someone looking for a relatively affordable, sporty-ish, small car. This truly is a no-compromise convertible, you’ll never feel like you’ve made trade-offs to be able to catch some Vitamin D on sunny days. We all win. You’ll only need to figure out which model suits the image you’re trying to project best, whether that be droptop diva or turbocharged tough-guy.

Drive on Sunshine, drive on.

I learned two things about altitude on my recent trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico to test VW’s new Jetta Turbo Hybrid.

1. Being so high above sea level (7,000 feet) makes me wheezy, easily winded, and a cheap drunk.
2. The Jetta Hybrid absolutely shrugs off altitude thanks to its impressive hybrid powertrain, the first in the world to incorporate a turbocharged engine in a hybrid system. It rubbed its athleticism in my face the entire trip, while I chugged water and kept my eyes on the horizon to stave off nausea.

Wait, what? Did I use the word “athletic” in conjunction with the word “hybrid?” Why yes, I did. Welcome to the 2013 Jetta Turbo Hybrid.

On the outside

You might call the Jetta Turbo Hybrid a “hidden hybrid” in the same way people use the term “stealth wealth.” Most people won’t even notice that the Jetta Turbo Hybrid is a hybrid at all and that’s exactly what VW is banking on.

From the outside the 2013 Jetta Turbo Hybrid looks like a slightly tweaked version of the Jetta GLI, the sportiest member of the Jetta family. Indeed there have been some subtle changes to the exterior here and there, with more aerodynamic front and rear fascias, available turbine-look, hybrid-only wheels, and a few blue-trimmed “hybrid” badges. Our tester, the top-of-the-hybrid-range SEL Premium, included LED taillights and LED accented headlights — welcome details that add visual flair to the sober, non-nonsense design of the standard Jetta. Still, nothing here shouts “I have a hybrid!” like the almost triangular Toyota Prius. Some might even call the Jetta Hybrid — gasp! — sporty looking.

On the inside

There are only a couple of changes made to the interior of the Jetta Hybrid when compared to the standard Jetta line. The largest is the hybrid drive gauge that attempts to give you an impression of which engines are propelling the vehicle and how much of the system’s power you’re using. I found its function a bit confusing, no thanks to the fact that this gauge looks like a tachometer but isn’t actually a tachometer at all.

You’ll also find, on all Jetta Hybrid trims except the very base model, a color display in the middle of the dash that displays information about the powertrain’s happenings in real time, much like a Prius. Beyond that, there’s a small hybrid badge by the glovebox. That’s about it.

Overall it’s the same stoic, no-nonsense cabin design we’ve seen since the somewhat controversial redesign of 2010. It’s not a flashy interior like the Ford Focus or Hyundai Elantra. It’s mature and tailored-looking. Your mom will be able to use it without much concern, and in turn you’ll never feel like you’re driving something cheap, because there’s simply not much in there to look dated a few years down the line.

On the tactile front, the Jetta hybrid is blessed with the upgraded soft-touch dash found in the GLI (and the 2.5L for 2013). A surprising thing to note about that coveted soft-touch dash in the Jetta, though: it’s ONLY the upper half of the dash. If you find your grubby little hands wandering to the southernmost part of the dashboard or the door panels, you’ll still find some of the hard, mean plastic that so plagued the Jetta on its relaunch. In this class that’s the norm, it just no longer packs the same class-leading materials as Jettas of yore.

How it drives

What separates the Jetta Turbo Hybrid from the competition is the fact that it uses VW’s new 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, combined with an electric engine. The total output for the Jetta’s hybrid system is 170 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. That’s a lot of power for a hybrid. Heck, that’s a lot of power for a compact sedan, period. All of this helps the Jetta Hybrid achieve a 0 – 60 time of 8.6 seconds. Just about anything else with the word “hybrid” on it will be eating your dust.

Jetta Hybrids also come with VW’s wonderful seven-speed DSG gearbox that further enhances the “I’m driving a real car” feeling of the Jetta Hybrid when compared to competitors. This transmission works seamlessly with the two motors at the Jetta Hybrid’s disposal, offering some of the most unobtrusive engine cut-in I’ve ever experienced in a hybrid. I could hardly tell when the engine was kicking in. Impressive.

A sticking point with many hybrids are their brakes. That’s because of the regenerative systems connected to them, which recuperate energy expended from the action of braking. This leads many hybrid brake pedals to feel like they’re connected to a bucket of mashed potatoes: the brakes are hard to modulate because the pedal feedback feels artificial.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the Jetta Turbo Hybrid completely avoids that artificial feeling. Braking feel in the Jetta Hybrid is still a bit of a hit or miss experience. Thankfully, the pedal travel is quite long so you can more easily adapt the pressure of your foot on the brake to achieve a smooth stop if necessary. It’s something you have to monitor to keep from delivering jerky stops to your passengers, but it does feel better than the almost existential brake feel of the Toyota Prius. Faint praise, I suppose.

In other news, the Jetta Hybrid is a mercifully quiet vehicle. Noise, vibration, and harshness is all controlled and concealed in that deliciously German way. The Jetta feels solid and planted, much more so than the rest of the hybrid competition.

Of course the real question here is fuel economy. VW estimates around 45 mpg combined for the Jetta Hybrid, which puts it behind the Toyota Prius, but above the Civic Hybrid. Our test car averaged right around 44 mpg for the duration of our first drive, and that was with climate control running the entire time. Not bad. Unfortunately that all has to be done on premium fuel. You can thank the turbo for that.

Wrap Up

Probably the best thing I can say about the Jetta Turbo Hybrid is how quickly I forgot the car was a hybrid at all.

It’s a new proposition for the hybrid market: get in, have fun driving, and reap the benefits of great gas mileage without feeling like you’re giving anything up. That’s my kind of hybrid.

VW hopes it’s your kind of hybrid too. The Jetta is not the absolute master of efficiency — that title still belongs to the Prius clan, and for buyers seeking fuel economy at all costs, the Jetta Turbo Hybrid might not be the best fit.

What the VW counters with in the Jetta Turbo Hybrid is a car that doesn’t feel like you’re driving a washing machine with wheels. That alone may make it worth the few mpgs lost to the Prius. I’d call the 2013 Jetta Turbo Hybrid a compelling study in balance.

It’s midweek and I’m cruising down the interstate when I come up behind one of the Passat TDI’s diesel brethren from a few decades prior: an early 1980s Mercedes.

The tortured Benz is loud, emitting a voluminous black-gray smoke screen. Judging from its lack of ability to pass a semi, I assume it’s a non-turbocharged 300D. A quick look at the trunk lid badging confirms it.

Back in the 80s, I’m not really sure what the appeal of the 300D would’ve been. It wasn’t the diesel’s fuel economy, which fell between the high 20s and low 30s: gasoline was $1.20 a gallon, and luxury buyers wouldn’t have thought twice about filling up at that price. It wasn’t the 300D’s performance either: it arrived with a meager 83hp, 120 lb-ft of torque, and without the turbocharger, it had “John Deere” acceleration qualities.

However, the car did have one redeeming quality: the diesel motors in the 300 were built to be absolutely bombproof. The first 100,000 miles were simply the break-in period. These days, to see Mercedes 300Ds reaching half a million miles or more isn’t uncommon. The one I’m passing on the highway looks as though it might be past the half-million mark, but there it is, still going. Well, sort of.

Pulling my mind back into the cabin of the Passat TDI, the contrast is pretty stark. I’m driving at a casual 72 mph, and the car isn’t even breaking a sweat, humming along at 2200 rpm. No diesel racket, no smelly gray cloud, no lack of ability to pass at highway speeds.

Thirty years of diesel technology advancements has turned a car that roared, coughed and smoked into a sedan that behaves like all the rest and sips diesel at a miniscule rate.

Same, but different

Walk onto a Volkswagen dealer lot, and the only real visual cue to tell the diesel Passat apart from the gasoline model is “TDI” badge on the back.

Once you pop the hood, you’ll be face to face with the TDI’s biggest change: the 140hp, 2.0L four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. As with all diesels, it’s the 236 lb-ft of torque that really gives the Passat TDI its oomph.

Past the different power plant, the other significant change is waiting for you in the trunk where the urea filler spout is located. Urea, or AdBlue as VW dubs it, is a liquid that’s injected into the exhaust, greatly reducing the terribleness of diesel exhaust and allowing the car to meet U.S. emissions regulations. That might sound like an added hassle, but one tank of urea in the Passat should last you 10,000 miles, and is timed to be part of your regular oil changes.

If the urea tank does happen run low, as it did during my week with the Passat, the car gives you something of a stern warning, but it comes well in advance of the urea tank going bone-dry. With 800 miles of urea range remaining, the warning light advised that the engine would not be able to start once the tank was empty.

The good news is, a gallon of urea cost me only $6.99 at a local auto parts store and took all of three minutes to buy and pour into the tank. If you can’t manage to do that within 800 miles, the problem might be sitting in the driver’s seat.

Both the diesel and gasoline-powered Passats feature a six-speed DSG transmission that is Michael Phelps, race-day smooth. You’ll barely feel the first two shifts, and you’d have to have your eyes glued to the tachometer to know the cogs are swapping once you’re into third gear.

MPGs

The Passat TDI is a purpose-driven ride. It’s meant to be a comfortable, mid-size cruiser that gets phenomenal fuel economy, and it reaches those goals with ease.

The interior feels quite large, front and back, and the materials haven’t been cheapened in the way that the Jetta’s have. I’m pretty sure that the only people fingering dashboards these days are automotive writers, but if you feel the need, you’ll find it’s fairly soft. More importantly, the eight-way power seats are “drive all day” comfortable.

The most impressive part — and the reason you’ll buy this sedan — is the fuel economy. With the automatic transmission, the EPA says the Passat will get 30mpg in the city and 40mpg on the highway. However, that’s not really accurate.

One of the quirks with diesel engines is that it takes longer for them to break in than gasoline motors. In fact, 10,000 miles is the number most TDI aficionados use for a good break-in period. During that time, the piston rings in the engine will become better seated and the compression in the engine will improve. The end result is even better fuel economy.

The Passat I drove had nearly 17,000 miles on it by the time I slid behind the wheel, so this diesel engine should’ve been operating much closer to its full potential than a brand-new one. Much of the driving I did was on hilly roads, and with a less-than-light foot. Despite that, the Passat still averaged 42-44mpg. That’s 2-4 mpg above the EPA highway rating, and all while driving like a teenager who’d just got his license and the keys to dad’s car.

Once I eased off the throttle and returned to a regular pace, the mpg started creeping towards 50 mpg. Use the cruise control for all your highway driving, and a mileage number beyond 50 mpg wouldn’t be out of the question.

On the downside, the Passat’s fun factor rates somewhere around “mashed potatoes”. The suspension is tuned for comfort, not cornering. There is a decent helping of body roll, and over large bumps or rough road, the Passat can feel downright floaty. That’s great if your mom is in the passenger seat, but not so good if you want to go hunting for the corner apex.

Additionally, the turbo lag is pretty noticeable. Floor the accelerator, and for the first two seconds, not much happens. That can make jumping out into traffic from a dead stop a pretty interesting gamble. Once the turbo is spooled up, power delivery is adequate.

The Highway Choice

In the end, I can forgive the Passat TDI for not being a sport sedan because that isn’t what it’s supposed to be. In the same way that a hybrid or electric car makes sense for city drivers, this VW makes huge sense for people who spend most of their commute on the highway.

Unfortunately, a fun-to-drive diesel doesn’t really exist in the U.S. market yet, but a midsize sedan that can achieve 50+ mpg can’t be ignored. Going out to the car the next morning and thinking, “Didn’t the fuel gauge say that yesterday morning?”, wasn’t a bad feeling at all.

2012 VW Passat TDI SEL
Base price: $32,915
Destination: $795
Total: $33,710

Note: This is a guest post from one of Gaywheels’ newest contributors, Elizabeth Archuleta. You can follow Elizabeth on Twitter at @Thoughtwoman, or on her blog,cassiehack.

* * * * *

In the July 9 issue of Automotive News, J. Mays declared that retro designs for automobiles have become passé.

Why should that matter? Because this announcement comes from the very man who spawned a huge retro trend with his 1998 design for Volkswagen’s New Beetle. The popularity of that design led to other retro-tinged imitations, such as BMW’s MINI Cooper, the Fiat 500, the Chevrolet Camaro, the Dodge Challenger, and many, many more.

Mays doesn’t clarify what he means by “retro”, but I can safely guess that it involves a redesign of something created 15 to 20 years earlier. The “retro” aesthetic combines past and present in ways that make end-products resonate with longtime fans while simultaneously turning the heads of potential new customers.

I disagree with Mays’ proposition. We live in a jumbled age of rapidly changing technology, and companies of all sorts can benefit from the comfort that nostalgia brings. Vinyl records are being manufactured once again. Younger consumers purchase old-time landline handsets for their mobile phones, rather than futuristic, Borg-like Jabra earpieces. So, is it really safe to say that nostalgia is passé when it comes to cars? I don’t think so.

Apparently, Volkswagen doesn’t think so either. Even after its gender-reassignment surgery, the more masculine looking, 21^st-century Beetle maintains a retro look, clearly hearkening back to the New Beetle’s much-beloved design.

And that’s not all. VW is continuing to play the retro card with the “future-retro” design of the E-Bugster, a concept electric car that Volkswagen introduced at 2012 Detroit Auto Show. In the E-Bugster, retro-future design combines the past and the present, but takes advantage of future technologies.

The E-Bugster offers zero emissions, a lower roofline, and seating for two. What makes it retro-future is its “combined charging system”, which means that it’s an electric car that can recharge its battery using a single-phase AC outlet, or it can recharge in as little as 35 minutes using an ultra-fast DC charging station.

Ironically, even as the Beetle silhouette moves further into the future, its body style has begun to resemble — at least in my own mind — the even-more-retro Chrysler PT Cruiser, a once-popular model that has since died a thousand deaths.

Hopefully, VW will remember what customers find compelling in the Beetle, which is exactly what Chrysler forgot about the Cruiser and ultimately let to that model’s demise. In the best of all possible worlds, the Beetle will continue to walk a fine line between retro and modern, nostalgic and fashion-forward — all while being careful not to mimic the look of other cars.

Note: This is a guest post from one of Gaywheels’ newest contributors, Elizabeth Archuleta. You can follow Elizabeth on Twitter at @Thoughtwoman, or on her blog, cassiehack.

* * * * *

At the beginning of the 2012 model year, the Volkswagen Beetle went through a sex change. I didn’t even know it was transitioning, but the print ads made it pretty clear:

“It’s a boy. But not much of a baby. This all-new Beetle is, in fact, a whole new man. One that comes with an available turbocharged, 200-horsepower engine, as well as a bold new take on an iconic design.” [via Breaking Copy]

This transformation signals one of two things.

If the Beetle has been a woman all along, the 2012 changeover means that it’s now one of the world’s most high-profile transsexuals (or maybe drag kings).

On the other hand, it’s possible that the Beetle has spent the past several decades as a cross-dressing man. Maybe he’s straight like Eddie Izzard, maybe he’s gay like Ru Paul, but either way, he’s decided to stash his heels in the closet.

To pass as female, Beetles wore “girly” colors that ranged from pastels to flamboyant shades, so they could showcase their fun, flashy personalities. The ”New Beetle” that debuted in 1998 even had a space in the dashboard to carry flowers, and occasionally wore hubcaps sporting flower designs.

No one thought anything about a pink or yellow or lime green bug, but you wouldn’t catch a het-man in one. Society clearly accepted the Beetle as a female, and she paraded her femininity everywhere — for example, in Mandy Moore’s debut video for the song, “Candy“.

So why did the Beetle undergo a sex change when it returned for 2012 (notably, not as the “New Beetle”, but just the “Beetle”)? Maybe it had something to do with chauvinism. This is a man’s world — or so they say — so who wouldn’t want to be more masculine and reap the benefits of white, heterosexual privilege?

But that raises an interesting question: how does a car undergo a sex change in the first place? What signals to the world that this is now a manly car instead of a girly one?

For starters, you get rid of the pastels and pinks, and you paint the car black. Think Zorro or Batman — or perhaps the very butched-up Catwoman.

Second, it has to have soul, so you drop a funky, 60s song by a Black singer into the car’s TV commercials — in this case, Shirley Ellis’s “The Clapping Song”. After all, straight white men like to think they can dance, even when they can’t.

Third, you include fist bumps in those commercials to indicate that Beetles now have soul and can rightfully claim a place in bro culture. The fact that the man driving the Beetle gets a fist-bump-of-approval from his fellow dudes on the street signals his acceptance into the exclusive culture of white, heterosexual masculinity. Have a look:

Finally, you change the way people talk about you. Use manly words to describe the Beetle such as “aggressive”, “turbocharged”, or “diesel”. Don’t these words just reek of testosterone and jet fuel?

But there’s a a bigger question looming: why did Volkswagen launch such an aggressive effort to attract male car buyers? According to the Wall Street Journal, it’s “widely accepted wisdom in the car business … that women will by [sic] ‘boy cars’ but men won’t buy ‘girl cars’”.

Really? Then why do straight men typically assign a female name to anything that has an engine, like a car or a boat? Why do they refer to their motorized vehicles as sexy, beauties, or their babies? There seems to be some sort of a disconnect.

Also, why do car manufacturers think women only buy cars because they’re cute? Do they think we don’t want to drive something that is supercharged or turbo or diesel?

When will car manufacturers get off of the heteronormative bandwagon and just market cars to people, period?

I loved my 1983 GTI. I’d waited for months for it to arrive, stopping by the local VW dealer at least once a week to see when they were going to get one. When the little black screamer finally showed up, I quickly sold my late model Scirocco and ran over to claim it, not really bothering to worry how a college student would even pay for the damn thing. Oh, and car geek that I am, I even took pictures before they rolled it off the showroom floor: black with red sport seats, sunroof and electronic stereo, six speed and sunroof. I had them add Autobahn driving lights and that was about it. It was fast– much faster than the Scirocco, and the Pirellis seemed to stick like glue. I was in Hot Hatch Heaven.

By the time the redesigned 1985 model came out, I was working for one of Detroit’s Big Three. I got an ’85, also in black, and hoped no one noticed. It was a risky plan. The ’85 had more sophistication — a much better ride, power steering, and more subdued cabin materials — but it wasn’t quite the same balls-out fun. I don’t think I’ve ever had another new car that delighted me quite like the ’83.

I wasn’t thinking of my long lost GTIs when VW called to offer me a chance to drive the new Beetle Turbo. Frankly, I wasn’t much of a fan of the “New Beetle”, finding it longer on promise than on substance and just too “chicky” for me. The bud vase was too gay even for me, and the whole thing just seemed too cutesy. I don’t care if the ’73 Super Beetle had one giant gauge: I hated the damn thing. Besides, the interior was a sea of unhappy plastics.

But the 2012 redesign intrigued me. I thought the lowered silhouette held promise and liked the sportier, more masculine styling. The body shaping is sleeker and the frameless door glass added sophistication. It’s as if the Beetle became a 356. I started thinking of my old GTI as I looked at the Beetle Turbo.

I turned the key and the comparison seemed more apt. The 20.T Turbo engine produces 200 hp and 207 lb/ft of torque — well above the measly 90 hp of the ’83 — but it had the same sound. The cloth sport seat interior looked familiar and felt like a favorite chair. And the shifter felt exactly the same, except that the Beetle has the sixth gear that my old GTI needed so badly. The dash was much more GTI than Beetle with a full complement of gauges, including a tach and even a chronometer that I never used (and VW sure loves that oil temp gauge, don’t they?) nestled in a handsome carbon fiber fascia.

My test car was interesting, both for what it had and what it didn’t. It was a base Beetle Turbo with the Bi-Xenon Headlamp and 19″ wheel package ($1000) and that was it. It came with standard Turbo features — sport suspension, six speed manual, all season tires, alloy pedals, fog lamps, rear spoiler, sport seats, leather covered wheel and shifter — and nothing more. No navigation, no satellite radio, no parking sensors or backup cameras or trip computers or automatic missile launchers. In short, it was just a well-performing car. Including delivery charge, the car listed for just $25,165 — the lowest priced car I’ve tested all summer. And just like my snarky ’83, it was the most fun as well.

In short, I was charmed by the six-speed Turbo well beyond my expectations. The Turbo 2.0 is smooth all through the range, the shifter is a delight, the ride is smooth and sure-footed, the car corners in the best GTI tradition, it’s handsomely tailored inside and out, the sport seats fit me perfectly, and doesn’t need to have all the options to be a great deal of fun. In fact my base car with six-speed and wheels might be just the ticket.

Nothing is perfect, though. I still can’t figure out how to open the hatch properly, and the lack of trip computer kept me from bothering to track the fuel economy. Still, I loved the car and was trying to think of a credible way to explain to VW that I’d misplaced it. All in all, it made me smile like I hadn’t since 1983. It’s more trick and way less chick. I can think of worse ways to spend twenty-five grand.

Check out more pics of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo on Jeff’s Flickr page.

Happy July, y’all! We’re packing our pic-a-nic baskets and preparing to head out for the Independence Day festivities, but before we bolt, we thought we’d share some nifty statistics with you. (Because we’re nerds, even on holidays.)

On Sunday, we dug deep into Gaywheels’ data mines and extracted a list of our top ten posts for the first half of 2012. We’re happy to say that Gaywheels’ list of Gay-Friendly Automakers still holds the #1 spot, but below that, it was nothing but car reviews for as far as the eye could see. Sounds like some of you may be in the mood to buy …

And so, without further ado, here’s a list of the ten most popular posts on Gaywheels so far this year. Stay tuned: we may be asking you some questions about your current ride very soon!

1. 2011 VW Golf GTI vs. 2011 VW Golf TDI
2. 2013 Chevrolet Malibu ECO
3. 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
4. 2010 Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum
5. 2007 Nissan Quest
6. 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS
7. 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe: Test Drive
8. 2012 Chevrolet Cruze: Big Bang For Bargain Bucks
9. 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX and WRX STI
10. 2012 Toyota Prius C: Sex Doesn’t Always Sell

I’m just going to come out and say the idea of combining Fender audio technology with a Volkswagen is about the smartest thing to happen to in-car tunes since GM dropped Bose on the C4 Corvette. It’s like listening to your favorite acoustic music in a coffee house that just happens to have a turbocharged engine, heated seats, and the most identifiable shape ever.

I first heard Fender audio in a Volkswagen at the Passat preview in Nashville. The idea was to develop a system that authentically replicates a live performance. Sound comes more from the front because concerts do not happen in the back of the room. Speakers are especially sensitive to acoustic strings and a subwoofer backs up the precision with thumpin’ backbeat. Heaven’s harps should sound so clear.

Beyond music, the re-designed 2012 Beetle is sporting some amped-up fenders of another type. Much of the molded plastic look of the New Beetle is present, but the front facia is more angled, rear fenders extend farther rearward, windshields are more erect, and the roofline has been squashed. All of this masculinizes the chic-mobile and more closely connects it to ancient relatives. I’m all about the wale tale spoiler, 19” alloys, ginormous sunroof, and lower body cladding of the Turbo.

Interiors are also fully tuned for another generation. The upright windshield abolishes the picnic table-sized dashboard, giving drivers the feeling of an Audi TT. In-dash navigation, touchscreen controls, iPod connections, freeze-your-nubbins air-conditioning, heated leather seats, and red accent lighting are all around. A big speedometer and “kaeferfach” top glovebox pay homage to the original Beetle.

Base Beetles are fine, but I would slash the right box for a Turbo. Stomp on the big pedal to get a new tune in your ears as the 2.0-litre direct-injected engine kicks out 200hp. A six-speed manual is available, but I prefer the six-speed DSG® automatic in our test Bug. You can shift if you wish, or just let the car click through traffic. Fuel economy is rated 22/30 mpg city/hwy.

Full-on throttle is only part of the Beetle Turbo’s performance repertoire. Unlike the last generation, the new Turbo rocks out with an independent rear suspension and tight-ratio steering. This gives drivers more control and keeps the rear from gyrating over rough pavement. Electronic stability control, traction control, and four-wheel ABS discs cut momentum expeditiously.

There are a couple of things VW could have tweaked before calling the Beetle all new – like the hatchback that never seems to release on the first try. Or, the auto-up power windows that require the touch of a sticky hand to move up their track (my partner and I had a 2005 Beetle that did the same thing). Then, there’s the satellite radio receiver that refused to receive. VW has a reputation for niggly issues and the new Beetle seems to uphold tradition.

I could get along without the Beetle Turbo, although I’d probably be happier with it. It’s fast, sporty, and seriously iconic. However, I could sell one of my soul parts for a home theatre sourced from Fender. Rumor is a Fender edition Beetle is in the works. Fix the quirks and I’d be ready to strum some licks of my own. Tickets start at $23,395, but came to $29,865 with all the tricks.

2012VW Beetle Turbo
Five-passenger, FWD coupe
Powertrain: 200-HP 2.0-litre T4, 6-spd automatic transmission
Suspension f/r: independent/independent
Brakes: disc/disc fr/rr with ABS
Must-have features: Spunk, fenders
Manufacturing: Puebla, Mexico
Fuel economy: 22/30 mpg city/hwy
As-tested price: $29,865

When you go to buy a Volkswagen, their best cars almost always have three letters or numbers at the end of the model name: GTI, TDI, VR6.

The sixth generation, 2011 Jetta, on sale for a little over a year now, has been met with some pretty strong criticism. Reviewers took one look at 2011’s cheapened interior, and suspension, and had three letters of their own: “WTH??”

Now, the sportier, 2012 Jetta GLI has gone on sale and looks to undo some of the ills of the standard Jetta. But can those three letters make up for the heap of hate dished upon this car?

GTI with a trunk?

First, a confession. I was hoping that the Jetta GLI would amount to a Golf GTI in sedan guise. The Golf GTI hatchback is still the best, most entertaining front-wheel-drive car I’ve ever driven, so, naturally, I wanted more of the same.

To hope that the GLI was simply a GTI with a trunk didn’t seem unreasonable. The Jetta GLI has the exact same motor, transmissions and XDS cross differential as the GTI. The hotter Jetta also has a sportier, multi-link suspension and lower ride height, again, just like the Golf GTI. All good things to go apex-hunting with.

While those similarities seemed like enough on paper, out on the blacktop, chucking the GLI into a left-hand sweeper, the desire for a GTI sedan equivalent dies a quick death.

Like many cars with sporty aspirations, the “track-tuned” suspension on the GLI is trying to be two things at once: not firm enough to shatter your coccyx, but not soft enough to erase your ability corner like a hooligan.

The result of that middle of the road suspension is a fairly comfortable ride, increased body roll, and cornering that is only OK. Diving into this particular left-hander on my test route, the GLI doesn’t feel nearly as planted or confident as the GTI. The GTI, with its firmer tuned suspension, would egg me on to take this corner faster and faster, while I grinned like an idiot. The GLI had one go at the bend and I was gritting, not grinning. No more for me, please.

It’s a similar story with the brakes. The GLI calipers are painted red, so that HAS to mean they perform at a higher level, right? Hmmm, no. Braking late for a corner entry brings back that uneasy feeling I had in the middle of the corner. Don’t get me wrong, during normal, everyday driving, the brakes are more than fine. It’s only when you ratchet up the speed that the stoppers began to make ME clench.

Oddly enough, the GLI does not even sound like a GTI. This might be the hardest difference to understand since the powertrains in the two cars are identical.

Under hard throttle, the GTI has a racy engine noise and exhaust note. You’ll find yourself planting your right foot just to hear it.

The GLI’s soundtrack is…different. It’s a deeper sound that isn’t as pleasing. While the GTI has a small hint of racecar, the noise the GLI makes has a small hint of a rusty, 1986 Silverado with an exhaust leak.

The one to get

So, take a pass on the Jetta GLI? Actually, no.

In fact, if you’re buying VW’s entry-level sedan, it’s the only one you should buy.

Despite not being a GTI sedan, the GLI is the best Jetta you can buy.

Most detractors of the new Jetta cite the cheapened interior and less-than-modern, torsion beam suspension as the worst parts. And they’re right, both are pretty offensive.

What adds insult to injury on those two aspects is the fact that those cost-cutting measure are only in plac on the U.S.-spec models. The Jetta sold in Europe has a higher quality interior, with a soft-touch dash, and the better, multi-link rear suspension.

The GLI fixes those two major problems and gives U.S drivers the chance to buy the Euro-spec model with the upgraded parts. When compared to the base Jetta, the GLI also gives you a flat-bottom steering wheel to churn, a sportier front-end design and some upgraded trim and stitching.

When you buy your GLI, make sure you go for one that has at least the Autobahn package. You’ll get better wheels, a sunroof, heated seats covered in V-tex leatherette and the fantastic, Fender-branded audio system.

The tin-can sound quality of the base sound system and lack of heated seats in the base GLI I tested were all it took to be wishing for an upmarket GLI during my test.

Not a GTI, not bad

So the GLI isn’t a GTI with a trunk, but it’s not as if there aren’t good reasons for that. The GLI is simply a bigger car. The motor has to pull around a sedan that has three more inches of wheelbase, about 16.5 more inches of overall length, and about 100 pounds more than the GTI hatchback.

Fortunately, dropping two-gears and bombing down the highway in the GLI is still enough to make me grin. And if it’s fun you’re after, you certainly won’t find more of it in a Hyundai Accent, Honda Civic, Chevy Cruze, Mazda3 or any sedan with a Toyota badge on it.

2012 Jetta GLI, 6-speed manual transmission – $23,495
Destination – $770
Total – $24,265

Finding the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta’s Truth

Here’s what we have to find out: Is the re-designed 2011 Jetta the great new car Volkswagen claims it is, or just an Americanized version of its former self? There’s no denying sales are up 58% since 2010. The new Jetta is bigger, re-styled, and more powerful – but is it a better car?

I have a silly test that I like to do with cars that drives my friends nuts. I tap every interior surface with my fingernails. In seconds, I can tell what is high quality or just thin plastic. Your eyes would tell you the new Jetta is as expensive as its predecessor with nicely grained dash panels, piano black touches around the radio, metallic finishes, and a thick sport steering wheel. But my tapping soon sets the truth free.

My fingers found hard plastic where soft padded rubber used to live on the dash and doors. The center armrest is no longer height adjustable either. And, apparently, nobody cares (note those increased sales). The heated leatherette sport seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth, and in-dash NAV must be dazzling VW’s new customers. The trunk, with rear seats folded, is at least big enough to conceal three German Shepherds and two Cannondale bikes [Casey, we’re hoping this is just a theory—ED]. I could really go for a USB port to connect my iPod, but no luck here. At $24,865 as tested, the new Jetta is not cheap and should have that kind of extra.

Outside, we get the design equivalent of hard plastic. The Jetta isn’t ugly; I just liked the old shape better. Its horizontal grill slats, chiseled body-sides, and 17” alloys should age well. Yet the overall impression is that VW has traded in the Jetta’s urban-chic exterior for something a tad too church-lady-conservative.

My father, who builds street rods in his spare time, may find the Jetta underpowered. You and I won’t. Step on the throttle from a stop and the 170-HP 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine sets you in your seat. Click down a great at Interstate speeds and there’s plenty of spunk. A six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic manual shift mode makes driving fun. But if VW wants to take on strong new competitors – like the Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra – it must do better than 24/31-MPG city/hwy. Several competitors can top 40-MPG hwy.

VW snuck another change under the trunk. In place of a sophisticated independent suspension system is a lower-cost twist beam axle. To be honest, I couldn’t tell a difference from behind the wheel. The car feels sprung to run and laps up curvy roads. Nasty jolts at high speed didn’t disturb it. As is typical in VWs, the steering is light and precise.

If you’re planning a cross-country journey to your favorite parade with four friends aboard, the new Jetta is better. Getting baby seats in and out will be easier and that all-terrain stroller will fit in the trunk. Despite lower grade materials inside, the solid VW driving experience remains. I just miss the old Jetta’s attention to detail.

2011 VW Jetta SEL
Five-passenger, FWD sedan
Powertrain: 170hp 2.5-litre I5, 6-speed automatic transmission
Suspension f/r: Ind/Twist beam
Wheels: 17”/17” alloy f/r
Brakes: Disc fr/rr with ABS
Must-have feature: Space, handling
Fuel economy (city/hwy.): 24/31 mpg
Manufacturing: Puebla, Mexico
As tested price: $24,865

• Volkswagen is a gay-friendly company.
• Get a free insurance quote on a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta by clicking here.

The Passat shows volks its big wagen.

Volkswagen has something big to show you, and it can even be viewed online. No, it’s not the “Mini Vader” Super Bowl commercial, although it’s pretty bitchin’! You can also forget about naughty pics of naughty politicians. During its recent media launch, VW’s P.R. team gave a dissertation that contained references to inches, but fortunately they were discussing the 2012 Passat’s longer shadow and not the size of its underpinnings.

Longer than the current model by four inches, the new Passat is sized for America. Nearly all of the additional space is hanging out in the rear compartment. To keep the car from looking like German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s stretched A8, the Passat’s B-pillar was moved rearward to balance the door widths. The shape is uber conservative and exhibits attention to detail in the way creases are cut through the fuel door, subtle rear spoiler, alloy wheels, and three chrome slats dicing up the grille.

Designers must have had pin-ups of the discontinued VW Phaeton’s cabin in their lockers as they contemplated the Passat’s interior. Slabs of woodgrain on the dash and console slather visual munchies while soft-touch materials on most surfaces delight the touch. Authentic leatherette or intoxicating cowhide cover thickly-bolstered seats, which are optionally heated and power-adjustable. Large gauges, an analog clock, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and click-click gear selector are spot on, as are standard dual-zone automatic climate control, auto up/down windows, USB MP3 input, and Bluetooth. The net ambience is of affordable wealth.

I could buy a Passat just for the available Fender Premium Audio System. Every note is reproduced to create the raw sound of a live performance, meaning you hear it naturally from front instead of just around your head. The sound is crisp and clear, free of distortion, highlighting every guitar and violin. Nine speakers and 400 watts are plenty to cut through the clutter of exhaust notes and wind noise.

Under the smooth hood is more sweet music from a range of engines that includes a 170-HP 2.5-litre inline five-cylinder, 280-HP 3.6-litre VR6, and 2.0-litre TDI Clean Diesel. VW expects about 75% of buyers to choose the 5-cylinder that achieves 32-MPG Hwy., while only 12% or so will go diesel to enjoy 43-MPG and a nearly 800-mile range! A 5-speed manual transmission is standard; 6-speed automatics are optional.

Power from the five-cylinder engine moves crisply through the gears on the Interstate, but when moving the Passat’s mass through mountains, it needs more gusto. Trying to pass a farm truck on a short stretch of Appalachian countryside required prayer and hastened breath. The VR6 is a scream, but the diesel’s earth-tugging torque stomps off the line and the engine’s turbo allows for easy high-speed running. VW will eventually need a 200-HP four-cylinder that achieves 35-MPG Hwy. if it wants the Passat to truly measure up. Tepid response from the five-cylinder engine is more than compensated by the car’s agile chassis and steering that is light on-center, but tightens into corners. You rarely feel the car’s heft when dropping curves.

The Passat’s Chattanooga, TN factory is as impressive as the car. During the depths of The Great Recession, Volkswagen wagered a cool billion that it could build a domestically-aimed mid-size sedan that could win against straight-faced rivals from Toyota, Honda, and Ford. The approximately 585,000 sq. ft. facility currently has the capacity to build 150,000 Passats annually, but can be expanded to produce up to 250,000 vehicles of three types. A Passat-based crossover would be a fine addition.

Without question, the roomy Passat is every inch a Volkswagen – a serious car you’ll likely enjoy very much. Making it easier to take is VW’s Care Free Maintenance program that provides service for “non-wear items” during the first 3 years/36,000 miles. A major bonus, prices are nearly $7,000 less than last year and will start under $20,000. Up-level VR6 models with all the trimmings will top $30k.

After a long drive from Chattanooga, stopping in Lynchburg, TN to sample some Jack Daniel’s [ice cream], and arriving in Nashville for dinner at the Country Music Hall of Fame, journalists were treated to Grammy-winner Don Schlitz strumming a song he wrote for Kenney Rogers: The Gambler. We’ll find out if the Passat makes it into the auto sales hall of fame, but Volkswagen built a very nice car. In any dimension, that should curb most risk. Before buying another car, be sure to compare your wagon to Volkswagen’s.

This year at the New York International Auto Show, the theme we repeatedly heard more than any other was fuel economy—or to be more precise, 40 mpg fuel economy. Auto makers, both foreign and domestic, rolled out a number of high-mileage cars that promise to help us all fight the pain of four and five dollar a gallon gasoline. But, there was also excitement in New York with sporty concepts and luxurious land yachts peppering the Javits Center halls. Although we’ve listed a small sampling of our favorites here, you can see all the cars for yourself April 22-May 1 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. For more information, visit www.AutoShowNY.com.

2012 Subaru Impreza
A reworked Subaru Impreza Sedan and Hatchback receive more angular sheetmetal, a much needed interior upgrade including more front and rear-seat legroom, and a new 2.0-liter boxer engine teamed to either a manual or CVT automatic transmission. That last bit of information is crucial to the Impreza’s story, as Subaru is promising cars equipped with the CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) will see 36 miles-per-gallon, making the 2012 Impreza the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive car in America.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle
The new 2012 Beetle is set to hit VW showrooms this fall, and what a splash it will make! While still recognizable as the iconic VW coupe, the 2012 VW Beetle is a bit longer and less rounded than the last model; it’s also much more athletic and muscular. Beetle fans can choose between three engines: a 2.5-liter normally aspirated engine, a 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine, or a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine (the same found in the sporty GTI.) Both manual and automatic transmissions, including VW’s DSG dual-clutch automatic, will be available. Pricing has not yet been announced, but rumor has it that the 2012 Beetle will start under $20,000.

2012 Audi A7 Sportback
Joining the small but steady proliferation of what are being dubbed “four-door coupes”, the A7 also incorporates the best attributes of a wagon as well. Surprise guest Stephen Colbert appeared on stage, partially to help launch the new car and partially to announce his collaboration with Audi in the Charleston Bermuda sailing race. All jokes aside, the A7 is a stunning car with a fastback like rear end that, though not quite as obvious as the BMW 5GT’s rear, is certainly more handsome than the Porsche Panamera. Models will include gasoline and diesel engines, as well as Audi’s famed quattro all-wheel drive.

2013 Ford Taurus
Ford continues to make small but significant improvements to its biggest sedan, proving that the company is no longer content to sit by and watch foreign competitors overtake its newest models. In addition to its standard 3.5-liter V6, the 2013 Ford Taurus will offer an available 237-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine that will deliver V6-like power with impressive fuel efficiency. The addition of the 2.0-liter turbo marks the second EcoBoost engine offered in the Taurus line, the other being the 365-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6 in the Taurus SHO. Other changes in store for the 2012 Taurus include a new front fascia with electrically operated grille slats that help reduce aerodynamic drag when closed, LED tail lights, and the addition of Ford’s MyTouch configurable gauge cluster.

2013 Chevrolet Malibu
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu is treated to a sporty new makeover that, when viewed from behind, makes the sedan appear almost like a four-door Camaro. While more curves have been added to the Malibu’s sheetmetal, dash and wheel arches, the front end seems to have missed the boat, retaining a more angular appearance with strong ties to the previous model. Inside, a new instrument panel includes cool grooved bars that mimic the flamboyant old dashes from the 50s and 60s, as well as more interior room and a stunning attention to detail. We flat out love this interior. The biggest news, however, is the addition of the Malibu ECO, which uses GM’s eAssist electric motor generator to assist the gasoline engine, returning an estimated 26 mpg city and 38 mpg highway.

2012 Hyundai Accent
Hyundai has been on a tear lately, and the new Accent is proof the Korean car company is showing no signs of slowing down. The lightweight Accent looks great, comes loaded with features, yet will probably barely reach the $17,000 mark with all the bells and whistles. Better yet, Hyundai is promising 40 mpg highway when either the manual or automatic transmission is paired with the 138-horsepower gasoline direct injection (a first in this segment) 2.0-liter engine; figures like these also mean the Accent bests the Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta and Mazda Mazda2 in both horsepower and fuel economy.

2012 Honda Civic
The previous Civic ran for five years with only minor changes and still looks as fresh and modern as the day it was launched. Not wanting to tempt fate, the all-new 2012 Honda Civic doesn’t venture too far from the successful formula that helped make the last Civic a perennial best seller. While the basic size and shape are familiar, the exterior is now a bit more vivid, with added dimensional sculpting on the hood, trunk and sides. There are a total of seven Civic models, including the sporty Si, Eco-friendly Hybrid, and the luxurious EX; this year also marks the return of the fuel-efficient HF trim. Our own Nick Kurczewski will have a full write up on the new Civic soon, so check back for his in-depth review.

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8
Hot on the heels of the new 300 sedan comes its sinister alter-ego, the SRT8. Still smooth and stylish, the Chrysler 300 SRT8’s massive HEMI V8 engine, which is good for 465 horsepower, can rocket this big sedan from 0-60 mph in the four second range. Talk about your ticket magnet! Also debuted were two new 300 trims: the S trim is endowed with a more urban, youthful appearance, while the C Executive line is designed to be the must luxurious 300 model ever.

Favorite Concepts
Concept cars are only dreams formed in metal and plastic (and sometimes clay). But, dreams do come true, which is why we have our fingers crossed for these two concept beauties

Scion FR-S
This car finally delivers on Scion’s promise of a youthful, aggressive and fun-to-drive coupe that anyone can afford. The FR-S features a 2.0-liter boxer engine, rear-wheel drive and a lightweight body with a nearly 50/50 front to rear weight distribution. But it’s the styling that really gets us. WOW.

Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class
Fun, smart and small are not adjectives normally attributed to Mercedes-Benz cars, but this little concept could very well change all that. If MB does it right (and prices it right), the A-Class Concept could be the car that finally pulls in the super cool, super young buyers that have long alluded the German luxury car giant.

One of these cars will try very hard to get you a speeding ticket within the first 30 minutes behind the wheel. You’ll be having such a good time though, you won’t even worry until the words “step out of the car” echo through passenger compartment.

The other one will do…nearly the same thing, actually. It’s not quite the party on four wheels that the first car is, but in exchange, you’ll be saving the planet by using less fossil fuel.

Two motors, One car

Line these two cars up side-by-side and you might wonder what could be so different about them. From the outside, only the grille inserts, wheels and the badge on the back, set them apart.

On the inside, it’s nearly the same story: Both cars have the same dash and center-stack design. Both can be had with the excellent touch-screen navigation system, as well as the premium, Dynaudio sound system.

In the GTI’s favor, you do get a sportier, flat-bottom steering wheel with red stitching, more red thread around the shifter and on the seats. And we certainly can’t forget the tartan, “Interlagos” interior that is standard on the GTI’s seats. That might sound like you’re sitting in the lap of a kilt-wearin’ Scotsman, and, depending on your boyfriend, maybe you are. In this case though, just cool, plaid-covered seats.

The great divide between these two cars is the power plants under the hood. While both have a quartet of cylinders humming away, they are singing decidedly different tunes.

In the GTI, you will find a 2.0L, turbocharged 4-cylinder, good for 200hp and 207 lbs-ft of torque. Its’ drink of choice is 91-octane.

In the TDI, you will find a different 2.0L, turbocharged 4-cylinder, but rated for 140hp and 236 lbs-ft of torque. Unlike the GTI, the TDI is chugging diesel fuel.

Either motor can be had with a 6-speed manual, or a rapid-fire, dual-clutch, automatic transmission.

What sets these two apart is fuel economy. While the GTI has an EPA rating of 21 city/31 highway, the TDI has a rating of 30 city/41 highway. But those EPA ratings don’t tell the full story.

Generally, a diesel motor takes longer to “break-in” than a gasoline motor. Most TDI experts estimate between 5,000 to 10,000 miles. Essentially, the parts inside the motor need a little time to “mate up” and form a good seal.

Once the metal components get cozy with each other, your internal combustion pressure will increase, and in turn, your motor will run more efficiently and you’ll get better mileage than the EPA results.

Still awake? Maybe this will help. How does 50mpg sound? What about a 650-700 mile cruising range between fill ups?

The particular Golf TDI press car I drove had nearly 14,000 miles already on the clock, so the motor should’ve been operating with optimum combustion pressure. The proof was on Interstate 75 as we experienced nearly 50mpg at regular highway speeds. That means if you set off from New York City with the 14.5-gallon tank full, you can get to L.A. with only 3 stops at the pumps.

(Don’t forget to visit the world’s largest truck stop in somewhere in the middle of Iowa. Ask for Terry.)

One corner, two results

So far, it probably seems like I’m telling you to buy the diesel and be done with it.

Not so.

The GTI has a “fun factor” that you just won’t get from the TDI. In short, if driving is something you enjoy, get the GTI. If driving is just something you do, the TDI is likely your best bet. Here’s why:

The GTI is faster and handles better.

On the Volkswagen spec-sheet, the GTI will achieve the 0-60mph sprint nearly two seconds faster than the TDI. (6.8 seconds vs. 8.6) That’s an eternity to a motoring enthusiast.

Out in the real world, the TDI won’t “feel” slow. One of the benefits of diesel is that almost all the motor’s torque is available much sooner in the rev range than a gasoline motor. While all that low-end torque will launch you off the line, it still won’t beat the zip the GTI’s power plant will provide.

Once you start tossing either car through a few corners, it’s nearly the same story. The TDI is good. The GTI is better. That’s not by accident, as the GTI has a sportier, firmer suspension than its diesel brother.

Part of my personal test route consists of an abandoned housing development. The road was paved, the lots were marked, for sale signs posted but then the credit crunch hit and real estate went to hell. The result is an empty, smooth road with a few nice corners where I don’t have to worry about killing anyone other than myself. Maybe a daring squirrel…

There is a particular left-hander on my “course” where the difference in handling between the two cars nearly gave me a “brown pants” moment.

I drove the GTI first, and it seemed that there was no speed too fast to corner at. I must’ve gone at this particular bend half-a-dozen times, gradually ratcheting up the speed with each pass. Each time, there was a voice in the back of my head saying, “it’s going to understeer this time.” The thing is, though, it never did. The GTI stuck like glue and spit me out of the corner exit as fast as I’d gone into it.

On the third pass in the TDI, I thought I was going to have an “off-pavement” experience. The understeer I feared in the GTI was reality in the TDI. As soon as I turned into the corner on this particular pass, the wheels turned, but the car was plowing forward. I was now hurdling towards a grassy, overgrown embankment. Fortunately the tortured, Continental tires decided to re-adhere to the road before I left the tarmac. Had they not, I might now be telling you about the flight characteristics of the Volkswagen Golf TDI.

As I already mentioned, some of this can be chalked up to the difference in the suspension setup. Let’s also not forget the tires. While the TDI was rolling on regular, all-season tires, the GTI had high performance, summer tires. The TDI would certainly do a little better in the bends with some sportier shoes.

So which is best?

Fortunately, there’s no wrong answer here.

The TDI will achieve incredible fuel economy, is enjoyable to drive and has a ride quality somewhere between “comfort” and “sport.” It’s no GTI, but it’s a nice compromise.

While there might be some anxiety about switching from gasoline power to diesel, diesel is definitely not something to fear. In the recent past, I’ve read reviews of diesel-powered vehicles, telling tales about clouds of black smoke, dirty pumps at truck stops or the scarcity of diesel pumps altogether.

File all that under “nonsense.” If there is any smoke coming from the Golf TDI, it’s likely from the Marlboro you just lit. (Filthy habit, stop it.)

As for the pump fears, they just don’t ring true. For years now, my daily driver has been one of Chrysler’s diesel-powered vehicles. I don’t remember the last time I worried about finding a gas station that had a diesel pump. As I sit in my metro-Detroit apartment, I can think of at least three stations within about 2 miles that have diesel pumps. None of which have pump handles that have ever left me stinking of diesel fuel.

In the other corner, you have an icon; the GTI. A hot hatch that’s been making grown men smirk since the summer of 1976.

While you won’t exactly be starving OPEC at 31mpg, that’s fairly frugal fuel sipping for a vehicle that’s considered a performance car. Then again, if you live life at full throttle, expect that number to be more like 21!

Besides being more fun to drive, there are little touches that make the GTI the better-looking car; The more aggressive looking front fascia, the red-outlined grille and the crazy, 18-inch wheels.

It’s also not very hard to make the GTI faster. Heaps faster, actually. For less than a grand, you can visit a tuning company like APR and find yourself with a GTI that has an extra 70 horsepower. Spend some more money on upgrades and you can embarrass a Porsche in a drag race.

At the dealership, a GTI starts at about $1000 more than the TDI. But once you’re strapped into the plaid-covered sports seats, ripping through the first 3 gears faster than you can say “but, officer..” you might not care.

2011 Volkwagen GTI 4-door – $24,290
-Sunroof & Navigation Package – $3,185
-6-speed Manual Transmission – No Charge
-Destination – $770
TOTAL -$28,245

2011 Volkswagen Golf TDI 4-door – $23,435
-Navigation Package – $590
-Power Sunroof – $1000
-Bi-Xenon Headlamps – $700
-Dynaudio Premium Sound – $476
-Cold Weather Package – $225
-6-speed Manual Transmission – No Charge
-Destination – $770
TOTAL – $27,196

• Volkswagen is a gay-friendly company
• Get a gay-friendly insurance quote
• Get a free price quote for a 2011 Volkswagen GTI or TDI
• Find a Volkswagen dealer near you

VW’s New Jetta Brings Style and Content at a Bargain Basement Price

If I’ve learned one lesson in my long time on this planet, it’s that life is never fair. Take Europeans, for example. They have guaranteed health care, a superior K-12 education program, great food and fabulous public transportation. But of all the European things I most envy, it’s their seemingly limitless access to affordable European cars. Vauxhall and Opel, Peugeot and Renault, Skoda and Alfa Romeo — they have dozens of choices. We, on the other hand, have a mere two: MINI and Volkswagen. And, if you’re in the market for something with four doors and trunk, the short list is reduced by half. Perhaps this is why the Volkswagen Jetta has been such a maddeningly popular car here in the States. I say “maddeningly” because while people love it for its sporty handling, cool features, sophisticated design, and available diesel engine, the car’s lackluster reliability record and tiny rear seat — aspects VW loyalists lovingly refer to as quirks — have kept more mainstream buyers at bay.

Well, someone over in the Fatherland has been doing their homework because the all-new 2011 VW Jetta not only eradicates those pesky quirks, it does so in a platform that is larger where in counts and smaller where it counts even more. The biggest news is the huge backseat (well, huge by Jetta standards) and the amazingly low entry level $16,000 price tag. And that doesn’t get you a stripper, mind you, but a rather nicely equipped sedan with one-touch up/down power windows at all four doors, keyless entry, air conditioning, heated side mirrors, a fairly decent AM/FM stereo with CD and auxiliary input controls, six airbags and standard traction and stability controls. A comprehensive standard equipment list like that pretty much puts to shame competitors from Honda and Toyota, although the Kia Forte delivers a bit more in the way of features for the same price.

Spend a little more for the SE or SEL and you can have cruise control, V-Tex leatherette seating (a leather substitute so good it will have vegans rejoicing), a power sunroof, Bluetooth, iPod integration kit, keyless access with push button start, navigation and even a Sport Package featuring a lowered suspension and comfy bolstered front seats.

Volkswagen will continue to offer the Jetta in four trims: S, SE, SEL and TDI. Later in the year, the GLI will debut as its own line. Engine choices start with a timid 115-horsepower 2.0-liter in the base car, a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter engine for the SE and SEL with a 200 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter optional, and a 140-horsepower turbodiesel 2.0-liter engine for the TDI, which VW estimates will pull in better than 40 mpg on the highway. A five-speed manual is available on all but the TDI, which has a six-speed manual. Jetta’s equipped with either the 2.0-liter turbo or TDI will offer a six-speed DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) automatic; all other trims offer a standard six-speed automatic transmission.

I spent a day driving the SEL with the 2.5-liter engine and the automatic transmission. I must admit I was impressed by the car’s power, its quiet interior and its overall build quality. To bring the price down, VW has equipped the Jetta with a less sophisticated rear suspension and replaced the rear discs with drums brakes on the base cars. Still, the Jetta hustles through curves and twists with relative ease, although I was not impressed by the overly assisted and nearly numb feel of the electrically assisted power steering. Having driven a MAZDA3 to the Jetta event — a car that also substitutes an electric motor for the traditional hydraulic power steering pump — I can say the Mazda design is far superior.

The new touch-screen radios are really well designed and user-friendly; the same goes for VW’s newest touch-screen DVD navigation system. While the interior materials appear first rate, I have to question the wisdom of not offering cloth seats on any of the trims. People who live in Palm Springs and Palm Beach will probably not be very happy with this decision. And what’s with the awkward placement of the rear power door lock switch (it’s a single switch mounted on the back of the center console instead of on the doors where it belongs) and the stalk-mounted cruise control (its hard to see at night)?

Nitpicks aside, this car is a lot of Jetta for the money. And, although many VW enthusiasts like myself will no doubt whine about the car’s increased size and perceived loss of “Jettaness”, the upcoming GLI trim will most likely fill that void nicely, leaving the Jetta to reel in more mainstream buyers and swell VW’s market share, just as the Fatherland intended.

• Volkswagen is a gay-friendly
  company
• Get a gay-friendly
  insurance quote
• Get a free price quote
  for a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
  
• Find a Volkswagen dealer
  near you

We posted teasers to five automotive-related car commercials prior to the 44th NFL Superbowl. Now that it is over and Bourbon street is rocking, we picked the Top 3 automotive commercials aired during the game.
For the record, we think Toyota should have gone with this one.
Our favorite is from VW. It is an awesome follow up to their “We Found Sluggy” campaign.

Second place goes to Kia. I have to be honest, I didn’t want to like this. Those life-sized toys really freaked me out in the teaser – especially the ribbed thing with arms. But the ending was good and it made my nephew laugh.

A VERY close third place goes to Dodge. The product is not new but the campaign speaks DIRECTLY to the target market and it made both my 50+ year old brothers laugh hard.

VW’s new ad agency Deutsch LA is making their creative debut at the Superbowl with a new campaign featuring a modern interpretation of a classic game – “Punchdub”. We posted a story last week about introduction of “Sluggy”, the inventor of the Punch Bug game. Their new advertising campaign will take that to the next level. The teaser below hints at how Punchdub it works. Make sure you watch the game to see the full ad. It is awesome.

Click on the brand logos below to see their respective commercials/teasers for the big game.

We called it Punch Bug when I was a kid and we played it on the way to school and on every road trip. We never questioned where the game of punching someone else when you saw a VW Beetle came from but in this brilliant campaign launched today, VW claims to have found the guy that did. Sluggy is a little rough around the edges, but that makes him lovable.


Kudos to VW for incorporating something so ingrained in our culture into a modern social media campaign. You can follow Sluggy on Twitter, “meet” him on VW’s site and even follow him on his blog. If they can keep his unique personality and manage what is sure to be voluminous following, VW just upped the ante on social media campaigns with emphasis on the emotional connection component of “social”.

January 21, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Audi R8 Maintains
Pole Position, Mitsubishi Outlander and Mazda3 on the Move

Top 10
Most-Researched Vehicles 4^th Quarter 2009

New York, NY – Today,
Gaywheels.com announced its list of the Top 10 Most Researched new vehicles
from the last three months of 2009.  They
are:

“A common theme amongst the vehicles represented is
that they are all niche, stylish representatives of their respective
segments,” said Gaywheels.com founder Joe LaMuraglia.  “The list
also shows that LGBT consumers are drawn to a myriad of body styles and price
points.”

The Audi R8 held its position on the top spot of the list
for the second quarter in a row. The Mitsubishi Outlander and the Mazda Mazda3
knocked two vehciles from VW out of the 3^rd and 4^th spot
respectively.  VW’s Golf stayed in the
second spot. The VW Jetta and Eos are down in the ranking but hardly out.

The Top 10 Most-Researched list is based on website
statistics gathered from Oct 1, 2009 – December 31, 2009 from Gaywheels.com’s
new car data partner vLane.com. Gaywheels.com publishes the Most-Researched
list quarterly.

Go to the Top 10 Index

About Gaywheels.com

Launched in 2005, Gaywheels.com is dedicated to promoting
responsible consumerism and affecting change by encouraging car shoppers to
patronize gay-friendly companies throughout the vehicle purchase process. Users
of the site are able to investigate which automakers and other automotive
companies offer domestic partner benefits to their employees, thus qualifying
them as “gay-friendly,” plus read general reviews about cars, trucks and SUVs
from those manufacturers.  With that
information at hand, they can make educated choices during the car-buying
process.  For more information, please
visit www.gaywheels.com.

###

by Joe LaMuraglia

I was the guest of VW in Germany this past October and spent time driving the new 2010 VW Golf TDI on the autobahn between Wolfsburg and Berlin. The event was designed to expose us the the history of the Golf as well as give us ample opportunity to drive the product on its home turf.
The 2010 Golf has come a long way from the original compliment to the Beetle in 1974. This model year brings it into its sixth generation and while not a complete replacement to the previous model, the body and interior have changed enough that VW is calling it “all new”. The suspension, engines and transmissions are essentially carryovers with the exception of the TDI – VW’s excellent turbo direct injection clean-diesel engine – is now being offered in the Golf.
VW has offered a TDI option in the Touareg and Jetta for the past few years but is finally returning this engine option to the Golf for 2010. It is very efficient, very clean and compared to diesels of our youth, VERY quiet. Equipped with the standard 6-speed manual transmission, the Golf TDI achieves 30 MPG in the city and 41 MPG on the highway with 0-60 times of 8.6 seconds. If you opt for a automatic shift option, the DSG-equipped cars get the same fuel mileage in the city but a slightly better 42 MPG on the highway without sacrificing performance – it has the exact 0-60 times as the manual-equipped vehicle.
I just took delivery of a blue four-door Golf TDI with VW’s Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG®) and will be piloting it to the 2010 Detroit Auto show from Northern NJ. Our test car is equipped with a sunroof, satellite radio, VW’s long-overdue DVD- based touch-screen navigation, heated seats, Bluetooth and the 300 Watt Dynaudio system. All those options bring the MSRP just north of $28,000.
To give you real feedback from the car, my co-driver and I will be using Twitter to tweet our thoughts about the car from the road. If my initial impression from my trip to Germany is any indication, the TDI should get high marks during this trip. But, as they say, there is nothing like a long road trip to make a car show its true colors. Ok, THEY don’t really say that, I say that…but it really is true.
Our tweets will appear in the box below. If you come to this page after we’ve finished, simply hit the play button in the center of the box to read what we had to say. Scroll down to see photos and links to specs and pricing.

Photos Courtesy of Volkswagen of America

Joe Tralongo – 2010 Infiniti G37

As my hubby and I just celebrated out 19th anniversary, this is always a tough one for me. I can’t even remember dating, let alone the most important requirement for impressing someone. I guess the best car from both the driver and prospective passenger/date’s point of view would be one that conveys a sense of financial security without being too pretentious or flashy. Oh, and it should also be a car that is not commonly perceived as compensating for the driver’s, err, short comings, if you get my drift. To this end, I think the perfect date car is the Infiniti G37. In Coupe form it says I’m young (or young at heart), carefree and not tied down; in Sedan guise it says I’m stable, secure and ready to commit. Either way I think Infiniti’s BMW killer hits all the right notes, attracting neither gold diggers nor ne’er-do-wells (I just love that phrase), which invariably leaves only the best husband material waiting curbside.

Nick Kurczewski – Nissan Cube

Like accepting a blind date, you’re taking a chance when choosing the Nissan Cube. This boxy and asymmetrical Nissan isn’t the most thrilling car to drive – it’s on par with the Kia Soul, Scion xB, and most other poky economy cars. But it’s also practical, with plenty of room inside (which can come in handy if the date goes well), while the wacky styling shows you don’t take yourself too seriously. And with a base price of only $13,990, it hints that you’re not necessarily going to be the one to buy dinner if the date is lousy.

Casey Williams – 2009 Jeep Liberty
Jeep Liberty is one of those great all-road vehicles that can take you and your lovey anywhere – dinner, dancing, or way up on a mountain top for a romantic evening. The SUV is renowned for its capability, but is stylish enough to park out with prestigious power players. With the retractable top version, you can listen to MP3s via the MyGig system, stare at the sky from heated seats, then flip down the rear bench and create your own steam beneath the stars.

Joe LaMuraglia – 2009 VW CC

To me the best “date car” should express who you are, where you are in life and what is important to you. The VW CC fits the bill for me. It is stylish without being ostentatious, fun to drive without being punishing and while it has room for more than two, it doesn’t pretend to be anything more than a slightly selfish (it only seats four) sedan.

Click on the icons below to read each editors picks by category:

Joe Tralongo – 2010 VW GOLF TDI

Bring on the oil burners! The Golf TDI diesel gives me near-hybrid fuel economy (EPA estimate 30 city/42 highway) but in a package that is ultimately more fun to drive. A choice of six-speed manual or DSG automatic transmissions, GTI like front seats and enough options to make the interior of this Golf almost Audi-like are all the reasons I need to buy one. I chose to ignore the silly cost-benefit ratio BS, because I don’t buy my cars based solely on their projected return on my investment; I have a stock portfolio for that. I buy a car because it’s fun yet frugal, and will last long after the payments are done. The Golf TDI meets all my criteria.

Nick Kurczewski – Dodge Challenger R/T

What is the only thing more shocking than a bright orange, chrome-wheeled Dodge Challenger R/T with racing stripes? Hearing your boyfriend say it’s the perfect car if you were shopping for a new set of wheels. My better-half is a classy character, with a fine sense of fashion and good manners. Imagine a smart little Audi TT coupe, or perky BMW 1-Series, and you’ve got him pegged. But even he was smitten by the over-the-top character and fun-loving nature of the Challenger R/T. After nearly five years spent in Paris, France, this is exactly what I missed about American cars. And after nearly 10 years together, I’m thrilled my boyfriend agrees!

Casey Williams – Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon

I’ve been a fan of Cadillacs since I fell in love with Elvis and a certain gold ’69 DeVille. Those cars were for kings, and you knew what they were coming and going. Based on the cool Cadillac CTS, the Sport Wagon extends the rear to two pillars of light-tubed tailfin. The bold grille that extends from bumper bottom to hood is dramatic, but the rear lights out-shine Harley Earl’s ’59 Caddy. The fact that it has enough cargo space to hold a fully assembled mountain bike and a 304-HP 3.6-litre V6 connected to all-wheel-drive, make it a car that I could drive forever. From kids to clubs, it makes fast tracks.

Joe LaMuraglia – 2010 Subaru Outback

Choosing a car “for me” is always the most difficult of this annual list. There are so many amazing choices and I like so many vehicles on the road today. While I quickly fall in love with some of the luxury cars I am privileged to drive (case in point: the Jaguar XKR I just spend a week with had me at first growl), when it comes down to what I would spend my limited money on, I’d end up choosing a more practical vehicle. This year’s pick is the 2010 Subaru Outback. It is bigger, more fuel efficient and more capable than the last generation Subaru wagons. I was particularly impressed with how easily it transitions from on-road normalcy to a Japanese billy goat when taken off road. I don’t find the exterior particularly attractive but then again, the interior is great looking and that is what I’ll be looking at as I drive. Black, manual transmission, heated cloth seats and sunroof please.

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Joe Tralongo – 2010 VW GTI

This car just gets better with each generation. A 2.0-liter turbo matched to a taut suspension and low-profile 18-inch tires creates the perfect balance between livable daily driver and weekend rejuvenator. Some may gripe that 200 horsepower is not enough umph, but I disagree. I’m not willing to sacrifice handling, ride comfort and a quiet interior just to have bragging rights for the biggest balls. When you can no longer justify the STI’s Impreza-grade interior, gotten over the Mazdaspeed3′s maddening torque steer and tired of trying to fit your friends into a MINI Cooper S, the GTI will be there waiting. I’ll take mine in Tornado Red.

Nick Kurczewski – Fiat 500C

I’m not trying to cheat by adding an adorable Europe-only city car to my “Best of” choices – okay, maybe I am. Just remember, the Fiat 500 is part of the Italian company’s North American sales strategy now that it’s in control of Chrysler. The 500 should start arriving on U.S. shores in the next 1-2 years. Having driven the 500 while living in Paris for approximately five years, I’m positive American car buyers will fall for this itsy-bitsy Fiat. The convertible version only makes it more chic and huggable. This is the only car that could out-cute a Mini Cooper.

Casey Willams – 2010 Ford Taurus

When the original Ford Taurus beamed down in 1986, it was a Euro-style sport sedan ready for the 21st Century. Over time, it went from cutting edge to the anchor of rental fleets and salesmen. With one re-style, Ford took that boring lump and turned it back into a better sport sedan it ever was. A futuristic interior, aero-muscular exterior, SYNC voice-activated audio/navigation, real time weather maps, available all-wheel-drive, Volvo-based chassis, top-of-class crash ratings, and 365-HP Twin-turbo V6-powered SHO version make the Taurus a mean bull to control.

Joe LaMuraglia – 2010 Toyota Prius

Most people who know me well, know that I am not on the cheer-leading squad for hybrid vehicles. Then why am I choosing the 2010 Toyota Prius as my choice of Best Makeover? Pretty it isn’t but the latest iteration of the vehicle that brought the term hybrid mainstream is the best hybrid yet. It drives better, is more fuel efficient, features more versatility and has some of the latest technology available. Finally, with this makeover the Prius is a true replacement for the family car.

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by Joe LaMuraglia
My brother drives a 2009 VW Jetta TDI. As a owner, he gets a subscription to VW’s magazine DasAuto. I intercepted it the other day for some good bathro…I mean, downtime reading material. Owner’s magazines are nothing new and DasAuto magazine has the usual product propaganda and branded trinkets to buy. But I also found some really useful information that VW is offering to their owners – the most interesting being their online instruction manual for new VW owners.
VW’s Owner Welcome site is an online video library of instructions tailored to each vehicle that Volkswagen sells in the U.S.
Say for example, you bought a new 2010 VW Jetta and you are among the 95% of new owners that don’t open their owner’s manual. You probably have NO idea that you can program the car to unlock specific doors when you press the key fob. Well, you CAN and VW outlines it in clear, German-accented English on the Owners Welcome site.
The site has short instructional videos for everything from operating the Multi-Functional display to how to open the rear hatch on a VW Golf (if you need to watch that one, please let me know when you are going to be driving. I don’t want be within 100 miles of you). You can also forward the videos to you mobile device so you can watch them while you are in the vehicle. Excellent stuff.
One suggestion we have for VW: make all these videos available on the Navigation system so the consumer can sit and watch from the front seat when stationary. Otherwise, we love the idea and think others should follow VW’s lead. If Saturn had done this, my sister wouldn’t have gone 6 months of driving an Astra without knowing it had cruise control!

Audi R8 Knocks VW Golf Out of Pole Position, Mercedes-Benz C-Class Joins the E-Class on the Gaywheels Most Researched List

New York, NY – Gay and lesbian vehicle shoppers’ behavior is often stereotyped as being all luxury and all convertibles. In reality, the data dispels that myth while giving some credence to it at the same time. Today, Gaywheels.com announced its list of the Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles during the third quarter of 2009:

Gaywheels.com Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles -3rd Quarter 2009

Rank
1 Audi R8
2 VW Golf
3 VW Jetta
4 VW Eos
5 Nissan Quest
6 Mitsubishi Outlander
7 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
8 Mazda MAZDA3
9 Saab 9-3
10 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
“If LGBT consumers’ behavior is indicative of future trends, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for auto makers,” said Gaywheels.com founder Joe LaMuraglia. “For the first time there is a luxury sports car in the #1 spot on the list. Historically, that slot has been held by stylish, affordable and fuel efficient vehicles. We also have the most luxury vehicles ever represented in the research data.”
The Audi R8 debuted on the list in the second quarter of 2009 and has quickly moved up to the top spot. VW continues with a strong showing with the Golf, Jetta and Eos in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th spots respectively. Mercedes-Benz made its first showing ever last quarter and in this time period has two vehicles, the E-Class and the C-Class, on the most-researched list.
“In a study of LGBT new car buyers conducted in the Spring of 2009 with market research and consulting firm Sorgenfrei, we learned that gay men and lesbians have disparate needs and purchase reasons for their vehicles. This may explain the myriad of price points and body styles represented in the data,” said LaMuraglia. “I’ve said this many times, the LGBT consumer is the most diverse diversity group and this data supports that statement.”
The Top 10 Most Researched list is based on website statistics gathered from July 1, 2009 – September 30, 2009 from Gaywheels.com’s new car data partner vLane.com. Gaywheels.com publishes the Most-Researched list quarterly.
Go to the Top 10 Index

About Gaywheels.com
Launched in 2005, Gaywheels.com is dedicated to promoting responsible consumerism and affecting change by encouraging car shoppers to patronize gay-friendly companies throughout the vehicle purchase process. Users of the site are able to investigate which automakers and other automotive companies offer domestic partner benefits to their employees, thus qualifying them as “gay-friendly,” plus read general reviews about cars, trucks and SUVs from those manufacturers. With that information at hand, they can make educated choices during the car-buying process. For more information, please visit www.Gaywheels.com.

On Your MarkVI, Get Set, Go!

by Joe LaMuraglia
Volkswagen just introduced the 6th iteration of the GTI and I was on hand to test the newest hot hatch from the people who invented the category. We spent a day driving in and around Atlanta, GA to experience the MkVI GTI (Mark VI = the sixth iteration of the model) and despite some hangover-induced nausea on the mountain twisties, there was little to fault with the new GTI.
The 2010 VW GTI got a semi-complete makeover. The exterior and interior are all new but the basic running architecture is the same as the outgoing model. It was enough of a difference for VW to claim that the car is “all new” and I can’t argue with them. The engine, transmissions and suspension were good enough to not warrant a change. Who can fault them for that?
Inside Is What Counts
I’ve often preached to anyone that will listen that the interior of a car, specifically the steering wheel, is the most important part of the car. Many companies dump their budgets on exterior styling and the interior – where the driving SPENDS HIS/HER TIME – is a carryover or loses out in the fight for budget. In the recent past, VW was lauded for their interiors but the last generation of the Golf and Jetta didn’t live up to their reputation.

The 2010 GTI re-establishes VW’s leadership in interior design with a GORGEOUS steering wheel, updated materials, a new satellite radio and navigation system and awesome base plaid cloth seats – available with heaters. The steering wheel got most of my attention as it really nicely done. It is the perfect thickness, has a flat bottom like racing wheels and the controls embedded in the wheel are surrounded with just enough chrome to add some flash without being gaudy. VW says this wheel will migrate to Jettas and more mundane Golfs. I say BRAVO!
The new satellite radio and navigation system deserves a mention as well. The current navigation system is slow and out of date. Changing the channel on an old radio with satellite was frustrating to say the least. The channels are sloooow to change. The new system fixes both issues. The optional navigation system we saw in the GTI was up to par with most on the market and the satellite radio interface was quick to react and intuitive – finally!

A new interior ambiance and new gadgets are great but neither matter if after 10 minutes you are in pain from the seats. I am happy to report that the sport seats in the GTI are supportive but also made for real people that wear a size 46 jacket like yours truly. Too often I’ll get into a sport seat and feel like I am being given a bear hug by a sumo wrestler. If you are slight of build, you may find them too generous – something my tall, lean co-driver commented on. For the majority of us, they’ll be fine.

All of the above are attached to VW’s much-applauded 2.0 liter turbo four-cylinder engine that produces 200 horsepower. It is a smooth, sophisticated engine that may actually be too refined. The engine is so smooth and the sound deadening so good in the new 2010 VW GTI, that the engineers had to pipe some engine noise back into the cabin. Otherwise, you would have thought you were piloting a luxury car.
That fact lead my co-driver and I to discuss weather or not the GTI had become too civilized. It handled everything we could throw at it easily and at speed on the highway, it was quiet, comfortable and efficient. With either the 6-speed manual or the dual-clutch automatic (DSG), it was an incredibly easy-to-drive car that put big smiles on our faces but there was no “edge” to the car. Is that a good thing? For me, yes. I’ve come to appreciate a more sophisticated driving experience. Only you can answer if it works for you.
Nobody’s Perfect
As excellent as the new GTI is, it isn’t perfect. We found a few things that weren’t quite right. First off, the brakes feel a bit odd. They stop the car just fine but the brake feel is a bit odd at first. There seems to be a delay. VW’s PR folk commented that they are “on par with the competitive set” and I have no reason not to believe them. Just note that if you test drive the GTI and you aren’t coming from a recent VW, the brakes will feel different.
We also noticed that it was very difficult to see the settings for the air flow on the ventilation controls. It is a rotary nob and it is close to impossible to see the settings if you are driving. The knob doesn’t feel substantial either. It could stiffen up a bit.
The only other complaint/request is that VW give us a little more horsepower. It is fast and fun but we KNOW there is reserve power in that powerplant. Of course, there are emissions and fuel economy to consider but hey, Europe gets more power, why can’t we? There are plenty of aftermarket tuners to help you if you are interested but it will void your warranty.
The Price is Right
The 2010 VW GTI starts at $23,290 plus $700 destination for a two-door. If you want the functionality of the four-door, you’ll pay $600 more. The most expensive GTI is “$29-$30k” according to VWs presentation. Those prices are on par with one of their primary competitors – the 2010 Mazda Mazdaspeed3 which starts at $23,945 but also comes with a whopping 63 more horsepower.
For more detailed information on the 2010 VW GTI, click on the links below.
If you want to see my tweets from my day behind the wheel of the 2010 VW GTI, click HERE

Photos courtesy of VW

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by Joe LaMuraglia
I just spent a week at the helm of the 2009 VW Touareg V6 TDI. Our contributing editor Colin Mathews wrote a full review last month but there is nothing like putting in some serious seat time and lots of miles to really get to know a vehicle.
The week involved a trip from my home in Northern NJ to Atlanta, GA via Greensboro, NC. The stop in NC was to pick up three nephews that helped work on my home in Hotlanta for a few days. When the Touareg was scheduled, I had no idea that I’d be putting so many miles on it. Lucky for me, it coincided with a free week in my schedule and I couldn’t have been happier with its combination of luxurious comfort, room and excellent highway fuel economy. And according to three 16 year-old boys’, the Touareg kicks as*. Their words, not mine.
Our trip was a quick one. I left NJ on Sunday and returned on the following Thursday. Needless to say there was a lot of seat time and our Touareg was equipped with driver and passenger 12-way power adjustable seats that allowed both front occupants to find the perfect position to spend the hours. The rear seats got no complaints and all three nephews, ranging from 5’8″ to 6’2″ found them to be enormously comfortable. At least that is how I interpreted their ability to fall asleep within minutes of getting underway.
The biggest “ahh hah” was the consistent 26 MPG that the Touareg TDI delivered on the highway. That beats the EPAs estimated mileage of 25 MPG and it was with a full vehicle going speeds just a “bit” higher that the legal limit. At one point we were in slow moving traffic for a long stretch and the trip computer indicated 27 MPG. Very impressive considering the Touareg is AWD and can tow up to 7,700 lbs. Combine the highway MPG with a 26-gallon fuel tank and you have a cruising range that would make some ICBMs jealous.
Critics of clean diesel technology have pointed to the new clean diesel fuel’s inexplicable price premium over regular gasoline. For the first time in at least 4 years, I paid less for clean diesel on this trip. And if my observations over the journey from the Northeast to the deep South and back, clean diesel fuel seems to have a price parity with regular unleaded here on the East coast. If that is the case, there is one less argument against clean diesel fuel and the vehicles that use it.
Our test car was equipped with VWs upgraded Navigation system and it simply leapfrogs the system it replaces. I especially appreciated the ability to enter destinations as the vehicle is underway. They must have known that I get seriously cranky when I can’t find a Starbucks nearby.
The stereo system won rave reviews by the nephews. There was enough base to make my leg hair move and it wasn’t even the top-of-the-line Dynaudio system available with Technology Plus package.
The Touareg TDI was also a blast to drive. The 407 pound-feet of torque made acceleration “launch like” and the steering and handling are seemingly out of a smaller and lighter vehicle. VW says their Tiguan is the “GTI of SUVs” but my vote goes for the Touareg V6 TDI.
All this excellence comes at a price. The cost of entry to a Touareg TDI is $42,800 but don’t expect to find many of those on dealer lots. Adding goodies cranks the price up quickly and it is possible to get one close to $60,000. Our test vehicle came in at $50,490 according to VW’s online configurator.
There are some serious luxury competitors in that price range but few can offer the combination of luxurious accommodations, excellent fuel economy, goat like off-road prowess and the fun-to-drive factor.

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by Joe LaMuraglia
Sunday, May 10, 2009 – The photo above represents the 2009 VW Jetta TDI that my brother purchased yesterday. He takes delivery next Saturday. The entire experience was nothing short of painless. Other than my impatience with the response time from the salesperson, it couldn’t have gone smoother.
I write this as a continuation of the story I posted yesterday. The difference between the two dealership experiences couldn’t be wider. The VW dealer answered my email query within a reasonable time frame with the information I requested. There were no hard sells and when we arrived at the dealership he showed us what we wanted, answered all additional questions and had the deal signed within 30 minutes.
I have yet to hear back from Prestige BMW in Ramsey. We were able to find the original contract and calculate that it will be less expensive for my brother to either turn the car in and pay the remaining payments due or simply park the car and make the payments until it is due in September. It would be great if someone at Prestige BMW would bother to get back to us to help us work this out. The contract loosely states that there may be “additional penalties” for early termination. All I want to know is what they are.
If Prestige BMW is smart, they will take the car back, accept one lump payment equaling the amount due on the lease and then turn around and sell the car. If they try to slap an early termination penalty on him, we’ll simply park it until September.
Let’s see if Ms Thang decides to call tomorrow. Stay Tuned.

Friday, May 15th – Well, BMW never bothered to call. I had to call them two more times before I was able to get the information we needed. There will be no additional penalties for turning the car in three months early My brother simply needs to make the final payments and the car will be out of his life.
A few lessons learned from this experience:
1. If you have a lease car, stay on top of your mileage. It can be quite costly if you guess incorrectly and end up maxing out your mileage before the lease term is up. In this case, my brother estimated he’d be driving another 7,000 miles before the lease was due. At $.20/mile, that comes out to $1,400!
2. If you are in customer service of any kind, you should assume that all of your customers’ sphere of influence is at least 10x what it was 5 years ago. With the advent of blogs, Facebook, Twitter etc, everyone has the ability to share their good or bad experience with considerably more people than ever before.
3. Treating customers with respect and communicating with them in the manner they choose (in my case via email with Joe Heidt VW) is the best way to facilitate a sale.
End of story.

by Colin Mathews

The Germans are launching an all-out diesel assault on the American market this year, and many in the automotive media have their share of doubts that they’ll succeed. Include me in that mix. And it’s not because I don’t love the benefits of the new generation of clean diesel engines such as the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 found under the hood of the 2009 Touareg 2 TDI we just drove. If you’ve read our article on the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sportwagen, you’ll know just how much praise we have for the new generation of diesel engines.

But diesel has a deservedly dirty reputation in the U.S., thanks to the old-school diesels of the early 1980s. The Carter-era gas crisis brought Diesel to the forefront as a cheaper, more affordable fuel that also resulted in vehicles that seemed never to empty their fuel tanks. They also subjected the brave new American diesel drivers to engine shake, persistent underhood clattering, and plumes of smoke out the back with heavy throttle applications. No diesel from that era could be called quick, but at 14 seconds to 60 mph a Mercedes-Benz turbodiesel was no slower than your average heavy American family sedan with an emissions-choked low compression V-6. Ultimately, it was General Motors’ unreliable and ill-contrived Oldsmobile 350 Diesel helped to kill diesel passenger cars’ chances in America, as the German units from Benz and VW were excellent units many of which are still on the road today.

So Can Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, and Porsche (yes Porsche – a diesel Cayenne is rumored to be in the works for the U.S.) counter diesel’s gargantuan image problem in America? Time will tell. But after driving first the Jetta TDI Sportwagen, and now the firm’s 2009 Touareg 2 TDI Clean Diesel, we’re convinced they have a product that will shock the American car buying public if only The People make it to the driver’s seat.
Volkswagen recently brought us to Virginia to drive a fleet of Touareg 2 TDI Clean Diesels. My first concern was whether a 3.0-liter V-6 could really move a roughly 5,300-lb. beast of burden with anything approaching authority. When the first Touareg was released years ago with a 3.2-liter gasoline VR6, it was a depressingly sluggish vehicle. And this new diesel features a middling 221 hp, again not impressive considering the vehicle’s curb weight.

But it is torque that counts when you’re trying to move lots of mass, and 407 lb-ft (more even than the stout, optional gasoline V-8 in the Touareg 2) quickly erased any doubts about this vehicle’s ability to sprint. Even better, the torque comes on very low, making it brilliant for around-town driving and drama-free passing on the highway. This engine moves the Touareg effortlessly with all the pull of a big V-8, yet manages a 17/25 mpg EPA mileage rating (drivers in the Audi Mileage Marathon last fall earned considerably higher numbers on swift highway drives in the even heavier Audi Q7 3.0 TDI, which features the exact same engine as in the Touareg).
Just like our Jetta TDI, the Touareg 2 TDI Clean Diesel emits an exhaust stream so clean that a nose to the tailpipe finds only a mildly humid puff with no odor. Remarkable catalyst technology and particulate traps have cleaned the new generation of diesel exhaust to such an extreme that the vast majority of what exits the Touareg TDI Clean Diesel’s twin exhaust pipes is inert nitrogen gas and water vapor. This is also is a whisper quiet engine that emits only a subdued hum at higher RPMs and the faintest turbo whine that can be heard with the windows down when you’re hard on the accelerator pedal.
All of the Touareg 2’s attributes remain intact: interstate-eating ride comfort, stable handling despite the bulk, outstanding visibility, and copious comfort for five individuals and a good amount of their stuff. If you’re an off-road junkie, you’re in luck: all Touareg 2’s feature permanent four-wheel drive along with ridiculous trailblazing abilities. We kinda think its’ a shame, though, that you can’t get a rear-wheel drive model as most suburban owners will likely never use this vehicle’s considerable off-road capabilities. Those abilities inflict a penalty on curb weight and eat up more fuel to spin all of that extra mechanical componentry. What would a Touareg 2 TDI rear-wheel drive make on the highway – perhaps right at or close to 30 mpg?

All of the diesel engineering brilliance does come with a price penalty, ringing in at $42,800 base MSRP, $3,500 more than the base VR6 SFI model. However, the TDI is $6,100 less than the V-8 FSI, has even more low-end torque than that model, and kills even the gasoline V-6 in terms of fuel consumption (EPA14/19, and the V-8 FSI at a dismal 12/17). Also, buyers of the TDI are eligible for a $1,150 Federal Income Tax Credit (because the diesel is so squeaky clean, cleaner even than their gasoline brethren), effectively lowering the MSRP to $41,650.
We did the math, and it just makes sense in a big, heavy SUV: about $2,400 (after the tax credit) more for 6 more mpg, planet-shifting torque, incredible passing power, quiet operation, and super earth-friendly emissions. We wish Volkswagen all the best with their diesel onslaught, and think that if they get their marketing and outreach right, diesel may just enjoy a second wave of popularity in the U.S.
Watch this video from VW’s TDI Truth or Dare site

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by Colin Mathews

The average American doesn’t cotton to wagons anymore – the minivan, the SUV, and now the crossover have successfully taken its place for a huge cross-section of America. But then the GLBT community has never exactly mirrored that huge cross-section in its tastes and tendencies. We tend to start trends rather than follow them. I don’t have the data to prove that “we” drive wagons in higher numbers other than the collection of gay men and lesbians I’ve seen driving station wagons. Be they Subaru’s, Benz’s, Audi’s, BMW’s or Volvo’s, it seems our community appreciates the utility, convenience, performance, and perhaps even the retrospective nature of the station wagon.
I’m a fan of wagons and I think the diesel engine ranks up there with the iPod in terms of brilliant inventions. But let’s be clear: VW had huge shoes to fill when it designed this latest diesel, the 2.0 TDI. They had to get this engine perfect on the first try, period. Otherwise, legions of VW diesel owners would forever disown them. Much like Mercedes diesels, VW TDI diesels are long-lived and legendary, so this new clean-sheet design is pivotal. But VW wants their newest diesel to have a wider appeal, so they had to clean up the diesel’s act and quell its rattly nature.

How’d they do? Brilliantly, in my estimation. For those of you who associate diesel with A) noise, B) smell, and C) sloth, please leave those notions at the door. Piezoelectric injection has cured the diesel of its persistent clatter. Tough U.S. EPA regulations, plus the aforementioned piezoelectric injectors and high-tech exhaust-scrubbing catalysts, have resulted in an exhaust stream that’s no more offensive than what your Kenmore spits out when it’s drying the whites (most of what exits new clean diesels’ exhaust pipes is made of inert nitrogen gas and water vapor – I put my nose up to the tailpipes just to be sure). And with 236 lb-ft of torque (that’s the stuff that shoves you in your back) on tap from 1,750 rpm, you’re no longer consigned to the right lane.
Yeah, yeah, it’s loaded with innovation and engineering acumen. But just how do 140 hp and 236 lb-ft torque work under the hood of the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sportwagen? Long story short, they give hybrid-like economy as well as acceleration that blows the Insight and the Prius away. It’s a very versatile powertrain; drive it like mom drove the family wagon, and you can eke out around 50 mpg at sedate speeds on the highway (I managed 52.4 mpg at 55 mph with the A/C off and the cruise control set on level freeways).

But if you need to get there on time, 236 lb-ft torque are your ally to burn rubber. Literally. This car will happily smoke its tires from rest with either the six-speed manual or the six-speed DSG automatic, the latter an optional super-high-tech transmission that talks like a manual but walks like an automatic. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 mph sprint of 8.1 seconds, about two seconds ahead of both the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. This is a small engine that it acts like a big six due to its huge torque production even at low engine speeds.
Stylewise, the Candy White Jetta TDI I drove looked confident and solid on its optional 17-inch aluminum wheels. I swore the tan interior was leather until I looked at the window sticker and realized it was V-Tex Leatherette (warm leatherette with a twist of the standard seat heater knobs). A word about VW interiors; for the price, they’re the best in the business. Audi is VW’s corporate cousin, and so Volkswagens typically end up feeling at least 10K richer than they are. As such, the interior of this $25,000 VW Jetta TDI was a model of ergonomic precision, firm comfort, and intuitive controls. My mother gushed over the completely black dash (just like her 1986 Volvo 240), which she proudly proclaims means “NO reflections in the windshield!”
The sturdy German chassis built around the handsome interior means doors that close with a reassuring “thunk” and the kind of solidity that equal high ratings in NHTSA crash tests and a Top Safety Pick nod from the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). To protect whomever you call family, all Jettas feature front and side airbags for both front seats, as well as side curtain airbags for head protection both front and rear.

If you’ve driven a BMW, then you’ll be right at home in the Volkswagen Jetta. While it trades a dose of sport to the BMW due to its front-wheel drive layout, the Jetta nonetheless blends good steering feel, impressive ride comfort, athletic handling, and a ride that’s largely quiet with the exception of some road noise emanating from the rear wheel wells. All drivers will appreciate this car’s incredibly small steering radius, impressive all the more in a front-wheel drive application.
For whatever – and whomever – you call family, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sportwagen is a remarkably good fit. It manages to meld the best and most traditional features of the station wagon – comfy room for stuff and people, all-day road trip comfort, the flexibility of fold-down rear seats and a huge hatch – with the trendsetting styling, athletic driving demeanor, and exquisite details of a Volkswagen. That it does this all for $25,000 makes it a killer value ($23,700 when you include the $1,300 rebate check from the IRS due to the Jetta’s frugal consumption). And that it gives you the option of insane mpg or enthusiastic acceleration means more driving flexibility than today’s hybrids can provide. Finally, if your definition of family includes Mother Earth, you’ll enjoy guilt-free driving with the Jetta’s high-tech collection of engine and exhaust management that mean little more than harmless nitrogen gas and water vapor exiting the Jetta’s twin tailpipes.

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Each year, the editors of Gaywheels.com drive hundreds of new cars to find the best new vehicles for you, your partner, your family, and sometimes for ourselves too.
We published our inaugural Favorite Vehicles list in 2007 and are continuing the tradition for 2008. The field of best-ofs includes some 2008, 2009 and even a 2010 model. The list includes vehicles perfect for us, for families, for dates and clubbing, and cars and trucks notable for their new looks, new hardware and new attitude.
The winners for Gaywheels.com’s Best of 2008, in order of seniority, are:
Joe LaMuraglia-Founder, Gaywheels.com

Best New Car: 2009 Mazda6

The newly designed Mazda6 is a bigger, badder and more beautiful entry in the midsize segment from Mazda. With a choice of two engines and the availability of a manual transmission, this car is the epitome of “Zoom-Zoom” for the driver that needs to carry clients or kids as well. I say the Mazda6 is the new 10 for sedans.
Best Makeover: Mercedes-Benz BlueTec Equipped Vehicles

It is more of a transplant than a makeover but the idea is the same. Mercedes-Benz launched their amazing Clean Diesel technology a.k.a. Bluetec in their SUVs and gave Americans a reason to fall in love with them all over again. They are clean, quiet, efficient and they get my vote for best makeover for 2008.
Best Date Car: BMW 1-Series

This the second time I’ve picked a convertible as the best date car. A drop top says you are fun-loving with few responsibilities (a.k.a. single) and the new 1-Series from BMW says all that and more. It is a no-nonsense convertible that gets back to the basics of looking good and driving fun. Enjoy it while you can because once you find your mate, the car in the next category will be more your speed.
Best Family Car: Ford Flex

Just because you have responsibilities doesn’t mean your car has to be boring. The Ford Flex seats up to 7 and looks like nothing else on the road. Stylish inside and out, you may consider it even if you don’t have kids to haul around. Cool features include Sirius Travel Link, Ford’s Sync and an available refrigerator! We called it “Flexalicious”.
Best Club Car: Maserati GranTurismo

You’ve seen it in the movies; two hotties roll up to a club in a sexy car, a valet appears out of nowhere to take their keys and they alight from the car right as the velvet rope is unhooked allowing them direct entry into the club while hundreds of less fortunate wait in the cold. The Maserati might not make you as pretty as the actors in the movie, this gorgeous coupe might just get you to the front of the line at the club. That’s worth $114K+ isn’t it?
Best Car For Me: Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sportwagen

History repeats itself, in bodystyle choices at least. Two years and two wagons as choices of my Best Car for Me. The new VW Jetta Sportwagen is good looking, roomy and with the TDI clean diesel engine, one of the most efficient vehicles on the road today. We called it the “Vehicular Version of Comfortable Shoes”.
Joe Tralongo-Montana Editor
Best New Car: Nissan GT-R
40 years of automotive foreplay came to an end this year when Nissan finally brought its screaming Skyline GT-R stateside. Known here as just the GT-R, this car has been taunting enthusiasts from afar since 1969. The 480 horsepower twin-turbo coupe costs a pretty penny, and a limited production run is bound to push the price even higher, but it’s worth it to own a little piece of automotive history. Good job, Nissan.
Best Makeover: 2010 Mazda MAZDA3

Due out this summer, the all-new Mazda MAZDA3 is going to shatter all preconceived notions of what an economy car should be. With styling that is more exotic and economical, and such cool features as keyless entry and start, the MAZDA3 is the stylish solution to a new fiscal reality.
Best Date Car: Mercedes Benz SL65 AMG Black Series
If he doesn’t swoon when you pull up to his condo complex, just show him the $301,000 price tag. With only 350 cars being produced world wide this car is sure to grab attention, and its fuel thirsty V12 engine makes the old “Uh-oh, we’re out of gas” line utterly believable.

Best Family Car: Chevrolet Traverse

If you’ve got kids and cargo, you need a three-row SUV. The Chevrolet Traverse provides all the room of a full-size SUV in a midsize package that is stylish, safe and economical. Loaded with standard goodies, the V6-powered Traverse can shuttle up to eight passengers and still pull down 24 mpg on the highway.
Best Club Car: Cadillac CTS-V
Cadillac’s V-Series treatment is to the stunning CTS what Human Growth Hormone is to Major League Baseball. With 556-horsepower and standard all-wheel drive, you might want to bypass the club and head straight for Mulholland Drive.
Best Car for Me: Subaru WRX
OK, last year my perfect car as the VW GTI, and in truth it’s still my favorite. But after experiencing my fourth Montana winter, I’ve come to appreciate the wisdom of Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. With the WRX, I get all the fun of the GTI but in a package I can live with year round.

Josee Valcourt-NY Editor
Best New Car: Volkswagen CC

It’s the exterior coupe action combined with a competitive price point that does it for me. This Mercedes Benz CLS look-alike starts nearly at $27,000. The VW midsize newbie looks great in city drives, and I’d assume, it’s just as striking along a winding mountainside road. Its handling is responsive and ride comfortable.
Best Makeover: Infiniti G37
The defunct Infiniti G35 coupe was one good looking car. The G37, its replacement, looks even better. It’s exterior appearance speaks to the Infiniti brand’s design strength. The engine is quiet and fast, propelling the car like a slinky panther.
Best Date Car: Lexus GS350
This a sweet looking car, and in my view, especially in the iridescent pearly white hue. It looks good from dawn till dusk, meaning you’ll be sure to impress your date at any hour. The sporty vehicle has all the necessities one would expect in a luxury brand including a booming sound system that can drown out the awkward first-date silence or weird conversation if needed. It’s also available in all-wheel drive for added traction.

Best Family Car: Volvo XC70
First things first, the Volvo XC70 is a station wagon. Now that we’ve gotta that out of the way, here’s the skinny: the vehicle is also a pretty cool ride for carting the fam in luxury. The XC70 offers a smooth ride and grips curves – a must-have when it comes to hauling your precious bunch from point A to point B. The vehicle is spacious, providing comfortable seating and a roomy cargo. There’s also the whole added safety thing that’s synonymous with a Volvo.
Best Club Car: Nissan 370Z
The new 370Z from Nissan is an attention grabber, for sure. Heads will turn when you pull up in front of your destined swanky club spot of choice. It’s the slick design that gives it a “Bond, James Bond” flair or “Sex and the City” edge. Whether you’re stepping out in a hot LBD (little black dress) or rocking your GQ look, you’ll look good emerging from the 370Z.
Best Car for Me: BMW 335i Convertible
This Beamer hard top is a beast, pumping out 300 horsepower from its twin turbo-charged six-cylinder engine. You may find yourself fighting the urge to scream “woo hoo!” while in motion. The vehicle reacts nicely on roads, hugging curves all the while looking fabulous with its top down.

by Josee Valcourt

At first glance, it wasn’t the most noticeable thing about the new 2009 Volkswagen CC but it was memorable, and a tad vain: I slid into the new coupe sedan’s rear seat without mussing my hair.
I have big hair. Not one strand of what I like to think is a funky coif brushed against the car’s apparent low headliner as I clambered into the back during a recent product test-drive event in Chicago sponsored by Volkswagen AG.

That says a lot. Like for starters that somewhere in the sporty CC’s development stage, VW designers ruminated on the midsize car’s interior space, and not just its striking exterior look that closely mirrors Mercedes Benz’s CLS. In an age when space is valued, creating sufficient wiggle room between one’s voluminous hair and the interior roofline is nothing short of thoughtful. I certainly can appreciated VW’s effort to up the vehicle’s headroom even if my reason solely lies on vanity.
It makes all the more sense why VW scheduled a tour with the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust. Gaywheels.com was among the invited guests taken on a private tour of the great American architect’s first home in Illinois’ Oak Park enclave. Wright had a penchant for creating illusions of depth – high archways, octagonal rooms – in the most unrestricted way.

Maybe VW designers tore a page from Wright’s playbook.
The CC’s design duplicity continues as not only is the headliner high enough in spite of major coupe action to the rear, but there’s adequate leg room. There’s also sufficient cargo space, and a storage compartment tucked between the rear seats to store the doodads of your choice. The compartment holds two cups, bringing the total number of cup holders in the vehicle to a standard four.
Coincidentally, CC stands for comfort coupe. The four-door vehicle provides a fair slice of comfort. Where it falls short though is in the front-door pockets that are snug, making it slightly cumbersome to slip a folder stuffed with a few sheets of paper in. VW should have gone with hinged side pockets, which pull outward for easy storing and doesn’t call for contorting one’s hands.

I also found the beige and black two-toned sport bucket leather seats in the 4-cylinder version I drove to be, well, meh. It was uninspiring and, dare I say, drab. Even with real chrome accents, the interior’s look was comparable to almost hitting a high note but suddenly falling flat.
From the outside, the CC’s rear acutely slopes but not in a holy molly, we’re-going-to-make-you-wince-because-the-line-on-this-car-is-so-sharp kind of way. It’s more of a graceful plunge. VW describes it as dramatic. Either way, graceful plunge + dramatic = snazzy in my book.

The vehicle handled fairly well on roads though some turns in curvy areas were less-than-smooth. Equipped with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that pumps 200 horsepower, it was zippy enough for my liking. A 3.6-liter 6-cylinder engine is also offered. It pushes 265 horsepower.
VW characterizes the CC as near-luxury and positions it smack dab in the crowded midsize sedan segment where the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord reign, according to sales figures.
Its German engineering, spiffy design, and starting price of $26,790 should help it stand out though the vehicle’s base price exponentially swells depending on the package. It tops out at $39,300. The destination charge is $690.
The automaker hopes to sell some 28,000 units. Laura Soave, VW’s general marketing manager, says she thinks the car will be a head turner. I agree, big hair and all.

2009 VW CC:
Engine: 200 HP 2.0-liter turbo four cylinder or a 265 HP 3.6-liter VR6
Transmission: 6-speed manual available with four-cylinder only, 6-speed automatic for both
Drive Wheels: FWD in both engines, AWD available with 3.6-liter VR6

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Posted in reverse chronological order

Final Installment – Saturday, November 8, 2008 – I am in a Starbucks in New York City writing this final installment of this blog. I drove Kat to her new home in CT yesterday afternoon. It was dark when I arrived but that didn’t quell the excitement surrounding her arrival. My sister was waiting on the porch when I pulled in and she quickly kicked me out to drive her down the driveway. Flashlights and spotlights were turned on as the children ran out to greet the new member of the family. As children do, they climbed into the back seat and bounced around saying “Cool!” over and over again. (WHY do we stop doing this?)
As Kat was a present for my brother-in-law, we had to position her so his headlights would illuminate her in all her glory when he pulled down the driveway. The moment arrived and the excitement was palpable. He jumped out of his truck with a huge smile on his face and proceeded to examine his new toy. I swear I saw Kat smile in the darkness as she quickly learned that she’d be loved by her new family.
When I left today, she was parked next to my sister’s VW Eurovan a.k.a. “The Love Bus” and I it struck me how this family was the perfect example of a strong brand relationship. Our family always had VW’s. All 9 of my siblings and I have had at least 1 or more VWs and I have a strong suspicion that my sister’s four children will end up with a VW in the future. The brand evokes emotions and memories that other companies would kill for. The story of Kat is a perfect example.

When I was deciding to do this trip a friend commented that a thousand miles in an old Beetle would refill my soul and remind me why I became a car guy. It did that and more. I was transported back to a simpler time in my life and reminded of all the amazing times I had in my old Beetle. It also made me appreciate how far cars have come in the past 37 years – for better and worse. Vehicles today are cleaner, safer and more efficient but there are few vehicles on sale today that in 37 years someone will buy for their spouse because they had their first date in one.
I appreciate the safety and efficiency of new cars but miss the soul and personality that only cars like Kat can evoke. Even modern VWs are dangerously close to losing their bond with their owners. I propose that every product planner out there find their version of Kat and take a road trip like mine. It may just lead to cars with soul again. Here’s to everyone having at least one Kat in their lives.

Day 3 – Thursday, November 6, 2008 – Greetings from the NJ Turnpike. I am on my way home and since I am not in any sort of a rush, I decided to update the site from one of Jersey’s infamous turnpike service areas. The people watching alone is fascinating and frightening all at the same time.
Yesterday was one of those rare perfect road trip days – the weather was gorgeous, the traffic sparse and the scenery spectacular. I left Asheville, NC around 10:30 AM and took I-40 to I-77 to I-81 North. The leaves were exploding in color along the route and the mountains of NC and VA were the perfect canvas for the season’s masterpiece. I attempted to create photographic evidence of my view out the Beetle’s window but in this case, technology simply cannot do it justice. The sense of awe and beauty must be experienced to be truly appreciated.

The Beetle motored on in all its mechanical simplicity and delivered a consistent 29 MPG on the highway. I finally managed to get my iPod to function and with a set of Bose headphones, took in the vistas while in concert. I periodically removed the earphones to check in with “Kat” to make sure everything is OK. She has no engine warning light or any gauges outside of the fuel and speedometer but it only takes a careful listen to know if all is well in her world. Happily, she seems to be enjoying the exercise and has settled in to a groove.
I spent the night in D.C. with a friend and navigated the Beltway post rush hour with nary an issue. The most excitement today was the crossing of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. There was a high-wind advisory and poor little Kat was thrown around like a contestant on a Japanese game show. We both survived and the experience simply reminded me of the joys of really driving rather than computers doing it for me.
Kat gets delivered to her new family tomorrow. They’ve been checking in and are eagerly awaiting her arrival. My sister said she felt like she was waiting on the adoption to finally go through! Think about this; what new car today could evoke such emotion and anticipation?
Check back on Saturday for the final installment.

Day 2 – Wednesday, November 5, 2008 – No Radio, No Cupholders, No Problem?
I arrived in Asheville, NC last night in time for dinner, wine and a historic election. The six hours in an old VW was the perfect escape and juxtaposing that experience with all the new vehicles I drive certainly opened my eyes.
My only entertainment was the drone of the engine and the whine from the drive train. In a test vehicle I would have passed the time listening to satellite radio, playing with the navigation system and talking to family and friends via bluetooth. Hell, I might even send a text or two. Not so much in the VW.The complete lack of technology kept me focused on the task at hand – driving – and that is a good thing. The few times I attempted to communicate via type on my crackberry, I was quickly reminded how unforgiving these cars are. Diverting your attention for even a few seconds could mean the difference between staying in your lane and becoming the next meal for the 18-wheeler next to you.

Because I had few distractions, I was able to appreciate the journey and noticed things along the route I’d never seen before. I’ve made the trip between the two cities many times yet this run I appreciated the landscape more and the fall foliage seemed more intense than ever. My focus extended to the road itself as the limits of the Beetle’s engine required constant anticipation of road conditions and traffic patterns. Hills that a base Hyundai wouldn’t even think twice about called for planning and strategy. Don’t get me wrong, “Kat” held her own but if I wasn’t paying attention, the situation could get ugly, fast.
I am running late this morning because I stayed up late to watch President-elect Obama make his speech. In true road trip fashion, I hadn’t decided what my destination would be today. That decision was made for me when my friend Tim called and said that if I made it to D.C., I was welcome to stay with him and his family. He had been reading this blog and saw that I was potentially driving through. What an awesome example of Web 2.0, right?
So, if all goes well, I’ll make it to Herndon, VA this afternoon for a photo opportunity at the new VW HQ. Coffee anyone? Check back tomorrow for more!

Day 1 – Tuesday, November 4 - It is election day and I have to be honest, I’ve overdosed on election coverage. My vote has been cast and now all I want is tomorrow morning to come so we can move on. It is hard to get away from election – the media is covering little else, I’m getting robo-calls on my cell phone and my web site was even overtaken by political ads yesterday. Luckily, election day has coincided with the ultimate escape – a road trip in a 1971 VW Beetle.
The car is a gift from my sister to her husband for their 15-year anniversary. Their first date was in a 1973 VW Super Beetle named Belvedere and she’s wanted to get one for him ever since. I’ve been looking for months but it was my partner Steve that eventually found a 1971 Beetle here in Nashville. The car was purchased from its original owner, a 92-year-old woman, and it is in excellent shape. The only obstacle remained was transporting it to CT.

I happened to be in TN for the weekend and when my brother-in-law asked if I was interested in driving it back, I wasn’t interested initially. I had to get back to the Northeast and my choices were 15 hours (or more) in a 37-year-old VW or a direct flight to Newark. Then a good friend reminded me that my site is called “gaywheels.com” not “gayflying.com” and convinced me that it would be a good story.
Alas, I am about to embark on this trip and will be checking in periodically. Since the top speed of my chariot is approximately 65 MPH and the seats aren’t in the best shape, I’ll be breaking my trip up. Day 1 will be from Nashville, TN to Asheville, NC. I am looking forward to escaping from all the news – the car doesn’t even have a FM receiver let alone Satellite radio. I’m also interested in re-living the days of driving when it was more akin to riding a bike without a helmet. Sure, it was quite a bit more dangerous but we survived (most of us anyway). Check back tomorrow for more.

Ties Abound as Toyota Matrix, smart fortwo and Maserati GranTurismo Debut
River Edge, NJ – Gaywheels.com, the sole source of information specifically targeted to and about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) car-shoppers, today announced its list of the Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles during the third quarter of 2008. The Volkswagen Rabbit and Eos remained in first and second place, respectively. Mazda’s MAZDA3 gave up the third slot to its sister car from Mazda, the MX-5 who now shares that position with the Audi A3.
“The Top 10 Most Researched list tends to be self-perpetuating,” said Gaywheels.com founder Joe LaMuraglia. “But with the arrival of the Toyota Matrix, smart fortwo and Maserati GranTurismo, our users continue to amaze us with their diversity of vehicle interests”.
For the first time, there were multiple ties on the list. In addition to the tie for third, the MAZDA3 and VW Jetta vied for the fourth slot, the Saab 9-3 and Dodge Caliber both slotted in at 6th and the newcomer Toyota Matrix joined the MINI Cooper as the 9th Most-Researched Vehicles. Rounding out the Top 10 is the Maserati GranTurismo – first exotic vehicle to ever appear on the list.

Gaywheels.com Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles – 3rd Quarter 2008
Rank
1 VW Rabbit
2 VW Eos
3 Mazda MX-5 Miata and Audi A3 – tie
4 Mazda MAZDA3 and VW Jetta - tie
5 Toyota Yaris
6 Saab 9-3 and Dodge Caliber -tie
7 Volvo C30
8 smart fortwo
9 Toyota Matrix and MINI Cooper – tie
10 Maserati GranTurismo
The Top 10 Most Researched list is based on website statistics gathered from July 1, 2008 – September 30, 2008 from Gaywheels.com’s New Car section. Gaywheels.com publishes its Most-Researched list quarterly.

Back to Top 10 Index
About Gaywheels.com
Launched in 2005, Gaywheels.com is dedicated to promoting responsible consumerism and affecting change by encouraging car shoppers to patronize gay-friendly companies throughout the vehicle purchase process. Users of the site are able to investigate which automakers and other automotive companies offer domestic partner benefits to their employees, thus qualifying them as “gay-friendly,” plus read general reviews about cars, trucks and SUVs from those manufacturers. With that information at hand, they can make educated choices during the car-buying process. For more information, please visit www.Gaywheels.com.

by Joe LaMuraglia

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 - I just drove the new VW CC from Atlanta to Nashville and had every intention of getting the review up today while my impressions are still fresh. Of course, the minutia of running the site and trying to eek out a few more pennies from your eyeballs got in the way and here I am at the end of the day without a review written.
Solution – give you a sneak peak at the photos and a few early impressions and ask that you check back in a few days to read the wonderfully witty prose that is sure to come.

What is a CC? The CC – “Comfort Coupe” in VW speak – the a surprisingly gorgeous version of the VW Passat and the latest attempt from a German company to change the definition of what a coupe means.

What Does it Cost? - Starting at $26,790 for a 2.0L turbo four-cylinder with a 6-speed manual.

How Powerful? – The base engine is the aforementioned 2.0L turbo four that pumps out 200 HP. The optional engine is VW’s 3.6L VR6 that is rated at 280 horsepower
Initial Impressions? – A gorgeous take on a four-door sedan. I like the base engine the best as the VR6 is surprisingly loud under acceleration. As with many VWs of late, it gets pricey as you add all the goodies.
Come back soon for a full review. In the meantime, enjoy the photos below courtesy of VW of America.

Arriving Fashionably Late to the Party

By Joe LaMuraglia

Like a diva that needs to make sure his or her entrance is noticed at an event, Volkswagen has finally arrived to the compact SUV party with an attractive yet expensive entrant to the segment.

VW’s Tiguan features their superb 2.0 liter turbocharged, direct-injection 4-cylinder that pumps out a spirited 200 horsepower. Mated with either a 6-speed manual in the base trim or a 6-speed automatic in the higher trim levels, it delivers seamless power and attractive fuel economy.
If you are fan of VW’s Touareg styling, the Tiguan won’t disappoint. In addition to sharing odd-sounding names, the Tiguan’s design clearly identifies it as coming from Wolfsburg. Its curves are muscular and fluid, giving it a masculine stance which will help it stand out from its competitors.

The interior is standard VW simplicity with some new features that surprise and delight. The available touch-screen navigation with rearview camera finally brings VW up to par with the best from Japan and the available panoramic sunroof provides the diffused lighting that gay men dream of.

Interior room is generous for a vehicle of this size and while it can seat up to five, you’ll be happier if you only invite three friends along. It features the requisite split folding rear seat that enlarges the cargo area to allow all but the largest packages and the rear seats slide forward up to six inches to increase rear cargo capacity when needed.
Safety is an important part of the VW brand and the Tiguan is no exception. Like all 2009 VWs, it comes with electronic stability program and six airbags standard. Also available on the SE and SEL trims is 4Motion – VW’s all-wheel drive system that allows for superior traction and handling in a myriad of weather conditions.
So, what’s not to love? This diva not only came late, she ran up the bill when she got dressed. The base Tiguan S starts at $23,200 but very few style-conscious buyers will consider its monochromatic interior and diminutive wheels. The majority of Tiguans owners will opt for the SE that starts at $26,925 or the SEL that begins at a hefty $30,990. A fully loaded SEL will be north of $35,000.
Watch the video below for more:

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Tiger+Iguana = What??

by Joe LaMuraglia
I’m in stunning Boulder, CO as a guest of Volkswagen to drive the 2009 VW Tiguan. “Tiguwhat?” you might be saying to yourself. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to the name. The Tiguan is the first compact SUV from VW to hit our shores and they are promising that it is “the GTI of Crossovers”. With a 200 HP 2-liter turbo engine and an available 6-speed manual in the base trim level, it seems to have the prerequisites. The question is, has VW been able to translate their sporty driving experience into a compact SUV? That’s what we are here for.
Until we’ve had seat time, we thought you might like to see some photos. A full review and with luck, a video will be up in the near future.

Vehicular Version of Sensible Shoes

By Joe Tralongo

Break out your sensible shoes, girls: the age of wretched excess is coming to an end.
Look up there — gas prices are up there to stay. Down at your feet? That’s the value of a buck for a long time to come. Bigger isn’t better anymore. Downsizing is the new black.

Depressing, right? Not so much. Instead of the crusty SUV that suddenly is as out of fashion as a random Kardashian, there’s a sensible alternative that’s new in 2009, and it comes with one of the most efficient engines on the planet.
The 2009 Volkswage Jetta SportWagen is all those things, which to the Gaywheels staff makes it the most logical car on the planet. It’s a car, not an SUV. It’s big enough to comfortably hold four people and their luggage, yet when equipped with the TDI diesel engine it gets better than 50 mpg on the highway.

If you’re familiar with the Jetta Sedan, you already know about 80 percent of the SportWagen. The two share the same platform, interior, safety features, engines and transmissions. The unknown 20 percent is made mainly of a large enclosed cargo hold and a massive panoramic glass sunroof.
Inside, the trendy lighting and interior design are growing a bit old, but are still leaps and bounds above the fit and finish of many modern interiors. On the flip side, the level of luxury amenities offered by VW nearly reaches Audi status. We do hope VW will improve the iPod interface on this car, but chances are good it will be the same, poorly integrated system experienced in the 2008 R32. The system uses the CD changers port and cannot display song titles. If you’re a music aficionado be sure to test out the system before you purchase this upgrade.

Like the one night stand with the slightly dowdy wardrobe, it’s always what’s underneath the clothing that counts, or in the case of the SportWagen, what’s under the hood. Three engine options include a tepid but inexpensive 2.5-liter five-cylinder, a performance oriented yet miserly 2.0-liter turbo (available only with the pricey SEL trim), and a new, 50 state compliant 2.0-liter TDI diesel engine. Although diesel is foreign to most drivers this engine is worth a good hard look, because its gas mileage ratings are insane. VW estimates city mileage in the mid 30s, while highway figures are expected to top 50 mpg. And the diesel is no slug either, with more torque (that’s the power to pull and pass) than most V-6 engines produce. And while its true diesel costs anywhere from 40- to 70-cents more than gasoline, diesel allows you to travel nearly twice the distance on a single tank.
Manual transmission fans who live with an automatic-only lover will rejoice at VW’s decision to offer the wonderful auto/manual Direct- Shift Gearbox (DSG) with the diesel engine. The DSG can switch from a fully automatic transmission to a one that allows the driver to change gears manually without the need to depress a clutch pedal. Pretty neat, huh?
Pricing for the SportWagen ranges from around $19,000 for the base 2.5 S to about $28,000 for a fully loaded SEL. Look for the 2.5 S and SE, and 2.0 SEL to hit showrooms this June, followed by the high-mileage TDI diesel come early September.

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By Joe LaMuraglia
With gas prices rising and oil supplies dwindling, automakers are hard at work on “green” cars, most of which promise guilt-free driving in the form of emissions-free vehicles. But what about vehicles that you can buy now that leave less of a mess behind? Here are five cars on the market that will have a lower impact on the environment as well as on your wallet.
smart fortwo

The name says it all – “for two” – and that’s all the smart can hold. The smart is a space-efficient alternative to driving around with 3-4 empty seats and gets up to 41 MPG on the highway. Add to that the ability to recycle many of its parts and you have a cute-as-hell way to reduce your impact on the environment.
- Read our review of the smart fortwo
- Get more detailed information in our New Car Section
Ford Focus

The 2008 Ford Focus has an optional engine that qualifies it as PZEV (Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle). That means it is cleaner driving down the road than a car from the ‘70s was sitting in the driveway with a full tank of gas! Available with the cool Sync audio system and with a 35-MPG rating, the Ford Focus makes going green fun and affordable.
- Get more detailed information in our New Car Section
VW Jetta TDI

The VW Jetta Sedan and SportWagen will be among the first vehicles in the U.S. featuring VW’s fun-to-drive and uber-efficient TDI “Clean Diesel” engine. Rumors indicate that the SportWagen will get up to 55 MPG on the highway. Fun, low emissions, efficient and available later this year.
- Read our review of the Jetta SportWagen
- Get more detailed information in our New Car Section
Lexus RX400h

Toyota started the hybrid craze with its Prius so it makes sense that their luxury division should benefit from that technology. The Lexus RX400h was the first luxury hybrid vehicle, and the first to equate the hybrid moniker with speed. Mated to a V-6 engine, the batteries in the RX400h can be as delicate as a lamb around town and fast as a leopard when merging onto the highway. Fuel economy isn’t breathtaking, but it’s doing its part–and how many $40,000 trucks can say that?
- Get more detailed information in our New Car Section
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

Some people really need a large SUV. Just ask any active family with 3 or more children and their gear. Chevrolet now gives these consumers a more fuel-efficient option with their 2008 Tahoe Hybrid. It’s a full-size SUV that gets 21 MPG in the city and doesn’t compromise on towing or payload capacity. If you just have to be different, GMC’s Yukon also comes in hybrid form, as does the swanky Cadillac Escalade.
- Get more detailed information in our New Car Section

Chicago’s auto show may play a distant second to Detroit when it comes to new cars and trucks. But in the Windy City this year, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler brought new family haulers–and one ass-hauler–while Volkswagen finally rejoined the minivan market after years of absence. The highlights from this year’s Chicago show, in no particular order:
Chevrolet Traverse

Chevrolet is the last of GM’s mass-market car brands to get a big crossover vehicle. But with the Traverse, Chevy might have one of the best-looking of GM’s foursome, which includes the Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia. The Traverse shares some styling cues with the new Chevy Malibu, inside and out, with a smart front end and smallish taillamps giving it a distinct style. Under the hood there’s a 3.6-liter V-6 with 281 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic is the sole transmission. Standard safety features include six airbags; anti-lock brakes; traction and stability control. All-wheel drive will be an option, as will 20-inch rims and Bluetooth.
Ford Transit Connect

It’s taken a long time for any car company to take on Dodge’s commercial Sprinter van, but Ford is doing it now with the Turkish-build Transit Connect. Think of it as a Honda Element with even more utility; the Transit stands 6’ 8”, and its customizable cargo area means it’s a perfect work/play vehicle for dog walkers to caterers to locksmiths. Available with a four-cylinder engine and a manual transmission, the Transit promises to be a fuel-efficient trailblazer that can also double as a mobile billboard. Ford says for now it will import the vehicle from Europe, but it might eventually build the Transit Connect in the United States, if enough entrepreneurs step forward for its practical package.
Dodge Challenger

Musclecars might seem odd in the days of the Toyota Prius, but Dodge’s HEMI-powered, tire-shredding Challenger SRT8 couldn’t care less about what the Prius thinks. Not with a 425-hp V-8 under the hood, big 20-inch tires in its wheel wells, and a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds. Top speed for the reborn musclecar is 170 miles per hour, Dodge says, and the Challenger grips the road on massive Goodyear tires. A five-speed automatic is the only reminder that this is 2008, not 1970. The Challenger SRT8 is the high-powered version on display now; Chrysler will eventually offer a V-6 version of the big two-door coupe as well, and a convertible has been rumored but not confirmed.
Volkswagen Routan

Volkswagen’s been missing a real minivan since the Microbus left in a hazy green cloud in the early 1970s. But everything about the new Routan minivan is modern, because under its lightly reskinned exterior, it’s a rebadged Chrysler minivan sold under a new agreement between the two companies. The Routan gets a unique interior too, with seating for seven and an available power third-row bench. Chrysler’s 3.8-liter, 197-horsepower V-6 is the standard engine in the Routan. A six-speed automatic transmission is the sole gearbox offered. Volkswagen also will offer Chrysler’s 4.0-liter V-6, with 251 horsepower and 259 pound-feet, as an option. Standard safety gear will include revised suspension tuning, stability and traction control, and curtain airbags. Other features included in all Routans are a conversation mirror; a rear-seat DVD entertainment system; dual power sliding doors; a touchscreen navigation system with a 20GB music hard drive; a power liftgate; and 13 cupholders.
HUMMER H3T

HUMMER’s future seems to be getting smaller: first the GM brand dropped the military-derived H1, then it introduced the compact H3 off-roader. Now the H3 loses its cargo cover in favor of a real cargo bed as it becomes the H3T, T for truck. The almost five-foot bed gets an accessory mounting system and a removeable tailgate, giving it flexibility if not a huge amount of cargo carrying room. Powertrains include the standard 3.7-liter in-line five-cylinder that produces 242 horsepower with either a five-speed manual or an old-school four-speed automatic. The Alpha-level 5.3-liter V-8 with 300 horsepower is optional.

By Scott Corlett

January is that time of year when the intrepid reporters of Gaywheels.com brave Detroit’s bitter cold to bring you the best new vehicles from the North American International Auto Show. Listed below, in no particular order, are the best new production vehicles from the gay-friendly manufacturers for 2008:

Bulls Will Be Bulls

Apparently the PR folks at Chrysler didn’t consider the inevitable outcome of penning up 300 males in close proximity. I doubt they intended to launch their redesigned Dodge Ram pickup with some hot bull-on-bull action. But that’s exactly what happened when 300 longhorns were herded down the street in front of the exhibition hall during the truck’s outdoor press unveiling: the daddy bulls started mounting the boy bulls in a bovine version of ’70s porn, complete with mustachioed cowboys. Oh, and the Ram? HOT. And that’s no bulls—.

Bulges in the Right Places

Sex and the City alum Kim Cattrall wore a hot red number and mile-high Manolos as she strode on stage and flirted with Dieter Zetsche, chairman of Daimler AG, which owns Mercedes-Benz. She smiled coyly, touched Dieter’s shoulder, and cooed about “assertiveness, bulges in the right places … [and a] tight little package.” Undoubtedly Cattrall had the balding, brushy-lipped German worked up, but she actually was speaking about another onstage hottie, the new Mercedes-Benz GLK sport-utility vehicle. The GLK is a rugged, small-scale SUV with the stamina to keep up with hard-riding shoppers like Kim–and its planned, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine will offer the torque of a gasoline-fueled V-8 but return an über-sexy 35 mpg.

The Vue Steps Out on Its Own

To date, the Saturn Vue Green Line reminds me of that guy in college who could only do other guys during a three-way with his girlfriend. The current Vue Green Line is a “mybrid,” which means that, unlike out-and-proud hybrids such as the Toyota Prius, its electric motor can never power this compact SUV without the aid of its gasoline engine. Starting with the 2009 model, the Vue Green Line will step out on its own, as it will be able to use solely the electric motor for propulsion. Compared with the regular Vue, the present Vue Green Line increases fuel economy by 25 percent, but thanks to the ability to run on the motor, the upcoming version’s mileage ratings are a whopping 45 percent higher.

Venza, Vidi, Vici

In 47 B.C., after routing a Turkish city, Julius Caesar succinctly said, “Veni, Vidi, Vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered). Now it’s MMLV years later and a new emperor is conquering foreign lands, and his name is Toyota and the battlefield is the North American car market. Toyota calls its new, Camry-based Venza a crossover sedan, which is Latin for station wagon. The Venza is a five-passenger hauler with a tall ride height to provide the all-important command-position seating and available all-wheel drive to help defeat inclement weather. Smooth-running four-cylinder (standard) and optional V-6 engines, an interior that’s far more luxurious than the Camry’s, and the Toyota badge of quality make the Venza a warrior unstoppable by Caesar himself. All hail, Toyota.

The Home Team Homerun

The Cadillac CTS-V is the performance version of General Motor’s slick CTS sedan. What does that extra letter on the badge buy you? How about a rocket-worthy 550 horsepower? Yes, you read correctly, that’s 550 horses pulling a mid-size sedan, as in 43 more ponies than Mercedes’s E63 and 50 more than BMW’s M5. Not only is the CTS-V wicked fast, he’s certainly not shy, with a well-bulging hood that Kim Cattrall would love and a mesh grill that shouts get the f– out of my way. The Germans were never very good at baseball; this badass CTS-V is an out-of-the-park homerun for the home team.

CC: Mercedes-Benz

With its new Passat CC, Volkswagen sent out a mass e-mail to the automotive buyers of the world. It read, “Hey! You no longer have to shell out luxury car bucks for slick styling. Cheers, VW.” The Volkswagen Passat CC is a coupe-style, four-door sedan, á la Mercedes-Benz’s sleek CLS. And like the CLS, the Passat CC is a thing of precious beauty, a bubble of metal and glass that rises up from the pavement, with cat-eye side windows and a swooping rear end. And with a price differential of $20,000 or more between the CLS and CC and a style differential of nearly zero, Mercedes can’t be happy with this news–which is exactly why VW cc’d M-B.

BMW Gets All Diesel-y

BMW plans to do for diesel what Justin Timberlake did for sexy–bringing it back. For the American market in 2008, BMW plans two models powered by its twin-turbo, 3.0-liter diesel in-line six. This oil burner lands Stateside first in BMW’s X5 SUV and its 3-Series sedan, and packs a respectful 265 horsepower and an off-the-hook 425 lb-ft of torque–well more than most V-8s. Not only will this engine be 50-state compliant, but BMW claims it will shoot their 335d sedan from zero to 60 in a sprightly 6.2 seconds and the X5 to the same speed in 7.2 seconds. Fuel economy is an eco-friendly 23/33 mpg city/highway for the sedan and 15/25 mpg for the X5. If I can just talk JT into riding shotgun, then I’m all set.

Cutting Wood

Subaru was one of the first auto companies to advertise in the gay media. And ever since, we’ve rewarded Subaru with our loyal purchases of their ever-practical haulers, which always feature standard all-wheel drive and room for our kids, pooches, and tag sale finds. In 2008, Subaru launches the newest version of its venerable Forester wagon. The redesigned 2009 Forester is a meatier lumberjack, with a more SUV-like stance. Although bigger, the new Forester offers a tree-friendly 2.5-liter base engine in a “California-spec” version that meets stringent PZEV emissions requirements. Put simply, on a smoggy day in L.A., the exhaust of a Forester equipped with this plant may be cleaner than the air you breathe. And that is indeed a breath of fresh air.

Little German Soft Top

I usually do everything in my power to avoid the above combination of descriptors. But in the case of BMW’s all-new 1-Series convertible, I’d gladly pay for a long-term relationship with just such a special friend. The 1-Series soft top is a gorgeous, little two-door cabrio with sleek metal, a sprung stance, and a sexy, simple interior. And the 1-Series is fast. Like any guy packing six-pack abs on South Beach, the 1-Series sheds its top in 22 seconds. And like that same guy after a day of sun and proximity to half-naked men, the 1-Series is raring to go, with zero-to-60 times of 6.8 seconds for the base in-line six and 5.6 seconds for the twin-turbo six. Who knew a little German soft top could be such fun?

The Best Seller

The best selling vehicle in America is neither the Honda Accord nor Civic, nor the Chevy Cobalt, nor even the omnipresent Toyota Camry. No, the vehicles that Americans buy most often are the Ford F-Series pickup trucks. So whenever Ford announces a redesign of its F-150 pickup, the most popular of the F-Series trucks, everyone from Brokeback weekenders to workday tradesmen wait with bated breath. Bigger, badder, and techier, the new F-150 is one hot hauler, with USB and MP3 ports, a 700-watt Sony stereo, and voice-activated navigation. Now, if Ford could just stream the video from the F-150′s optional backup cam down from Brokeback Mountain, they’d have a major new source of badly needed revenue.
Read our blog “Putting the ‘Mo in Motown” for videos, photos and daily updates from our time at the show.
You can find any Ford truck accessory you need at the AmericanTrucks, the source for quality aftermarket parts and accessories.

By Joe Tralongo
The automobile industry spends millions of dollars researching the average consumer’s needs during various life stages. Depending on our age and position in life, our cars say a lot about us, our desires and the image we wish to project. Of course, we of the homosexual persuasion have a slightly different set of needs and paths than our straight counterparts. Below is a list of vehicles that we at Gaywheels.com feel suit the four primary phases of gay life. Mind you, this list represents a random sampling from a broad field of outstanding automobiles, but as space is limited we’ve chosen a few standouts worthy of attention.
Stage 1: Young, Single and On the Prowl
At this stage in your gay life, it’s all about YOU! Forget backseat legroom and trunk space, you need a car that attracts attention. The following vehicles are sure to draw onlookers (and maybe a date or two) without cutting too deeply into your budget.

2008 Volvo C30 – Small, agile and starting well under $25,000, the C30’s groovy good looks and nearly infinite color/trim/option combinations (it’s like driving a rolling Benetton sweater) practically guarantee no two neighborhood cars will be quite the same.

2008 Jeep Wrangler – The Wrangler is one of the few vehicles that can show up at a rodeo or on Rodeo Drive and still look right at home. Available in two- or four-door models with a removable hard or soft top and just the right blend of hip styling and butchness, the Jeep Wrangler always wins unwavering approval.

2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe – The G37 is not as economically priced as the others in this group. If you can swing the payments, however, the sensuous new Infiniti Coupe not only has the power to start hearts fluttering, it also telegraphs this is one single not looking for a Sugar Daddy (or Momma, as the case may be).
Stage 2: The Coupling Period
Congratulations, you’ve become a “we”! Love now requires one of you to make the ultimate sacrifice by giving up the sporty little car. But driving a four-door vehicle doesn’t instantly make you uncool. Gaywheels is confident these models will help you project a strong sense of style, as well as provide enough room for a weekend road trip or an evening out with friends.

2008 Cadillac CTS – Who says gays don’t do domestic? Cadillac’s beautifully sculpted CTS sedan displays a strong presence with even stronger performance. We love the new interior and the seats are some of the best in the business. With a choice of two V6s, RWD or AWD, and a manual or automatic transmission, you can get one that fits just right.

Lincoln MKX –Not much bigger than most sedans, the MKX’s wide hatch provides a bit more versatility than the others in this group, yet gives up nothing in the areas of luxury, ride and handling. And our favorite option, the Vista glass moonroof, brings the outdoors inside.

Volkswagen Passat – The Passat may not have a status symbol badge bolted to its grille, but nothing in the family sedan class matches its combination of price, features and Audi-like interior. The 2.0-liter turbo engine pulls like a V6, yet sips fuel to the tune of 29 miles per gallon (highway). The Passat is also offered in wagon form.
Stage 3: Partnered for Life (a.k.a. Married Without Benefits)
You now dress alike and regularly finish each other’s sentences; you share a mortgage, a cocker spaniel and a penchant for weekend shopping sprees. In other words, you’re hitched. Whether hauling a bulky antique armoire, 50-pounds of landscape fodder or the makings of your first nursery, you needn’t give up charisma for capability.

Mercedes-Benz GL – Big enough to seat seven, yet nearly identical in width to the smaller ML, Mercedes-Benz’s newest SUV offers excellent maneuverability and a luxurious interior. Also, the GL’s logically laid out controls don’t require an extra set of eyes and hands to operate.

Buick Enclave – If you like curves, you’ll love the Enclave’s seductive exterior styling. Buick may not have scored high on your car-buying list in the past, but this seven-passenger crossover SUV will quickly remedy that! Vivid sew patterns, a one-of-kind dashboard and a liberal use of ambient lighting conspire to create one beautiful interior.

Subaru Tribeca – Long regarded for its dependable all-wheel-drive systems and quirky styling, Subaru moves toward the mainstream with its largest family vehicle to date, the Tribeca. Optional seating for seven, a powerful new V6 engine and plenty of electronic toys to keep the munchkins happy make the Tribeca a favorite of gay families everywhere.
Stage 4: The Golden Years
You’ve survived the seven-year itch—nine times, possibly raised a kid or two and still managed a very comfortable retirement. Now comes the time to throw caution to the wind and treat yourself to something sinful. Show up at the theatre in one of these cars and everyone will know you and your partner have truly arrived.

Audi S5/A5 –Audi’s latest work of art is to be enjoyed by the driver and occasionally a lucky passenger or two. The first true four-passenger coupe offered by Audi in nearly 15 years, the rocket-fast S5 lands in showrooms this fall, followed by the more affordable A5 in the spring.

Jaguar XK Convertible –Going topless never felt so liberating. The XK’s intoxicating good looks will have all eyes pointed in your direction, and with the convertible top retracted you can drink in equal servings of vitamin D and envious admiration.

Lexus LS 600h L – Al Gore promises we will pay a price for not going green, but who’d have guessed the price is even higher for combining luxury and environmentalism? Starting at a mere $104,000, the Lexus LS 600h L (the h stands for hybrid) is more a low-emission speed demon with a slightly green hue than a luxury Prius.

Rabbit Done Right

If you love tight little European hotties enough to pass up the same-priced competition from Audi, Mercedes and BMW — we are talking about cars here, ahem — then the 2008 Volkswagen R32 is just the über-hatch for you.

For the rest of you, right now your wallet is probably shriveled like Greg Louganis after a dive into an unheated pool. But perhaps if I explain what an R32 is, your purse will return to its normal, voluminous proportions. Think of the peppy, 170-hp VW Rabbit hatchback, which costs around $16,000. The next trim in the Rabbit lineup is the admirable GTI, which adds a 200-hp turbocharged engine, a sportier suspension, and seven grand to the base price.
Then take a two-door GTI, include VW’s Haldex all-wheel-drive system and acclaimed dual-clutch manumatic transmission, and switch out the engine for a normally aspirated 250-hp V-6 that purrs and growls like a tigress in heat. Now you have an R32, a car darn close to an Audi A3, as the two share the same platform, engine, and six-speed gearbox. And oh yeah, tack on $10,000 to the GTI’s sticker, which brings the R32’s base to a dizzying (for a hatchback) $32,990.

But forget the tag—with the R32, it’s all about the ride. First, the R32 zips from zero to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds. Next, R32’s razor-sharp handling allows you to toss the hatch in the twisties and tighties like a rally racer. And if during this hard driving the R32’s standard 18-inch tires find a slippery patch, then its AWD system can instantly shift 100% of the power to either the front or rear tires. Finally, when you need to end the fun, massive brakes with boldly visible, blue-painted calibers lie in wait.
When you climb into an R32, you really know what you’re paying for: The R32 is chocked full of luxury finishes, high-tech design elements, and advanced safety gadgets. Standard features include heated leather seats; automatic climate control; rain-sensing wipers; auto-dimming rearview mirror; a premium audio system with ten speakers; electronic stability control; and front, side, and curtain airbags.

Sure, there are less expensive vehicles with great handling and all-wheel-drive, such as the Mitsubishi Evolution and Subaru WRX STI. However, these are raw cars, which are great to drive on the track or on a weekend sprint down the coast, but they lack the R32’s cosseting luxury and everyday comfort.
The vehicles that make the R32 a fetish ride are the German sport runners, like an entry-level BMW 3-series, Audi A4, or Mercedes Benz C300. At about the same price as the R32’s, these cars are roomier, equally or better handling, and, for the status-seeking, more prestigious. And let’s not even talk about the super-sick BMW 1-series coupe, which will storm America next winter and should base for around $30,000.
So who is left to love the Volkswagen R32? Maybe the guys who stopped next to my R32 test car at a traffic light and gave big smiles and thumbs up. Or perhaps a GTI buyer who finds herself flush with an extra ten grand. Or maybe just someone who wants the best little hatchback on American lots—the all-new 2008 Volkswagen R32.

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Our Top 10 Most Researched Vehicles article is consistently the most popular article on the site. We are often asked why certain cars made it to the list and while we cannot get inside our users’ heads, we can make educated guesses. With that in mind, we asked our own Joe Tralongo to give his take on the Top 10 Most Researched:

Talking About the Top 10 Most Researched

by Joe Tralongo
If there’s one thing gays do well, it’s spend money. But before you spend it, you have to save it, which may account for the number of frugal cars that made Gaywheels.com’s Top Ten Most Researched list.
Number 1: Toyota Yaris

Toyota’s compact Yaris is the perfect date; it’s cute, cheap and eats like a bird. For the first time buyer, as well as those looking for a fuel-efficient second car, the Yaris offers legendary Toyota quality and reliability at a price just about anyone can afford. And when the affair ends, the Yaris’ excellent resale value won’t leave your wallet feeling robbed.
Number 2: Saab 9-3

Unless, like dear Patsy Stone, someone has locked you in a room the last ten years, you’ve probably noticed that gay men and women don’t do anything half heartedly, and we certainly hate blending in with the crowd. The same can be said for Saab’s 9-3 sedan and convertible, two unconventional alternatives to the myriad of Mercedes-Benz, Acura and BMW cars jamming the gay ghetto. We love them for their sleek design, super-comfy seats and such quirky oddities as the horizontally-mounted console ignition switch. The Saab 9-3 sedan and convertible are the quintessential non-conformist luxury cars.
Number 3: Mazda MX-5 Miata

No surprise here, the Mazda MX-5 Miata has been a darling of both the gay and straight worlds alike. This smartly styled roadster appeals to so many because it’s so easy to own. Somewhat snug, the Miata nevertheless makes the most of every inch of usable space including a surprisingly user-friendly trunk. The car’s light weight and 50/50 front-to-rear balance impart go-cart-like handling, making even the best sport sedan feel like a lead sled in comparison. One of the MX-5’s most attractive features, the convertible top, can be raised or lowered with one arm. Also, the brilliantly engineered hardtop model gives up no trunk space with the top down. Break out those hat boxes, boys, we’re going for a ride!
Number 4: Volkswagen Jetta

Something about a German car ignites the gay driving passion. Unfortunately, something about the steep price tag keeps many at bay. Volkswagen’s Jetta breaks the budget barrier by offering the only sub-$20,000 German sedan available in the USA. The Jetta’s popularity stems from the interior’s Audi-like attention to detail and comfort and the uber-exciting ride. The 2.0-liter turbo pulls like a V6, achieves excellent fuel economy and can be had with a manual or automatic transmission. Later in the 2008 model year, the fuel-efficient TDI diesel returns offering fuel economy no gasoline engine can touch.
Number 5: Volkswagen EOS

Huh, what do you know? Another convertible! OK, so we like the wind in our hair (or wigs) and the sun on our faces, although not so much sun as to cause premature wrinkles. The VW Eos succeeds the only convertible gayer than the MX-5 Miata, the long loved Cabriolet. Quick on its feet and endowed with the same upscale interior as the Jetta, the Eos is the prima donna of the topless set. Its outrageous retractable hardtop includes a built-in sunroof so you can still enjoy open air driving without retracting the power top, which proves useful because unlike the MX-5 Miata, the Eos’ power top eats up considerable trunk space.
Number 6: Dodge Caliber

The Dodge Caliber’s appearance midway down the list proves gay and lesbian car buyers don’t exclude domestics when they merit attention. The Caliber’s low base price certainly is part of its appeal, but innovative features like an available flip-down rear speaker bar (perfect for tailgating at the beach), center armrest iPod holder and a “Chill-Zone” cooled storage bin speak to the creative gay nature. From a practical standpoint, the Caliber offers a wide choice of optional features including all-wheel-drive. With room for four, an upright driving position and an exterior design worthy of the term “muscular”, the Dodge Caliber knows how to show a gay a good time.
Number 7: Toyota Camry

Not all gays are glamour queens. Some actually prefer sensibility to sensuality, although all bets are off once the weekend rolls around. Toyota’s Camry proves the logical choice for those who view their car as a means of transportation and not a fashion accessory. Far from dowdy, indeed the 2008 model is probably one of the best looking cars every to where Camry badge. Strong reliability and resale figures complement a quiet cabin, silky smooth engine and excellent fuel economy. Room for five, a huge trunk and an optional equipment list reaching dangerously close to Lexus-level luxury keep the Camry high on the Rainbow Radar!
Number 8: Audi A3

The A3 is one of Europe’s most popular cars, yet Americans are just getting their first hard look at Audi’s entry-level hatchback. The gay community is familiar with the A3 because many have rented one when traveling overseas. The American version is a bit plusher (and more expensive) than its European cousin and it runs on gasoline, not diesel. The A3’s strong showing puts to rest the notion that gay Americans won’t buy premium hatchbacks. Wrong! What we won’t buy are ugly, overpriced and underpowered hatchbacks… and cheap shoes. Although the A3 shares a common platform and engine with the Volkswagen GTI, it offers many features unavailable on the VW, including a V6 engine, quattro all-wheel drive, a huge “Open Sky” glass sunroof and the undeniable status provided by Audi’s four-ring logo.

Number 9: Volkswagen Rabbit

Another VW makes the list, this time the Rabbit. Formerly known as the Golf, the Rabbit is far more reliable then the original Teutonic fur ball, a car (for those of us old enough to remember) with a somewhat jaded past. Although priced slightly higher than the competition from Japan and Korea, the Rabbit offers a lot in the way of standard equipment, safety, comfort and performance. And then there’s the whole German car thing again.
Number 10: Infiniti FX

The FX is one of Infiniti’s most beautiful vehicles, a fact born out by its ability to make our Top Ten list after five-years on the market. Part SUV, part sport sedan, the aggressive FX looks like nothing else on the road, and its interior still makes us giddy. Never mind the small cargo space and even smaller cargo opening, pay no attention to the claustrophobic rear seats or nearly non-existent rear visibility, its all about good looks and great performance. Sure a nicely loaded version costs north of $40,000, and that’s just for the V6 model, but did we mention the killer Bose audio, stunning metallic paint options and optional 20-inch wheels? Yeah, it’s worth it.

A Billy Goat in a Tux

by Joe LaMuraglia

If you read our review of the 2006 VW Touareg TDI, you know that we were impressed with the VW Touareg and tested it extensively on road. What many of you may not know is, the Touareg was designed from the beginning to be a superior off-road vehicle. To emphasize that capability, VW of America intentionally chose to debut the new 2008 Touareg 2 in a locale that would highlight both the on-road and off-road qualities of the newly updated nomad from Wolfsburg – beautiful Couer d’Alene, Idaho.

The 2008 VW Touareg arrives in U.S. showrooms with some subtle, yet significant, upgrades. The press kit claims that the new Touareg has been “Nipped, Tucked and Re-Tuned”. “Nipped and Tucked” refer to the nose job (new grill) and butt lift (new tail lamps and rear spoiler) all of which give the Touareg a fresh new look without the loosing its identity (Jennifer Grey anyone?). “Retuned” references the two new, more powerful engines that feature direct gasoline injection. They deliver a much needed boost in power for the gasoline engines without sacrificing fuel economy.

The new V6 engine (3.6L VR6 FSI) is rated at 280 horsepower, the new V8 engine (4.2L V8 FSI ) at 350 HP, and the 5.0L V10 TDI twin turbo puts out 310 HP with an incredible 553 foot pounds of torque. We tested the V6 and the V8 gasoline versions on the highways and goat trails of Idaho and came away very impressed.

On the road both engines were quiet, powerful and perfectly matched to what 99% of the Touareg owners will use them for – commuting, road trips and running errands – all of which will occur in a sumptuously designed cabin worthy of a luxury vehicle. What isn’t evident from the design or the on-road drive experience is that the Touareg is a Billy goat in a tux.

The Touareg’s inner goat became evident when VW put us behind the wheel with a professional driver in the back to guide us up some mountain trails just outside of Coeur d’Alene. Having done similar trails during the Land Rover Driving School, I was concerned that the Touareg would be able to handle the ruts, rocks, hill climbs and 45-degree banks that were described to us prior to the drive. After all Land Rover is known for their off-road prowess and despite traversing a golf course or two in my ’73 Super Beetle, I never equated the people’s car with off-road driving.

One simply needs to watch the video to the right so see what the Touareg is capable of. We conquered trails and obstacles that very few, if any, Touareg owners will ever encounter. The vehicle’s capabilities are clearly over-engineered in stereotypically German fashion and as Martha says, “that’s a good thing”.

The one criticism that VW didn’t address was the price. All that capability isn’t cheap and the base prices for the new Touareg reflect that. The V6 starts at $39,320, the V8 at $48,320 and the glorious V10 diesel at $68,320. Hardly pocket change for a 5-passenger SUV but consider this: 4XMotion AWD is standard across the board, all versions can tow up to 7,700 pounds, and safety features abound.

If you want a SUV that is equipped to handle whatever the road, parking lot, valet, goat path or logging trail throws you, definitely check out the new 2008 VW Touareg.

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White Before Memorial Day?

by Joe LaMuraglia

Saturday, April 21st – I arrived back to Atlanta late last night and picked up my latest ride – the ’07 Special Edition VW New Beetle Convertible. My first thought was how interesting the timing was considering my quote in the NY Times last week. While that article mentioned my partner’s disdain for the MINI Cooper convertible because it’s overtly gay image, it also mentioned the New Beetle Convertible as a “gay” car. I am not sure which classifies as more ironic, the timing of my latest ride or the fact that my partner went out and bought a Mazda MX-5 last weekend. Hmmmm.

Oh yes, this is supposed to be about the car. The Special Edition New Beetle features the “Triple White” made so famous by the last generation VW Beetle drop tops. My first thought was why they called it “triple white” when the top is black. A quick read of the press release and I realized that it earns the name because it features a “unique Campanella white exterior, a white interior and a white convertible roof boot”. From the brief ride home from the airport last night, it feels just as solid and fun as the last New Beetle Convertible we tested. I’m off to run errands here in Atlanta. The weather is beautiful and I’m looking forward to dropping the top and scooting in this limited edition bug. Check back for more later……
For the record, Gaywheels.com doesn’t classify cars as “gay”. You can here me discuss this on XM’s “The Agenda”.

Monday, April 23rd – I used the new Triple White Beetle to run errands yesterday and today and it simply puts a smile on my face. With the boot on, it is especially eye-catching in its triple-white glory. It is one of the few vehicles that has gotten remarks neighbors as well as the folks at the car wash. It is hard to imagine the folks that deal with all the BMWs, Land Rovers and Saabs at the car wash in Midtown being impressed by much. Believe it or not, they flocked around when I dropped the top and put the white boot on. It is a nice, clean-looking color combination and in the near perfect weather we are having here in Atlanta, it is simply a joy to drive around.

I was worried the small size would limit my ability to get my chores done this weekend as I had Spring planting on the schedule. The white Beetle handled all my Home Depot plant purchases with nary an issue. The trunk isn’t huge but it was big enough to handle four trays of flowers. I can imagine a weekend’s worth of soft luggage for two wouldn’t be an issue at all. The rest of my landscaping supplies fit in the back seat and on the floorboard up front. Keep in mind that I would have been in trouble if I had any passengers but being that I was alone, I had little trouble making things fit. It is hardly a substitute for a wagon or SUV but my point is that there is usable room inside.

Last night was spent driving around putting up posters for our upcoming Modeling Audition here in Atlanta. The car is getting stares but then again, it could be that a big hairy guy is driving such a “cute” car. One friend actually laughed when he saw me in the driver’s seat. I suppose my size and look in the Triple White New Beetle Convertible is a “non sequitur”. At the end of the day, I enjoy driving the car and really don’t care much about what other people think. I only have a few more days with the Beetle and I hope to drive topless as much as possible. Wrap up to come.

Wednesday, April 25th – They came and picked up “Blanca” today. Yes, I’ve been known to name my cars and although the Beetle convertible was only in my possession for 5 days, she had so much personality, I couldn’t resist. Judging from the looks I got at one of the local lunch hotspots for the boys, the public agrees. If you are in the market for a convertible that has a lot of personality and seats four, you should consider the new 2007 Triple White New Beetle Convertible. You better hurry though, this is a limited editon model and only 3,000 people in the U.S. will be able to bold enough to wear white all year – and look damn cute doing it.
2007 Triple White New Beetle Convertible is $25,990 with the standard automatic transmission.

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Diesel from Deutschland

by Joe LaMuraglia

Saturday, March 31st – Being an automotive journalist/small business owner/nomad, I am constantly on the go. So much so that my significant other has requested that I produce a calendar for him so he can keep up with my whereabouts! Most of my recent travel has involved long-lines at the airport, screaming babies and claustrophobia-inducing airplane seats. So when I had to make plans to attend the auto show in New York next week, I intended to avoid airports altogether and asked my friends at Specialty Transport for a suitable vehicle to make the trip from Atlanta to New York City. They responded with a 2006 VW Touareg V10 TDI.

The Touareg arrived yesterday and in the short time I was able to tool around Atlanta, it impressed me on a myriad of levels. It is a very attractive vehicle that eschews the typical “look at me, I’m a brute SUV” styling and delivers a very sophisticated, organic design. The interior is typical VW/Audi with quality materials, generally good ergonomics and a substantial feel to it. The 2007 model has some improvements but we wanted to evaluate most interesting aspect of this VW – the engine. It is a V10 turbo diesel that you have to drive to believe. It is simply awesome. It is quiet, refined and freaking FAST. I look forward to putting it through its paces on the road. Off to NC for a birthday party for two nieces and one nephew. Sunday brings 9 hours in the car with my 79 year-old mother. Keep me in your thoughts!

Monday, April 2nd – We made it to CT from NC in just under 10 hours. I forgot to factor in the additional hour that it takes to get to my sister’s house from NYC. The Touareg performed flawlessly. We cruised considerably north of legal speeds and it always felt that we were barely moving. The V10 turbo diesel always had reserve power when I needed it and it never failed to elicit a cheer from my mother in the passenger seat. She kept saying that she was waiting for us to “take off”. According the trip computer, we averaged 22.4 MPG on the trip. Considering our speed and the size of the engine, that is VERY impressive. Expect to pay dearly for the advanced Diesel technology that makes the high MPG possible though. The sticker on this baby is $67,000+ and that doesn’t include satellite radio!

The Touareg is parked for the next few days as I am in NYC for the NY Auto Show. If you read other reviews of this vehicle, you’ll notice that most journalists comment on the lack of a third row and a tight back seat. After fighting for a parking spot here in lower Manhattan, I am overjoyed that the designers made this a 5-passenger vehicle rather than a 7-passenger. The design equates to a tight turning circle, shorter overhangs and an overall smaller vehicle. All of the above combined with the rear-view camera allowed me to park the VW in a space that had been vacated by a Toyota Corolla only seconds before. I felt like I was in a Seinfeld episode as I exited the vehicle and looked around to find someone to share my amazing parking feat with. Alas, this being NYC, no eye contact was made. Point being; the Touareg is a perfect size for 4 adults and luggage and has the added advantage of being easy to park. If you want a three-row vehicle, look at the Audi Q7. More after my drive back South this coming weekend.

Wednesday, April 11th – Well, the Touareg and I made it back to GA last night. After spending a week in its prime parking space in Battery Park City, I headed north to CT for the holiday weekend with my relatives. If you’ve ever driven in New York City, specifically up the West Side Highway and north to the Saw Mill Parkway, you know that the roads are less than perfect. They are narrow, pothole ridden and full of insane NY drivers. I am happy to say that big VW handled it all with nary a shudder. Most of that can be attributed to its solid structure and awesome pneumatic suspension. I left in on “Auto” most of the time and it delivered a superb ride.

When the time came to head south, neither my ageing mother or I dreaded the drive. We actually looked forward to it for a few reasons, one of which was the relative peace and quiet the sumptuous interior of the Touareg would provide after a weekend with four rambunctious children. The vehicle provided a much-needed refuge as the big oil burner powered us effortlessly down the highway delivering an average of 23 MPG along the way. That is 1 MPG more than is estimated by VW and I am hardly a light foot. Can you tell I was impressed by this engine?

As much as I liked the Touareg, there were a few things that I thought were glaringly absent in a vehicle this price. In addition to the lack of Satellite radio, there was no setting for Automatic headlights and the keyless entry system was very temperamental. All of the above should be remedied with the introduction of the Touareg 2 at the NY Auto Show. The new VW will come with more powerful V6 and V8 engines and will carry over the gorgeously addictive V10 TDI. If you are in market for an incredibly capable SUV and don’t need to carry more than 4 (5 in a pinch) people, make sure you include the VW Touareg in your shopping. If you have the cash and want to be different, spring for the V10 TDI. It will put a smile on your face every time you step on the diesel pedal.

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Rabbit Redux

by Scott Corlett

The good volks at Volkswagen have decided that Americans, at least the budget buyers, prefer warm and fuzzy animal names to cold and esoteric Teutonic badges—think Beetle, Rabbit, and Fox versus Touareg, Phaeton, and Passat. Accordingly, for 2006, the VW subcompact formerly known as the Golf (and the Rabbit before that) again carries a leporine nameplate in the US market. While for Europeans, who apparently are less enamored of fluffy, the Golf badge stays. But call it whatever you want, because, regardless of name, the fully redesigned Volkswagen Rabbit is a hottie.

Given that our first car was a ’71 Super Beetle, Volkswagens occupy a special place in our automotive heart. In that unheated, but way-cool Bug, listening to New Order or the like at full volume, we earned our first speeding ticket, took our first day-long drive just for the joy of driving, and did a few other firsts that are unfit for print in this publication. Because of this unique bond, we always look forward to the arrival of VW test vehicles in our San Francisco driveway. Recently, the 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit proved no exception to this rule. In fact, the new Rabbit, which is offered in three- or five-door versions, proved downright exceptional.

Subcompacts often perform well in the city, the arena for which they are mainly designed. For us, the true test of a little mover is at speed on the freeway. To this end, we hopped into the Rabbit, cranked the ignition, and shifted the optional six-speed automatic transmission one notch past big D into sport mode. Generally, we’d always opt for a manual, but VW’s Tiptronic automatic transmission is a sweet, smooth-shifting affair, one that rivals any luxury sedan gearbox. We pressed the accelerator and, for the first of many times during our test week, the Rabbit left rubber on pavement. We headed for the highway and passed through the Castro, where we noted Prada shades turning our way. On this turf, we’d like to think that we brought the looks, but, more likely, the Rabbit’s new-factor and its smooth-flowing metal had nabbed the glances.

As we approached the onramp to the elevated freeway that runs parallel to the shore of San Francisco Bay, we smiled. There was open road ahead just begging for hot tread. Our right foot put the pedal to the floor, the Rabbit started forward, and—once the 150-hp, 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine reached its peak torque range—we began our earnest sprint up the incline. Keeping the accelerator down, we merged left and quickly entered into the never-never land of high-speed subcompact driving. While our old Beetle could only make 75 mph—downhill and with the wind—the needle on the Rabbit’s speedometer soon passed the triple-digit threshold. Remarkably for an entry-level hatch at this velocity, the Rabbit handled steady and sure, no different than when moving at 35 mph on city streets.

We drove south on the freeway, and then, on a twisty, two-laner, cut over toward the coast. In a secluded valley, just east of Half Moon Bay, we pulled off the road into the parking lot of our favorite pumpkin patch. We picked out a big, well-rounded fruit, which we then stowed in the Rabbit’s generous cargo space. In fact, the Rabbit is ample in all dimensions. The headroom and front legroom are truly excellent, while the rear seat space is cozy, not crushing.

Our pumpkin secure, we jumped back onto the cloth-covered driver’s seat and then headed toward home. Volkswagens are long known for their fab interior finishes. Here, the Rabbit, again, proves no exception. The synthetics and fabrics please both visually and tactilely, while the instrument panel and controls are simple, thoughtful designs, with easy-to-use knobs for volume and tuning. Much to the credit of VW’s designers, the face of the Rabbit’s steering wheel remains free of distracting, superfluous buttons and doodads.
At a base price of $14,990 and compared to its peers, the 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit offers a wealth of standard features, including front, front-side, and curtain airbags, electronic locks and windows, and a perky engine. Yes, the Germans definitely chose the right name for this nimble, low-cost, value-laden machine. With Germanic design at its simple best, this Rabbit takes us back to our high school days when the nameplate was last used. As we unloaded our pumpkin, we thought now, if we could just figure out a way to play our Depeche Mode cassettes through that new-fangled iPod connector …

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Gaywheels.com welcomes the return of Axel Rod to discuss the
2006 VW GTI.  Long awaited on these
shores, the new GTI offers performance in a practical package. style='mso-spacerun:yes'> 

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: So, we are discussing the 2006 VW
GTI today…  just to get things
going, Axel, on a scale of 1 – 10, where 10 is "zuper",
where do you stand on the GTI?

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: As small, sporty cars go…definitely a
9

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: I’d agree. There is no such thing
as perfect car…but why not a 10?

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: It’s really not that big outside OR
inside and there are a few details that aren’t perfect.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: Ok, we know you like ‘ class=SpellE>em big…but let’s focus on the positive aspects of the car
at first

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: The Golf–uh, I mean, Rabbit–no,
wait–GTI–makes a great go of the two-box look. style='mso-spacerun:yes'> But at the end of the day, it’s still a
box.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  A sleeker box than the past but you can
definitely tell it is based on a more mundane people mover being that the Rabbit,
I mean Golf, is the main vehicle for VW in the European market

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: Oh yeah…it’s hard to get past its class=SpellE>econo-box roots

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: but then again, having the
versatility of a hatch with a 2.0L, 200 hp turbo motor isn’t a bad thing

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: True. style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Not that you’ll confuse the hatch space
of the GTI with a station wagon.  Or
even an Elantra GT.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Not everyone…I mean not every car can
be versatile.  Did you try out the
cargo space?  We were able put two
bikes in the back along with luggage for a long weekend in w:st="on">Florida. style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  The bikes never made it OUT of the car
but that is another story…..

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: It’s a good size for most
people–you’ll be able to bring home that stinky chair from the class=SpellE>da-da-da commercials. And it’s a lot more usable room than
the href="http://www.gaywheels.com/2006_volkswagen_jetta_gli.htm"> class=SpellE>Jetta GLI.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Ah, the first "gay vague commercial
from VW"….memories…so what did you think about the driving
dynamics? 

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: Simply first rate

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  We had the GTI with the DSG…I am not a
fan of the DSG but I can see why people would like it. The handling,
acceleration and MPG were all impressive. 
We drove to Florida
and back and averaged 30 MPG

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: Well, if having the car shift for you
makes you feel like less of a man, then you won’t like it. style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  It’s also not tuned for the grandma
driver.  But than again, if you’re
looking for a grandma car, then the GTI isn’t right for you in the first place.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: True. My issue is that if you drive
the car at a leisurely pace, the DSG can get ahead of the driver….during hard
acceleration though, it is simply superb

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: I disagree…I think that the
economy mode is good enough for the average GTI driver, even when stuck in stop
and go traffic.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: You didn’t feel the
hesitation?  I was able to confuse
it in stop and go…

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: Nope…but then again, I tend to drive
cars very hard. You’d be amazed what I can do to a Town Car…

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: I’ve heard I’d be amazed at what
you can do IN a Town Car!

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: LOL…that too

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com:  Let’s
talk competition…is the GTI only for Euro lovers or do you think the guys who
love Hondas will be swayed by the German version of fun?

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: I think this is the first GTI in years
that’ll make Civic Si drivers think twice. Especially since the new Si is so
polarizing.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com:  
Hell, it is the first VW in years that will make true GTI
drivers think twice!  Also, I am all
about versatility and the Si can’t swallow what the GTI can….let me rephrase
that….it is a sports car that you can hit the Homo Depot in style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: Definitely…great on the track, and on
the way home from the track.

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: 
The Si has the one advantage of being lighter on its feet. style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Not that the GTI isn’t agile, but it
can’t get past the extra bulk it carries around.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>    So, it is pretty clear
that we liked the GTI.  The litmus
test is "would you buy one"?

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: 
Well, this is the other area where the score goes from a 10 to a 9…

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: 
The GTI can get VERY expensive if you’re not careful with the options
sheet.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: Very true. style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Like taking a hot man out on a date, it
is a lot of fun at first but when the bill comes around it can be a bit
shocking.

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: 
But you gotta pay to play. style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  And if you want to go all the way… class=GramE>bring AmEx–Diner’s Club isn’t
taken around here.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com:  
 So, what do you
think the "boulevard factor" is on this car? style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Does it get attention? style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Did you get noticed when driving it?

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>     Probably not. style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  But that may not be a bad thing…you’ll
also avoid the unwanted attention of the police.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>    Good point. style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  I’d have to say it is a bit incognito
and depending on the consumer, that can be good or bad. style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  For me, it is perfect.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>    So, anything else
you’d like to add? 

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>      Well, there’s a
four-door now, and if more is better, then the two additional doors are
definitely worth the extra money.

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>    That brings us back
to the versatility argument.  Some
would say that a 4-door GTI is sacrilegious but I’d spring for the extra doors
for sure

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>    One last thing,
the GTI is one of the few cars that simply put a huge smile on my face. style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Like the class=SpellE>Jetta GLI, I couldn’t wait to drive it and
made up excuses to run errands

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>      I agree on the
fun factor…though I’d say both the Civic Si and MINI Cooper S can give equal
amounts of enjoyment, depending on your priorities, and I’d drive both before
buying anything

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>     But of the
three, the GTI is the only one on the "gay-friendly"
list.  If that is important to you,
it could be the deal breaker

style='color:navy'>Axel Rod: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>      Yep…very true

style='color:red'>Gaywheels.com: style='mso-spacerun:yes'>      Ok
then, Auf Wiedersehen!

Specs:
* 2.0 liter turbo 4-cylinder engine making 200 hp
* EPA rated 25 city/31 highway
* 6-speed Manual standard, optional 6-speed DSG automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters for an additional $1075
Price:
* Base MSRP $21,990
* As tested $29,405

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Get a free gay-friendly insurance quote for a 2007 Volkswagen GTI

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  From 21/29 mpg | MSRP from $22,990

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]]> http://gaywheels.com/2006/09/2006_vw_gti/feed/ 3 http://gaywheels.com/2006/09/2007_vw_eos_1/ http://gaywheels.com/2006/09/2007_vw_eos_1/#comments Wed, 27 Sep 2006 22:01:41 +0000 Joseph LaMuraglia http://tentall.com/wordpress/?p=124

Driven by the Wind, Powered by the Sun

By Joe Tralongo

It’s not hard to understand why Volkswagen chose to name its newest convertible after Eos. As the Greek goddess of the dawn, it was her responsibility to bring daylight each morning. She was also perpetually in love and is said to have given birth to the wind and the stars. Talk about a difficult labor. Like the goddess, the Eos convertible can deliver the sun, the wind and the stars, but without the need for divine intervention or human sacrifice. Advantage VW.

Although built from the same platform as the familiar Jetta/Rabbit duo, the Eos shares not a single body panel or exterior part with either. The Eos’ smooth and unbroken wedged-shaped exterior features huge cat-eye shaped headlights and a rear end that looks more Japanese than German; sporty multi-spoke alloy wheels and a big chrome grille round out the exterior details. Riding on an uncommonly long wheelbase, the Eos is blessed with a surprisingly large interior capable of seating four persons. With the hardtop retracted, however, the Eos’ modest trunk shrinks from 13-cubic feet to a mere seven cubic-feet, leaving barely enough room for two soft luggage bags or a days worth of shoe shopping.

The Eos’ most important exterior detail, its retractable hardtop roof, employs no less than 400 separate moving parts. When activated, they can transform the Eos from seductive coupe to open air temptress in less than 25 seconds. Truth be told, the roof’s technical ballet of moving parts, folding panels and eventual disappearance will likely attract more attention than the Eos itself. More than just a metal covering, this multi-talented jack-of-all-trades-hardtop includes a huge glass panel sunroof. With the top in place, the sunroof can be opened extending out over the roof’s rear portion and exposing the front seat passengers to outside world. No other retractable hardtop offers such a feature, a fact made all the more astounding when one considers the Eos sells for less than $30,000.

Where the Eos’ exterior is unique to the car, its interior, engine and transmission are pleasingly familiar. High-quality plastics, plush leather and really comfortable set of front bucket seats highlight the Eos’ interior. VW’s familiar red illumination with corn-powder blue backlighting aids the easy to view and operate gauges and instruments. Safety innovations include side-impact airbags and a Rollover Protection System that activates a pop-up roll bar from behind the rear seats.

Volkswagen’s brilliant 2.0T will power the first Eos models to arrive in showrooms. The turbocharged four-cylinder engine is so smooth and fuel efficient, it’s hard to image anyone wanting to pay more for the upcoming 3.2-liter V6. The 2.0T delivers power when you need it without lag or hesitation, and can be teamed to either a smooth shifting six-speed manual or VW’s revolutionary DSG automatic transmission. With DSG, the driver can opt to manually change gears without the use of a clutch pedal. The system works so quickly and seamlessly, it makes all other manual shift transmissions feel obsolete. Handling is another of the Eos’ strong suits. The steering feel is firm and precise, the cornering near level and the ride controlled but never harsh. The Eos exhibits minimal flex with the top down, a tribute to VW’s engineering excellence.

With a starting price of just $27,990, the only other hardtop convertible in this price range is Pontiac’s new G6, a car which cannot match the Eos’ in rear-seat passenger room, trunk space or amenities. The four-passenger Volvo C70 also features a retractable hardtop and is equally as plush, but it will cost you at least $10,000 more.

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A Teutonic Trio
by Gaywheels.com Staff

We wrote about the 2007 VW Passat 2.0T a few months ago and have since had the pleasure of spending time in two other variations of VW’s midsize offering. While the basic components are the same, we thought it important to share our experiences in the VW Passat 2.0T wagon and the V6 4Motion Passat Sedan.

We drove the 2007 VW Passat 2.0T Wagon during a quick trip to Los Angeles. It looks great, handles just like the sedan and the wonderful turbo-charged 2-liter engine was great for blasting around LA’s freeways. It has just a little bit of turbo lag but not enough to make most people notice. Coupled with the 6-speed automatic, it is entertaining and fuel efficient – adjectives not normally associated with wagons.

Fit and finish were superb and nice touches like the electric rear tailagate show that VW’s product planners spent some time with busy parents or some shopaholic quee…I mean “restraint challenged” gay boys. If you want a german with a lot of room in the back, the VW Passat Wagon is worth a look. The Value Edition starts at $25,225.
The V6 4Motion got a longer workout on a trip from Atlanta, GA to Columbus, Ohio and back. It proved to be an excellent highway cruiser and actually got better MPG than published (28 MPG on the highway). That is surprising considering it was an all-wheel-drive model with the 6-cylinder engine. We came away very impressed with the sedan, although, unlike the wagon version, it faces some stiff competition in the marketplace. At an “as-tested” $39,880 the Passat 4Motion is in the same ballpart as some excellent AWD Sedans. The Chrysler 300C AWD offeres a V8 and AWD, the Subaru Legacy has AWD standard, and if driving excitement isn’t a requirement, the Ford 500 has the room and AWD for thousands less.

Alas, we all know that purchase decisions rarely rely on such practical considerations. The VW Passat is a great vehicle in all of it’s iterations. With two engines, two body styles and two drive train options, chances are you’ll find a combination right for you.
Likes
• Gas mileage on both was great for cars this size
• Surefooted and easy to drive
• Wagon has electric tailgate option which is quite useful
• Great looking
Dislikes
• Electrical gremlins showed up in the Sedan but to be fair, resolved themselves
• Transmission in the sedan hesitiated a bit. Was assured it was a computer problem that was easily fixed.
• A little pricey

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By Gaywheels.com Staff

Our publisher’s job, before jumping into the entrepreneurial unknown, was working for an automotive manufacturer planning future vehicles. In that position, he and his colleagues created imaginary “target customers”. “Susan” might be a mother of three who didn’t want to give up her SUV but realized, after a bought of tears brought on by the idea of a minivan, that she simply had to become the dreaded “soccer mom”. “Frank” would be the successful business owner and father that wanted a sports car but needed additional seating and cargo capacity. You get the idea; create the stories to help communicate the concept of a vehicle clearly.

When driving 2006 New Beetle and New Beetle Convertible he wondered happily who his old colleagues would have “imagineered” to be driving these vehicles. It would most likely have been a young woman looking for something to set her apart from the crowd or a gay man that loves the nostalgia of the design as well as how “cute” they are. Not being young or female, we can’t comment on the first “ideal” customer but being gay and male, we can discuss the latter.

Both the New Beetle and its versatile cousin were powered by the 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine that is shared across the VW line. While we were under whelmed with this engine in the base Jetta that we drove, it seemed to be very well suited to both the Beetles.
The coupe was matched to the standard 5-speed manual and the drop-top sported the optional 6-speed automatic tiptronic transmission. As always, Gaywheels.com staffers enjoy a manual over an automatic, but in this case we found the automatic to be a suitable substitute. Both moved the bulbous Beetle down the road without any effort and combined with the peppy engine and teutonic driving dynamics, made even the most mundane errands a little more enjoyable.

All staffers loved the look of the New Beetle with the new upgrades to the front and rear fascia. We feel it has a very unique look that will garner attention with its modern, yet retro appearance. Some staffers that had driven the original Beetle back in the day commented on the touches in the interior of the New Beetle that were reminiscent of the original, including the grab handle on the passenger side dash and the vinyl grab handles by each door. Ah, nostalgia – it tugs on our gay heart strings.

All staff members enjoyed driving the New Beetle and Beetle Convertible, but the question came into play as to how it made staffers feel. This is where the differing opinions came into play. Some staffers felt extremely comfortable in our Aquarius Blue (aka Baby Blue) Beetle Convertible, while others, such as our staff member from Bean Town, felt that the cabriolet was a little too effeminate for his tastes. Keeping in mind that he was the former owner of 3 Mazda Miatas, that is saying a LOT. The argument centered around the styling, color and the “cute” factor. At the end of the day, the boy from Boston couldn’t be swayed. He’d drive the coupe but not the convertible. His other half would have preferred a more masculine color but loved the topless Beetle and had no problem being seen in it. Stereotypes be damned…both cars are fun and unique.

For more information, including pricing, on the 2006 New Beetle and New Beetle Convertible, check out the New Cars section .

Likes:

• 5-cylinder power plant
• Fun-to-drive quotient
• Modern and Retro appearance
• New front and rear fascia for 2006
• Aggressive optional 17” alloy wheels
• Location of radio and HVAC controls – very accessible from driver seat

Dislikes:

• Masculinity factor for some of our staffers – specifically with the Beetle Convertible
• A little pricey with popular options

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By Gaywheels.com Staff

The long-awaited redesign of the VW Passat has arrived on US shores and the Gaywheels.com team was able to spend a week in this newly designed sedan. The question is; was it worth the wait?

The 2006 Passat can be equipped with a 200 horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder or a 280 horsepower, 3.6-liter 6-cyinder engine. The 2.0-liter turbo is available with either a 6-speed manual or an optional 6-speed automatic with tiptronic transmission. Unfortunately the 6-cylinder is only available with the 6-speed automatic transmission.

The Passat comes in four trim levels: the 2.0T Value Edition, the 2.0T, the 3.6-liter and the 3.6-liter with 4MOTION. All trim levels come very nicely equipped with some unique features including: an umbrella holder in the driver door, the VW logo on the trunk that doubles as the trunk opener and a glovebox and center console storage with an adjustable cooling feature. Our friends at Specialty Transport delivered a gleaming 2006 Passat 2.0T for us to explore.

Our 2.0T was mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. While we generally prefer manual transmissions in our vehicles, we have a new appreciation for automatic transmissions as of late. The VW energy converter definitely falls into our “like” column. Six gears with a manual mode almost, almost, gives you the feeling that you are driving a manual without the extra workout for your left leg. There are, however, differing opinions about the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine among the Gaywheels.com staff. While we LOVED this engine in the Jetta GLI and the Audi A3 , some of us (perhaps the heavier people…I’m just saying….) felt it was a bit sluggish propelling the 3,300 lb.VW. If you want a bahn-burner (or if you happen to be a bit more, how do we say, ‘stout’), definitely opt for the 3.6L 6-cylinder engine.

Our 2.0T tester was loaded with options including: power sunroof, in-dash CD-changer, satellite radio, leather seats with front heated seats, multi-function leather steering wheel and a leather shift knob., DVD Navigation, 6-speed automatic transmission, Dynaudio ® sound system and rear side airbags which brought the $23,900 base sticker up to a whopping $31,565. That is approaching base Mercedes, BMW and Volvo territory. It is however, more roomy than any of the luxury brands in the same price category.

Driving the new Passat makes you feel like you moved up in the strata of car hierarchy. Its interior is luxurious, the ride is firm yet un-punishing and if the VW insignia wasn’t in front of you, you’d swear you were in an Audi. We like the solid feel, the layout and design of the interior with everything within arms reach. The complaints are few: we were not very impressed with the lateral support on the front seats. During hard cornering, they didn’t hold us in place like a sport seat should. Then again, it isn’t designed to be a sports car.

On the outside, VW updated the look quite nicely. The styling is modern, yet conservative with the new VW/Audi signature chrome-accented front grille. In our opinion, it is a better design exercise than what was done with the Jetta.

At the end of the day, if you are looking for a roomy, solid, good-looking, fun-to-drive sedan and don’t need a luxury brand to make yourself happy, the 2006 Passat should be on your list. It was definitely worth the wait.

Likes:

• Excellent quality – fit & finish
• Solid German feel
• Interior design and Dash layout
• Push button start system – after we got used to it
• Size – not too big, not too small
• Leather wrapped steering wheel – some of the softest leather we have felt in a long time
• 2.0 Liter turbo engine
• Dynaudio® stereo system

Dislikes:

• CD-changer in the glove box – had a very cheap tab on it.
• Front seats lack lateral support – no power front/back feature
• Can’t get luxury options with a manual transmission

Standard safety features include: front airbag system, front side airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags. Our test car came equipped with the following options:

• Package #2: power sunroof, stereo system with in-dash CD-changer & satellite radio, leather seats, leather wrapped steering wheel and gear shift knob and heated front seats – $2,825
• DVD satellite Navigation system with 6-disc CD changer in the glove box – $1,800
• 6-speed tiptronic Auto transmission – $1,075 – required to get Package #2
• Dynaudio Premium Sound system – $1,000
• Rear side airbags – $350

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By Gaywheels.com Staff

The Gaywheels.com team drove the 2006 VW Jetta GLI and came away very impressed. This is not easy to do as we are car snobs and can usually find SOMETHING not to like about any vehicle. Put it this way, our own CarDiva was trying to figure out how to buy one at the end of our time with our test car. She doesn’t open her purse very often and when she does, it usually says SALE written all over it. For her to get excited enough to think about paying full retail for a car says a LOT!

Our test vehicle was very well equipped with option package #2 – power sunroof, satellite radio, dual zone electronic climate control, leather sports seats and cold weather package. Add to that the XM Satellite radio option and the total came to $27,605. That is getting pretty close to some luxury brands and is quite a bit more than a base Jetta but again, there is a lot to love, even at this price.

The 2.0-liter turbo is a beautiful engine and in this application really shines. Matched with a fantastic 6-speed manual and sport suspension, the Jetta GLI is a true alternative to a more pricey luxury sport sedan. For label watchers, the only thing missing is a spinning propeller or three-pointed star. For those of us more interested in “bang for the buck” than impressing others, the Jetta GLI is a “must add” to the shopping list.

Many times, when buying a sport sedan, one must compromise. Whether it is passenger room or cargo capacity, there is often a trade off. The Jetta GLI doesn’t play by those rules. Our hard-to-please CarDiva discovered this during a weekend jaunt to test the car’s driving dynamics that just HAPPENED to drive by the outlets. She was amazed at how much shopping the enormous trunk swallowed. Put it this way, if your buying ain’t done until the trunks full, this car would be detrimental to your wallet!

Bottom line, this is a fun car that you can live with. It is a blast to drive, fits 4 comfortably and is easy on the eyes. It differentiates itself from the mundane Jetta with subtle splashes of red on the front grill, a signature GLI trait, along with the red brake calipers. The upgraded 17-inch alloy wheels, the extremely comfortable leather wrapped Recaro ® leather seats and thick leather wrapped steering wheel all add to the appeal. It was also recently named one of the “Top Safety Picks” for 2006 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety which should help with those insurance premiums.

Likes:

• The 2.0T engine – very fast and smooth, no noticeable turbo lag
• Handling – felt very solid and planted on the on/off ramps to the highway
• Leather steering wheel – perfect size for spirited driving
• Enormous trunk
• Styling – classy – subtle upgrades for the GLI, GLI red stripe on the front grille, red brake calipers
• 6-speed manual transmission – smooth and precise
• Stereo system – excellent sound quality and a XM OR Sirius as an option
• Overall fit and finish – a very solid car

Dislikes:

• Interior Trim – some felt sub par – ie climate control knobs, sunglass holder
• Wind buffeting – noise with only the sunroof open
• Sticker price – a little high for a Jetta – but seems worth it

Specs:

• 2.0 liter turbo 4-cylinder engine making 200 hp @ 5,500 RPM and 207 lb. feet of torque @ 1,800 – 4,700 RPM
• EPA rated 24 city/32 highway
• 6-speed Manual standard, optional 6-speed DSG automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters for an additional $1075

Price:

• Base MSRP $23,790
• As tested $27,605

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Beauty Doesn’t Come Cheap

By Kate McLeod

 Oh, crumb, VW is calling the new 2005 Jetta “all grown up.”   Don’t you just hate that?  Well, it’s not so bad.  It is bigger and better (seven inches was added to the length, one inch to the width and 2.6 inches to the wheelbase.). They want to appeal to a more mature buyer­­––that would be us?

We drove the new Jetta a few weeks ago.  Its 2.5- liter five-cylinder engine with 150 horsepower, 170 lb.-ft. of torque and a six-speed automatic with sport mode and Tiptronic create a confident connection to the car and road. That’s not a lot of horsepower but there is plenty of low-end torque in its big engine with “Go! Baby” performance.  Enthusiasts: wait for the manual.

A speedy GLI model with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder 200 horsepower turbocharged gas engine, launches this summer coupled with a five-speed manual transmission. Also due soon is a fuel-efficient (TDI) diesel 4-cylinder paired with a 6-speed manual that delivers 100 horsepower and 177 lb.-ft. of torque. Hey everyone, VW’s doing diesel!

The front-wheel-drive Jetta is the one of the best-selling European nameplate in the U.S. and it’s about 40% of Volkswagen U.S. sales. You can’t find a better interior for the money, darlin’.  Doesn’t exist.

And are we totally obsessed with detail?  Yes we are. From the cabin to 16-cubic-foot, entirely upholstered trunk, it reeks of class––understated, elegant class. With 60/40-split fold-down rear seats and you can haul some serious accoutrements. Interior details include a three-spoke steering wheel, wood, and metal accents around the gauges, on door handles, and on the parking brake and shifter.  The handsome three-spoke steering wheel and a thoughtfully laid out dash and instrumentation complete an interior that could be called “maison”.

VW’s signature red and blue lighting in the cabin makes you wish for the nighttime. There are lumbar support front seats and 35.4 inches of leg room like the Corolla. The dials, buttons and switches are Audi-like­­––no-nonsense.  Mercifully, you can operate the radio without going to advanced electronics school.

The Jetta is a good driver, holding the road in a devoted way that pays tribute to its new multi-link rear suspension and much stiffer body shell. An electro-mechanical steering system makes it a dream to handle. Traction control and ABS are standard. Electronic stability control system is standard except on the value model, where it costs $289.  Passive safety includes front and side airbags for front seat passenger and driver as well as side curtain airbags for both front and rear seats.  The new Jetta is based the Golf V platform and uses advanced energy absorbing crumple zone technology.

The base price for the 2.5-liter engine and a five-speed manual transmission starts at $18,515; for a six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic, $19,590. Options like power seats, leather and an upgraded audio system push the sticker $27,000.  My fully loaded Jetta with no navigation system was almost $28,000––time to start looking at a Passat.  It’s pricey for a 5-cylinder. Prices in this category range between $14,000 and $20,000 but base price is never the real story and beauty doesn’t come cheap.  EPA fuel economy is rated at 22 city/30 highway.

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