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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