Driving Sports

Pombo Takes First VW TDI Cup - Series Sponsors Announced

Rising star Mark Pombo won the first Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup race on Sunday at VIRginia International Raceway.  With a best lap time of 2:15.686, Pombo, 25, from Duluth, GA., raced against 28 other up-and-coming drivers to secure his win in the race.

“Winning the first race of the Jetta TDI Cup is definitely a highlight of my racing career so far,” said Pombo.  “It’s a competitive field of racers, with each of the drivers at the top of their game.  I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this win without the support of the Volkswagen cup series team and Cates Engineering.”

Western Automotive Journalists Gather For "Media Days" At Laguna Seca

The Western Automotive Journalists organization gathered this week in beautiful Monterey, Calif. to test drive the 2008 sports and luxury car field from virtually every automaker doing business in North America. Journalists from up and down the west coast arrived to test the full fleet of 2008 cars on the winding mountain roads of Carmel Valley and at speed on the track at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Yes, that's the new Nissan GT-R parked next to the NISMO Edition 350Z in the photo to the right. Yes, they're as good as you think they are.

Events such as this serve a number of purposes, including a rare chance for side-by-side tests of comparable cars from different automakers, and also to allow a relaxed atmosphere to talk shop with the manufacturer representatives. But I wouldn't lie to you and tell you it was anything like working - this event is big-time fun.

VW Announces TDI Cup Drivers

Thirty up-and-coming drivers to launch new environmentally responsible race series

Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today the selection of 30 drivers to compete in the all-new Jetta TDI Cup series. The drivers were chosen at a driver selection event April 3-6 at the Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, Ariz.

“We’re offering a unique opportunity for some of the best and brightest drivers to get their start in a factory-backed racing series,” said Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “Through an exhausting driver evaluation process, we looked at a variety of factors including driving ability and potential, media and communication skills and overall fit, to choose the 30 best drivers to help promote Volkswagen and the introduction of our all-new 50-state clean diesel Jetta TDI, and ultimately themselves.”

VW Sponsors 2008 Summer Olympic Games

Looks like Volkswagen has stepped up to the plate to be a sponsor of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Our sister-site Volksfahren has the news, straight from VW:

More than 10,000 athletes from more than 200 countries will be competing in the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing from 8-24 August, 2008. Athletes will be competing for gold, silver and bronze in 28 disciplines. Volkswagen is supporting the Organisation Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (BOCOG) as national main sponsor.

As exclusive automobile partner, the Volkswagen Group will be providing the Organisation Committee with a fleet of about 6,000 vehicles. It consists of 4,350 Volkswagens, 650 Skodas and 1,000 Audi-brand cars.

[Volksfahren]

VW Introduces New Jetta Wolfsburg Edition

Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced the Wolfsburg Edition Jetta 2.0T. Volkswagen will produce approximately 12,500 of these special edition models. This new version Jetta 2.0T follows last year's highly successful Wolfsburg Edition Jetta 2.5 L.

      

Staying true to the Wolfsburg Edition heritage, the Wolfsburg Jetta 2.0T will offer customers a value priced version of the sporty and spacious Jetta sedan, equipped with the highly acclaimed four-cylinder turbo-charged engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 ft-lbs. of torque. Each special edition Jetta 2.0T includes unique "Wolfsburg Edition" badging on both front quarter panels. The Wolfsburg Edition Jetta 2.0T features 17-inch alloy wheels, leatherette seats, and is available in the following color schemes; Reflex Silver, Black, Salsa Red, and Platinum Gray.

VW Jetta TDI Cup Dates Announced

Volkswagen of America and SCCA Pro Racing have announced the eight dates comprising the 2008 schedule of the new Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup race series.

Making its debut on American shores this summer, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series is an innovative approach to motorsports. The Jetta TDI Cup is composed of 30 factory-prepared and managed 2008 clean-diesel Jetta TDIs, piloted by talented drivers aged 16 to 26, who are relative unknowns in the industry. Volkswagen's goal is to find the driver with the most talent and help them break into the world of professional motorsports.

VW Touts Two-Pedal DSG Success with New 7-Speed

Five years ago Volkswagen presented the first production dual-clutch transmission in the world: the 6-speed DSG. Since then over one million 6-speed DSGs have been sold. In just the first eleven months of last year 364,000 were sold. This is now being followed up by another transmission: the world’s first 7-speed DSG to be produced in high-volume. For many car drivers this could signify the best reason yet to turn away from conventional transmissions. VW Claims the new DSG can do everything better than a manual gearbox. It is more fuel efficient, sporty and comfortable.

No VW Scirocco for the USA

Car and Driver is reporting that in a recent interview with President and CEO of VWoA, Stefan Jacoby, that the USA will not be getting the new Scirocco after all. Here is a clip from the posting.

The decision has been made: no Volkswagen Scirocco for North America. Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO of Volkswagen of America, revealed the decision to Car and Driver in an interview at the L.A. auto show.

The four-passenger coupe will go on sale in Europe in mid-2008. But the U.S. already has the GTI and the R32, which are enough halo vehicles for what is a niche segment, Jacoby says.

“We need to focus on our core products,” he says, namely, the Rabbit, the Jetta, the Passat, and the launch of the Tiguan compact SUV. “The [2009 Scirocco] is lovely, but we can’t have everything.”