2008 Volkswagen Changeover Points

GTi Autobahn makes it sound even sexier, hahaha!
the rabbit really needed that more powerful engine.

So when will VW have
(i.) reversing cameras
(ii.) dvd navigation and real time traffic reports
(iii.) high quality stereos with iPod adaptors, Sat and HD radio
(iv.) aggressive styling
(v.) better fuel economy - see especially the VW New Beetle
(vi.) products that can compete with other imports on criteria other than price
Please advise

Huh? what planet are you from.
VW doesn't compete on price.
It is generally the most expensive in a segment (look at compact cars, for example).
But what you get is more car: safer, longer lasting.
More air-bags, standard ABS on the 4-wheel discs (where many Japanese cars don't even offer 4-wheel discs, VW even has them on their vans!)
The vehicles weigh more, but still compete in performance (especially handling on "real-world" roads) because of better engineering and suspensions.
A Golf is much more money than a Civic. But if you get t-boned in the Golf you have a chance of surviving!
(and the Civic is 10x better than a Cavalier/Cobalt ... what a POS those are!)

So do you drive a VW? Probabl NOT.

*probably

**then again..yeah you probably do.

Hey Sport your puny VW engines are not available in the US, the VW line-up in the US has poor fuel economy relative to the competition. I wasn't knocking VW on safety but on design, their designs are safe, evolutionary and already much copied in the car world - they need more aggressive, interesting and/or challenging designs if they want more sales in the US.

OK ... I can agree with that.
I think their biggest challenge in the US is that they under-estimate the car-related ignorance of most of the US public (who want an appliance on wheels), and they under-estimate the ability of the public to get sucked in by total BS (like the SUV ads showing everyone at the top of a mountain ... not a traffic jam in sight!)

VW is tops in markets where people are car-crazy: latin america for example.

Sport appears to rely on statistics and awards that are somehow paid for by the manufacturer. I have to agree with him on the goodness of the twincharger however but I want something bigger than a 1.4 litre engine. MercBasher should be aware that VW pricing is not exactly low. There are many equivalent vehicles available at lower price from Asian manufacturers.

VW doesn't compare well in fuel economy to their competitiion???

I've got a 2006 Jetta TDI that is getting realworld, 44 mpg. I've gotten 48 on the hwy and this is running 20% biodiesel. Bring on the Honda Civic (even the hybrid) and I'll take it on in fuel economy, and I'll run 20% renewable fuel. And the '08 is supposed to get around 7 mpg better than the '06.

Don't tell me VW's don't compare well in fuel economy, unless you want to compare that--designed for North America--2.5 gass guzzler. Hopefully, most Americans will opt for the diesel or the fuel-staight injection engines that do compare well to any powertrains from their competition.