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VW Group Design Boss Says “Flamboyant” is so Last Year, “Simple and Clean” is the Way to Go

Walter de Silva is a man who knows a thing or two about styling; after all, he is in the business for the last 40 years.

The Italian designer has worked at the I.DE.A institute under award-winning architect Renzo Piano, who designed the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and the New York Times Building. In the automotive field, he has some pretty impressive designs in his long resume such as the Alfa Romeo 156, the Seat Tango concept, the Audi A5 and the VW Scirocco.

De Silva, who joined Audi in 2002 to become VW Group’s head of design overseeing all brands from Skoda to Bugatti in 2007, believes that the “overdesign” school, which began with BMW's Chris Bangle and his "flame surfacing" that has since been adopted by many automakers, is becoming obsolete.

Common perception has it that all Porsches are manufactured in Germany. Yet the first- and second-generation of the Boxster roadster were assembled in Finland by Valmet, as was the Boxster-based Cayman coupe.

In 2011, Porsche terminated this deal and transferred production to Germany. Initially, the Boxster was manufactured at the carmaker’s main plant in Zuffenhausen alongside the 911.

At the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March, Volkswagen's commercial vehicle division previewed a concept model of the Amarok named Canyon Edition, styled and configured for customers who enjoy outdoor sports and activities.

Volkswagen has now decided to offer a production version of the Amarok Canyon that was introduced at this week's IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover, Germany.

Volkswagen has applied its "Cross" theme and name to the passenger version of the Caddy that joins the Polo, Golf and Touran models of the same series.

The Cross Caddy is based on the Caddy Edition 30 (introduced last year) adding the usual bits and pieces for a more robust crossover look. That said, you won't be surprised to learn that the Cross Caddy is more of an exercise in style over substance than anything else.

The individualization of VW's people carrier starts with a protective armor that encompasses plastic moldings for the lower parts of the front and rear bumpers, the wheel arches and the side sills.

The ever-expanding lineup of the Volkswagen Beetle gains two more engine derivatives in Britain.

This time, the German carmaker has added a 1.2-litre TSI petrol delivering 104HP / 105 PS connected to a six-speed manual gearbox (joining the DSG version of the same powerplant) and the 1.6-litre TDI diesel 104HP / 105 PS with BlueMotion Technology, which is offered with either a five-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmissions.

The onslaught of MQB-based models has just begun for the Volkswagen Group that has already introduced the new Audi A3, Seat Leon and VW Golf Mk7, all of which share the same modular platform and a brand-new family of diesel and gasoline engines.

One of the first variants of the 2013 Golf family will be the next Touran minivan that was spied in test mule guise while running around the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Luc Donckerwolke, the man responsible for the styling of many Lamborghini models of recent times such as the Gallardo and Murcielago as well as plenty of Seat vehicles including the IBE and Tribu studies, has been named new Director of Design at Bentley replacing Dirk van Braeckel who moves to Volkswagen Group design directed by Walter de Silva.

The 47-year old designer from Belgium joins Bentley from his role as Head of Advanced Design for Volkswagen Group where he was appointed just last year.

New Beetle customers in Europe now have the option to fit their cars with two R-Line packages that are based on the top “Sport” version, including one for the outside and the other for the interior of the retro-flavored hatch.

With the exception of the wider wheels, both R-Line kits bring purely cosmetic upgrades. The exterior package available as a standalone item that can be combined with any of the twelve available Beetle colors, while the interior package is offered only as an extension of the R-Line exterior details.

The regular versions of the brand-new Volkswagen Golf Mk7 are fine and dandy, but what we really want to see is the performance editions and more specifically, the GTI and of course, the R-branded models of the series.

Just a couple of weeks ago, our spies nabbed a prototype of the next Golf R, but it was armed up to the teeth in camouflage – which was logical since Volkswagen had yet to uncover the Mk7.

Now that it did, however, VW engineers made away with the swirly wraps giving us an unobtrusive view of the prototype Golf R.

One of the most important models that will debut at the upcoming Paris Auto Show is the seventh-generation VW Golf, which was unveiled in Berlin last Tuesday, September 4.

Even though the brand-new Golf’s basic version posts an official average fuel consumption of 4.9 lt/100 km (48 mpg US), Greenpeace staged a protest outside the New National Gallery, where the event was taking place.

Volkswagen is sure not wasting any time at all getting the word around about the 2013 Golf Mk7.

After the Berlin presentation on Tuesday, September 4, and the lightning reveal of an online configurator in Germany, VW has now launched an international advertising campaign for the seventh generation Golf.

If there is one car that can be compared to the Porsche 911 for using the same recipe for close to four decades, it is the Volkswagen Golf.

In a way, this is ironic since the 911 was derided by its detractors as a “posh Beetle” while recently, the VW Group, which has a long history with Porsche, acquired the Stuttgart sports car maker.

One could not imagine two cars more different than each other as one is a 2+2 sports car with rear- or all-wheel drive and flat-six engines hung out behind the rear axle, while the other is a mass-market compact hatchback with the engine up front driving the front- or all four-wheels.

Nevertheless, despite the changes that come with each generation, the two models have one thing in common: they have adopted the path of careful evolution, not revolution, defining their respective segments and being the default buyers’ choice and the standard against which all newcomers are measured.

We knew that it was only a matter of time before Volkswagen would launch an online configurator for the all-new 2013 Golf Mk7 on its German website after the introduction of the car in Berlin on Tuesday, but what we weren't expecting to see were the first images (CGIs, to be precise) of the three-door variant.

Leaving aside the absence of the rear- and the longer front-doors, there aren't any other cosmetic changes to the body of the three-door hatchback, which is something that we anticipated since VW is covering the sportier compact segment with the Scirocco.

Today is the day of the presentation of the all-important, seventh generation of the Volkswagen Golf hatchback that comes into light 36 years and more than 29 million sales after the original model shaped the modern compact segment.

While we have already shared the first photos of the new 2013 Golf five-door hatchback, which will probably be sold as a 2014 model in North America, Volkswagen has released new images and more details on the car following the presentation at a special event in Berlin, Germany, earlier today.

You can judge for yourself by looking at the exterior pictures of the Golf, but we'll just tell you that the new version builds on the appearance of the sixth-generation model with sharper lines and some new details like the small corner window on the front doors.

Walter de Silva, Head of Design for Volkswagen AG, commented on the new Golf's styling: "One of the keys to the Golf’s success lies in its continuity. There are a handful of cars with a design that, like the Golf’s, has been refined, tweaked and enhanced down the decades and thus become timeless."

It's been a long and frustrating journey for those of us following the developments on the seventh generation of the Volkswagen Golf these past few months, but finally, we have the first official images of the new compact hatchback that was revealed today in Berlin ahead of its public debut at next month's Paris Motor Show.

As anticipated, the exterior styling of the Mk7 is an evolution of the familiar Golf shape with the characteristic thick C-Pillars that has been around for decades with some new touches such as the small corner window on the front doors and the sharp line of the rear doors.

The new Golf also gets newly designed headlamps and tail lights that will incorporate LED fixtures (at least on some versions).

The interior styling of the car will also look familiar to owners of the current, sixth generation of the Golf, with the only really notable change being the center console that is angled towards the driver, much like what we see on BMW models.

What really separates the Mk7 from its predecessor is what you can’t see and in particular, the new MQB platform shared with other models in the VW Group such as the new 2013 Audi A3 and Seat Leon.

Losing control of your car and smashing either into a wall or another vehicle while doing a quarter mile run on the track at full speed is fathomable, but having an accident in reverse during a warm up sprint is not…

Two drivers in hot hatchbacks were getting ready to race each other at a drag strip in the German town of Bautzen in eastern Saxon.

Before starting the race, the motorists revved up their engines and made a short dash to get their vehicle tires warmed up.

Being one of the most popular models in the world, it's only natural that the next generation of the Volkswagen Golf has captured the attention of readers/consumers and the motoring press.

Volkswagen itself has not yet officially shown the Golf Mk7, but the automaker has confirmed that the global reveal will take place on September 4 at the Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery) of modern art in Berlin, Germany, before we have the opportunity to see the car in detail at the Paris Motor Show on September 27.

With only a few days left for the unveiling of the Golf Mk7, the online motoring world is scrambling to break the news and, let's be honest, to win readers – truth, integrity and ethics be damned in some (select) cases, proving that some people are practicing the wrong line of work in others...

China, apart from being the world’s number one automotive market, is also the largest market for the Volkswagen Group, which sold 2.26 million units last year, and has recorded a 17.1 percent increase in deliveries during the first seven months of 2012. Read more »

Scoop: Volkswagen's Super-Efficient XL1 Diesel-Electric Hybrid Getting Ready for Production

Volkswagen is moving ahead with the development of the production version of the XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle (SEV) diesel-electric hybrid concept, which we first laid eyes on at the 2011 Qatar Motor Show

Set to be one of the most radical production cars ever to wear the Volkswagen badge, the XL1 was confirmed for launch late last year by VW Group CEO Martin Winterkorn. "We will start small series production by 2013 – in Germany," he told reporters.

Our spies captured two prototypes of the XL1 on separate occasions while testing in Spain. The only difference between them was that one vehicle was fitted with exterior mirrors and had an unpainted body.

The styling of both the exterior and interior has remained true to the concept, including the 'Gullwing' style doors – though, both prototypes were missing the rear wheel cover and were fitted with different rims for testing purposes.

It's a scene that repeats itself on an everyday basis, all around the world, especially in crowded cities: a driver bumping and/or pushing other vehicles with his or her car while trying to wiggle out of a tight parking space.

In this video, which may have been filmed somewhere in France (judging by the license plates), a man in an older generation Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet has found himself in a tight parking squeeze between a BMW X3 and a Ferrari F430.

car to ride

VW Group Design Boss Says “Flamboyant” is so Last Year, “Simple and Clean” is the Way to Go

Volkswagen Plant Begins Partial Production of Porsche Boxster

Volkswagen Introduces Production Version of Amarok Canyon Edition at IAA

Volkswagen Introduces New and More Tougher Looking Cross Caddy

Volkswagen Adds Two New Entry Level Powertrains to Beetle Range in the UK

Spy Shots: 2014 Volkswagen Touran MPV Test Mule Wears New Model's Fascia

Luc Donckerwolke Takes Over Bentley's Design Division

Volkswagen Sports Up the New Beetle with R-Line Packages

Spied: New 2014 Volkswagen Golf R Sheds All of its Camouflage

Greenpeace Attacks the New VW Golf Once Again, Stages Protest During Official Launch

Volkswagen Launches 2013 Golf Campaign, Plus New Videos from Presentation

Volkswagen and the Seven Golfs: A Brief History of a 38-Year Old Icon

First Photos of Three-Door 2013 Volkswagen Golf, Configurator Goes Online

2013 Volkswagen Golf: The Complete Story with Official Details, Photos and Videos [Updated]

All-New 2013 Volkswagen Golf Mk7: This is Really It, First Official Photos

Crashing Into Another Car in Reverse During a Drag Race is a Huge Fail….

2013 VW Golf MK7: The Don't Believe Everything You See and Read Edition

Volkswagen Group Sets Founding Stone to New Transmission Plant in China

Scoop: Volkswagen's Super-Efficient XL1 Diesel-Electric Hybrid Getting Ready for Production

VW Golf Cabriolet Driver Gives Ferrari F430 a Bump for its Money