Golf turns 40! NYIAS Celebrates With Releases and Debuts

Happy birthday to the most successful European car of all time! With more than 30 million Golf models having been sold worldwide, the Golf turns 40 this year. First introduced as the Rabbit, the Golf/Rabbit sold over 100,000 units in its first full year in the US in 1975. The Rabbit continued its success, steadily increasing sales over the next few years and moving production to Westmoreland, Pennsylvania in 1979. The Jetta would soon take over as the most popular Volkswagen model in the U.S., but the Golf would still be a key player, becoming the most popular Volkswagen in the world. Proof that even the small have a mighty roar. 

Hot Hatch is Back

The release of the GTI in Europe in 1976 coined the term "hot hatch", carving the way for vehicles like the Subaru WRX, Ford Focus ST, and Mazda 3. These turbo nuggets have come a long way from its 90 horsepower (1.8L I-4) days. The mk7's that will be on sale this upcoming June, will have the new EA888 TSI engine, gaining 10 hp, and 51 lb-ft of torque. 

The new GTI is bigger, yet about 220 lbs lighter, so faster, and more fuel efficient. New standard features for the GTI include driving mode selection feature, VW Car-Net, touchscreen radio, leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, ambient and footwell lighting with LED reading lights, and LED fog lights. A six-speed manual transmission will be standard, with a six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic as an $1100 option. Both two and four-door models will be available, except for the Autobahn trim level, which will only come as a four-door model. 

A Performance Package will be made available later in the year, which will include the torque-sensing electronically-controlled limited-slip differential, larger brakes, and a 10 horsepower increase over the standard GTI for $1495. This Performance Package could give a stock mk6 Golf R a run for its money. To top it off, the new mk7 GTI was also named by WardsAuto editors as one of "2014 Ward's 10 Best Interiors". Fun and sheek? Say no more. The new GTI will start at $24,395, only a $195 increase from the previous generation. Considering this faster whip has grown and shown up with more bells and whistles, I'd say this new price point is a steal. 

Have Our Prayers Been Answered?

What is the holy grail for VW lovers? A manual, AWD, diesel, wagon. When was the last time one was available? Don't make me cry. For years, VW enthusiasts have cried out to the German automotive gods to please give us our dream wagon. Well, our pleading and patience may have paid off. At the 2014 New York International Auto Show, the Golf SportWagen Concept was unveiled. 

What makes this SportWagen special? 4MOTION. The TDI concept comes equipped with AWD, and is promised to go on sale early 2015, replacing the current Jetta SportWagen. Just like its Golf and GTI siblings, the SportWagen will be on the new MQB (modular transverse matrix) platform, increasing in size, room, and fuel efficiency by 17% than the previous generation. The new 1.8L TSI engine and new EA288 2.0L 150 hp TDI engine will be offered with a choice of a six-speed manual or DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission. 

Just like the mk7 Golf, the new SportWagen will offer new features like 12-way power driver's seat, Bi-Xenon headlights with LED DRLs and Advanced Front-lighting System, and Park Distance Control. The SportWagen will also feature a standard new driver assistance system called Automatic Post-Collision Braking System. The system engages the vehicle's brakes after an airbag deployed collision automatically to reduce secondary collisions and halt the vehicle. The driver can override the system at any time if the system recognizes that the driver is accelerating or the driver initiates braking at a higher rate than 0.6g. The SportWagen will be 1.1 inches longer, and 0.7 inches wider than its current predecessor, increasing rear leg room and cargo space, which will hopefully appease those disappointed with the death of the PassatWagen in the States. 

I cannot guarantee that this SportWagen 4MOTION manual TDI Concept that is being shown at NYIAS will in fact manifest in 2015, but hopefully this teaser will come true. We may have to wait a little longer to confirm that our dreams are becoming reality, but at least now the hope is real.

Share your thoughts with us @stohlmanauto. Until next time!

Esther Cho
VW Product Specialist
@esther_ch5

Every Day Is A Top Down Day - VW Eos and Beetle Convertible

The weather has finally broke in Northern Virginia. This means busting out the kayaks, firing up those grilles, and dropping the top on those convertibles! If you're looking for an affordable but fun German drop top to be the perfect daily driver this Spring, there’s two great options available right now on the Stohlman VW lot.

An All Season Round Convertible?

I grew up in a very magical land, where our professional sports teams haven’t won a championship since 1964 and it snows more than it shines. While growing up in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio, convertible tops opened on average a couple months out of the year, so sacrificing my sunroof to get a few good convertible days here and there was just not an option for me. Cue the VW Eos. The Eos was debuted in North America at the Los Angeles International Auto Show in 2006, and went on sale shortly afterward. The name comes from Greek mythology - Eos, the goddess of the dawn. Besides its beautiful and unique exterior, what makes the Eos special is its roof. The hardtop roof incorporates a five piece folding system, and get this…… a sliding glass sunroof. Boom. It’s the only convertible in it’s class with this fantastic feature, which in my opinion makes it the only hardtop convertible looking at. Besides this amazing roof, the Eos sports a 2.0L Turbo charged engine, same engine you’d find in a 2014 GTI. It is a little slower than a GTI since it’s around 300 lbs heavier, but that extra weight when the top is down gives the vehicle great overall balance, making the Eos extremely fun on windy roads like Skyline Drive. MSRP starts around $36k, and it is not equipped like a normal base model either. The Komfort (base trim) model is equipped with things like 17” Michigan alloy wheels, the RNS 315 touchscreen navigation system, Car-Net, Bluetooth with audio streaming, Climatronic dual-zone electronic climate control with pollen filter, and Halogen reflector lens fog lights with low-speed corner-illuminating feature. Pretty loaded for a base model, wouldn’t you say?

An Icon With a Twist

In love with the Beetle? Want a convertible? Who said you can’t have it all? The Beetle Convertible was released in the winter of 2012. Releasing a convertible in the winter? Isn’t that a little weird? Not when you have a commercial to tie in with the release like this.

The Beetle Convertible maintains the curvature of a Beetle coupe, but sports a gorgeous Black or Beige soft top. Just like its coupe counterpart, the Beetle Convertible has 3 engine options, including the new 1.8L Turbo charged engine and our 2.0L Turbo charged Clean Diesel engine. (Yes, the Beetle Convertible TDI is part of the great TDI Event incentives being offered till April 30th.) As if the Beetle Convertible wasn’t unique already, when you get an R-Line with Sound & Nav, you get extra interior options with specific exterior colors like Blue/Black or Red/Black dual colored leather seating surfaces. Do you like your beats down low and your top let back (Rapper T.I. reference)? Then with the Sound and Nav trim, you can achieve this with our Fender Premium Audio System. This system creates a concert like experience for you, and is equipped with a Fender subwoofer to give you that bass. The Beetle Convertible offers fun, uniqueness, and practicality into one cool Bug, and with a starting MSRP just above $25k, what's not to love? 

Don’t spend another season just settling with a sunroof. Head into Stohlman this weekend and test drive that Eos or Beetle Convertible you’ve always wanted, and start chasing the sun. Tweet us @stohlmanauto. Until next time!

Esther Cho

VW Product Specialist

@esther_ch5

The TDI Clean Diesel Event.... Has Been Extended!

Great news! Our first ever TDI Clean Diesel Event has been extended till April 30th!

What is the TDI Clean Diesel Event? In case you haven’t caught any VW ads recently, they’re all about our first ever TDI event’s awesome incentives. With the purchase or lease of any new 2013 or 2014 VW TDI model, customers can receive a $1000* Fuel Reward Card plus 0.9% APR** for 60 months. And for those traditional gasoline lovers, 0% APR* for 72 months for the Jetta and Passat, plus a $500 VCI Contract Bonus** for the Jetta, and a $750 VCI Contract Bonus** for the Passat. If these great incentives aren’t enough for you to pull the trigger, take a moment to explore some reasons on why people don’t become just drivers, but Volkswagen lovers.

German Engineering

We hear it all the time… How superior German made automobiles are. But what does that even mean? Does it mean that our vehicles are literally crafted by the hands of gods? That might be a stretch, but what isn’t far fetched is the performance that is commonly associated with the phrase “German Engineering”. The Germans may sacrifice things like number of cup holders, but they won’t sacrifice on how the vehicle will perform. Volkswagen is a German brand, with vehicles that are built to be driven on the Autobahn. In specific areas during clear weather conditions, the Autobahn literally can have no speed limit. So if you’re wondering if you can pass someone on the highway, or quickly get off the on ramp on 495 in a Volkswagen…… You definitely can. 

German Engineering… Continued.

(@spinnawitz's 2011 Audi S4, Veronica)

Speed isn’t the only thing Volkswagen has to offer in terms of your driving experience. The Volkswagen brand has some of the best performance vehicles under one portfolio. The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport still holds the Guinness World Record for being the fastest road legal production car. Even former Professional Driver and now Director of Driver Management at Spire Sports + Entertainment, Joey Dennewitz exclusively drives vehicles in the Volkswagen family. His current daily driver is a gorgeous Audi S4, his 4th from the Volkswagen Group. What keeps Joey from straying to others? Simple. He expresses, “it straddles the line of performance versus luxury better than any of the others.. Has the right elements of performance without sacrificing the comfort of a daily driver.” The handling “makes any driver feel like a hero.” Isn’t that all we want in life? To have some resemblance of Ricky Bobby? Well for those of us who aren’t blessed with Will Ferrall’s fictitious character’s driving skills, a Volkswagen could very well be the most reasonably priced compromise to enabling that dream.

Do You Think I’m Pretty?

(@alexandriaschub's 2010 VW CC R-Line, C-Bisquit)

Did you know that curb appeal isn’t just a factor for new car sales, but for used as well? Volkswagens tend to hold their value very well, and it’s not just because of what they’ve got going on underneath the hood. Volkswagens maintain their identity, even through redesigns, and stay esthetically pleasing over time. The designs are never too bold or too trendy, so that even after 20 years, our vehicles still look good. Clean and classic designs that are ageless is just another reason why our Passat was ranked Most Appealing Midsize Car by J.D. Power in their Power 2013 Apeal Study. I must agree, the Passat is quite appealing, and definitely very pretty. 

Every Time A VW Hits 100,000 miles, a German Engineer Gets Their Wings

In my previous post, the last ad that was featured was our Super Bowl ad from this past year. It stated that every time a VW hits 100k on the odometer, a German Engineer gets their wings. I wish I could say I’ve seen the wings, but I’ve only been to our American facilities, and I’m assuming the international based engineers must be getting priority for receiving their wings as of right now. But nevertheless, it still doesn’t change the facts. Volkswagen has the most vehicles out on the road with over 100,000 miles on the odometer. That includes TDI’s, 2.5’s, even Mark Zuckerburg has a GTI. (Read this last sentence out loud, it rhymes.. Kind of.) The truth is in the masses, which are out on the road. And we’re not shy at all about it.

Are we closer to getting into that new Volkswagen? Then head out to Stohlman VW in Tyson’s by April 30th to test drive and take advantage of this once in a Jetta’s lifetime event. Until next time, tweet us @stohlmanauto!

Esther Cho

VW Product Specialist

@esther_ch5

*Fuel reward card offer good on purchase or lease of new, unused 2013 and 2014 TDI® Clean Diesel models. This Prepaid MasterCard® fuel reward card is issued by The Bancorp Bank pursuant to license by MasterCard International Incorporated. MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. The Bancorp Bank; Member FDIC. This Prepaid MasterCard® fuel reward card may be used everywhere Debit MasterCard is accepted. Cannot be redeemed for cash. **APR offer good on new, unused 2013 and 2014 TDI® Clean Diesel models purchased through 4/30/2014. Example: At 0.9% APR, cost of financing for 60 months is $17.05 a month for every $1,000 financed. Available through Volkswagen Credit on approved credit. Down payment may be required. Offers end 4/30/2014. Offers valid in US only. See dealer for details or, for vehicle information, contact 1-800-DriveVW. ©2014 Volkswagen of America, Inc.

*APR offer good on new 2014 Volkswagen Jetta models. Excludes TDI® Clean Diesel models. Example: For 0.0% APR, monthly payment for every $1,000 you finance for 72 months is $13.89. APR offered to highly qualified customers on approved credit by Volkswagen Credit through participating dealers. No down payment required with approved credit. Not all customers will qualify for lowest rate. APR offer ends April 30, 2014. **Volkswagen Credit will give you a $500 Contract Bonus when you purchase a new, unused 2014 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan through participating dealers and finance the purchase through Volkswagen Credit from April 1, 2014 to April 30, 2014. Offer available for retail customers only. Subject to credit approval. Bonus paid towards MSRP and is not available for cash. See your local Volkswagen dealer for financing details or, for general product information, call 1-800-Drive-VW. ©2014 Volkswagen of America, Inc.

*APR offer good on new 2014 Volkswagen Passat models. Excludes TDI® Clean Diesel models. Example: For 0% APR, monthly payment for every $1,000 you finance for 72 months is $13.89. APR offered to highly qualified customers on approved credit by Volkswagen Credit through participating dealers. No down payment required with approved credit. Not all customers will qualify for lowest rate. APR offer ends April 30, 2014. **Volkswagen Credit will give you a $750 Contract Bonus when you purchase a new, unused 2014 Volkswagen Passat through participating dealers and finance the purchase through Volkswagen Credit from April 1, 2014 to April 30, 2014. Offer available for retail customers only. Subject to credit approval. Bonus paid towards MSRP and is not available for cash. See your local Volkswagen dealer for financing details or, for general product information, call 1-800-Drive-VW.©2014 Volkswagen of America, Inc.