Volkswagen has announced sweeping changes to their suite of tech-driven safety features for the 2016 model year, making a vast array of options available on almost every model within its range.
The features, which are currently only available on the Touareg, will trickle down to a number of other models including the Beetle, CC, Jetta, Passat and Golf in all its flavors.
The first female senior executive to ever hold a managing officer role with Toyota has resigned.
The uncharged Julie Hamp remains in custody in Japan after being accused of attempting to import Oxycodone from the United States. Japanese prosecutors have 20 days to charge Hamp. That window expires on July 8.
Toyota issued a statement today:
On June 30, 2015, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) received notification from Ms. Julie Hamp of her intent to resign her position of Managing Officer. TMC has accepted her resignation after considering the concerns and inconvenience that recent events have caused our stakeholders.
Senior Managing Officer Shigeru Hayakawa will act as Hamp’s interim replacement.
Let’s start with the good news: It’s still possible to purchase a German-made Volkswagen sedan with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a manual transmission. Your humble author did just that back in February of 1998, taking delivery of a 1998 Passat 1.8t and thoroughly enjoying the sleek sedan while it was in my possession. The current Passat is aimed at a different market, and quite successfully so; it’s the “CC” four-door koo-pay that is meant to carry the torch for all the old B5 Passat fans.
Which makes sense, because this is fundamentally an old Passat. An eight-year-old Passat. And that, as you might expect, is a bit of a problem.
Two years ago, I caused VWVortex members to spit bits of Pocky all over their mothers’ basement walls when I declared the Jetta GLI the winner in a four-way comparison test of Volkswagens equipped with the enthusiast-oriented 2.0T engine. The idea of comparing Volkswagens to each other seemed a bit odd at the time, but take it from a guy who’s owned a 1990 Fox, a 1998 Passat, a 2000 Golf GLS 1.8T, two Phaetons, and an ’82 Quantum Coupe: if you’re a true believer, you don’t even bother to look at what the other guys have for sale. In the land of Volkswagen nutjobs, “cross-shopping” means “pretending you’re considering the lease of an Audi A4”.
I can’t believe every automaker and their dog needs an entry-level luxury car, but some folks pull it off better than others. Case in point, this VW CC versus a Hyundai Azera or the (current) Lincoln MKZ. Which makes me wonder what designers say in the studio when trying to make such an upscale motor from a rather dowdy platform mate in the corporate stable.
I suspect a fair bit of cursing, especially for the poor souls tasked with the aforementioned Lincoln. And while badge engineering is a vital (yet terrifying) part of the game, me thinks the designers at VW had more leverage, more money and way more fun making this ride. Because the roof proves it. (Read More…)
With the Passat moving from a poor-selling but Euro-premium sedan to a cheaper, more mass-market design, it was inevitable that the Passat CC “four door coupe” version would change as well. Unfortunately, in order to make it more similar to the new “Das Impala”-style Passat, VW had to really tone down the design. So much so, that you almost have to wonder who is going to buy this car on style alone… which is the whole point of having a “four door coupe” version of a sedan. But hey, at least it won’t be outselling the Passat anymore, as it has for much of the last several years. Mission accomplished?
Alfa Romeo 
Allard
1954 Allard K2 (outtake)
American Motors (incl. Nash; but not Jeep) 
*1961 Rambler Classic Cross Country
1964 Rambler Classic 770 Coupe
1971 AMC Gremlin (1971 Small Car Comparison)
British Motors/BLM/Austin/Morris/Triumph/Rover/Sterling/Etc.
1987 Sterling 825 SL (Rover 825i)
BMW 
1972 BMW 2002Tii – The Second Most Influential Modern Car In America
Buick
1956 Buick Century Riviera Hardtop 
1967 Buick Electra 225: The Jayne Mansfield Of Convertibles
1986 Buick Riviera: GM’s Deadly Sin #1
1990 Buick Roadmaster Woody Wagon (Outtake)
Cadillac
1950 Cadillac Vintage Hot Rod Series 61 Coupe 
(the official CC Logo-mobile)
1954 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan: GM’s Greatest Hit #2
1962 Cadillac Series 62 Six-Window Sedan
1966 Cadillac Coupe DeVille (Outtake)
1971 Cadillac Coupe DeVille (the first CC)
1977 Seville – GM’s Deadly Sin #11
1978 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Classic Coupe
Checker
1967 Checker Marathon (also Checker Motors History)
Chevrolet 
1962 Corvette – The Marilyn Monroe Of Cars [NSFW]
1965 Corvair Monza: The Best European Car Ever Made In America
1967 Chevrolet El Camino (Outtake)
1968 Chevrolet Impala Coupe (with Olds 455 engine)
1970 Camaro RS: GM’s Greatest Hits #1
1970 Chevrolet Impala: The Best Big Car Of Its Time
1971 Chevrolet Vega: GM’s Deadly Sin #2 (1971 Small Car Virtual Comparison)
1976 Chevrolet Malibu Classic: GM’s Deadly Sin #7
1979 Caprice Classic: GM’s Greatest Hit #3
1980 Citation – GM’s Deadliest Sin Ever
1987 Turbo Sprint (Suzuki Cultus)
1989 Camaro RS: GM’s Deadly Sin #6
1990 Corvette: GM’s Deadly Sin #9
1990 Chevrolet Beretta GTZ (Outtake)
2000 & 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier Coupes (Outtake)
Chevrolet Trucks 
1950 Chevrolet COE truck (Outtake)
1980 Chevy Vanup (Outtake)
1977 Chevy LUV Long Bed Pickup (Outtake)
1983 Chevy S-10 Blazer: GM’s Deadly Sin #5
Chrysler/Imperial
1960 Imperial Crown Southampton: The Frankenstein Of Cars
1987 Fifth Avenue Edition – Chrysler’s Deadly Sin #2 
Cisitalia
Citroen
Daihatsu
Datsun/Nissan
The First Mini-Pickups: Datsun’s 1964, 1967 and 1969 Pickups
1970 Datsun 510 (Bluebird/1600) 
The Revolutionary 1971 Datsun 240Z
1976 Datsun 710 Wagon (Outtake)
1977 Datsun F-10: The Ugliest Car Ever?
1986 Nissan Stanza Wagon (Prairie)
1989 Nissan 240SX (S13) and Silvia/SX History
1990 Infiniti M30 Coupe (Outtake)
Infiniti Q45 gen1 & gen2 (Outtake)
Dodge 
1974 Dodge D-100 “Gypsy Wagon” Camper
Chrysler’s Deadly Sin #1: 1976 Plymouth Volare And Dodge Aspen
1978 Dodge Omni (and Plymouth Horizon): Detroit Finally Builds A Proper Small Car
1982 Dodge Rampage mini-pickup
1983 Dodge Aries (The Original K-Car) 
1985 Dodge Ram Van (Caravan C/V) (Outtake)
Fiat 
Ford
1950 Hot Rod Ford: A True Love Story
1961 Thunderbird Convertible – The American Dream Car
1964 Ford Galaxie 500 Coupe (Outtake)
1971 Ford Pinto (1971 Small Car Virtual Comparison)
1975 Mustang Cobra II-Ford’s Deadly Sin #1
1984 Ford Bronco II Eddie Bauer
1985 Ford EXP: Ford’s Ugly Little Sin
1986 Ford Tempo: A Deadly Sin? Mostly
1989 Ford Festiva – Shitbox Shootout Loser (Winner)
1995 Ford ZX2 With Lambo Doors (Outtake)
Ford Trucks
The Ultimate CC: 1956 Ford F-350 Still Hard At Work Six Days A Week 
1960 Ford F-600 Truck Also Still Hard At Work
1965 Econoline SuperVan Camper
Geo
GMC & GM Coach 
1947 PD-3751 Greyhound Bus “Silversides” – The First Modern Diesel Bus
GMC TDH-4523 “New Look” Transit Bus
Grumman
Honda
1963 Honda T360/T500 trucks (history)
1973 Honda Civic – The Revolutionary Small Car
1976 Honda Accord: The Most Influential Modern Car In America
1980-1983 Civics – When Honda’s Mojo Was Working
1985 Honda Civic CR-X (Outtake)
Hyundai
1988 Hyundai Excel – The Damn Near Deadly Sin
International
1964 International Travelette Pickup
Isuzu 
Jaguar
Jeep 
1987 Wagoneer (XJ) Outtake
Jensen
Kia 
gen1 Kia Sportage shorty (Outtake)
LaForza
1989 Laforza 5 Liter (Outtake)
Lincoln/Continental
An Illustrated History of Lincoln Up To 1961
1946 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1968 Lincoln Continental (Outtake)
1970 Lincoln Continental Coupe
Mack 
Mazda
Mercedes 
Mercedes 207D and other older Mercedes Vans/Small Buses
Mercury
1968 Cougar – Mercury’s Greatest (only) Hit
1970 Mercury Montego Coupe (Outtake) 
1978 Mercury Grand Marquis Brougham
Steam Injected 1978 Mercury Bobcat
Ford’s Sin of Name Debasement: 1981 Mercury Cougar
Military Vehicles (no brand name)
Mitsubishi 
1987 Mitsubishi Precis (Outtake)
Oldsmobile 
1963 Olds Dynamic 88 Convertible
Opel 
Packard
Panhard
Panhard Dyna Junior X-87 Roadster 
Plymouth
1965 Plymouth Valiant Wagon: The Ultimate A-Body – Daily Long-Distance Driver
1971 Simca 1204 (no original pictures) (1971 Small Car Comparison)
1978 Plymouth Horizon: Detroit Finally Builds A Proper Small Car
1983 Plymouth Colt & 198o Champ
Pontiac
1963 Tempest LeMans: Pontiac Tries To Build A BMW Before BMW Built Theirs And Almost Succeeds
1963 Pontiac Catalina: The Sexiest Big Car Of Its Time
1971 Pontiac Ventura II: GM’s Deadly Sin #3
1976 Pontiac Firebird (Outtake)
1984 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham: GM’s Deadly Sin #8
Pontiac Transvertible and Trans Sport
1987 Sunbird GT: The Exciting Collectable Deadly Sin
1990 Le Mans (Daewoo) GM’s Deadly Sin #12
Porsche 
Renault
Renault R-17 (Outtake)
Saab
Saturn
1991 Saturn SL2: GM’s Deadly Sin #4
Simca
1971 Simca 1204 (no original pictures) (1971 Small Car Comparison)
Studebaker 
1962 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk
Subaru
1977 Subaru Four Wheel Drive Wagon: The First Of Its Kind 
Sunbeam
1965 Sunbeam Tiger – The Other Cobra
Suzuki 
1979 Suzuki Jimny (LJ80/SJ20) Pickup
Toyota
1971 Toyota Corolla (1971 Small Car Comparison)
1976 Toyota Corolla Liftback (editorial)
1983 Toyota Starlet: The Most Reliable Car Ever Built?
1984 Toyota Celica Supra Mk II
Vauxhall
1966 (Vauxhall) Envoy Epic (guest writer)
Volkswagen
1960 VW Bus (Type 2) Westfalia
1971 Volkswagen Super Beetle (Small Car Comparison)
1972 VW Super Beetle Cabriolet (Outtake)
1974 VW 412: Volkswagen’s Deadly Sin #1
1975 VW Rabbit/Golf Mk.I: The Most Influential Modern Global Car
Volvo
RVs
Ultra Van: Cross An Airplane With A Corvair For The Ultimate RV
1985 Winnebago LeSharo Turbo Diesel
Concours
The Curbside Classic Treasure Hunt: Skinner Butte District
The Curbside Classic Graveyard: May They Rust In Peace
The Official Curbside Classic Sales Lot: All $895 Or Less
Holiday Market: Eighty Parking Lot Curbside Classics
Miscellaneous: 
Volkswagen’s Chinese joint venture with FAW will announce a China-made Volkswagen CC next month. Two notable items: The launch ceremony will be on July 15 in Shanghai, right in front of the nose of Volkswagen’s other joint venture partner, SAIC. And the car will cost the princely sum of 320,000 yuan ($47,000) in China, if Gasgoo is correctly informed. That’s what a well appointed Audi A4L goes for. Volkswagen had been showing the car at Chinese auto shows for a while, whetting the appetite for a China created CC. (Read More…)
Volkswagen has announced [via Autoblog] that “in response to requests by many customers,” the Passat CC will now be available with seating for three in the back seat. The lesson: even the people who spend more money for a more-fashionable but less-practical version of a mass-market car want that extra seatbelt just in case. Which begs the question…
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