2016 Volkswagen Golf Lineup Earns NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has given Volkswagen’s 2016 Golf four-door lineup a 5-Star overall safety rating. All models, including the Golf, Golf GTI, Golf R, and Golf SportWagen, managed top marks in front, side, and rollover crash tests.

The Volkswagen Golf lineup joins the Passat, Jetta, Beetle, and Golf two-door models in earning this achievement. NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) provides consumers with an easily comprehendible star rating system. Though the rating system has helped guide purchasing decisions since 1978, the safety agency recently announced that it will revise the program to keep up with advancing safety tech.

“Vokswagen is delighted that the Golf family models have earned the highest 5-star overall crash test rating from the government—providing further validation that Volkswagen produces some of the safest vehicles in the industry,” said Joerg Sommer, Vice President Product Marketing and Strategy, Volkswagen of America, Inc., in a release.

Along with the NHTSA 5-Star overall safety rating, the 2016 Golf lineup has also earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award after earning a “good” rating in the moderate overlap front, small overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests, along with an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention systems.

Source: Volkswagen

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MT Four Years Ago: Gas Prices Spike, Jaguar XE is Born

Every so often, we enjoy looking back at the top automotive stories of yesteryear. In honor of Leap Day, we’re winding the clock back four years to the last time we had an extra day in February. Here’s a look at what was making headlines in the auto industry on February 29, 2012:

Gas Jumps Startling $0.23 on West Coast: If you need a reason to celebrate today, think about how gas prices have changed. Four years ago, we reported that gas prices hit a nationwide average of $3.721. Today, gas prices average just $1.783 around the nation, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (We had it particularly bad on the West Coast, as prices were well above the $4.00 mark four years ago).

Spied! 2014 Jaguar XE Porsche 911-Fighter Mule: Four years ago, Jaguar was just starting to prepare its entry-level sedan. On February 29, 2012, we caught our first glimpse of an XE prototype, and incidentally, it looks nothing like today’s model. Instead, the prototype appeared as a shrunken version of the XK Convertible. At the time, we guessed the model could come with a V-6 or V-8 offering, but it turns out the XE will launch in both four- and six-cylinder variants. After a long wait, the 2017 Jaguar XE sedan reaches the U.S. market this spring.

We Hear: Subaru Meets to Talk About Future WRX, Including CVTs?: It was hard to believe four years ago that Subaru was considering putting a CVT in the WRX. But on February 29, 2012, that’s exactly what one report claimed. A Subaru executive also hinted the new WRX could receive a 2.0-liter boxer four, and this prediction also came true on the 2015 WRX.

GM, PSA Peugeot Citroen Form Global Platform Sharing Alliance: In 2012, GM and PSA Peugeot Citroen formed an alliance to share vehicle platforms. The deal involved giving GM 7 percent stock in the French company and promised the benefit of “huge economies of scale.” Although the automakers scaled back their original agreement, they agreed to work together on multipurpose vehicles.

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China-Only Volkswagen Phideon Revealed Before Geneva Debut

At the 2016 Geneva auto show, Volkswagen will debut the Phideon, a luxury sedan that will be launched in the Chinese market in 2016. At around five meters (roughly 16 feet) long, the Phideon is about the same size as the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series. The Phideon slots above the Passat in Volkswagen’s lineup and the Chinese-market Magotan sedan.

Powering the Volkswagen Phideon will be a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 rated at 300 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque. Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system is standard on models equipped with the turbo-six. Front-drive Phideons will come standard with a 2.0-liter turbo-four while a plug-in hybrid powertrain is also planned for future variants. The Phideon will also be the first Volkswagen model to utilize the MLB platform that’s also used in the 2017 Audi Q7.

From a design perspective, the Phideon’s exterior is restrained and conservatively styled. The car’s silhouette appears more upright like in most upscale German sedans. In a way, the Phideon looks like a more sophisticated take on the new European-spec Passat because its lines and headlight design hint at Volkswagen’s new corporate face. The Phideon will also be the first car in Volkswagen’s lineup to feature a new front fascia designed specifically for its luxury cars.

Inside the Phideon’s cabin, you’ll find seats with multiple adjustments, heating, cooling, and massaging functions. Additionally, the car features a lounge-like atmosphere thanks to wrap-around ambient lighting strips with three color options. Volkswagen’s latest MIB infotainment system will also be featured in the Phideon and it will come with Google Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Mirrorlink compatibility. A suite of active safety features including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane change assist, park assist, and automatic emergency braking. Other key features include a head-up display, a 360-degree view camera, night vision, and Light Assist, which lowers the high beam headlights.

Source: Volkswagen

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2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet Drops its Top

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was completely redesigned for the 2017 model year, and with the coupe model soon to hit U.S. dealerships, the automaker has revealed its drop-top counterpart. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class will feature a classic fabric soft top and will be available in both 4Matic and rear-wheel drive configurations.

The new entry-level Mercedes-Benz convertible will be powered by a 241-hp inline-four that propels it from 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds and to an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph, according to the automaker. The engine is paired with the new standard 9G-Tronic automatic transmission, start/stop system, and comes with five selectable drive modes. In addition, Mercedes is showing the 2017 Mercedes-AMG C63 Cabriolet, which packs the same 362-hp, 384-lb-ft twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 as the C43 coupe. Mercedes estimates the car can hit 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, just a tenth of a second slower than its coupe counterpart.

Designers of the new C-Class Cabriolet adapted the body shell of the coupe model to provide more body stiffness. The drop-top also features a lightweight construction of aluminum, including the fenders, hood, and trunklid. To improve open-air driving, Mercedes added the optional electric Aircap system, which is coupled to an electric wind blocker behind the rear seats.

Mercedes will offer its Attention Assist and Collision Prevention Assist safety systems as standard features on the new 2017 C-Class Cabriolet. Optional safety features include the Driving Assistance package, which includes Distronic Plus with Steering Assist, Pre-Safe Brake with pedestrian detection, and the Brake Assist BAS Plus system.

The new 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet will hit the U.S. market late this summer.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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