Volkswagen

The Top 10 Vehicles That Could Be April Fools’ Jokes

By Tom Anderson on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 02:06

Featured Aston Martin BMW Cadillac Chevrolet Kia Lincoln Lists Nissan Pontiac Porsche Top 10 Lists Volkswagen

Sunday is April Fools’ Day (No, really, it is!), so be on the lookout for pranks, gags, and other sundry acts of bamboozlery being lobbed in your general direction. So if someone offers you a jar of peanut butter, politely decline. Look before you sit, lest you land on a whoopee cushion. And please, for the love of all that is sacred – and some of the stuff that isn’t – DO NOT borrow a pair of binoculars (even if you encounter a rare species of bird).

This holiday for hams also got us thinking about occasions when car companies released a new model about which they were quite serious, but in practice it looked like they were intentionally pulling the motoring world’s collective leg. What follows is a list of 10 vehicles past and present that are so tone deaf to marketplace whims and inconsistent with their brands’ core values that they could have just as easily sprung from the minds of The Onion’s editorial staff as their makers’ product planning departments.

READ MORE + IMAGE GALLERY >>

Great Moments in Crappy Engine History: Volkswagen Wasserboxer [w/ Video]

By Tom Anderson on Sun, 03/11/2012 - 20:29

Classics Crappy Engines German Volkswagen VW

Volkswagen Wasserboxer illustration

The German auto industry has earned a reputation for constructing vehicles of unmatched quality and precision. From the cheapest Volkswagen to the priciest Maybach, cars from the Fatherland generally feel rock solid and, when properly maintained, offer thousands of miles of headache-free service. Why do we use the qualifier “generally?” Well, just like not all French cars are weird and not all American cars are useless when the pavement gets squiggly, not every Auto out of Deutschland has been endowed with impeccable reliability.

READ MORE + IMAGE GALLERY >>

Cars and Coffee Irvine: The Automotive Melting Pot

By Jason Kwon on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 00:40

Car Events Alfa Romeo BMW Bugatti Cars and Coffee Citroen Ford Mazda Nissan Porsche Shelby Toyota Veyron Volkswagen VW

I had the pleasure of driving down to Irvine for the Cars and Coffee meet on a warm, sunny Saturday morning 2 weeks ago. If you didn't already know, Cars and Coffee is an informal meet that takes place at Mazda’s HQ parking lot every week, where gearheads from all walks of life come together to have a drink of coffee and enjoy automotive culture. You can find about any type of vehicle in the meet; muscle, Italian, motorcycles, Le Mans racers, imports, and even concept cars! Did I mention it was free?

READ MORE + IMAGE GALLERY >>

2011 Frankfurt Motor Show: The Top 20 Concept Cars and Production Model Debuts

By Tom Anderson on Thu, 09/15/2011 - 22:53

Lists Aston Martin Audi Bentley Brabus Feature Article Ferrari Fisker Ford Frankfurt Motor Show Jaguar Kia Lamborghini Land Rover Lotus Mercedes-Benz Porsche TechArt Top 20 Volkswagen

The German auto industry has long been one of the most (if not the most) respected on the planet. Much of that has to do with its reputation for precision engineering and attention to detail. Still more has to do with knowing that most new models get tested to their limits on the Autobahn and/or the Nürburgring. Bottom line: Deutschland takes this car building stuff seriously.

However, when it comes to showing off those new cars, the city of Frankfurt likes to throw a party every other September, and it also invites manufacturers from other nations to join in the four-wheeled revelry. (Naturally, things never get too crazy, what with Oktoberfest being mere weeks away.) This year’s guest list is one for the ages, but we were still able to pick out the 20 automotive attendees (10 concept models and 10 production models) we’d most like to chat up by the punchbowl.

READ MORE + IMAGE GALLERY >>

The Top 10 Lamest Fashion Label Vehicles of All Time

By Tom Anderson on Wed, 06/29/2011 - 10:35

Lists AMC Cadillac Fashion Ford Lexus Lincoln Mercury Subaru Top 10 Lists Toyota Volkswagen

At first blush, automobiles and apparel don’t seem to have much in common. Granted, both are manufactured consumer goods, and both come in wide ranges of colors, sizes, shapes and price tags. But that’s where the connections end, and even Kevin Bacon would have trouble tying the two industries together in additional ways, right?

Don’t be so sure. For example, Ralph Lauren is a serious gearhead who possesses a collection of super cool and super pricey rides like a McLaren F1 and a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. And Izod is the current title sponsor of the IndyCar Series. But perhaps the most notable bridges between the car and fashion worlds are special edition vehicles co-branded with the names of well known clothing and accessory manufacturers. Here are 10 of the most style-conscious rides ever to hit the runway, er, highway.

READ MORE + IMAGE GALLERY >>