Volkswagen has been a part of movie and television culture as long as it has existed; as a prop, a character, and a way to get around.

This Volkswagen in the movies is brought to you by  Fight Club. Starring Brad Pitt, Ed Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter. The VW that makes it’s appearance that Tyler smashes is a 1998 VW Beetle.

From IMDB Fight Club Beetle Trivia in the trivia section:

During rehearsals, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton found out that they both hated the new Volkswagen Beetle with a passion, and for the scene where Tyler and The Narrator are hitting cars with baseball bats, Pitt and Norton insisted that one of the cars be a Beetle. As Norton explains on the DVD commentary, he hates the car because the Beetle was one of the primary symbols of 60s youth culture and freedom. However, the youth of the 60s had become the corporate bosses of the 90s, and had repackaged the symbol of their own youth, selling it to the youth of another generation as if it didn’t mean anything. Both Norton and Pitt felt that this kind of corporate selling out was exactly what the film was railing against, hence the inclusion of the car; “It’s a perfect example of the Baby Boomer generation marketing its youth culture to us. As if our happiness is going to come by buying the symbol of their youth movement, even with the little flower holder in the plastic molding. It’s appalling to me. I hate it.” However, Pitt is quoted on the DVD commentary as saying he has since had a change of heart about the new Beetle.

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Volkswagen has been a part of movie and television culture as long as it has existed; as a prop, a character, and a way to get around.

This Volkswagen in the movies is brought to you by The Skeleton Key. Starring Kate Hudson, John Hurt and Gina Rowlands. The red 1971 Volkswagen Super Beetle is Kate Hudsons character, Carolines, mode of transportation through the creepiness of a New Orleans plantation while she is the care giver to John Hurts mute character.

 

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Volkswagen has been a part of movie and television culture as long as it has existed; as a prop, a character, and a way to get around.

This Volkswagen in the movies is brought to you by The Cars That Ate Paris aka The Cars that Eat People. Starring John Meillon, Terry Camilleri, Chris Heywood, and Bruce Spence. The Volkswagen Beetle with spikes that is destorying the small Australian outback town was modeled on the Australian animal, the spiny anteater, which is also known as an echidna. The animal is similar to a hedgehog or porcupine. All these animals feature spines on their backs.

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We want to hear your VW Owner stories!!

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The biggest model update for 2016 will be a refreshed Passat, which will enter the lineup this fall. It receives refreshed styling and interior enhancements, plus a full-suite of technology and host of new driver assistance systems. The VW Passat update will be the biggest for Volkswagen in 2016.

The Chattanooga-built Passat raises the bar in the midsize segment, offering new styling inside and out as well as a host of new connectivity and driver assistance features

• Striking new front and rear design
• New interior with updated instrument panel and center stack for a more premium feel
• Standard MIB II infotainment system includes USB connectivity
• Available  VW Car-Net® App-Connect supports smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay®, Android Auto™ and MirrorLink®
• Energy-efficient LED headlights and taillights available for the first time on a VW sedan
• New driver assistance systems are standard features on select trim levels
• First-ever R-Line® trim for U.S. Passat offers sportier styling
• Three engine options: 1.8-liter TSI® gasoline, TDI®, and powerful VR6®
• Revised trim lineup provides enhanced value throughout the Passat range
• Pricing starts at $22,440 for the 1.8T S model with automatic transmission
• Built in America, at the world’s only LEED Platinum-certified manufacturing facility

New York, N.Y.  – Volkswagen of America, Inc. is pleased to announce the debut of the new 2016 Volkswagen Passat, a midsize sedan that is designed for the American lifestyle and built in Volkswagen’s state-of-the-art factory in Chattanooga, Tenn. The 2016 Passat features a winning combination of design, interior and cargo space, class-leading technology, available driver assistance systems, and powerful, yet frugal, engines. In addition, a revised trim structure will enhance the Passat’s value story.

Design

The 2016 Passat features more aggressive styling than its predecessor, with a new hood, front fenders, grille, front and rear bumpers, trunklid and available LED  headlights and taillights. In short, the only sheetmetal that remains unchanged is the roof, the doors, and the body side stamping.

“We applied a progressive design strategy with the new Passat, giving the car a dynamic presence and a more sophisticated look,” said Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design, Volkswagen. ”We have integrated several new design elements, including a sculpted, domed hood that significantly sets the car apart from its predecessor.”

Slimmer headlights, a more substantial four-bar grille, and the muscular, domed hood all work together to give the Passat a wider, more planted stance from the front. At the back, the new car has a premium European-style flush rear license plate area. Additionally, a new chrome strip on the trunk makes the rear lights appear lower, enhancing the grounded appearance, while chrome on the window surrounds, bumpers, and door trim adds to the premium nature of the design. Available on all trim lines, dramatic LED headlights and taillights provide better lighting performance with reduced energy consumption.

For the first time, Volkswagen is offering an R-Line® version of the Passat. This sporty model features unique rocker panels, a stylized front bumper with contrasting black accents, a modified rear diffuser, and 19” anthracite Salvador aluminum-alloy wheels shod with 235/40 all-weather tires.

Inside, the 2016 Passat gets an extensively upgraded interior, for a more sophisticated look and feel. A new instrument panel features two large gauges and the center stack incorporates VW’s latest MIB II infotainment system.  The interior also features upgraded materials, a new steering wheel and column stalk design, two-tone décor panels, and refined chrome and piano black trim.  Heatable rear seats are a new available feature, along with Easy-Open keyless access that opens the trunk via moving a foot near the rear of the vehicle.

Technology

The 2016 Passat features Volkswagen’s second-generation “modular infotainment platform”, also known as MIB II. The system features touchscreens as standard equipment on all models. On most models, the display utilizes a capacitive touch sensor (similar to smartphone and tablet technology) enabling gesture controls like swiping and pinch-zooming rather than the resistive touchscreens that require pressure and have slightly longer response times.  Most MIB II units also feature a proximity sensor, which detects when a hand is nearby and automatically switches its display to allow easier selection of specific features. USB and Bluetooth® connectivity are standard on all 2016 Passat models.

The MIB II system also serves as the foundation for the available Volkswagen Car-Net® system, one of the most comprehensive suites of connected vehicle services and features available in the automotive industry today. VW Car-Net includes App-Connect technology, featuring the three major smartphone integration platforms—Apple CarPlay®, Android Auto™ and MirrorLink®. This allows seamless integration with the vast majority of smartphones available today.

Volkswagen also offers a combination of new safety and driver assistance systems in the 2016 Passat. The Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, standard on all 2016 Passat models, builds on the premise that a collision is rarely a single, instantaneous action, but rather a series of events that follow the initial impact—which can cause additional collisions. The system helps address this by applying the brakes after a primary collision is detected by the airbag sensors, thus helping to reduce residual kinetic energy and, in turn, reduce the chance of additional damage.

Depending on trim level, Passat models come equipped with the following advanced driver assistance systems: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist); Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Traffic Alert; Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist), which actively steers the car back into its lane; and Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist). All 2016 Passat models have rearview cameras as standard equipment.

Powertrains

The 2016 Passat is available in the United States with three powertrains: the 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injection TSI® four cylinder; 2.0-liter TDI®; and the 3.6-liter VR6® engine, which makes 280 horsepower—one of the highest outputs in the midsize sedan class. The 2016 Passat 1.8T has an EPA estimated highway fuel economy rating of 38 mpg with the automatic transmission.

Full pricing for the new 2016 Passat will be available closer to launch later this year, but the 1.8T S model starts at $22,440, which is the same price as the previous base model when equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission. The Passat is produced at the Volkswagen Chattanooga assembly plant, the only automotive manufacturing facility in the world to receive Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) program.

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The Humble Mechanic has taken a moment to give his opinions on the VW/EPA story. He is a VW Mechanic and his level-headed opinion is great for consumers, enthusiasts, and employees. Take a moment to hear what he has to say on the issue.

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We are fielding a lot of phone calls regarding the VW and EPA news stories. We wanted you to know that your concerns are not going unheard. We too are waiting for more information from Volkswagen and hoping for a speedy solution.

Currently Volkswagen is working on a computer programming repair that the EPA has been testing on the 2016 models. We assure owners of the affected vehicles that you should be aware that this is not a safety related issue. Owners of these vehicles do not need to take any action at this time.

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Updates for 2016 VW Golf GTI

MIB II infotainment systems with USB and VW Car-Net App-Connect (6.5-inch touchscreen)

Rearview camera standard
Updated Driver Assistance Package (available on SE and Autobahn models) includes: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist) and Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist), Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist), Blind Spot Monitor w/ Rear Traffic Alert, Park Distance Control (Park Pilot), and Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist)

The 2016 Volkswagen Golf 4-door, Golf SportWagen, Golf GTI 4-door, when equipped with the optional Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist) system, have been awarded 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). To read more click HERE

See VW Southtowne VW GTI Models by clicking HERE

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