VW is going to make the most of its new GTI, with three models joining what has already been a well received hot hatch. A ‘GTD’ variant using a 2.0-liter common rail diesel will go into production in April 2009, with 170 horses and nearly 260 lb.-ft. moving through either a six-speed manual or VW’s DSG gearbox. The GTD will be sold at an €800 premium over its gasoline brother, and will get to 62 mph about a second slower in return for longer hauls between refills.

After that, toward the end of 2009, comes the GTI ‘Plus’ that will push the car dangerously close to the Audi S3 and may spell the end of the current R32. A 60 hp bump over the standard GTI takes the Plus up to 270. The fun-to-drive factor should be raised with a seven-speed DSG transmission, and handling mastery will come courtesy of a Haldex all-wheel-drive system.

The capstone: to help everyone get over the current and rather underwhelming R32, the hottest hotness is supposed to come in 2010 in the form of an R42. Swapping the current V6 for a 2.5-liter, turbocharged 5-cylinder that it will share with Audi’s TT-RS and RS3, the raunchy R is rumored to get a chest-hair-growing 350 hp. If Auto Motor und Sport are to be believed, it will start rolling out of factories in November of 2009 at an undisclosed price.

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We already saw the first images of the new MK VI Volkswagen GTI and we now have them in all their high-res glory courtesy of VW’s German media site. As with the standard version of the Golf and the Scirocco, VW is abandoning the huge Audi-like grille of recent models in favor of something more subdued. The new GTI also harkens back to the original GTI of the late 1970s with its red-bordered grille. Under the hood, the new GTI gets the latest edition of the corporate 2.0L TFSI four cylinder cranking out 210 hp and a reasonably healthy 207 lb-ft of torque at just 1,800 rpm. The electronically controlled limited-slip XDS differential will help guide that torque to the wheel with the most grip and hopefully manage torque steer as well. The GTI is expected to hit 62 mph from a standing start in 7.2 seconds with a combined fuel efficiency on the EU cycle of 31.4 mpg. VW will start adding to the GTI’s cumulative tally of 1.7 million units sold next spring in Europe and in the U.S. during the summer of 2009, while the regular Golf VI will hit our shores as the new Rabbit in the fall of 2009.

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Last week, Volkswagen of America announced it would build it’s first US factory since it’s Pennsylvania factory closed in 1984 in Chattanooga Tennessee. The new plant will build a new mid-sized replacement for the Passat. What CEO Stefan Jacoby didn’t announce was where powertrains will come from. The new car will be available with gasoline, diesel and hybrid power-plants. The power-train is one of the most expensive components in the vehicle so getting the most out of building cars in the dollar zone means building them here as well. The gasoline engines will likely be sourced from the Puebla Mexico factory that also supplies the assembly plant there. The Mexican factory doesn’t currently produce transmissions. VW is apparently waiting on Audi’s decision on a US factory before finalizing plans for new engine and transmission plants. Audi and VW share powertrains, so the two brands will likely want to build in a location convenient to both assembly plants. If VW does decide to build hybrid transmissions in North America they may even end up exporting some of those back to Europe as well.

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There’s something very cool about VW’s new ECE 9.150 Armored Truck that was released for the Brazilian market. Maybe it’s the gunmetal grey color or the Samurai armor looks, we’re not sure yet. But we can imagine that if it weren’t for the skyrocketing gas prices, this armadillo of a VW could have actually made a career here in the States as a high-end alternative to the customized Hummer H1/H2 models. All you need is a custom made interior and good-looking set of alloys (like the ones we photoshoped above) and you’re all set to take the “hood” by surprise. See photos after the jump Continued

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It’s the year 2028; China’s population has surpassed the 3 billion mark, man has landed on Mars, Jenna W Bush has followed in the footsteps of her sister Barbara becoming the second female President in the history of the U.S., and gas prices have dropped to $20 a gallon. But most people don’t really care (about gas prices, that is) as their cars are equipped with hybrid powetrains that utilize ultra efficient diesel engines that consuming less than half a gallon of fuel to create enough electricity to power the car for more than 100 miles. Well, at least that’s how we envision the future. But you can also check out VW’s new interactive site called “Volkswagen2028” that attempts to give us a glimpse of the automotive world of tomorrow. Aside from the Up! that we first saw at last year’s Frankfurt Show, the German carmaker has also created three more concept cars: the sporty two seater “EGO”, the spacey and versatile “ROOM” and the three-wheeler city dweller “ONE”.

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Thirty-four years after Volkswagen revealed the original Scirocco, the name has been resurrected to badge a new two-door coupé based on the platform of the current Golf. With coupé sales in Europe down to just 20,000 last year (from a high of 138,000 in 2000), some might say it’s a brave step from VW.

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Over the last year or so, Porsche has been grabbing chunks of Volkswagen, slowly but surely. It is clear what the German manufacturer of luxurious sportscars is attempting: a takeover of VW, which is the largest automaker in Germany. There are still laws and regulations standing it its way, but Porsche may have the backing of the European Union, which could have the power to change laws currently protecting Volkswagen from a takeover. It has long been assumed that Porsche’s plan was to lump its products along with the more fuel efficient models from VW, which could allow the company to avoid paying large fines for not meeting carbon output regulations.

As it stands right now, Porsche seemingly has no choice but to offer more fuel efficient and lower emission models. To that end, it has announced hybrid versions of its Cayenne and upcoming Panamera sedan. Also possible is a diesel engine for its utility vehicle. By gobbling up Volkswagen, Porsche could dial back on these fuel-saving models and get back to its high performance ways without fear of excessive penalties.

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