TDI Cup News! April 21st 2010

Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup & Safety-Kleen Systems Team Up For “Earth Week” Season-Opener at VIR

“Green” Racing at its Best in Virginia as 25 Young, Up-and-Coming Drivers Hit the Track

Herndon, Va. (April 21, 2010) – This weekend, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup and Series partner, Safety-Kleen Systems, will open the 2010 season just one day after Earth Day in proper fashion by providing some of the most environmentally conscious racing in the country. The Series will once again be using clean diesel fuel in its racecars, demonstrating its commitment to the environment. In the season’s ten events, the Jetta TDI Cup cars will consume approximately two tanks of clean diesel fuel during race conditions. All Volkswagen clean diesel TDI models are certified to run on B5 biodiesel, a mix of 5 percent biodiesel and 95 percent petro diesel.

Following the same green consciousness off the track, the Jetta TDI Cup’s equipment transport vehicles and generators are also powered by B5 Biofuel. In addition, the Series uses biodegradable tableware, lounge furniture with high recycled content, energy-efficient lighting and water stations that reduce the reliance on plastic water bottles.

“Not only is the on-track product fantastic from a fan standpoint, but the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup is also one of the most eco-friendly forms of racing on four wheels,” said Clark Campbell, motorsports manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “We’re proud to be associated with a company like Safety-Kleen Systems, because we share a common goal – to provide excitement at the track, while providing it in an environmentally sound manner. It’s fitting that our season-opening weekend falls just after Earth Week because our Series is a true product of green awareness.”

Much like Volkswagen, Safety-Kleen Systems is also committed to protecting the environment. From the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, to NASCAR, to the IndyCar Series, to the NHRA, Safety-Kleen is at tracks all over the country providing its services. They are the “Official Trackside Environmental Service Provider” for the biggest events in the world of motorsports, including the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. Safety-Kleen Systems recycles the oils, solvents, fuels and clean-up materials from every Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Indy Racing League and NHRA National event.

In addition to collecting the used motor oil, brake and transmission fluids, Safety-Kleen Systems also removes them from the track and recycles them. By the end of 2010, Safety-Kleen will have picked up 180,000 gallons of used oil from race shops and tracks. This oil will be re-refined and used by consumers and industry lessening our dependence on foreign oil all while keeping our communities greener.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup again in 2010,” said Eric Zimmer Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Safety-Kleen Systems. “Being a sponsor of the Series falls right in line with our environmental initiatives, so our partnership with Volkswagen is a perfect fit. I’m definitely looking forward to this weekend’s Jetta TDI Cup events and I think it will definitely be another exciting season.”

Follow the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series action on:

www.vwmotorsportusa.com

Volkswagen Online Newsroom: media.vw.com

Live Timing & Scoring: http://livetiming.net/scca/VW

Live Timing & Scoring for your Mobile Device: http://livetiming.net/SCCA/VW/html.asp

Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/JettaTDICup

Twitter: http://twitter.com/VWJettaTDICup

About the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup

The SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup was launched in 2008 as way to introduce clean diesel technology to the U.S. market and develop the best of motorsport’s up-and-coming talent. During the season, young, up and coming drivers (between ages 16-26) compete on road courses around North America in identical factory-prepared clean diesel powered Jetta TDI’s. Each driver competing in the Series earns a professional racing license from SCCA Pro Racing at the conclusion of the season. In addition to more than $50,000 in prize money at stake during the season, the Series Champion receives Volkswagen factory career advancement support with a value up to $100,000.

The Jetta TDI Cup car is powered by a 2.0-liter, 170 hp, four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine mated to a six-speed, double-clutch, automatic DSG transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock with Pirelli racing tires, race suspension and brake components, drivers racing safety seat, FIA roll cage and an on-board fire extinguisher system.

About Volkswagen of America

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Golf, GTI, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Eos, Passat, Passat Wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2010 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at www.vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.

SOURCE Volkswagen of America, Inc.

VW will Unveil Hybrid Touareg in 2010

News Release Issued: March 31, 2010 2:35 PM EDT

Volkswagen Showcases Second Generation Touareg Featuring Hybrid Powertrain at the 2010 New York International Auto Show
HERNDON, Va., March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Volkswagen of America, Inc. today unveiled the second generation Touareg, showcasing the brand's first-ever hybrid at the 2010 New York International Auto Show.

Taking the Touareg to the forefront of its class are three available engines to suit a variety of different drivers: A V6 FSI® gasoline engine, a V6 TDI® Clean Diesel engine, and a V6 TSI® gasoline hybrid engine.
With the hybrid model, a 3.0-liter supercharged, direct injection V6 gasoline engine is paired with a special electric motor that reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by about 40 percent.
An eight-speed automatic transmission – the first of its kind in an SUV – keeps power always available while helping the Touareg Hybrid achieve approximately 25 and 21 mpg during highway and city driving respectively. A special clutch can disengage the transmission from the engine when the engine is not powering the Touareg, allowing it to coast forward emission free to further aid in fuel savings. The electric motor can also recover kinetic energy during braking to help recharge the nickel metal-hydride battery pack. With the V6 engine and electric motor combined, a total of 375 horsepower and 428 lbs.-ft. of torque are available, allowing for full towing capacity of up to 7,700 pounds.

Also available is Volkswagen's 3.0-liter, V6 TDI® Clean Diesel engine, which offers improved fuel economy, reduced emissions, and greater power versus a similarly-sized gasoline engine, and is an excellent complement to the new Touareg's athletic design. A 3.6-liter, V6 FSI® gasoline engine comes standard with the 2011 model, providing smooth acceleration and all around performance. On all Touareg models, Volkswagen's 4MOTION® all-wheel drive system is ready to tackle nearly any driving condition encountered on and off the road.
Matching the new Touareg's refinements under the hood is a fully-revised exterior that embraces the brand's new face and styling cues, created by Volkswagen's chief of design, Walter de'Silva.

At the front is a narrower grille opening that seamlessly connects to the trapezoidal headlight housings that carry U-shaped LED running lights and Bi-Xenon High Intensity Gas-Discharged headlamps. The housings flow into the new fender flares, and a pair of compact fog lamps at the lower portion of the front fascia stand underneath the Touareg's front air intakes.
The hood features a raised portion that runs from the grille back, finishing at the side mirrors and giving a more muscular overall appearance. A chrome accent strip carries from behind the front wheels, and runs along the bottom of the doors to complement the chrome touches bordering the windows.
The back of the Touareg is defined with pronounced curves around the hatch area, LED illuminated taillights with housings to match up front, and a blacked out lower bumper with a set of shaped, chrome exhaust tips.

Compared to its predecessor, the 2011 Touareg is wider and has a shorter overall height for a stronger presence. A longer wheelbase and greater length provide greater stability, and more room inside the cabin, while the use of new materials and other adjustments have removed nearly 450 pounds from the vehicle.

The Touareg's interior has also been refined, making for a better use of space for both the driver and passengers, as well as in the cargo area. The greater use of curves and further attention to details on the door and dash trim coincide with redesigned, full leather seating for five, and cross-stitching on all panels and surfaces. Both the front and rear passengers can enjoy greater legroom with the Touareg's new overall dimensions and fully adjustable seats, while the rear seatback can be folded at the touch of a button in the trunk, for more storage and convenience.
A seven-inch widescreen color display located between the main gauges in the dash provides the driver with the latest vehicle status information, including of the drive system in the hybrid model, turn-by-turn navigation directions, and more.
Volkswagen's new RNS850 touch screen entertainment and navigation system features an 8-inch screen, a 60GB hard drive with 18GB of space available to upload audio, video, and more, and a DVD/CD player with MP3 playback and Satellite/FM/AM stereo. The navigation system can display maps and directions in a 3-D view, and highlights major landmark highlights to further assist when traveling.

To learn more about the 2011 Touareg lineup, please visit www.vw.com or media.vw.com.
Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the New Beetle, New Beetle Convertible, Golf, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat, Passat Wagon, Eos, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2010 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of
America online at vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.
SOURCE Volkswagen of America, Inc.