Volkswagen Eos News

A number of potentially hazardous faults have been identified in vehicles sold in Australia, prompting a wide range of recalls.

US owners of VW cars with diesel engines that can cheat emissions tests have already been given $500, but local owners still have no compensation.

Three weeks after the global scandal broke, Australian owners of VW diesel cars finally know if their car is affected or not.

Bluetooth and media connectivity are notable absences in the current car. They weren't a big deal when the car launched here in 2007, but the take-up of both technologies in the intervening years means they are now expected as standard features. So they're in, along with a facelift to give the Eos the wide horizontal grille that marks the latest VW look, a sharper edge to the bootlid and new LED tail lights. The extra features come at a $500 premium to the existing models, putting the 103kW/320Nm turbodiesel at $49,990 and the 155kW/280Nm petrol engine at $51,990. Fuel consumption on both engines is down by 200ml to 5.9 litres/100km for the diesel and 7.7 litres/100km for the petrol. There is no manual gearbox with either engine. VW spokesman Karl Gehling said the uptake of manuals on the 5500 cars sold here since launch showed only 15 per cent of buyers opted for a clutch, so it was deleted for the update. That makes the six-speed DSG semi-automated transmission the only choice, but it's not a bad one. The five-piece hardtop roof includes a sunroof so owners can choose between a coupe look, coupe with the sunroof open or pure open-air convertible. The opening/closing process takes around 25 seconds. There's a 205-litre "chute" in the centre of the boot that is spacious enough to take soft baggage, providing they can be squeezed through the fairly narrow opening. Options run from metallic paint at $700, to $900 for the self-parking software, $1500 for electric front seats, $2000 for a premium 600W sound system, $2100 for bi-xenon headlights with dynamic cornering mode and $2500 to add satnav.

As the first shoots of spring emerge, new car sales figures for September show a jump in convertible buyers. And money is no object, with many prepared to spend up big to pop the roof down.VFACTS industry figures show a modest sales surge of the Mazda MX5, Mini Cooper cabrio, Volkswagen Eos and Audi A3 convertible - all costing more than $40,000. Further up the price list Audi's A5 cabrio, the BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK and Volkswagen Eos are also popular with prices for some of the German cars topping out at more than $80,000.Dealers and carmakers say the warmer weather is helping. Mazda spokesman, Steve Maciver, said the order books for the company's popular MX5 were growing. "It's a combination of things but once the warmer weather hits, people like the idea of a convertible," he said.September sales figures show a 17 per cent jump in sportscar sales, which includes convertibles. Apart from topless motoring, luxury off-roaders are also proving popular. BMW spokesman, Toni Andreevski, said the company's popular X5 off-roader, which opens around $86,000, surged last month on the back of fresh supply from the United States. "We've got more stock and buyers are prepared to spend," he said.TOP 10  BRANDS    Sept           YTD 2009 (+/- on 2008)Toyota                   16,007             142,898       -22.3%Holden                      9744               85,667       -14.0%Ford                          8427               70,289       -13.7%Mazda                       7205               57,695         -7.2%Hyundai                    5484               47,625        36.4%Mitsubishi                4312               40,092        -16.3%Nissan                       4079               38,446       -15.8%Honda                       3939               31,787       -22.9%Subaru                      2807               27,225         -9.0%Volkswagen             2307               22,717         -5.4%

ANTHONY Field spends up to seven months of every year on the road.  When he pulls on the blue skivvy as the Blue Wiggle, he becomes an international celebrity with the world's weenie-boppers.So it's no surprise his favourite drive is the run home from Sydney airport to his wife, Miki, and their three children, Lucia, 5, Maria, 3 and Antonio, 18 months.  But Field, 45, is taking on even more work and now hosts Channel 7's RSPCA Animal Rescue, a documentary series that follows the tough cases the RSPCA inspectors and veterinary staff face every day.He says he is tired of being a passenger in the Big Red Car and jokes if money were no object, he'd buy it, pimp it up and charge Murray Cook (red Wiggle), Jeff Fatt (purple Wiggle) and Sam Moran (yellow Wiggle) to ride in it.What was your first car?A 1973 yellow Volkswagen Kombi. I bought it from my dad for $900 in 1981. It was a great car. I would sleep in it after big Cockroaches gigs. We took the seat out and I practically lived in it. I had it for three or four years until the accelerator cable broke. I figured it was getting a bit rusty and it was time to move on.What do you drive now?Ironically, I have a Volkswagen sponsorship now and I have a black EOS convertible.  We also have a family car, a Chrysler 300C sedan.Do you have a favourite drive and who would you take?I am away six to seven months of the year so my favourite drive is the one from Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney to home with my wife Miki.How far would you drive in a year?Only about 8000km, but my frequent-flyer points are phenomenal.Do you have a favourite motoring memory?I have driven in the celebrity race at the Australian Grand Prix and the greatest thing about that was meeting some really great people and becoming friends. I was always down the bottom end of the pack so I don't think I'll be chasing a career in motorsport.What would you buy if money were no object?I would buy one of the most famous cars in Australia. I've been a passenger too long. I would buy the Big Red Car. I'd pimp it up and charge the other guys to ride in it.What music is playing in your car?Carlos Gardel. He's Argentinean and he was the king of tango.How much is too much for a new car?It's what you can afford, but petrol is going to cost the most, so you have to keep in mind how much it is going to guzzle. It's up to each person what they can afford.What should be done to make driving safer?The steps are already there with random breath testing, speed monitoring and ensuring people wear seatbelts -- that's all you can really do.Are you sponsored by a car company?Yes, Volkswagen. Miki loves it. I hardly get to drive the car.

Toni Pearen loves the convertible lifestyle.  The 35-year-old host of Australia's Funniest Home Videos, who recently married Sydney bar owner Will Osmond, is a fresh-air fan who has been won over by the Volkswagen Eos.What was your first car?A white Honda AccordWhat do you drive now?A blue VW EosDo you have a favourite drive and who would you take?I love road trips. They give me a sense of freedom. I love driving along the Great Ocean Rd. I've done it once and the only thing I took was my guitar, but in the future I'd definitely take my husband.How far would you drive in an average year?About 20,000km.Do you have a favourite motoring memory?About six years ago, I travelled the country for six months with a play called Stories from Suburban Road by Tom Hungerford. Every day, five amazing actors and myself would jump in a van and travel to another far-off destination to perform. We performed in Alice Springs and Darwin. We travelled the WA coastline and inland to Kalgoorlie. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.What would you buy if money was no object?An island.What music is playing in your car?Right now I'm loving Katie Noonan's new album, Skin, Brandi Carlisle and Feist.How much is too much for a new car?When you live in your car instead of your house!What should be done to make driving safer?Better education of young drivers.Are you sponsored by a car company?Yes. I'm a VW ambassador.

Yes, I know it's a fashion no-no, but, girls, I just couldn't resist. I went topless in winter and it only took 25 seconds. I have to admit though, the timing was all wrong but typical. I mean, just when I get my chance to drive around in a sporty open top, it rains. I got to drive around town in a Volkswagen Eos and was pleased with my first impression. The car has a chic and funky body design and I knew it would attract some looks. The best feature, without a doubt, is the roof. At the press of a button, the Eos adapts to your mood . . . and the weather. Its five-piece retractable roof takes it from coupe to convertible in about 25 seconds. It has been cleverly designed with parking sensors and a windscreen-mounted wind deflector preventing the roof from accidentally opening. But even with the roof closed, you can still enjoy the warm weather with an integrated glass/sliding/tilting roof, which lets in natural light and air. Volkswagen has named the Eos hardtop convertible after the Greek goddess of the dawn. And I felt like a goddess, spoilt for choice. The car really does have it all. It gave me a new driving experience, lots of freedom and luxury, comfort and space, safety and, most importantly, performance. The car is jam-packed with luxury items including leather steering wheel, cruise control, climate control air conditioning, electric front and rear windows, front cloth sports seats, ABS brakes, a six-speed gearbox and a dual clutch. Then there are the safety features  such as; driver's and front passenger's airbags as well as combined head and side impact airbags for front passengers. For music fans, there is a six-disc mounted CD changer with eight speakers. The car was smooth on the road and had a two-litre diesel turbo engine, which was a little clunky but very powerful and economical. Friends and family were queuing up for a ride, despite the back seats being a little squashy. But whether you sat in the front or the back, it didn't matter, you still got to experience style and luxury at its best. To sum up, fun, fun, fun. If only it was in the sun.   Love it or leave it Volkswagen Eos 2.0 TDI From: $47,990 Love it  Choice: transfers from coupe to convertible in 25 seconds. Comfort and style: lots of chic and funk. Leave it Not much room for passengers.  

Convertibles are something the German carmaker knows a thing or three about, with more than one million VW convertibles – Beetles, Karmann Ghias, Golfs and New Beetles – sold worldwide to date, so the Eos has a fine pedigree. The four-seater is equipped with a revolutionary five-piece convertible, sliding and coupe (CSC) roof. It's a convertible you won't hate over winter – and a coupe that won't stifle you in summer. Top-up noise levels are low and anti-theft security enhanced substantially, compared to a traditional ‘ragtop'. The CSC roof opens or closes rapidly, in 25 seconds, offering technical finesse and visual sophistication. It even incorporates a substantial sunroof for those times when you want an each-way bet on letting the light in. It can be opened completely or tilted up along the trailing edge. And the structural integrity of the CSC design negated obvious convertible compromises that hamper other designs, such as windscreen support location, and overall style with the top up. When closed, the CSC roof forms a smooth arc between the rear deck and the windscreen. With the roof open, the clear-cut classic coupe proportions are obvious. The Eos's windscreen frame is also the roof cross-member. It projects far less into the interior than that of many convertibles, so there's nothing but sky above the driver and front passenger – a design which makes front seat entry a breeze. The Eos is 1.79m wide, 4.41m long and 1.44m high. The effect is a wide, low, purposeful stance. And the 1.55m track fills the guards and facilitates good handling and steering response. Internationally, the Eos is available with no lees than five different engines ranging from 85kW to 184kW 3.2-litre V6 screamer (with awesome DSG gearbox) recently released in the R32 Golf here. The 2.0-litre common-rail turbodiesel engine with standard diesel particulate filter, also available here on Golf, is part of that range, developing 103kW and 320Nm. Inside, Eos clearly passes the Volkswagen DNA test. However, unique design touches abound in cockpit, doors and rear seats – as well as in a unique air conditioning system specifically designed for the convertible. For the first time Volkswagen optionally features electrically activated 'easy-entry' seats: they store the driver's and front passenger's longitudinal seating position in memory and return to it – at the push of a button – after the rear passengers have been taken care of. The new Eos will be positioned between Golf and Passat.

Mazda MX-5From $42,870NOW in its third generation, and with a hardtop option, this the car that revived the roadster. It looks good, drives like a go-kart and has loads of zip. The interior is well designed, and even tall people have plenty of legroom. The manual transmission is close and the suspension firm. Sporty steering and enthusiastic acceleration from the two-litre four will have you heading for the hills.BEST COLOUR: RedBEST ACCESSORY: A mountain-road map Jaguar XK$221,900A REVIVED sense of Jaguar style is complemented by a 4.2-litre V8 with a heartful of attitude, and a paddle- shift sequential six-speed gearbox that leaves the old J-gate for dead. It's billed as two-plus-two, but the backseats just can't be taken seriously — consider them a deterrent to the barrage of requests for a ride.BEST COLOUR: Gunmetal greyBEST ACCESSORY: A silver-service picnic hamper Holden Tigra$34,990ODDLY for a car aimed wholly and unapologetically at young women, the Tigra lacks an auto option. But if the young lady can stand shifting for herself, she'll love this cute two-seater. With competent dynamics and excellent packaging, it's a good alternative to the harder, more focused Mazda MX-5.BEST COLOUR: Lipstick redBEST ACCESSORY: Your bestest gal pal Volkswagen EosFrom $47,990ALTHOUGH options soon shoot the long-awaited four-seat CC past the $60K mark, this VeeWee's value is as hard to fault as its performance. With four-cylinder turbo diesel or turbo petrol engines to choose from, you can get where you want on the back of a mighty wave of torque, or rev high and mighty like a GTI. The only "problem" is that it arguably looks even better when the wonderful metal-and-glass folding roof is up.BEST COLOUR: CrimsonBEST ACCESSORY: Just about anything you care to carry Porsche 911$218,000THE yardstick by which other sports cars are measured. Its potent engine gets you to 100km/h in around five seconds, with pin-sharp steering, athletic handling and a delicious noise. It could do with more room in the back, and the fuel tank could be bigger too. But these are minor niggles dismissed by true fans.BEST COLOUR: BlackBEST ACCESSORY: An IWC Portuguese watch Mercedes-Benz SLK350From $110,900ELEGANT styling and the practicality of a hardtop that, although heavy, hasn't damaged the power-to-weight ratio too much. A muscular 3.5-litre V6 engine that offers slingshot acceleration, plus point-and-shoot steering and tremendous grip,result in a thrilling drive. The cabin is snug, but it's also very comfortable and kitted out in signature Merc style. The COMAND system control interface, however, is needlessly complicated until you master it.BEST COLOUR: SilverBEST ACCESSORY: A Prada briefcase Nissan 350Z Roadster$73,990MORE retro cues here in Nissan's reincarnation of the legendary Z-car, with 1970s lines from the 240Z matched with an enthusiastic and refined 3.5-litre V6. Agile handling and a ride that sits perfectly between firm and compliant make up fora sometimes unforgiving manual transmission.BEST COLOUR: BlackBEST ACCESSORY: A black iPod Ferrari F430 Spider$425,000WITH a chunky V8 sitting in the middle of its chiselled body, the F430 is an aerodynamic marvel with exceptional handling. Much of the design has been borrowed from the race shed, and extensive use of aluminium helps with weight distribution and lowers the centre of gravity.It will rocket to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds and to a top speed of 305km/h. And even just sitting at the lights, it will send all the attention your way. Sex on wheels, really.BEST COLOUR: Need you ask? RedBEST ACCESSORY: A smug smile