A Norwegian website sports what is touted to be a new photo of the 2011 Volkswagen Passat. Volkswagen fans are waiting with bated breath to see if it’s all true, and in the meantime are poring over the picture enthralled with what is to come.

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A supremely modified Volkswagen Golf IV R32 has been unveiled by MTE. Modifications under the hood include the German tuner specializing in turbo conversions. There are installed turbo-plus intercooler along with larger injectors, modified cylinder head, forged pistons, high performance camshafts, and an optimized ECU.

All of this fine tweaking means that the car, with its twin-turbo 3.2-liter V6 pushing 2.2 bar of boost with a compression ratio of 7.8:1 produces 790 hp (589 kW / 801 PS) and 1200 Nm (885 lb-ft) of torque is capable of navigating the quarter mile in 10.7 seconds at 216 km/h (134 mph).

To handle the extra power generated, MTE added a Sachs two-disc sintered clutch in addition to a KW Coilover ‘Club Sport’ suspension, semi-slick tires, and a high-performance braking system (with 360mm discs and six-piston Brembo calipers). Inspired by this beauty, car fans, speed fans, power rush addicts are all looking to see what MTE gives next.

We all know VW had been really hesitant in bringing in its Up! small car to the US roads. However, with the new electric version of the Up! – or the E-Up! – coming up, it sees like US buyers might see a change in strategy.

With electric cars being sought after more than ever before, Volkswagen is expected to drive in the E-Up! to the North American markets by 2013.

If you would remember, you first saw the car at the Frankfurt auto show last fall. In the next four years’ time, the E-Up! is sure to be rolled out in the US. VW hopes to find city buyers for the e version and might look to sell it for something around $11,000.

A front-drive city car, the E-Up! comes with a 60 kW – 40 kW continuous – electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries. VW is expected to bring in the electric city car as a three or five-door hatch. We also get to hear that the car could later on be transformed into a Space Up! microvan which would share the Audi A2 platform. The E-Up! has been built on a range of 130 km (80 miles), and would come with capabilities to race from 0 to 50 km/h in 3.5 seconds. Look out for 2013, so that you are ready for the E-Up!’s arrival.

The 2011 Volkswagen Passat, the face-lifted version of the earlier model, will make its world premiere this October when the curtains go up on the Paris Motor Show. Volkswagen has brought in a few alterations to the Passat by throwing in a new front and rear-end design. The car will start appearing at VW dealerships during the early days of 2011.

Volkswagen’s move to redesign the front and rear end design for the 2011 Passat would make the car look more in line with the latest models from the VW stables. This could mean that the 2011 VW Passat would have similar front and rear looks similar to the Scirocco and the 2011 Jetta.

Besides providing a facelift to the Passat’s exterior design, Volkswagen is also doing a bit of sprucing up in the interiors too. From what we get to know, the steering wheel and the door panel designs could get a facelift. Further, there could be additions and alterations in the audio and navigation systems too. However, Volkswagen could stay with the existing engines and transmission options that are currently incorporated in the existing model.

We have been hearing of the Volkswagen Amarok for quite some time now, and here we have for you a bunch of spy pictures that details the single-cab. By the looks of it, it seems the maker has gone in for a snipped version of the earlier dual-cab Amarok. Take a look at these spy pictures, clicked by an enthusiast somewhere out there.

Though VW hasn’t yet come out in public with details of the single-cab Amarok, we are forced to believe that the little truck would be powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI with 120 kW (161 hp / 163 PS) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. In the meanwhile, we are also being told that VW might offer a 2.0-liter four-cylinder flex-fuel petrol variant too. You needn’t be surprised if VW also goes in for an automatic transmission too. This would make it a first for the Amarok.

Going by the pictures, the single cab Amarok looks like a vehicle with a few little changes thrown in here and there in comparison with the dual cab design. Alterations include a longer truck bed. Besides this, a long B-pillar that has some extra storage space behind the front seats may also be seen as a change. VW is likely to roll out the single cab Amarok by early 2011. [via WCF]

Those wondering when the Volkswagen Polo R will be launched, we have the scoop — sometime in 2010. Adding to the whole R-series that include the Golf R and the Scirocco R models, the new VW Polo R will have a  1.6 liter turbocharged petrol/gasoline engine that sports some 210 bhp, but unlike the Golf … there’s no sign of an AWD system since it will be built on the current PQ25 platform which doesn’t allow it. No word of an exact release date or prices, but it should be north of what the new Polo GTI will sell for when it will be available in Europe this summer — some £18,000/€20,000. Worth it folks?

ps: image of a Polo GTI

For those who love the current Polo, but want their ride to be a bit larger, we’re hearing that 2012 Volkswagen Polo sedan (also known as the new VW Vento) is in the works — and we managed to get our hands on a design sketch for you. Basically a Polo with a trunk instead of a hatch, the Volkswagen Polo sedan has a 50mm longer wheelbase, and as expected, much more legroom in the rear seat. While yet to be confirmed, word is that the Polo sedan will run on a 1.2-liter TSI, a 1.6-liter TDI, and naturally-aspirated 1.2- and 1.4-liter units. The nice surprise is that other than the five and six-speed manual transmission, there’s also a seven speed DSG to play with. Availability in India is set for sometime in July.

Volkswagen is using some brains to ensure that the upcoming multi-media platform in VW cars will be a certain success. VW has announced an open innovation contest dubbed the ‘App My Ride’ where it is going to challenge developers to create new software applications for its multi-media platform.

As there are €14,000 in cash and non-cash prizes available, VW can be rest assured of some stunning entries which is definitely going to help the brand in the longer run. This ‘App My Ride’ project draws inspiration from the booming Smartphone industry which is well assisted by amazing applications. What is great is that there is a separate prize for student participants so even the fresh talent is not being ignored by VW. [via devicemag]

The New York International Auto Show came as a pleasant occasion for VW as the Polo was named the 2010 car of the year out of three finalists that was announced last month. A total of 30 cars were selected for the award and later the competition was scaled down to three contenders after careful adjudication of all 30 automobiles.

The other two finalists challenging the Polo were Mercedes Benz E Class and the Toyota Prius. The mandatory conditions for the cars to be nominated included sales in at least two continents in the year 2009 and a minimum of 500 units of each nominated vehicle produced in 2009.

As per one of the jury members, the VW Polo MkV is one of the classiest small VWs ever been built. The winner even achieved 5-star Euro NCAP crash-test rating. Chevrolet Camaro also managed to bag the World Car Design of the Year prize while the entire Volkswagen BlueMotion lineup was awarded the World Green Car of the Year.

If you were about to make the mistake’ of buying the current generation VW Beetle, hold it right there! As per Autocar, the next generation VW Beetle arrival is on the cards and it may hit the market as early as 2011 after its LA Auto Show debut in November this year. Excitingly, the next edition could come with a 2.0-liter engine producing 210 bhp, making it the most powerful engine ever to bless the Beetle.

More to it, the US fanatics could get their hands on a 5 cylinder 2.5L model capable of churning 170bhp. Rumors are also ripe about a hybrid variant, but that remains yet to be detailed. The next edition will share some traits from the VW Ragster (Ragtop+Speedster) concept, especially the roofing, though the iconic features such as the rounded lights and wheel wings will remain unaltered.

(via Autocar)