Tachoblog» Volkswagen Archives – The Tacho Blog

60-Year Old Tradesman Required By Volkswagen To Help Celebrate Transporter’s 60th!

Tachoblog — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 09:55:55 +0000

As (if you’re a VW fan) you will already know, this year marks the 60th birthday of the iconic Volkswagen Transporter. To share the anniversary celebrations, Volkswagen has launched a search for the nation’s hardest-working 60-year-old tradesman.

Since the Volkswagen Transporter was first introduced in the UK March 1950, the vehicle has undergone five generations of body-style and more than 10 million have been produced, making it one of the most popular vans on the country’s roads.

To mark the Transporter’s 60th anniversary, Volkswagen is searching for tradesmen with the same staying-power as the Transporter.

Click below for more about the Transporter and how you can join in (if you’re a 60-year-old tradesman)…

Speaking to Tachoblog, Simon Elliott, director of Commercial Vehicles said, “1950 marked an important era for the automotive world and the Volkswagen Transporter has become one of the most iconic vans on the road today. We are looking for local tradesman who can boast the same – they’re hard-working, enduring, they’ve evolved through the decades to become better at what they do and, above all, they’re 60 this year.

“We know there are lots of tradesmen of that age in the UK and we want to recognise them. We’re asking anyone eligible to contact us and tell us what they do, how long they’ve been doing it and why they believe they’re the hardest working tradesman in the area.

“We’ll pick a winner and they can share in the Transporter’s 60th birthday celebrations, complete with a cake!” added Simon.

The first generation of the Transporter, known as a split screen or camper van, was an instant success amongst Britain’s motorists. Since then, the Transporter has been through various stages of development; seeing a diesel engine introduced in 1980, and a four-wheel-drive version in 1985. Later models have received a host of awards including the Van of the Year accolade by What Van? in 2004.

The latest Transporter model, T-5, arrived on forecourts earlier this year, offering lower CO2 emissions, improved torque and a wide range of standard safety and optional features, including industry-leading Lane Change Assist.

However the design has evolved over the years, the first and the latest Transporter share the same badge on the front and the same design principles – a generous load-space and an enviable reputation for quality and durability.

Anyone wanting to nominate a candidate can do so by contacting transporter60@connect-group.com or via Twitter at www.twitter.com/volkswagen-cv by August 27th 2010.

Get A Free T-Shirt From Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles At GTI International – Tell ‘Em Tachoblog Sent You

Tachoblog — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:20:04 +0000

Free stuff’s always good, so let’s start Wednesday with news that Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is inviting visitors to the GTI International event on 26 and 27 June who use the latest location-based social networking phenomenon, foursquare, to check-in at its stand to get a free Volkswagen T-shirt or poster.

If enough people check-in, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles could create the largest foursquare social gathering in the UK and earn a foursquare ‘swarm’ badge for everyone taking part.

Keep reading to learn more about GTI International, how to get your t-shirt and who’s standing next to what in the picture above…

GTI International is the UK’s biggest event for enthusiasts of all high-performance vehicles from the Volkswagen Group and takes place at the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground near Leicester. Visitors can camp overnight, enter their pride and joy in a ‘show ‘n’ shine’, take part in a quarter-mile sprint and visit a range of exhibition stands.

The bright orange Volkswagen RAC Caddy Racer van which is currently competing in the Volkswagen Racing Cup will be a high profile attraction among Volkswagen’s display of its latest models, which also includes the new Caravelle people carrier and California campervan.

To be eligible for a free Volkswagen T-shirt or poster, register or login at www.foursquare.com, then check-in to the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles official foursquare location at GTI International on either day of the event and show that you have done this to a member of the Volkswagen stand staff. Only one T-shirt or poster is available per individual that checks-in (while stocks last).

In addition, visitors will be able to follow Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ latest tweets from the event at www.twitter.com/volkswagen_cv, and also be able to enter a competition to win a weekend in a California campervan.

For more information on or to buy tickets for the GTI International event visit www.gtiinternational.co.uk. More details on the range of vans, kombis, conversions and the California campervan from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles are available at www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk.

Ketchup From Volkswagen – This Is No April Fool Says Tachoblog

Tachoblog — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:20:54 +0000

If we’d posted this last Thursday you’d have been forgiven for thinking that it was an April Fool, but it isn’t Tachoblog assures you.

Yes, VW really do produce their own brand of Ketchup. Actually there are two varieties, the new ‘Classic’ pictured above and also a Spiced Ketchup.

Click below to find out more…

Volkswagen Spiced Ketchup was born back in the 1970s, the ideal complement to Volkswagen’s world-famous curry sausage. It has a thicker consistency than standard ketchup and a unique flavour, the recipe for which is, like that of the curry sausage itself, as closely guarded a secret as any classified automotive R&D project.

Volkswagen Classic Ketchup is a limited edition of which just 1,000 bottles will be available.

In 1997, Volkswagen began officially bottling and selling the Spiced Ketchup. In that year, 20,000 bottles were sold. Since then the sauce has gone from strength to strength (numerically speaking): in 2009, over 425,000 bottles were sold and in the first 10 weeks of 2010, 100,000 bottles have already been sold. The difference between Volkswagen Spiced Ketchup and Volkswagen Classic Ketchup? Imagine the culinary equivalent of the first and sixth generation Golf GTIs.

Now where can we buy some..?

Tachoblog Says Happy Birthday To The World’s Most Popular Van

Tachoblog — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:12:05 +0000

Let’s be honest, you can already picture which van we mean without even reading this post!

Production of the Volkswagen Transporter van officially started in March 1950 and during the 60 years since then it has become one of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ best-selling models globally, the number one imported van in the UK as well as one of the most iconic and popular vans in the world.

Click below for more…

With over 10 million produced, the Volkswagen Transporter has evolved through five generations of functional and practical bodystyles, each representing the ultimate multi-purpose vehicle of its time and loved by business and private users alike for transporting goods or people for work or leisure. This unique heritage is the focus of the current ‘Evolution of Van’ advertising campaign for the new Transporter which was launched in the UK in January.

The first T1 ‘split-screen’ model was powered by a four-cylinder, air-cooled, 1.1-litre petrol engine mounted at the back of the vehicle. It produced 25 PS of power and had a top speed of about 60 mph. By comparison, the new Transporter enjoys the refinement of Volkswagen’s latest 2.0-litre, common rail, turbocharged diesel engine, available with power outputs ranging from 84 PS to 180 PS and a top speed of up to 119 mph, plus the latest stability control systems and braking technology that would have sounded like something from a science fiction novel 60 years ago.

Although the design has evolved over the years, the first and the latest Transporter share the same badge on the front and the same design principles of a generous loadspace and an enviable reputation for quality and durability.

Similarly, comparing the latest Volkswagen California with a T1 campervan shows that both make efficient use of the space available to create a vehicle equally suitable for daily trips to work or the shops, as for weekend escapes or continental capers.

Over the years, Volkswagen Transporters have endured challenging round the world trips by enthusiastic travellers, been used as the preferred choice of travel for rock bands since the 1960s to the present day, and been relied upon by many businesses needing a fleet of delivery or passenger carrying vehicles.

Posts From Other Blogs That Are Allegedly Related

Tachoblog Says Happy Birthday To The World’s Most Popular Van is a post from: Tachoblog

VW Amarok Pickup Successfully Completes Dakar Test

Tachoblog — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:20:50 +0000

Tachoblog can report that the fleet of 35 new Volkswagen Amarok pick-ups successfully fulfilled their role as support vehicles to the winning Volkswagen motorsport team and the official organisers, ASO, in the gruelling long-distance Dakar Rally enduring extreme temperatures, altitudes and terrains with no problems at all.

Volkswagen successfully defended the Dakar title with a 1-2-3 finish at this year’s Rally, known as one of the world’s toughest endurance tests.

Click below for more…

Alongside the successful Race Touaregs, the back-up teams travelling in the Volkswagen Amarok pick-ups completed all 14 legs of the race and reached the end of the rally in Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, while only around half the competitors actually made it to the finishing line.

“The event allowed the Amarok to give a clear demonstration of its abilities and robustness,” Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, member of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Board of Management in charge of development told Tachoblog. “‘It’s simple,’ he continued, ‘the Amarok is the Volkswagen of Pick-ups.”

The Volkswagen Amarok had no problem mastering the demanding challenges it was subjected to during the 5,600 mile trip from Buenos Aires across the continent to Chile’s Pacific coast and back. The Amarok motored on undeterred by the 50°C heat of Argentina’s Fiambala, by the San Francisco Pass across the Andes in Chile at an altitude of more than 4,700 metres or by the taxing terrain of the Atacama, the driest desert on the planet.

VW Amarok Pickup Successfully Completes Dakar Test is a post from: Tachoblog

It’s A One, Two, Three For Volkswagen On The 2010 Dakar

Tachoblog — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:02:59 +0000

Volkswagen has won the legendary Dakar Rally for the second time in succession.

The Volkswagen duos and their TDI powered Race Touareg prototypes celebrated a one-two-three podium lockout at the finish of the toughest challenge in motorsport. In the process, Carlos Sainz / Lucas Cruz (E/E) triumphed by only 2 minutes 12 seconds ahead of team mates Nasser Al-Attiyah / Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) in a thrilling finale on the closing 202 kilometre sprint on the 14th and final rally day. Mark Miller / Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) claimed third position while last year’s winners Giniel de Villiers / Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) finished seventh.

Click below for more and some great pictures…

“I’m incredibly proud of our team. It’s stunning what the drivers, co-drivers and the entire team have achieved on every single day of the Dakar Rally. With this one-two-three triumph Volkswagen Motorsport even surpassed its own lofty goals,” Francisco Javier Garcia Sanz, Member of the Board of Management at Volkswagen AG for procurement, told Tachoblog at the finish of the final stage.

Speaking to Tachoblog, Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen, ‘Three weeks ago a highly motivated Volkswagen team came with the goal of successfully defending the Dakar title won last year.

“Volkswagen has achieved something historical with this one-two-three. We are not only unbeaten in South America, we are also the only manufacturer to have won the world’s hardest rally up to now with diesel technology. The Volkswagen drivers fought amongst themselves for victory all the way to the chequered flag – sometimes by hard but fair means. This is exactly how we imagine motorsport to be. My congratulations therefore go to every Volkswagen duo who would all have been worthy winners.”

The Wolfsburg based brand remains the only manufacturer to have won the car category of the Dakar Rally with diesel power. TDI technology was already dominant in 2009 in Argentina and Chile. In addition to the efficiency of the Volkswagen Group’s diesel direct injection technology the Race Touareg’s reliability was the key to the 2010 Dakar victory. Despite the extreme demands, the powerful 300 hp Race Touareg proved to be not only the most robust, but also the fastest vehicle recording seven of a 14 possible stage victories and eleven days in the lead credited to the four-wheel drive racers from Wolfsburg.

The result of the rally kept observers and fans alike on tenterhooks up to the finish line. Sainz / Cruz, Al-Attiyah / Gottschalk and Miller / Pitchford led in this order since the fifth Dakar Rally stage. However, at no point did any driver duo have an unassailable lead. In a strong final burst Al-Attiyah / Gottschalk edged ever closer, repeatedly taking seconds from their Volkswagen team mates Sainz / Cruz and, in doing so, staged an open and hard duel for the leading position. The Qatari / German duo made up ground specifically in the dune sections – which once again formed one of the Dakar’s core elements – while the Spanish pairing of Sainz / Cruz controlled proceedings on the fast, twisty gravel sections.

As varied as the fight in the overall standings was – two stage wins went to Sainz / Cruz, four to Al-Attiyah / Gottschalk, one to Miller / Pitchford – so challenging proved the 32nd running of the Dakar Rally. In addition to the varied stages across soft, powder-like sand and through towering and endless dune fields of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, there were also gravel sections and tracks through enormous boulder fields on the agenda. The multi-faceted acid test with its terrain changing several times a day, two Andes crossings, passages through the world’s driest desert, as well as parts of the legendary Pampa was mastered brilliantly by the Volkswagen Race Touareg. One Race Touareg was always found in the top-three of each stage at the finish, 27 of a possible 42 top-three positions on the 14 stages went to Wolfsburg.

For the new Dakar champions, Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz, a winning streak continued in front of millions of fans lining the daily stages in Argentina and Chile. As newly formed duo in the Volkswagen Race Touareg the Spanish pair remained unbeaten in their third competition together and secured a new record in Dakar history. Never before have two Spaniards won the legendary desert rally’s automobile category. Sainz / Cruz had previously won the Rallye dos Sertões in June and July 2009 as well as the Silk Way Rally in September 2009.

The Volkswagen statistics in cross country rallying make for equally impressive reading – unbeaten since January 2009 and with its second Dakar triumph since 2009 continues the Volkswagen Group’s success story with TDI technology. After Audi’s Le Mans victories between 2006 and 2008 and winning the World Touring Car Championship with SEAT in 2008 and 2009, Volkswagen has been successful at the Dakar in 2009 and 2010 thanks to TDI Power.

It’s A One, Two, Three For Volkswagen On The 2010 Dakar is a post from: Tachoblog

RAC Sponsor Volkswagen Caddy TDI Racing Van

Tachoblog — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:58:28 +0000

The Caddy TDI racing van will be competing in the Volkswagen Racing Cup in 2010 sporting bright orange livery thanks to a new sponsorship deal with the RAC, and it will also have a new driver with Simon Elliott, Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles taking his seat behind the wheel.

The 2.0-litre Caddy TDI van, tuned by RacingLine to produce 260 PS and over 500 Nm of torque, will make its public debut on the Volkswagen Racing UK stand (no 6200) at the Autosport International & Pistonheads Show at the NEC from 14 to 17 January, while its first race of the season is scheduled to be at Oulton Park, Cheshire on 3 and 5 April.

Click below for more…

‘I started racing last year and realised this was something I really wanted to do,’ Simon Elliott told Tachoblog. ‘My wife has now given me permission to do the full season, and I’ve managed to not only persuade my predecessor Peter Wyhinny to let me take over driving the van, but more importantly we have new sponsors for this high profile Caddy van,’ he continued.

Speaking to Tachoblog, Martin Quail, Head of RAC Corporate Partnerships, said: ‘We were excited to be approached with the opportunity to sponsor the Caddy in the Volkswagen Cup. It provides us not only with the opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Volkswagen further, but also to engage with business customers and motor racing fans alike.’

Full details of the Volkswagen Racing Cup and this summer’s programme of races are available from www.vw-cup.co.uk.

RAC Sponsor Volkswagen Caddy TDI Racing Van is a post from: Tachoblog

Volkswagen Amarok On The Dakar Rally

Tachoblog — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:52:27 +0000

The new Volkswagen pick-up, the Amarok, is demonstrating its power, durability and off-road performance by following the Volkswagen Motorsport team currently taking part in the gruelling Dakar rally across some of the toughest terrain in South America.

There are a total of 35 Volkswagen Amaroks being used as support vehicles by the Volkswagen team and the official organisers, ASO, throughout this year’s 5,600 mile event. The Dakar rally started from Buenos Aires in Argentina on 1 January, and crosses the Andes to Antofagasta on the Pacific coast in Chile, before taking a more southern route to the finish back in Buenos Aires on 17 January.

Click below for more…

The route includes navigating the vehicles along mountain passes at an altitude of more than 4,000 metres, as well as through the world’s driest desert, the Atacama, exposing both the vehicles and their crews to extremely gruelling tests. Although not competing, the drivers of the Amarok support cars are still under constant pressure to keep up with or to get ahead of the competitors.

‘We are thrilled to put the new Amarok through its paces as part of this long distance challenge, the world’s toughest, before its official launch,’ Stephan Schaller, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles told Tachoblog.

More details, images and videos of the new Amarok, as well as a daily blog from the Dakar rally is available from www.volkswagenamarok.co.uk.

Designed to tackle the toughest off-road terrain, the new Amarok is offered with an electronic differential lock (EDL) and Off-Road ABS to significantly shorten braking distances in off-road conditions or gravel roads. At speeds under 20 mph it also activates Hill Descent Assist to control hill descents while the ESP Plus system includes Hill Hold Assist which prevents the vehicle from rolling back by holding it in place on inclines until the driver presses the accelerator pedal.

The Amarok will be available as a four-door double cab version from launch with a single cab model to follow in 2011. It combines the robustness of a pick-up with innovative technology, high safety standards, excellent fuel economy and Volkswagen’s renowned standards of comfort, quality and durability.

Volkswagen Amarok On The Dakar Rally is a post from: Tachoblog

Volkswagen Sets Sail To Defend Dakar Rally Title

Tachoblog — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:59:49 +0000

The men and women from Wolfsburg have been busy, in the last couple of days we’ve had theFirst Official Pictures Of The Volkswagen Amarok and news of some Unique Volkswagens For Sale. Now we learn that 60 tonnes of material and 17 support vehicles - Volkswagen’s 2010 ‘Dakar’ Rally crew – has embarked on its voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to South America.

From the port of Le Havre in France, five service trucks, three equipment trucks and two race trucks belonging to the Volkswagen Motorsport factory team set out on the longest part of the journey – the four week passage to Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Click below for more…

To successfully master the challenge of the world’s toughest rally, the winning team of the past Dakar Rally in Argentina and Chile will tackle the title defence project from 2-16 January 2010 by fielding five Volkswagen Race Touaregs. The drivers – Carlos Sainz (E), Giniel de Villiers (ZA), Mark Miller (USA), Nasser Al-Attiyah (Q) and Mauricio Neves (BRA) – will be supported on location by 80 service crew.

“For Volkswagen, the preparation for the Dakar Rally entered its hot phase as early as at the end of September. Today the cargo loading and embarkation of the support crew marked the completion of another stage for the team,” Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen told Tachoblog. “And of course, every successful completion of these individual steps makes us look forward to the ‘Dakar’ in Argentina and Chile, which as the title defender we want to again decide in our favour, with even greater anticipation. Today, a major portion of the logistical effort was accomplished.”

Dakar Rally organiser A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation) made it possible for all European participants to transport their material to South America by ship by centrally organising the voyage. The cargo ship Grande Brasile is transporting the majority of the material for the 373 participating teams to the start line in Argentina.

On 28 December – exactly 27 days after the Grande Brasile’s departure from France – the teams will receive their trucks and other support vehicles again, including six Volkswagen Panamericana Multivans that will be used to transport the Volkswagen crew across the demanding South American landscape.

Work will then start on location for the 80 team members as the support vehicles will be checked immediately after clearing customs. After this, each vehicle has to go through official scrutineering, just like the rally vehicles, to ensure they have all the necessary modifications including safety features and a sufficient water supply.

On 1 January 2010, when the starting signal is given at the ceremonial ‘Dakar’ start, the armada will embark on its 9,000 kilometres (5,625 miles) tour of Argentina and Chile.

Volkswagen Sets Sail To Defend Dakar Rally Title is a post from: Tachoblog

Unique Volkswagens For Sale

Tachoblog — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:16:53 +0000

In our second VW post today, Tachoblog can reveal that the Volkswagen Van Centre (Lancashire) in the Millennium City Retail Park, Preston has two unique vehicles for sale – a Volkswagen California campervan and seven-seater Caravelle.

As you can see,both are decorated with stylish exterior graphics and fitted with lowered suspension, ‘Sportline’ alloy wheels and body kit, plus chrome grilles and side bars, while the Caravelle also has a bespoke leather interior.

Click below for more and how you can buy these VW’s…

The colourful decals on the vehicles were commissioned exclusively by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to promote its lifestyle vehicles and ‘Escape’ campaign inviting people to show how they use their Volkswagen vans, campers and kombis to enjoy themselves and escape from the usual routine. The vehicles were displayed at events over the summer, and photos from these, plus more details of the California or Caravelle, can be found at www.vwescape.co.uk.

Both vehicles are 2009 models with ’09-registrations, five-cylinder, 2.5-litre TDI engines and low mileages. The Caravelle is the ultimate people carrier with seven seats, plenty of luggage space and sliding side doors to make it easy for passengers to get in and out. The versatile interior is very flexible with seats that slide on rails in the floor to maximise legroom or luggage space, while the two individual seats in the middle row swivel to face the rear passengers to create a sociable lounge area. This colourful Caravelle is available for £31,995.

The California is one of the best Volkswagen campervans ever. It is built in Volkswagen’s own factory, in Hanover, to the same standard as its passenger cars and can easily be used for daily trips to work or the supermarket, but can quickly turn into a home from home with its own a cooker, fridge, sink, two double beds, an electro-hydraulic roof that rises at the touch of a button, plus its own deckchairs and outside table neatly stored in the side door and tailgate. This California must be one of the coolest on the road or the campsite, and is available for £39,995.

‘These vehicles look fantastic and everyone loves the graphics and luxury, bespoke interior,’ said Jason Hill, Events Manager, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. ‘There were so many people at our Escape events this summer asking if they were for sale – and now they are!’ he continued.

The Volkswagen Van Centre (Lancashire) can be contacted on 08448 734 645. Full details of opening times and how to find the Van Centre are available at: www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/van-centres/lancashire.

Unique Volkswagens For Sale is a post from: Tachoblog

Tachoblog» Volkswagen Archives – The Tacho Blog

60-Year Old Tradesman Required By Volkswagen To Help Celebrate Transporter’s 60th!

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Get A Free T-Shirt From Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles At GTI International – Tell ‘Em Tachoblog Sent You

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Ketchup From Volkswagen – This Is No April Fool Says Tachoblog

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Tachoblog Says Happy Birthday To The World’s Most Popular Van

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VW Amarok Pickup Successfully Completes Dakar Test

It’s A One, Two, Three For Volkswagen On The 2010 Dakar

RAC Sponsor Volkswagen Caddy TDI Racing Van

Volkswagen Amarok On The Dakar Rally

Volkswagen Sets Sail To Defend Dakar Rally Title

Unique Volkswagens For Sale