Report: Volkswagen plans rear-engine Mini competitor

jetsetter

jetsetter

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Volkswagen is planning a rear-engine compact car to compete with BMW's Mini Cooper, according to a report by German car magazine Auto Bild. Few details are available, but such an engine layout would dictate a rear-wheel-drive system ? a rarity in the world of modern compact cars.

Aside from the Porsche 911, few modern cars have their engine over the back wheels. Most modern super cars use a mid-engine configuration, and the rest of the vehicles on the road typically have the powerplant up front. Even the Volkswagen Beetle ? once an iconic rear-engine car ? now has its engine in front of the the passengers.

The reasons for designing such a vehicle are not known, but VW might be trying to create a new niche for an ultra-sporty low-cost compact car. Earlier this month, we told you how Volkswagen's new CEO Martin Winterkorn intends to fill "lucrative market niches" with new models over the coming years. His goal is to transform VW into a maker of high-profit niche cars.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2007/02/23/report-volkswagen-plans-rear-engine-mini-competitor/
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Could be quite interesting.
 
I dunno, VW had their chance at bringing a really cool rear engined car back to life with the Beetle, but failed miserably...

and this thing is butt-ugly... they?ll have to come up with something very different to that if they want to conquer the mini-customers...
 
I have my doubts - I just can't see VW developing something like this, not when they're the kings of platform sharing.
 
Hows the pricing going to work? like is this going to take sales from the lupo - its like a tiny, city car, hot hatch, mini - clio - ka - thing.
 
Immediate thoughts: WOW!

Then I saw it. Blast. Thta things horrible. It looks like what happens if a Clio V6, A Passat and a VW Fox collide.
 
People, this is the magazine's guess. It is a photoshop job. That photo does not represent what it coming out.
 
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I was excited by the thread title, but horribly disappointed in the design. It's hideous!

I was hoping for something that looked more like the R5 Turbo 2. I have loved the look of this car ever since I first saw it in Never Say Never Again.

http://img138.imageshack.**/img138/638/earlyleadnp0.jpg

I think I just decided on the car I would import to the US. Although the base R5 was brought in the Turbo2 never was.
 
it's promising. imagine a golf GTi engine stuffed into the back of a nimble little car. that'd be very, very schnell. a mini-budget 911...
 
I am using the only available photo as a topic point:

Most men are OK with being in a Mini, it may be a bit metrosexual, but its also pretty handsome and kinda aggressive, in an attack hamster kind of way.

But that VW...thing. No male would want to be driving that; it just screams "chick car". It's too cute.
 
Anyone ever seen a Fiesta Shogun? That is one of the coolest little cars ever!

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Is that a Ford logo on the manifold?

This thing must be loud as hell, you can see right down to the pavement through the engine bay and there is no sound proofing that I can see. Granted it's a track car, but I would like something to drive daily as well. If I got my hands on one of these I would probably line the engine bay with some acoustiblock or something similar to dampen the sound.
 
Blind_Io said:
Is that a Ford logo on the manifold?

This thing must be loud as hell, you can see right down to the pavement through the engine bay and there is no sound proofing that I can see. Granted it's a track car, but I would like something to drive daily as well. If I got my hands on one of these I would probably line the engine bay with some acoustiblock or something similar to dampen the sound.
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It uses the Yamaha designed DOHC V6 that was used in the older SHO Taurus.
 
Thanks Jetsetter, I never knew that. :)
 
Scott said:
Anyone ever seen a Fiesta Shogun? That is one of the coolest little cars ever!
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That thing must spin like a top if you put the boot in!
 
It would be cool if they made the Sirocco prototype rear wheel drive...
 
Blind_Io said:
I was excited by the thread title, but horribly disappointed in the design. It's hideous!

I was hoping for something that looked more like the R5 Turbo 2. I have loved the look of this car ever since I first saw it in Never Say Never Again.

http://img138.imageshack.**/img138/638/earlyleadnp0.jpg

I think I just decided on the car I would import to the US. Although the base R5 was brought in the Turbo2 never was.
Click to expand...

You actually watched Never Say Never Again??
If VW actually makes this, it'll probably just be a Smart clone.
 
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