For the 1,750-pound '81 Rabbit Diesel, Volkswagen felt that 48 horsepower was plenty; in fact, the Rabbit Diesel had a better power-to-weight ratio than the 1,724-pound/53-horsepower '69 Beetle, and diesel torque should have made it feel even quicker. That was not the case, however; I've driven both cars (in fact, I did my driver training classes in a dual-brake-pedal Rabbit Diesel), and the Beetle feels slightly zippy while the Rabbit Diesel feels dangerously slow. Perception? Reality?
Still, these things sip that costly oil through a cocktail straw, giving Rabbit Diesel owners the right to sneer at those resource-depleters in thirsty Priuses. Most of the survivors seem to be the Rabbit pickups, but I was able to find this sedan parked by the Bay, quite close to the '88 Peugeot 505 Turbo.

The MK VI Golf will start at $17,490 for the two-door and $19,190 for the four-door when equipped with the crappy 2.5-liter five-cylinder. The TDI starts at $21,990, but helps justify that increase with a standard touchscreen audio interface with Sirius satellite radio and the afformentioned sport suspension.

The 2.0-liter turbodiesel makes 140 HP and 236 Lb/Ft - good for 0-60 MPH in 8.6 seconds - and comes with either a 5-speed manual or 6-speed DSG gearbox. Equipped with the manual, the TDI returns 30 MPG city, 41 MPG highway; equipped with the DSG, it does slightly better at 31/42 MPG, 2 MPG better than the 2009 VW Jetta TDI.

Here's the press release:

2010 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF:
SIMPLY PUT—THE BEST GOLF OF ALL TIMES THAT ONCE
AGAIN SETS NEW STANDARDS FOR ITS CLASS

HERNDON, VA, September 28, 2009 – For 2010, the venerable Volkswagen
Golf is ready to stand out yet again-sporting fresh, dynamic styling inside and
out. The Golf, now in its sixth generation, will be available with the highly
anticipated, athletic yet extremely fuel efficient, TDI clean diesel engine.
Available in both two and four-door models, the new Golf carries the Volkswagen
brand heritage into overdrive with proven, German-engineered performance and
refinement at affordable starting prices. The new Golf starts at $17,490 for the
two-door model, and $19,190 for the four-door version. Several options are
available to make the 2010 Golf a perfect choice for those consumers who
demand a compact car that is equipped to not only be functional when called
upon, but also looks, drives, and feels fun at the same time.
Having already been honored as the "World Car of the Year," the latest-
generation Golf promises more vigor, better usability and the best fuel economy
of any Golf to date.

Exterior
From the first glance, the 2010 Golf proudly shows off the new "face" of the
Volkswagen brand with an all-new front end design that includes a wider, double-
bar grille that blends into angled halogen headlamps for a sportier visage (High
Intensity Gas-discharged Xenon headlamps are available as an option on the
TDI model). The body-colored bumper sits above a revised lower front fascia
featuring a wide-mouthed cooling duct. Crystalline oval fog lamps complete the front fascia on TDI models. These elements, combined with the Golf's wider
appearance give the hatchback a more commanding road presence.
Black window trim and the absence of side moldings keep things simple
along the sides, for a cleaner look that remains pleasing to the eye. Heading to
the rear, a hatch spoiler with integrated third brake light sits atop the hatch and is
painted to match the rest of the body while touching on the Golf's sporty
capabilities. Updated taillights mimic their counterparts from up front, and feature
integrated clear turn signal and reverse indicators along the bottom edge.
Running lights are blended into the lower rear bumper which adds a blacked out
insert and a cutout for a pair of exhaust tips.

Engine and Transmission
The 2010 Golf will be available with the choice of two engines, customers
can choose a 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder gasoline engine, or the 50-state
compliant, 2.0-liter four-cylinder clean diesel TDI engine.
The standard 2.5L engine puts out a very usable 170 horsepower at 5,700
rpm, and a potent 177 lbs.-ft. of torque at 4,250 rpm. The 2.5L features an
aluminum alloy cross flow head with four valves per cylinder, double overhead
camshafts, maintenance-free hydraulic lifters, and Motronic® sequential multi-port
fuel injection.
A five-speed manual transmission comes standard on the two-door model,
and a six-speed automatic gearbox with Tiptronic® control is standard on the
four-door, which allows drivers to shift manually with an up or down push of the
gear lever. The manual transmission with the 2.5L engine results in a quick zero
to 60 mph time of 7.8 seconds, and rewards drivers with a return of 22 mpg in the
city, and 30 mpg on the highway. Drivers who option their Golf with the six-speed
automatic transmission can enjoy 23 mpg in city driving and 30 mpg for highway
travel, and an 8.1 second run to 60 mph from a standstill.
For drivers that desire a fuel-sipping compact that emits 25 percent less
greenhouse gas and achieves more than 30 percent better fuel economy
compared to a similar gasoline engine, the 2010 Golf equipped with the 2.0L
clean diesel TDI engine is more than up to the task. Available in both two-door
and four-door models, the Golf TDI is marked by its fusion of German-tuned
performance and impressive fuel economy – compliments of an advanced
electronically-controlled turbocharger and the electronically-controlled direct
injection fuel system. The valve train consists of a single overhead camshaft, four
valves per cylinder and maintenance-free hydraulic lifters for added piece of
mind. All combined, the 2.0L powerhouse produces 140 horsepower at 4,000
rpm, and an impressive 236 lbs.-ft. of torque between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm.
To deliver all that power to the road smoothly, a traditional six-speed
manual transmission comes standard on the clean diesel TDI, and is good for an
EPA-estimated 30 mpg during city travel, 41 mpg on the highway, and zero to 60
mph time of 8.6 seconds. Drivers can also go for the optional six-speed
automatic Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG®) transmission with Tiptronic, and have the
performance of a manual gearbox with the effortless precision of an automatic
transmission. The DSG uses an automated dual-clutch system that instantly
engages and disengages gears without the need for a driver-activated clutch
pedal. A computer engages one clutch on the next gear needed, just as the
clutch from the previous gear is released. Each resulting shift is quick yet
smooth, and lacks the power loss that occurs when using a traditional manual
transmission. Tiptronic mode stops the transmission's automated shifting and
instead lets the driver control gear changes by either tapping the gearshift lever
up or down, or using the shift paddles mounted to the steering wheel. With the
DSG transmission, the Golf clean diesel TDI models provide 30 mpg in the city
and 42 mpg on the highway, as well as an 8.6 second sprint from zero to 60
mph.

Chassis and Suspension
The new Golf yearns to be driven and inspires drivers with the confidence
to do so with the utmost of ease and comfort, whether cruising along the
highways, or taking on the twists and turns of country roads. At its core is a laser-
welded unibody construction that remains stiff and helps keep everything in line
as the Golf zips along. At the front, a fully independent suspension with
McPherson struts and an anti-roll bar comes standard on the 2.5L models, while
the TDI models include an updated sport suspension for improved road-hugging
dynamics. Moving to the rear, a fully independent four-link arrangement with coil
springs, telescopic shocks and another stabilizer bar keep the Golf agile yet
rider-friendly in most any driving situation.
Steering is enhanced with an electro-mechanical, variably-assisted, power
rack-and-pinion system that, when combined with a quick ratio, gives an
unprecedented level of control and accuracy in the corners and out on the
straights. Bringing the Golf to a halt are power assisted four wheel disc brakes,
with vented rotors at the front and solid rotors at the rear and the safety of an
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). The advanced braking system works
seamlessly with the car's Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) that includes a
collection of traction and safety features such as Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR),
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL), Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA), and Electronic
Brake-pressure Distribution (EBD).

Interior
On the inside, the latest Golf carries its refinement throughout with a variety
of stylish additions that will aim to keep drivers and passengers comfortable and
pleased. All models start out with eight-way manually adjustable sports seats at
the front, which include two-way adjustable lumbar support, and adjustable head
restraints. The rear seats include adjustable head restraints for all seating
positions, a center armrest, and have 60/40 split folding capability for maximizing
cargo space when needed. Both the front and rear seats come standard with
Volkswagen's "Me2" cloth fabric. Heated seats are available as an option on all
2010 Golf models with the cold weather package, which also adds convenient
heated windshield washer nozzles. At the helm, the updated three-spoke
steering wheel features an embossed center section, and is upgraded to a
leather-wrapped version with multifunction controls on TDI models.
Brushed metallic appearance trim inserts are standard on the dash and in
the door panels of all Golf models, and accent the redesigned instrument panel
and center console. Chrome trim surrounds the tachometer on the left side,
which incorporates an integrated temperature gauge, and the speedometer on
the right, has an integrated fuel gauge. Located between the black analog
gauges is a multi-function onboard computer display that provides the driver with
key information regarding the selected gear, fuel mileage, odometer, and more.
Up top, a full power sunroof can be ordered on all Golf models.
The HVAC system controls are handled by a more ergonomic arrangement
of knobs and buttons versus the more traditional dial and button layout,
complimenting the different stereo and navigation systems available. Standard
on the 2.5L models is an eight-speaker AM/FM radio system with single-disc CD
player, MP3 CD readability, and an auxiliary input jack for connecting portable
media players. All TDI models come standard with a touch-screen 8-speaker
sound system featuring an AM/FM/Sirius™ satellite radio, in-dash six-disc CD
changer with MP3 CD readability, theft deterrence, and an auxiliary input jack.
Mobile Device Interface (MDI) is also standard with the TDI model. For
audiophiles, the crystal clear 300W Dynaudio Lite premium sound system is
available as an option for TDI models, while Bluetooth™ connectivity, for hands-
free calling with a paired mobile phone, is an option on all 2010 Golf models.
The Golf TDI can be ordered with the new touch-screen navigation system
with a 6.5" high resolution display, integrated 30GB hard drive (10GB for
navigation, 20GB for audio), WMA / MP3 audio CD playback, DVD playback, an
SD memory card slot and a 3.5mm auxiliary input jack in the center console. The
system provides both visual and audible commands through the center console
display, as well as the digital display located in the instrument cluster.

Active and Passive Safety
The new Golf upholds Volkswagen's full-line promise of riding protection for
drivers and passengers alike, and includes the Prevent and Preserve Safety
System with 40 different standard features that all work together to help avoid
accidents whenever possible and help protect occupants when an accident is
unavoidable. These include six airbags (dual front, dual front side thorax, and
side curtains), optimized front head restraints, front seatbelt pretensioners with
load limiters, three-point safety belts in all five seating positions (two front and
three rear) with emergency locking retractors, and more. Four-door Golf models
also offer the option of having rear side thorax airbags for outboard passengers.
In addition to the above standout safety items, the 2010 Golf, like all 2010
Volkswagen models, comes with the Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP®) as
standard equipment, ahead of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration's (NHTSA) mandate that by 2012, all vehicles produced will need
to include some form of Electronic Stability Control (ESC). According to NHTSA,
having ESC in a vehicle results in 35 percent fewer single-vehicle crashes and
30 percent fewer single-vehicle fatalities in passenger cars. Volkswagen's ESP
compares the driver's intended course with the vehicle's actual direction. If a
discrepancy is detected, ESP automatically brakes individual front or rear wheels
and/or reduces engine power as needed to help maintain directional control.

Warranty
The 2010 Golf comes standard with 24-hour Roadside Assistance for three
years or 36,000 miles (whichever occurs first), plus the following new vehicle
warranties:
• Five-year / 60,000 mile (whichever occurs first) Powertrain Limited Warranty
• Three-year / 36,000 mile (whichever occurs first) New Vehicle Warranty
• 12-year unlimited distance Limited Warranty against corrosion perforation
The Golf, like all 2010 model year Volkswagens, is included in the no-
charge Carefree Maintenance Program. Under this program, all of the Golf's
scheduled maintenance, as described in the maintenance booklet, is covered for
the length of the New Vehicle Warranty – three years or 36,000 miles, whichever
occurs first. Additionally, all current Volkswagens, including the Golf, use
synthetic oil, which, when combined with state-of-the-art German engineering,
eliminates the need for a 5,000 mile oil change. This ultimately allows for all
current Volkswagen owners to driver farther between scheduled oil changes.

Yes, yes, we know that the "Umpimp Your Ride" commercials were hilarious, the Beetle-dropped-from-helicopter Corrado ad was a winner, and some folks even mentioned the ad that used that annoying song. We'll get to them on Classic Ad Watch, eventually. Then we heard about this collection of UK-market Volkswagen ads over on MotorTorque and decided it would be best to post it right away. You see, it was so shocking to see that VW's marketers dared to get all eggheady and put a goddamn Dylan Thomas poem in a car ad that we had to share this outrage with y'all! Why, if General Westmoreland hadn't'a kicked Archdude Franz Ferdinand's ass in Grenada, those warm-beer-drinkin' Brits would all be speakin' Afrikaans by now! Anyway, here's the ad, which we're forced to admit is pretty cool… in the same geeked-out-yet-useless way that the Apple Cube was pretty cool. When you're done with that, go watch the other 15 ads.

We've picked out 20 of our favorite VW ads from the Classic Ad Watch series for your enjoyment. From the 1950s through the current decade, from the USA, Germany, South Africa, China, Mexico, and Brazil, these ads cover the highlights of the Volkswagen product line in entertaining fashion

1984 Rabbit	1987 GTI	2005 Caddy	Beetle
1984 GTI	1998 Transporter Syncro	1984 Vanagon	1979 Scirocco
1968 Beetle	1979 Rabbit	1972 Beetle	1981 Vanagon
1970 Karmann Ghia	1958 Beetle	1976 Transporter	1958 Transporter
1955 Beetle	1971 Karmann Ghia	1983 Beetle	1966 Fastback

VW has decided to commemorate the largest gathering of VW Polos and GTIs at Wörthersee with these flashed up "concept"vehicles. Unlike past years, which included the Golf W12 concept, VW is taking a conservative approach. Little more than a paint job and lowered suspension, these are pretty much just a way to get outlets like us to talk about the new VW Golf GTI and Polo GTI as they go to market. On that front, good job VW.

[Source: VW]

Tech inspections start on Friday at Reno-Fernley Raceway, and racing begins at 11:00 AM Saturday. I'll be there, LeMons Supreme Court Justice Lieberman will be there, some guy from Autoblog will be there, and many of you will be there as well. Let's get a sneak preview of some of the "race cars" we'll have the pleasure of watching shed major engine components on roar around the track:

We're pretty excited about the first-ever Ford/Mercury/whatever Capri to show up to a LeMons event. Our friend Bill, of wrecked MGB-GT fame, is on the team, and their Cologne V6-powered '74 Capri is one of the most unspeakably terrible finest race cars we've ever seen. Not only that, but the team will be racing to raise funds to help a little girl who's battling leukemia. You can sign up to donate a certain amount per lap; we suggest $20 per, because, well, it's a 500-buck Crapi and is nearly certain to might blow up on the track pretty quickly. I don't want to spoil anything here, but word at LeMons HQ is that these dudes are raising the LeMons theme bar with their team costumes.



You know what's wrong with the 24 Hours Of LeMons? No Fauxrraris, that's what! Happily, Team Lemons Vice has butchered the living crap out of tastefully modified their Altamont- and Thunderhill-veteran CRX, and it looks so vile we have no words strong enough great! Here's what the team has to say about their car:

Here's some photos of the current build and the previous themes for the car. It started out as a stock 88' CRX DX with 450K+ showing on the odometer when we bought it. Clean body but had some previous front end damage and cut springs. It had a really bad front end shake which turned out to be lump where one of the front tires was beginning to separate (all were showing steel). The big homemade wing and exhaust tip provided the irony for the little "Team Size Matters" CRX. The before and after shots are from our first race at AMP in Oct 07. The wing actually produced enough down force to bend and then break the supports at the first Thunderhill race. Other than bent fenders and getting the steeing knocked way out of alignment, the only mechanical problem we've had was a 4" gash in the gas tank at AMP last May. Fortunately we'd wired up the exhaust tip that had been dragging the day before.

After three races we rebuilt it as the Slow Santas sleigh. That was our first time using the styrofoam insulation sheets, which we used all over for the current build. The sleigh was high enough to avoid contact, but we'll have to be especially careful this time.

The car is several inches shorter on the left than on the right now, so it was tricky to frame up the "italian" rear end. The body already looks straighter (which isn't saying much) and should look a lot better after this weekend. We're hoping all the foam might provide some impact cushioning should another car experience braking or steering "problems". That seems to happen a lot. The painting (with rollers) will get finished this weekend, and we will have graphics for the "gills" on the sides and the tailights across the back. We just might consider offering a body kit based on this design. A rat took up residence in the engine compartment after the last race, hence the peanuts, snails and turds on the valve cover. Other than that, the motor is totally stock.

How about a really puzzling internet meme as a LeMons car theme? Casadelshawn, formerly of the Faster Farms Chickens (whose Belvedere will be serving as the Goin' For Broken Official Pace Car), and his water-cooled-VW-fanatic henchmen will be racing a 4-door Rabbit known as the Bunny With A Pancake On Its Head.

That's right, they're turning a brutally swiss-cheesed VW Rabbit into a rolling replica of Oolong the Rabbit, complete with fur, ears, and huge foam-rubber pancake on its head. The car isn't quite, you know, done yet, but Casadelshawn assures me that they only have about "nine rats left to kill" on the project, whatever the hell that means.

The car drove under its own power for the first time a couple days ago, and supposedly it made the team members feel like this.




Then we've got the Mustard Yellow Volvo Doing 45 In The Fast Lane, formerly known as the Black Metal V8olvo. I'm not on the team any more, because I tend to make bonehead mistakes on the race track am too busy judging and doing the journalism thing, but I have been retained as the team's Artistic Consultant (and I'm sure they'll come pull out all my toenails with pliers if my innovative wiring job from last year goes up in smoke). Naturally, they'll need to bribe the bejasus out of me in order to avoid the 1,000-lap penalty with which I should hammer them just on general principle, but I'll probably let them slide due to their allowing me to inflict my really annoying theme on them. Yes, any East Bay resident can tell you all about the scourge of the Berkeley Volvo 244, painted that distinctive mustard color (which we've approximated with Caterpillar Yellow train-car paint), covered with dishwater-strength lefty bumper stickers and pootling along in the fast lane with the left blinker on… and that's what will be clogging up the track at Reno-Fernley!

I've put a lot of thought into the bumper stickers, with the vintage Mondale-Ferraro one being the real prize. Can't have anything too hippie, because hippies get high and groove on good tunes and that's too much fun for Berkeley Volvo 244 drivers… and anything too revolutionary is right out, too, because it's all about the tedium, you see. Walter Mondale, however, is about right, and did you ever see one of these cars that didn't have a FREE TIBET sticker?

As for the Eternal Left Blinker, all it took was a couple of yellow bulbs, a Chrysler turn-signal flasher, and a quick repurposing of the wiring that once operated the Yammering Swedish Skulls Of Black Metal Doom:

If you give the above photograph some careful study, you'll spot a number of items characteristically British. Those two faucets, for instance. You'll see that colonial inventions—in this case, the mixer faucet patented by the Canadian Thomas Campbell in 1880—did not always make their way back to the mother-ship, necessitating a dreary shuffle after every trip to the bathroom with two jets of water, one freezing, the other piping hot. You will also notice a copy of the first issue of Wired UK, published last week, and the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas’s radio play Under Milk Wood, a passage of which was used in perhaps the most beautiful car commercial ever made, Volkswagen’s 2007 UK spot for the Mark V Golf titled Night Driving.

Direct your gaze now to the heap of change on the tiles. The large bi-metallic coins are worth £2, have Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse and will buy you a cup of coffee and a bag of Maltesers. The reverse is unremarkable on the most common English version, but if you’re lucky, you can get one from the Isle of Man. A hilly, windswept patch of land in the Irish Sea notable for its lack of speed limits, the Tourist Trophy motorcycle race and the fact that the 1998 minting of their £2 coin has a Ferrari 250 GTO on the tails side.

If you don’t have the patience to receive it as change in the UK, you can pick one up on eBay for £8.

After finding themselves totally submerged in the muddy water, the occupants had to make their way to the rear hatch and kick the glass out in order to escape. Nobody was seriously injured in the incident but the Golf is much worse for the wear. Certainly makes the potholes of Detroit look like baby stuff. [English Russia via Carscoop]

Alameda actually has plenty of Mk1 Rabbits on the street, but I just haven't been paying enough attention to them. So far in this series, we've seen this '81 diesel pickup and this '83 4-door LS. Perhaps I'm just having flashbacks to the miserably underpowered dual-brake-pedal-equipped '77 diesel Rabbit that my high school used for driver-training classes; driving instructor "Coach Bob" took sadistic pleasure in making total beginners enter the Nimitz Freeway via the fiendishly short 16th Avenue onramp in the 47-horse Rabbit. But I'm over that now (not really), so we'll be playing Golf Catchup for a while.


American car buyers didn't have many affordable convertible options during the Late Malaise Era. The MGB was done in 1980 and the last TR7 came in 1981; the Mustang convertible didn't return until 1983. The Rabbit convertible sold for $9,340 in 1982. That was $2,358 less than a new Chrysler LeBaron convertible and $2,950 less than a Fiat Spider. This one has the rare "laptop keyboard glued to dash" option.


Here's a view of the Rabbit from the Evil Skylark, which lives just down the street.

The GTD version of the sometimes-Rabbit, sometimes-Golf gets an upgraded body kit, suspension, DSG automatic or six-speed manual transmission all on top of the base model of the latest generation GTI. Replacing the frantic gas mill is a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel good for 170 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque. That motor is good for 0-to-62 MPH runs in the neighborhood of 8.1 seconds, making it a more leisurely brother to the GTI, but what you lose in straight-line speed you gain in economy, with combined fuel consumption of about 44 MPG. No official statement has been made yet whether the car will be US-bound, but we're not holding our collective breath.

The new Golf GTD Volkswagen presents sporty new model at the AMI in Leipzig

Wolfsburg/Leipzig, 27 March 2009 - Following the Polo, the BlueMotion initiative and the Golf GTI, Volkswagen is now spanning its next arrow in the bow: this time, the Golf GTD. With a powerful 125 kW (170 PS) TDI engine, it is aimed at diesel drivers who value the maximum in dynamics. The new GTD is extremely thrifty but at the same time extremely sporty. The GTD tag already has a tradition at Volkswagen: the first Golf GTD - the GTI among diesels - was built in 1982.

The new GTD is powerful and can boast of outstandingly low fuel consumption: the common-rail engine requires just 5.3 litres fuel per 100 kilometres. That corresponds to CO2 emissions of only 139 g/km. On the other hand, the car has a top speed of 222 km/h and accelerates to 100 km/h in 8.1 seconds.

Like the GTI, the GTD will also offer, in addition to the 6-speed manual gearbox, an optional 6-speed DSG - the most efficient automatic gearbox of our time, in the opinion of many experts. Equipped with sport suspension and 17-inch alloy "Seattle" wheels, the GTD demonstrates that it shares GTI DNA on one hand through its extremely agile handling and, on the other, through parallels in appearance and equipment. The exterior announces unequivocally that it the sportiest diesel-powered Golf. The designs of the front bumper, the radiator grille and the headlights are identical to those of the GTI. However, the typical horizontal red strips in the GTI's grille are chromed on the GTD.

Volkswagen's GT philosophy has shaped the interior as well: top-of-the line sport seats in black and white as standard; a three-spoke steering wheel flattened along the bottom edge, a brake handle with a leather gaiter as well as light-grey seams to accent the leather handle; and a black moulded headliner are just a few of the GTD's distinguishing features. The base price in Germany is 27,475.00 Euros.

Volkswagen will be presenting the new Golf GTD as well as the entire Volkswagen range in Hall 1 of the AMI in Leipzig through 5 April. The show is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

[Source: VW]

In addition to the slightly revised apperance, the new GTI will come with the XDS electronic transverse differential lock, which is an improved version of the current GTI's e-diff.

[VW via Straightline]

While there was only one European machine in the Gator-O-Rama top 10, the Opular Dependence Team Israel Opel GT grabbed the prestigious Organizer's Choice trophy for the Continent. Not only that, the Saabs avoided throwing even a single connecting rod this time out, which should be cause for rejoicing in the streets of Stockholm
.
Thanks to Myke Toman, Nick Pon, Zerin Dube and Speed:Sport:Life, Anna C of Bikini Racer, the Norwegian Slaabs, Saabs Gone Wild, Prison Break Racing, Team Beermer, LeMons Supreme Court Justice Lieberman, Jackson Williams, and others for their fine photographs.

DailyMail reports an unnamed Austrian farmer has been using a beloved Golf to transport some beloved calves. He even took steps to modify said hatchback to make it comfortable and accessible for their trips around the countryside.

Quoting the original article, "The unidentified farmer, from Kufstein district in Tyrol, insisted he 'acted out of love for his animals' as they would have been 'too cold' in an open-air trailer." Animal rights activists are raging over the prospect that someone would transport livestock in anything other than a government-approved animal trailer.

To calm the foaming mouths of the fur-happy lunatics, he agreed to "only transport young animals in the car that did not weigh more than 80 kilos." Happy now, Pamela?

[DailyMail]

Although we first saw a GTI Concept in Paris last year, these pictures appear to be the first production look at the four-door Volkswagen Golf GTI MK VI. You'll be happy to know it looks relatively unchanged — well, except for the fact the concept was a two-door model and this is, obviously, a four-door. Other differences include smoothed-out door panels and less prominent rocker panels.

Powered by the same 2.0-liter four-banging TSI from the Scirocco, the GTI Concept gets power up to 207 HP, 10 neighing ponies more than the MkV GTI. Whether we'll also see the features from the GTI Concept such as Adaptive Chassis control, giving driver-adjustable electronically controlled dampeners, the XDS limited slip differential, and electronic stabilization.

The vehicle will be sold as the 2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI in the United States and Canada when it arrives in showrooms in early September 2009, dropping the "Rabbit" badge that was used for the Golf MK V. [via World Car Fans]

While the Carpocalypse looms over the heads of many in the Detroit area and beyond, the UAW apparently isn’t feeling the same kind of heat. While companies are struggling to survive and cutting costs wherever possible, the UAW is spending millions to maintain their golf resort in Black Lake, Michigan.

The $6.4 million golf course is merely a small piece of the larger $33 million retreat center that is costing the UAW millions of dollars every year, totaling $23 million in the last five years. According to the UAW, the Reuther Family Education Center hosts important seminars and classes on leadership and political action, but we’re guessing they’re spending a lot of time on that finely trimmed grass on the 5th tee.

According to Justin Wilson of the Center for Union Facts, a union "watchdog group" (we're not entirely certain where funding for such a group comes from, but we're assuming it's from some sort of biased source):

“It’s their members’ money that they’re spending on this thing. The union has bigger issues at hand than managing a golf course.”

The attached golf course at the Reuther Family Education Center was designed in 2000 by famous course architect Rees Jones for a paltry $6 million. UAW members receive a 20% discount off of the normal green fee of $85, though we don’t think many of them will have the money to play golf in the upcoming season.

[via SportsbyBrooks]