Report: VW design chief says new Microbus is in the cards

It's time to dust off the periodic dream of a new Volkswagen Microbus. The UK's Auto Express reports that Klaus Bischoff, chief designer for the Volkswagen brand, thinks a new version of the classic Camper is a fundamental part of his job. This rumor has come around before, and the New Beetle's ten-year run might help underscore the business case for a revival. There were plans to offer a production version of the 2001 Microbus concept that made a splash at that year's Detroit Motor Show, but cost considerations put an end to that project. A new Microbus is back on, according to Bischoff, and Volkswagen is trying to figure out how conventional or creative to go. VW's design offices across the globe are being asked for their input to develop a vehicle with wide influence, and platforms and powertrains are up in the air. If this rumor sticks, we're likely to see a concept in 2012. - Autoblog

KBB Best Resale Value awards announced, Subaru and BMW named best brands

Well, color us embarrassed. Never you mind the earlier post we ran about last year's Kelly Blue Book resale value awards. As it turns out, KBB very wisely hands out those nods for the upcoming model year based on their projected resale values five years from now. For 2011, Subaru walked away with the title of Best Resale Value Brand while BMW took the nod for Best Resale Value Luxury Brand. The two dethroned Toyota and Lexus, respectively, despite the Japanese automaker's products holding four slots on the top 10 list.

2011 Kia Optima officially priced from $18,995

The 2011 Kia Optima appears to be a quantum leap improvement over the 2010 model, with improved aesthetics, powertrains and technology. But do all those improvements come at a cost? According to Kia, the 2011 Optima will start at $18,995. That's $1,000 more than the outgoing model, but still $1,000 or so lower than many competitors' midsize offerings, and lower still than its cross-Korean cousin, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. With the base model comes standard power window and door locks, Sirius Satellite radio and a USB interface for your iPod.Move up to the LX trim level with a six-speed automatic transmission and the starting price is $20,495. The LX comes standard with alloy wheels, cruise control and an eco mode for more efficient driving. The EX is the next step up the luxury ladder with leather seating surfaces, an eight-way power driver's seat, dual zone climate control, 17-inch wheels and push-button start. If horsepower is your thing, the EX Turbo supplies 274 horsepower, a revised front grille and special interior accents for a reasonable $24,495, which in this case actually costs a little more than the Sonata Turbo at $24,145. The top-end Optima, the SX, starts at $25,995. Standard features for the SX include a host of interior upgrades, 18-inch wheels, revised lower trim, a sport-tuned suspension, HID headlamps and LEDs out back

LA 2010: Subaru Impreza Concept caught in living color

One of the biggest surprises (so far...) of the 2010 LA Auto Show has to be the Subaru Impreza Design Concept that snuck up on us just a few hours ago. Some thought it might be the long-awaited Subota coupe (a close cousin of the Toyobaru, of course), but in reality what we have here is a conceptual sedan that the Japanese automaker claims will heavily influence future models... namely the Impreza, we'd wager.Yes, there's a working 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine bolted to a CVT gearbox behind that shapely new front grille and its massive side vents, but it's the styling we're really intrigued by.

Rumormill: BMW reconsidering larger SUV for U.S. market?

Judging from the whispers making their way around the interwebs, BMW may be interested in rekindling the X7 flame. The company was one of many corporations that took part in a global summit in Seoul to discuss how to rebalance global trade away from a U.S.-dependent market. But while many of the participants are keen to shift their attentions toward economies in China and Germany, BMW seemed to think that the U.S. would be back on its feet and buying sooner rather than later. The automaker even went so far as to say that it hadn't completely nixed the idea of introducing another larger SUV to its North American lineup.That means that the X7, a massive vehicle killed off in 2008, may not be completely off of the table. Throwing another SUV into the company's portfolio wouldn't seem to be in keeping with BMW's new commitment to building ever more efficient vehicles, though you never know. Just because we like to think that we live in a post-SUV world doesn't mean American buyers don't love their massive machines.

BMW releases limited Z4 Silver Top edition for Japan

BMW has a strong following in the Land of the Rising Sun, and has been gracing it with a number of special editions over the past several years. We recently reported on the 120i Performance Unlimited edition, and now BMW Japan has followed up with the new Silver Top edition of the Z4 roadster.As you might have guessed the Silver Top is distinguished by its silver top. The contrast with the black body color gives it a rather Zagato-like profile, and the mirror housings get the same treatment. In case the look wasn't complete enough, the interior has been decked out in red leather as well. It's based on the sDrive23i trim level, pairing the 2.5-liter six with the six-speed automatic transmission. Only 15 examples will be offered exclusively in Japan with a 5.590 million yen sticker price – about $69k by today's conversion rates – with deliveries slated to arrive in April 2011.

Rendered Speculation: 2012 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet

It looks like we finally have a rendering to go with the rampant speculation about the introduction of a Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet. The ever-talented Jon Sibal has turned his attention to the drop-head Vee-Dub, and has worked up what he thinks the car might look like should the the people's automaker decide to pull the trigger on the project, which will reportedly commence in the spring of 2011. Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the board for VW, has already said that he would like to see a convertible version of the sixth-generation Golf, and as we all know, anything that Winterkorn wants, he typically gets.Sibal's rendering certainly makes for a snappy dresser, though we're guessing that the production version will use a slightly beefier roll bar system. Of course, it's entirely possible that the topless Golf could do away with a center roll section altogether in favor of something similar to the sturdy hoops found in the Mini Cooper Convertible.

Volkswagen testing ice- and fog-free windshield technology

Volkswagen is out to give us all a little taste of better living through chemistry. The company has partnered up with the minds at the Fraunhofer Institute to develop a windshield that's resistant to fog, frost and ice. The scientists managed to apply a thin layer of indium tin oxide to the outer layer of the glass, and they say that the compound does a good job of keeping frost from forming all the way down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. Pretty impressive.Volkswagen marketing gurus have taken to calling the coating "Low-E" for low thermal emissivity. How does it work? Details are scarce at the moment, but the manufacturer is saying the compound helps to keep heat from radiating skyward, essentially keeping the glass just a bit warmer than the ambient temperature. While the Low-E tech won't guarantee against fogging or frosting, it does greatly reduce its likelihood.So how long will it be before the windshield in your new Jetta is immune to Old Man Winter's shenanigans? No one is saying for sure. VW is still ironing out a few kinks at the moment, including the fact that the indium tin oxide wreaks havoc on both radio and cell phone signals.

Report: Volkswagen planning hotter Jetta R

According to a report from Autocar, Volkswagen will be offering a performance-oriented R version of its sixth-generation Jetta. The automaker has already launched its Golf R and Scirocco R overseas, and VW has long said that it plans to expand its performance offerings around the world.Volkswagen reportedly showed European media a version of the Jetta equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 during the car's official launch last week. No power numbers were divulged, but Autocar states that a six-speed dual-clutch transmission was fitted to this Jetta, as was 4Motion all-wheel drive.Ulrich Hackenberg, VW's head of research and development, says that the Jetta R is being heavily considered and that if customer demand is there, it will be produced (sounds familiar, doesn't it?). If the Jetta R does see the light of day, we're willing to bet that it will come to North American soil, especially since the United States is the new Jetta's key market.