Volkswagen brought Heidi Klum on stage in Los Angeles to unveil the new 2012 Eos, unfortunately, totally drawing our attention away from the new handsome corporate nose…on the car, not on Heidi. The changes to the 2011 VW Eos are significant, but most of the attention is focused on its looks, so bringing out someone known for their fashion sense was perhaps appropriate.
One of the mechanical changes is that there is no longer a stick available, but we doubt many buyers will notice. In America, Eos gets the 2.0-liter TSI with a 6-speed DSG. That 200-horsepower engine might be recognizable as the engine propelling the hot and fun GTI. We suspect performance will not be comparable, and we also predict that few buyers will care. Check out the pics and press release below.
GALLERY: 2012 Volkswagen EOS
VOLKSWAGEN
Auto Show Premiere of the New Eos
New Eos debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show
Sharper: Perfected Eos launches with new front and rear design
Efficient: Eos to have charged direct injection engines worldwide
Wolfsburg / Los Angeles, 17 November 2010 – The new Volkswagen Eos will make its world debut live at the Los Angeles Auto Show (19 to 28 November). The internationally successful cabriolet coupé has been technically perfected, visually updated – front and rear – and refined with numerous new features. There was a good reason for choosing California as the location for its auto show debut: America is the sales region with the highest volume for the four-seater. Volkswagen of America will take the new Eos to the streets at the end of March; in Europe – the second strongest sales region for the Eos – market launch is scheduled for mid-January.
Individual engines for America and Europe
In America, the Eos is being offered as a 147 kW / 200 PS 2.0-litre TSI with a 6-speed DSG. In Europe, three direct-injection turbo petrol engines (TSI) and one direct-injection turbodiesel (TDI) will be available. Power levels of the efficient TSI engines range from 90 kW / 122 PS to 155 kW / 210 PS, while the quiet common rail TDI develops 103 kW / 140 PS. Clearly demonstrating just how fuel efficient the new cabriolet coupé has become is the Eos 2.0-litre TDI with BlueMotion Technology and 103 kW / 140 PS; it consumes just 4.8 l/100 km. The use of BlueMotion Technology (including Stop/Start system and brake energy recovery) has reduced fuel consumption by 0.7 l/100 km.
New design adds increased elegance and sporting style
Front section: The appearance of the new Eos follows Volkswagen’s “design DNA” that is marked by clearly structured, horizontal lines. Extending between the new headlights now is a radiator grille protector consisting of three shiny black struts, each trimmed with a narrow chrome strip. The main headlights can be ordered in halogen (H7) or optional bi-xenon format. Within the housings of the bi-xenon headlamps, 14 LEDs form the daytime running light. A new optional extra for both types of headlight is the Light Assist main beam assistant. When turned on, it takes over the function of switching between dipped and main beam, automatically adapting this to the traffic conditions. Providing increased safety as standard on all models, meanwhile, are fog lamps that now feature integrated cornering lights.
Side and rear design: The Eos side profile benefits from a new range of alloy wheels. The Eos is supplied as standard with 16-inch “Barcelona” alloys and type 215 tyres. Other 16-inch, 17-inch and 18-inch sets of wheels are available as options. The 16-inch winter wheels with full wheel covers have been carried over from the previous model.
The Eos can be recognised from behind by its reworked, two-part LED rear lights and rear bumper, which, in keeping with the front one, has also been redesigned. A striking feature of the technical and visual structure of the two-part rear lights (worked into the boot and wing) is a stylised M that incorporates the LEDs for the tail and brake lights.
Refined interior
The interior of the Eos has new trim on the dashboard and doors, with “Matt Chrome” details applied as standard. The Ambience Pack has also been reconfigured. When this pack is ordered, the Eos’s interior fittings include decorative “Black Peak” elements (dark aluminium accents with chrome edging). As an alternative, the Ambience Pack is also available, as previously, with elegant “Walnut Root” or “Poplar Grain” trim. The window buttons and light switches are now also always framed in chrome.
Cool leather for hot days: New fabrics (in “Wave” design) add an elegant touch to the standard seats (sport seats in the 103 kW / 140 PS model and above). Meanwhile, the new “Nappa” leather in “cool leather” form is both practical and exclusive. The name says it all: the “cool leather” reflects the sun’s rays, heating up much less than standard leather and making it an ideal material for an open-top car. Also new in the interior is the design of the DSG gear shift gaiter and lever.
High-tech features
In technical terms, numerous new details distinguish the 2011 Eos. These include the “Premium” multifunction display with colour screen, the previously mentioned Light Assist main beam control system and second generation Park Assist complete with Park Pilot (assisted parallel and adjacent parking). Also new on the 2011 Eos is the Keyless Access lock and ignition system. The ignition is started here by pushing the convenient “Press & Drive” button, which replaces the ignition key slot.
Opening and closing the roof by remote control: On a car fitted with Keyless Access, the CSC roof can be opened and closed by wireless remote control – a new feature on the Eos range.
The car’s combined cabriolet (fold-away), sliding and coupé roof is an extremely well developed system. A standard component of the five-part roof unit is a sliding panoramic sunroof that bathes the interior of the Eos in light even in poor weather. The fully opening CSC roof converts the Eos from coupé to cabriolet or vice versa in just 25 seconds.
Four powerful and fuel-efficient four-cylinder engines
1.4 TSI with 122 PS: In Europe, the Eos is powered as standard by a 90 kW / 122 PS 1.4-litre TSI engine (max. torque 200 Newton metres from 1,500 rpm). This turbocharged direct injection petrol engine allows a top speed of 198 km/h. Combined fuel consumption: 6.6 l/100 km (equivalent to 152 g/km CO2). In this engine configuration the Eos can also be ordered with BlueMotion Technology. Consumption is then reduced to 6.2 l/100 km (144 g/km CO2).
1.4 TSI with 160 PS: For the next level of engine power Volkswagen uses a 1.4-litre TSI with twincharger (turbo and compressor). It delivers 118 kW / 160 PS. The top speed of the Eos 1.4-litre TSI with this power output is 217 km/h. The high-torque twincharger (240 Newton metres from 1,500 rpm) enables comfortable cruising at low revs. Combined fuel consumption: 6.8 l/100 km (157 g/km CO2).
2.0 TSI with 200 PS and 210 PS: The most powerful petrol engine available for the new Eos is the 2.0-litre TSI. In the USA it produces 147 kW / 200 PS, while in Europe it will deliver 155 kW / 210 PS. The European version of this turbocharged direct injection engine develops a maximum torque of 280 Newton-metres from 1,700 rpm. Top speed: 238 km/h. Combined fuel consumption: 7.1 litres (165 g/km CO2). In Europe, Volkswagen will offer the dual clutch gearbox (DSG) on the Eos 2.0-litre TSI as an option. The DSG version achieves a top speed of 236 km/h and consumes 7.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres (174 g/km CO2). The 2.0-litre TSI of the American Eos – with standard DSG – develops an identical maximum torque of 280 Newton metres or 207 foot pounds from 1,800 rpm. In the US Highway cycle, the Eos 2.0 TSI attains a fuel economy of 31* mpg (City: 22* mpg).
2.0 TDI with 140 PS: The Eos 2.0-litre TDI (103 kW / 140 PS) is extremely fuel-efficient. At 5.2 l/100 km (138 g/km CO2), the four-cylinder engine, delivering 320 Newton-metres of torque, consumes 0.3 litres less fuel than the previous model. This engine can also be ordered with BlueMotion Technology (BMT) modifications. In this case, fuel consumption is reduced to 4.8 l/100 km (125 g/km CO2), which represents a 0.7 litre improvement compared to the previous model. Both versions reach a top speed of 207 km/h. The 2.0-litre TDI and 2.0-litre TDI BMT are also both available with a six-speed DSG transmission. The standard version then consumes 5.7 l/100 km (149 g/km CO2) and the BlueMotion Technology model 5.3 l/100 km (139 g/km CO2). These fuel consumption figures make the new Eos one of the most fuel-efficient cabriolets in the world.
*= Forecast values as of 5 November 2010
Notes:
TDI, TSI, DSG and Twincharger are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG or other companies of the Volkswagen Group in Germany and other countries.
Features and technical data apply to models offered in Germany. They may differ in other countries.
All mpg data for the USA are per EPA; all l/100 km data for Europe are per NEDC.
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