Winters are hard in Maine, hard enough to make men do crazy things. Things like asking, “How much horsepower can I get from a 1.8 liter VW turbocharged motor and still keep it drivable on the street?”

I suppose it was inevitable really. I mean if you think about it, all the major German automobile manufacturers have some type of sporty moniker to designate their go-fast models. BMW has their coveted M cars, Mercedes has AMG and Audi, the RS line. Now it seems that Volkswagen wants to jump into the fray by adding an R to the VW line. The R line of cars and SUVs will be more performance oriented and will likely offer up more power, enhanced trim options as well as suspension upgrades.

Read more at: Motorauthority.com

Ken’s jet conversion made his Beetle fast, but it didn’t earn him any more respect.

Volkswagen America has announced a special edition of the Jetta TDI to commemorate their TDI Cup racing series. Called the Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition, the car will feature the same body kit used by Cup racers, Jetta GLI spec brakes with painted calipers (in red, of course), 18 inch alloy wheels and GLI suspension. Interior revisions are modest and include special seat fabric, a leather wrapped steering wheel and brushed aluminum door sills.

Well the game is over and the Saints pulled out a victory as another Super Bowl has fallen by the wayside. All through the game I was thinking, life is good, and I feel proud to be an American. There was pizza on the table, a Budweiser in my hand and a big block muscle car in the garage – man does that sound like an American stereotype, or what? Regardless, it was Super Bowl time and that meant only one thing… COMMERCIALS!!

Throughout the game we saw ads from Dodge, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Audi and Volkswagen. The big question is, were they any good? So with that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of all the automobile ads that ran, so you, the readers can choose and pick your favorites.

Now, before ya’ll get all twitchy on me because your favorite car commercial isn’t on this list, listen up! THIS ISN’T YOUR LIST – it’s my list. HOWEVER – if you know of some funny or awesome stuff out there then let us know and we’ll post it up. Hell, we can just make one big bulldog database of the best automotive commercials ever made… I’ll even put it together, just make sure you get me your recommendations.

Citroen C4 – TRANSFORM!!

Ok fine, it’s a bit hokey, but I grew up in the 1980’s and I dig these guys. Plus how often do you get to see a car really let loose and boogie down?

Armada? But there's only one! And it doesn't float! What's next, the Nissan Battalion?

Today’s announcement of the long-anticipated iPad* got me thinking. Auto companies stick some truly abysmal names on their cars. Touareg. Yaris. Patriot. Armada. And it only gets worse from there. But which company, overall, has the worst names in their lineup?

My initial thought was VW. Besides Touareg, you’ve got Routan, Tiguan, Passat, then Golf, Polo, Jetta, Eos, and New Beetle. Jetta is the only respectable name in the range. The SUV lineup sounds like a Klingon gagging on a muskrat. Yes, I’m aware that Touareg refers to a nomadic tribe from North Africa, but that only makes it worse. Golf and Polo? Because those are two sports that epitomize speed, agility, and fun. Eos? There’s nothing to love about that car. New Beetle? It hasn’t been new in a decade.

I haven’t even gotten to Hyundai or Kia’s naming schemes.

What do you think? Who has the most awful names in their lineup?

*Despite its name, it seems like an incredible device.

It’s a good year for those of us who lust after German hot hatches. According to VW, the 2011 VW Golf R will be coming to the U.S. The R will come packed with a TSI four good for 265 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of twist. The all-wheel-drive monster will be available with a six-speed manual or a super-quick DSG automatic. It’ll reportedly hit 60 mph in 5.5 seconds (5.7 with the manual gearbox) and run all the way up to a 155 mph top speed. And it’ll carry you, your dog, and a small flat’s worth of furniture.

Hit the jump for more pics.

Via: Autoblog, AutoGuide

Regardless of how legitimate the global push towards green may or may not be, there’s no escaping the impact the rapid shift in consumer demand has had on the automotive industry. Ward’s 2010 10 Best Engines list reads like an Al Gore-scripted porno and in the 16 years they’ve been objectively evaluating engines, this year marks the first time only one V8 unit (from Hyundai, ironically enough) has made the cut. The rest of the selections are smaller, more fuel-efficient units including the frustratingly underpowered 1.8L DOHC I-4 Hybrid from the Toyota Prius.

Fortunately, the rest of Ward’s choices aren’t nearly as boring and include the 3.5L Ecoboost turbocharged V6 from the comeback kid himself (herself?), the Taurus SHO, and the snarling 3.0L supercharged V6 from the Audi S4. The 2.4L DOHC I-4 from the Chevy Equinox also made the list, purportedly thanks to its “groundbreaking” performance and segment-leading efficiency, though it’s reasonable to suspect that pity might have played a small role too.

Hit the jump for the full list of Ward’s 2010 picks.

In the heat of the race to see who can capitalize the most on the consumer gold mine offered by social marketing, VW has chosen to initiate the inaugural launch of the 2010 MkVI GTI via the Firemint Real Racing iPhone app. Once they finish over-gelling their carefully cultivated faux hawk, iPhone users can download the free app and begin configuring their Real Racing GTI, which spares no details. Contrary to what one might reasonably assume, the Real Racing garage is equipped with as many options as one would expect to find in VW’s own virtual design studio and allows users to test the GTI’s impressive street performance without the nuisance of speed limits or pedestrian laws.

“With the personalization of media and the challenges inherent with reaching constantly connected consumers, we tasked ourselves to rethink the way we launch vehicles in order to engage our consumers in a meaningful way,” explained Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “The GTI customer is a tech-savvy consumer who enjoys social networking, playing games and spending time on mobile devices – most often an iPhone. Launching the all-new 2010 GTI via the Real Racing GTI App allows us to connect with this savvy GTI consumer within his or her everyday life in a way that no 30-second spot ever could.”