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San Francisco: Volkswagen
is finally redoing their cars after years of consistency. While the new
Touareg SUV and Phaeton super sedan appeared, the bread-and-butter
mainstream vehicles soldiered on for years with little change. Well,
that’s over. The Jetta, Golf (now Rabbit, again), and Passat are
completely redone. And to top it off the old Cabrio is supplanted by the
exciting new 2007 VW Eos convertible.
While some companies
kill of their interesting model names for alphanumerics, like Lincoln,
Cadillac, and Acura spring to mind. Volkswagen has exploited the
unfamiliar, and even the bizarre names, and they’re not done, just wait.
Eos is the Greek goddess of dawn, a pretty name attached to a lovely
car, especially in the Eismeer Blue of my test unit. Volkswagen’s press
literature poetically connects the car’s open top with Eos’s chariot
rising up from the ocean daily to bring daylight to mankind.
If you want to bring
light to your world, you can do it yourself in 25 seconds by pushing or
pulling on a little stirrup on the center console. Well, you can if you
remember to press down the luggage compartment cover that defines the
6.6 cubic feet of storage not taken up by the folding top sections. The
folding hardtop is part of a trend that is working its way down from
luxury vehicles like Mercedes and Lexus to the less fancy models. With
nothing but one finger on the switch, the rear decklid opens up, and
then the roof panels move in an electronic ballet into a sandwich of
metal and glass, drop down into the top of the trunk, and then
everything folds back into place. Presto, you’re topless.
The Eos has an
exclusive here. It is the first and only hardtop convertible to offer a
sliding glass sunroof. The panel stretches all the way to the side
supports, so it lets in more light than the typical sunroof.
The Eos looks great
with its top lowered, and nice with it up too, if you’re willing to
ignore some fairly obvious cut lines in the top and rear panels. You can
be assured, however, that this car has been carefully engineered to be a
convertible as it’s not a chopped Golf like the Cabrio was for so many
years.
Styling is in sync with
the new corporate look, with wide-open eyes, chrome goatee, black grille
louvers, and more rounded, voluptuous shapes than on the previous VW
models, which dated back from the late 1990s.
Volkswagen gave the Eos
its own version of the subcompact interior, with typically brilliant fit
and finish and some of the best surface detailing in the business
(shared with corporate cousin Audi). The center stack features shiny
trapezoidal vents, and the door panels sweep back from the dash in a
more dramatic manner than in the other small VWs. Small buttresses on
the lower console recall the Audi TT and serve as grips if needed. With
the top lowered, the wing design of the dash and doors imparts a sense
of flying, much like Eos’s chariot would feel, no doubt.
There are three Eos
models available, the standard Eos, the 2.0T, and the 3.2T. The standard
Eos is probably available mainly to provide a lower price point for
advertising. For an additional $2,000, most buyers will step up to the
2.0T, which provides dual-zone climate control, a wind blocker, a center
console/armrest, a trip computer, a self-dimming rearview mirror, a
power, heated driver’s seat, leather steering wheel and gearshift knob,
and option availability.
The basic Eos and 2.0T
share a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. With 200 horsepower
and a standard six-speed manual, the standard and 2.0T models offer
typical taut German car performance. Fuel economy is listed at 23 City,
31 Highway. I averaged 24 mpg in mixed driving.
The premium-level 3.2T
benefits from a 250-horsepower narrow-angle V6 under its shapely hood.
It comes standard with the DSG (direct shift gearbox) automatic that
allows, even encourages, manual selection. However, without a clutch, it
is a different experience. My test car, a 2.0T, had this transmission as
a $1,075 option.
Other perks of the 3.2T
include extra chrome on the grille louvers, power folding heated outside
mirrors, self-dimming interior mirror, premium sound system (including
Sirius satellite radio), power seat lumbar adjustment, 17-inch wheels
and tires, Homelink remote control system, and a multi-function steering
wheel. The 3.2T also offers a few exclusive options, such as Bi-Xenon
headlamps and an adaptive front lighting system with swiveling
headlights.
Prices start at $27,990
for the plain Eos, rising to $29,990 for the 2.0T and $36,850 for the
3.2L. Add $630 for the destination charge. When you start adding
options, prices change quickly. My 2.0T, with a Luxury Package,
navigation system, and DSG automatic, came to $36,985, about the price
of the 3.2L, but without the V6.
Volkswagen’s newest
car has a new name, and that makes sense. The Eos is an exciting product
for VW, bringing hardtop convertible technology and driving enjoyment to
a more affordable price point. Buy one and you’ll be ready for anything. By
Steve Schaefer © AutoWire.Net - San Francisco
VW Home Page
Byline:
Syndicated content provided by Tony Leopardo © AutoWire.Net
Column Name: The Eos is an exciting new product for VW
Topic: The 2007 Volkswagen Eos Convertible
Word Count: 919
Photo Caption: The 2007 Volkswagen Eos Convertible
Photo Credits: Volkswagen Eos Internet Media
Series #: 2007 - 012
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the Microsoft Word version here:
2007 VW Eos
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2007 VW Eos
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