Gear Patrol

When it’s time to make tracks — whether you’re escaping the daily grind or heading to the next adventure — few things will make or break your time on the open road more than the vehicle you’re piloting. Sometimes it’s best to tailor your ride to the destination; sometimes, the car itself should play more of a starring role in your road trip story than your map waypoints do. Why not go all out? From fun-to-fling to made-to-cruise to needs-to-be-seen, we dreamed up our ten fantasy road trip cars, one ideal for every getaway.

Summer isn’t nearly as enjoyable without top-down driving. As much as we’re fans of hardtop automotive design and the way a sweeping roofline catches the eye, we have to admit that the clear growl of an engine and the wind in your hair makes the warmer months that much better. Even a drive up Pacific Coast Highway in a cream-hued 1995 Chrysler Sebring Convertible can be a pleasure (as long as no one actually sees you). Bully for you, convertibles are better than ever — gone are the fussy tops, the anemic engines, and silhouettes that would make Quasimodo cringe. The crop of current convertibles range from modern nostalgia to supercar power players, but one thing they all do is make your motoring pleasure good for all the world to see.

If ever there was a hot-hatch-segment-defining car, the VW GTI would most likely be it. And perhaps aside from the heavy and globule-like Mk4, each one has been coveted in its field. The 2015 Volkswagen GTI, the seventh generation of the German pocket rocket, will ratchet things up once more.

The Volkswagen XL1 shows making a hybrid doesn’t mean its design has to be inspired by a bar of soap. Largely unchanged from the 2011 concept car, the XL1 will show up again in Geneva this March. And yes, this is coming to production .

VW’s 2014 Beetle GSR is a resurrection of a badder bug — and proudly sports a 210 horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbo. This isn’t the chick car of past years.

If a hybrid vehicle is what you seek, there are two ends of the spectrum. On the left: the Toyota Prius, sipping fuel at 51mpg through an uninspiring 98 hp engine for $24K. On the right: the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid, which will run you close to $100k, with an “is-this-really-a-hybrid” 22mpg due to its…

Some concepts barely qualify as concepts because they’re so close to what appears to be a production version. You can tell by the absence of both tiny side mirrors and manhole-cover-sized wheels. And that’s exactly what we find in the handsome new Volkswagen Crossblue Concept. Intended for families, it slots above the Touareg with three-row…

The second coming of the very popular and virtually unpronounceable Volkswagen Touareg (“Too-a-regg”) now comes in Hybrid form, which actually makes more sense than hybridizing a compact car that already gets better gas mileage than its larger automotive counterparts. And though its 20/24 city/highway mileage numbers don’t truly impress (the Touareg TDI gets better fuel…

Though it isn’t the hot hatch GTI version — which will no doubt show itself very soon — the 2014 Volkswagen Golf gives us a nice glimpse into the future of faster hatches from the German automaker. The new design isn’t radically different from its predecessor, but the changes are a welcome improvement. Fresh off…

At first glance, the Doubleback looks like your average VW Transporter van. Pushing a single button, however, completely transforms the popular European passenger carrier into a home away from home in just under a minute. Thanks to the extra room provided by the extendable pod, the central cabin serves as a fully functioning kitchen, complete…

Taking a step back — a good one — VW returns to its roots of making stellar vehicles at earthly prices, and the result is the 2012 Volkswagen Passat, now made right here in America. Remarkably better than its predecessor yet refreshingly light on the wallet (prices start under $20 grand) the 2012 Passat is…

The latest VW Beetle is a winner in our book, so we were pumped to see the ultra-cool Volkswagen E-Bugster Concept in Detroit this week. Designed as a tantalizing package for their Blue-e-motion engine, the E-Bugster should be good for 100 miles thanks to its lithium-ion battery and can take a quick 80% charge in…

Editor’s Note: Foster Huntington is the talented force behind A Restless Transplant and the hugely popular tumblr The Burning House. Recently, Huntington embarked on an epic cross-country adventure to document unique individuals and the things they care about for his upcoming book to be released by Harper Collins. After sharing his plans with us first…

If you asked us how to make a car cost $7,000 less you’d probably end up missing a few essentials. Things like a back seat, the sound system and maybe even a few cylinders from the engine, but somehow VW has pulled the equivalent of an automotive hat trick with the 2012 Volkswagen Passat ($19,995)….

Somewhere between fast cars, practical cars, and those you can actually afford lies the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R. Taking the title as the most powerful small car VW has ever offered, it’s safe to say this little brute is very quick. The “R” moniker refers to Volkswagen’s tuned models (think: “M” to BMW and “S”…

Several years ago, a few of you lucky souls out there got your grubby mitts on the 6-cylinder VW Golf R32. Though it was big on power and handled extremely well, it was not nearly as tossable as the much-praised GTI. Well, for those of you who find yourself in need of some German motoring…

The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg (tour-egg) brings with it both less and more. Less weight and more MPG’s. Dropping 460 lbs from its already popular predecessor, the new Touareg paired with a new 8-speed (yes, eight) transmission in 3.0 liter V6 hybrid form, will achieve 25 mpg or nearly 32 mpg when you opt for the…

As a gear and car nut, one learns to appreciate the details in life. It’s not about the shirt; it’s about the stitching. It’s not about the song; it’s the crescendo of the quartet. And for me, it’s not just about the car; it’s about how it fits you. The attitude, the experience, and the…

In 2008, Volkswagen, decided that well, people needed another “people’s car”. A car, perhaps not as brash and inappropriate as the Phateon but not as docile or plebeian as the Passat. The result, if you will, is part Mercedes CLS, part Jaguar XKR, part Audi A6, all planted on the ingenuity and Germanic quirkiness VW…

The 2010 Volkswagen GTI Mk VI. The teutonic rabble rouser from Deutschland has arrived and VW realizing that yes, men use DVR’s and yes we do skip commercials, have found another way to get our attentions, in the clever guise of a free game and chance at a few free cars, six to be exact….

By Jay Shoemaker | The Truth About Cars The CC stood out like a swan amidst a gaggle of homely Jetta ducklings on the VW dealer’s lot, its aesthetic appeal undeniable. In contrast with the company’s marketing approach with the Phaeton, the CC is virtually badge-less and, at first blush, hard to identify as part…

[click on image to enlarge] According to Autoblog an embargo has been broken on images of the 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco. Well, far be it from us to hold back on a car you guys should know about it. The Scirocco is to be shown at the Geneva Auto Show next week and it’s a handsome…