2007 Volkswagen Eos

Sylvia

Volkswagen adds a drop-top to its product mix. We take a sneak peek at the upcoming 2007 Concept C.

parker lewis

Can't wait to see if AWD's eventually a potential option on the C. Probably too early to find out (anyone have the scoop)? Today's VW's are awesome. I loved my 2001.5 4motion Passat, and my '98 Passat was great even with just FWD. Too bad I totaled both of them...but the structure of those cards (crumple zone), not to mention the abundance of safety features saved my life...twice. Side airbags (and of course side curtain bags) saved my neck, literally. Sure, VW/Audi's reliability history's not in the league of say, Toyota/Lexus, but then I'd never had any issues. And aside from annoyances like the Check Engine light (when nothing's wrong) with my current A4, no complaints.
Of course I'm sure reliability's a concern if we're buying rather than leasing...I'd be a lot more comfortable with a Japanese car after, say 60K miles, but then there's nothing like this new VW out there, yet. Though I know, I know, with all the options we're looking at more than the supposed 30 grand base. Still, even a USED Lexus SC430 costs a whole lot more, and has no useable backseats (and it's due for an update soon); not to mention the fact that RWD just won't cut it here in the North East, unless you're financially able to have a 2nd vehicle. Can't steal the fiance's FWD Acura's when the weather's grim And the A4 Cabrio?...no hardtop and a lot of $$ for the 6 cyl Quattro. What else, the Benz SLK? Overpriced, and Benz reliability? Doesn't get much worse; plus, way too small, 2 passenger only and umm, trunk please? VW, bring on the AWD with the C (or whatever the final moniker will be) and I'm all about it.
What do my fellow auto fanatics think?

chris65amg

I would love to see it with AWD. However, I also don't want it to be a porker like the TT Quattro.

merc1

What else, the Benz SLK? Overpriced, and Benz reliability? Doesn't get much worse; plus, way too small, 2 passenger only and umm, trunk please?

Talk about making the criteria fit the product. Benz's reliability is a problem, but VW's isn't? Actually it does get much worse.......its called VW. The SLK is a roadster not a coupe or sedan. If you want more trunk space and more than two seats you aren't going to find it in a "roadster".

M

music287

I like the concept of a hardtop convertible since I live in the snowbelt. The TT, IMHO doesn't look right as a convertible, though it does offer AWD. (I'm waiting to see the new 2006 version.) The SLK, being rear wheel drive is a non-starter. The VW looks promising...I'm with you in hoping they have AWD as an option. I understand that Volvo is also coming out with a hardtop convertible. Anyone have information on that one?

Jay

chris65amg

I dunno but it looks nice

carfan123

I think this is one of the more exciting designs for a four-seater convertible in a long time. The fact that it's top can open like a sunroof too - very cool. I am surprised more people aren't as excited about this car as I am.
Since the press-to-date says it will be above the Passat in trim level - maybe some of the features of the Phatom will make it into this car. I agree I would like to see AWD on it too. Other features that I am hoping for are - climate-controlled seats, integrated MP3, park-distance control.

ains

Don't worry your not the only one. I put down a deposit with a VW dealer in March 2004 as soon as I saw this fantastic concept in Autoexpress, no word on a production date yet so I just sit waiting. And I was second in the dealer's queue!

dieselbreath

at the unveiling for dealers in Dallas, it is "unbelievable"!!!
And even better looking than in the pictures.
Plus, you may find that the base price is under US$30k.
And we'll have it next year.

PS: He said the roof disappears in only 8 seconds!
way cool

cabrio

Although I am really excited about this new Concept C convertible, I would like to see it have a roll bar to keep insurance costs down. Does anyone know what type of features it might include? Navigational system? Also, what colors??? I'm hoping someone can tell me WHY they got rid of the popular Cabrio? Loved that car! If I could buy one tomorrow, I would!

seattlekckckc

This car was just brought to my attention today, and I am very excited about it! I love the idea of a hard top - and all of the bells and whistles look nice too! I have a 1996 Cabrio and it has been super dependable. Hardly any money has been put into this car over the last 8+ years (granted, it only has 43,000 miles, but still!)

I wished I could have a hybrid as my next car, but having another convertible definalty takes presedence over that.

Generally speaking, about how much deposit has to be made to get in line for a car like this???

Thanks!

navigator89

Well, we all know this new convertible will be called the Volkswagen Eos, so you can rename this discussion please?

Kirstie_H

Done!

merc1

Interesting little car. Looks like it and the new Volvo C70 will be direct competitors in many way. Now lets hope VW does the right thing and puts the 280hp VR6 engine in this thing.

M

autoboy16

Waiting for facts about the eros is torture!!!!! :mad: ! Is it me or does anyone see any relation between the new jetta more than the passat? :confuse: Take away rear doors, at a convertible roof and sun roof and you have a convertible jetta coupe! Its cool looking but by how the "new: beetle is, I hope this car doesn't turn out to be a :lemon:. Almost looks as if its the new generation cabrio thats just in time for a makeover and warm welcome to vw's new image. Anyone have price guesses?

cdstraw

I've read on a VW website that the EOS will come with TDI available. Personally, I believe that would be a hot seller. Greater than 40 mpg, with a drop top. The only question is, will VW allow you to load up the options without the most powerful engine? I see most manufacturers do this. :mad:

cdstraw

ains

To answer an earlier post I was asked for a deposit of £500 but negotiated it down to £350. VW dealers still don't have a firm date but May 2006 has been mentioned. I'm going to be frugal and get the 2.0 TDI with DSG to get a decent MPG and still have a bit of fun with all the low down torque.

jchan2

Will this name stick, or will VW go with a different name?

The car looks production ready to me.

Hopefully reliability will improve.

navigator89

The name will stick.

ains

Prices VW EOS

1.6 FSI 115 PS 25,950 Euro
2.0 FSI 150 PS 27,950 Euro
2.0 TDI 140 PS 29,950 Euro
2.0 Turbo FSI 200 PS 30,200 Euro
3.2 V6 250 PS 35,500 Euro

Extras

CD Sat Nav 1,250 Eu
DVD Sat Nav 2,620 Eu
DVDSat + Dyn Audio 3,710 Eu

Climate (inc on V6) 390 Eu
Park assist 380 Eu
Bi Xenons 1,210 Eu

From the model 2006 German brochure, probably a bit cheaper in the US!

jchan2

How many of these does VW plan to sell each year?

autoboy16

i'm also curious. These new passat and jetta are selling faster than hotcakes!!! Personally i believe vw is making a huge jump in sales. Just look at all the (unfortunate) people who bought new beetles when they were intoduced. They should have waited at least a year after production. Even the 2006 beetles are having problems and the price was increased. :mad: . Maybe another convertible won't be so bad... :surprise:

djfreex

I am in for one
Anyone knows the US release date?

sgold

Supposed to be released in North America in May 2006. The 0-60 times are surprisingly high for the 2.0 FSI Turbo. Upper 7 seconds I believe. Wonder what the curb weight is...

girlwhogolfs

Sorry, this car is not doing it for me . I will keep my GERMAN made 95 Cabrio. Yeah, it may be slow, but I still get comments on how great the car looks as far as design :shades: .

scottsa2

I purchased a cabrio in 1995 right after seeing it displayed at the NY Auto Show. It was built in Germany and it has been a great car. I am happy to see that the Eos will be available with a manual transmission and VR6 or TDI. Many cars today only offer automatic trans and small engine. The roof set up is interesting. I look forward to ordering an Eos ASAP.

cannone

I've had all the VW ragtops...a '95 and '99 Cabrio, and now an '03 New Beetle. As stated in a prior post, the '95 was German made and great...not a care in the world. The '99 was "Hencho E Mexico" and a piece of junk. Don't even ask about the '03 New Beetle. After 3 years I manage to find even new things that literally fall apart in my hands.Speakers popping out of the doors, 3 failed CD players, windows that catch and tear the fabric roof (with no factory fix I might add) the roof has failed majorly 3 times as well, and now a mysterious electrical problem with the parking brake. The local dealer JIM ELLIS, is a disaster with "service".....rude, arrogant (they also sell Audis). Repairs take twice as long as promised, with no call backs. I baby this sucker, and it sucks like a lemon.
VW's history here will be short if they don't address quality. This latest VW lemon will be my last....You can't woo me with good looking designs anymore. You've got to deliver, and frankly VW does not.
THANK GOD it still under warrenty.

autoboy16

but i told you so! :P Beetles are pains :sick: . Has ne1 found photos of how the top/roof opens?
The new c70 looks promising and is competition, as is the 07 325ci, A4 and g6 (a good comparison test, hard top converts.) So far, the eos is my favorite. This retracting hardtop is apparently the wave of the future. :surprise:

honestly, i wish vw would wait until all their vehicles reliability improves b4 entering the luxury convertible segment. I hear rumors this is the phaetons las year so this may be only a passat/jetta (and hopefully not a "new" beetle) mix

navigator89

It is in fact the Phaeton's last year as it has been officially discontinued to poor sales. Did we expect anything else? :P Rumour has it VW is trying to build a four door coupe (think MB CLS) although it wont be as expensive as the Phaeton.

The Eos is based primarily on the Jetta platform I believe.

sigt1

looks nice

durability05

Test drove a Beetle Convertible automatic w/manual roof yesterday. Even if it is the most basic beetle convertible it still felt very modern compared to my old Cabriolet. I considered waiting for the EOS, but the Turbo 4 cylinder scares me, and the VR6 is too expensive, probably North of $30,000. I don't plan to purchase until after mid-year, but so far I am probably going to purchase the Beetle over the EOS

biancar

It's not the leg room that would be a problem (I'm 5'6"), but the overall comfort of the seats. The Passat seats felt rock-hard to me, and slippery.

I couldn't sit in the Eos at the car show. It was up on a pedestal, so we could look, sort of, (couldn't see the interior very well), but couldn't sit or get close-up and personal. Guess you were at the same show. I didn't sit in the Jetta or talk to anyone there very much.

Demand: who knows. Around here (northern Virginia, MD and D.C.), VW and Audi dealers collectively have a less than stellar reputation. The local car columnist says he gets more letters of complaint about service for VW than for any other brand around.

The fact that it's a hard-top convertible, and will be priced around the low to mid-30's (from all reports), makes it attractive. The Pontiac G6 will be cheaper, the Volvo more expensive, and then of course there's a big jump to the Lexus. Anything priced around mid-30's will hit that sweet spot for a lot of people.

For looks, to me personally it didn't seem as stunning as the Volvo, and the back seats looked a tight fit. But if you didn't really care about back-seat passengers, just needed it once in a while, that might not be a major issue.

kyfdx

... at the Cincinnati car show this past weekend... Even got a demonstration of the top...

The car has decent room... If you have any issues, it may be with width... and the roof-line near the door is awfully low..

I'm 6' and I was able to get the seats into a comfortable position without issues..

Did you know that it has a full sliding sunroof?

regards,
kyfdx

cb391

yep

biancar

...that sliding sunroof. It's a decent looking car. So far the VW site doesn't have a "configure it" option. Anyone know what color combinations it will come in? I'm assuming it will have an automatic transmission option.

kyfdx

Only automatic...

cb391

Several articles I've read believe there will be 3 transmissions available- 6 speed auto, 6 speed DSG (auto), and 6 speed manual. Haven't yet found much else in the way of options like colors but I hope they keep the blue that was on the show car

qbrozen

Latest C&D has a writeup on the Eos as if its available at dealers now. I had to come here to find out when its expected to release.

Anyway, according to them, it will come with a choice of the 2.0 or 3.2, choice of 6-speed stick or auto, and will start at $29k. If that's all true, I think I'll have to give this a serious look when it comes out. I'm a Volvo fan and not really a VW person (plus i think the volvo looks much better in the pics i've seen of both), but the price difference between these two is just too great to ignore. Its really going to depend on how they stack up pricewise once optioned out.

I think I'd be leasing this one, so the reliability factor doesn't bother me.

jmarble

I am pleased that C&D has estimated $29K - a price less than many on this blog, but I think that estimate is still too high. I anticipate that the Eos will base close to $27,995.

My opinion is based on a comparison of prices I have done of German versus USA sold VW's. For my purposes I am ignoring the exchange rate and looking instead at the ratio of the price in euros to dollars for similar equipped VW models (if no direct comparison was available, I looked at the slightly worse equipped European models to be as conservative as possible). I looked at all VW models. Each comparison showed that for comparably equipped models the German cars cost more Euros than their USA counterparts. Thus, Eos with a 2.0 FSI priced at 27,950 Euros should sell for no more than that amount in dollars here and probably less.

Next I looked at a comparison of base models (many of which are far below what you can get in USA, making this an even more conservative estimate). The worst ratio showed prices in dollars at 8.8% more than the Euro's price. In just under on half the models the prices in dollars were actually less. Adding this 8.8% difference to the Eos base model price of 25,050 Euro yields an estimated USA base price of $28,234.

Accordingly, I am glad to say that unless VW plans a significant deviation from its pricing practices the base Eos should come in at close to $27,995 and probably less.

kyfdx

..but, I'll guess that the base version for the USA will have many more options than the Euro base model..

When I see Jettas with MSRPs of over $30K... I have a hard time seeing the EOS starting at $28K..

I see over $30K for any base model.. if indeed one is available... My crystal ball shows pricing of $35K-$37K for the typically equipped model..

Just guessing, though..
kyfdx

autoboy16

I should agree especially when i saw a 32k beetle. Since the base price is going to be about $27k, i'm going to predict prices will range from $28k to $45k. The average price may be between $30k and $35k. Since little information is being let out in my area about this car, i'm giving this neat web sight i found to other unfortunate people. It also refers to the gti, passat wagon all vw models. Just cut and paste. It will take you right to a site with 4 eos movies. It requires quick time or windows media player.
http://www.thenewsmarket.com/CustomLink/StoryDetailsEx.aspx?GUID=19fd4851-ee5e-4- - 142-8b4b-770c34456d06&CustomPage=1&ParentGUID=eaae0a35-f386-4c72-98f5-6726da3881- - d1

enjoy. Fill me in on some information if possible.

carrara

Good analysis, but the 2.0 FSI will not be available in the states, the 2.0 FSI Turbo will be and bases at 30.200,00 € in Germany. The 2.0 FSI comes very well equipped in Germany and should be quite similar to the well equipped US version. So, if your analysis is correct, that would imply a starting price of about $29,995 in the U.S. or less. So it appears that C&D did not overstimate the price.

jaysash

Did anyone see the computer systems Microsoft helped VW setup for some models of the car. Here are the Eos monitor pics. Sounds pretty impressive. I wonder how much those puppies will add. Although the internet won't work unless you are in the city hitting some wifi hotspots no?

british_rover

Has wanted a VW for years and she has also wanted a convertiable too. I had always managed to talk her out of both but now that VW has both in a hard top version I just went ahead and showed it to her. I figure it will be much better then trying to talk her out of it when she sees it for the first time. I think I could probably live with this particular VW convertiable too.

dcrisler

3.2, 6sp_dsg... and a slightly firmer ride that a jetta or passat. Top was exceptionaly cool in person, back seats were big enough for my 5'7" 11 y/o ... the wait is the only problem.

qbrozen

i'm surprised your 11 y/o had enough room dcrilser. Was anyone sitting in the seat in front of him at the time?

We just checked it out at the autoshow today. My wife was taken with it, too, which surprised me, but she saw the volvo c70 later in the day and said she preferred that.

anyway, the eos definitely has a useless backseat when i set the driver's seat to where I would need it. Regardless, I liked it quite a bit. We were concerned if I would fit with the top up, but, luckily, we hung around just long enough and a rep put the top up while we were there, so I got back in and, surprisingly, I still fit fine. Sooo, so far, its looking pretty good. Its all going to come down to pricing vs the Volvo.

biancar

I'd like to see this car too. I test drove the Volvo today. Nice car, but not perfect. Dealer is asking full sticker, so with typical options, it's in the mid-40's.

british_rover

As soon as our VW dealer gets one in I will see if I can get a hold of one for the day. They are just down the street from my store.

qbrozen

hey BR, you think you could ask your dealer when this is due out? there isn't even any word of the car on the vw website.

british_rover

I thought september but I will ask the next time my buddy comes down from VW to visit.

shiphro

Is VW going to put the 250hp/236lb-ft 3.2L V6 in a FWD convertible?

I've got the same motor in my R32 and I know that if I didn't have AWD, I'd be going thru a set of front tires every month. That engine comes on strong and fast. I think they'll have to tie that engine choice to an AWD option.

I think kyfdx has nailed the price options. Expect that the V6 with all the bells and whistles will start north of $40k... and that's without the first-year, sellers market markup.