Volkswagen Passat W8 Wagon 2003 on 2040-cars

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VW launches special edition Touareg X

Volkswagen is no stranger to special editions, but its Touareg SUV has remained largely unspecial in terms of exclusive trims or unique packages. That's changed with the announcement of the Touareg X, a 1,000-unit run based on the V6 TDI Lux trim - mid-range diesel model, between the navigation-equipped TDI Sport and the TDI R-Line.
The already special Touareg gets 19-inch "Moab" wheels, LED taillights (to go along with its LED DRLs) and "Touareg X" badging, while all 1,000 units will be painted Moonlight Blue Pearl. Tweaks in the cabin are equally light, with a black-on-black-on-black color scheme dominating - black Vienna leather, a black headliner and piano black trim. Aluminum bits make an appearance in the form of the door sills and pedals, although that's about it.
Other than those few aesthetic tweaks, the Touareg X is equipped largely like the Touareg Lux on which it's based. That means navigation, a panoramic sunroof, power seats, LED running lights, dual-zone air conditioning and heated power seats, among other tech pieces. Pricing starts at $56,170, making for a slight bump of $1,195 over the standard Touareg Lux.

Andretti Autosport partners with Volkswagen for Global Rallycross season

Michael Andretti and Volkswagen have both been involved in Global Rallycross for a couple of years, but not together. Andretti Motorsports Marketing organized the final round of the 2012 GRC series in Las Vegas, and there were rumors then that Andretti was going to get in. Around the same time there were news reports that Volkswagen was preparing a 600-hp Polo Mk5 to race in the SuperCar class; the photo above is racer Anton Marklund in his privateer Marklund Motorsports Polo at the 2013 X-Games round in Los Angeles.
Now it's official: Andretti Autosport will campaign the 2014 GRC season with VWs. That's all that's been said for now, Andretti being busy at the moment launching four entries for IndyCar, two for Indy Lights and two for Pro Mazda. We have a feeling we'll be seeing the MkVII Golf involved, but the cars and the driver lineup will be presented at the Chicago Auto Show on February 6.

UAW tactics called into question at VW's TN plant

The United Auto Workers is in hot water with some of the very workers it is trying to unionize at Volkswagen's Chattanooga assembly plant. According to The Tennessean, eight Volkswagen factory workers have filed complaints against the UAW with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming the union "misled or coerced" them into formally asking for union representation.
The UAW has instituted a major push at the Chattanooga plant to represent the 2,500 hourly laborers that build the VW Passat by using what's called a card-check process. The tactic is opposed by the National Right to Work Legal Defense foundation, the group representing the workers. The card-check process demands that a company recognize a union that obtains the signatures of more than half its workforce, according to The Tennessean. This tactic is in contrast to the more traditional route, which sees employees vote on union representation.
The workers filing the complaint claim that the UAW told them the cards merely called for a secret ballot, rather than an outright demand for union representation. Workers also allege that the UAW has made it overly difficult to reclaim their signed cards, some of which were signed so long ago that they have been rendered invalid. Although the cards can force a company's hand, federal law still allows the company to ask for a secret ballot before yielding to unionized workers.