AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – In a
comparison test of six entry-level
sedans, the editors of Car and
Driver ranked the 2007 Volkswagen
Rabbit first. Other vehicles
included entries from Honda,
Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota.
The results appear in the December
2006 issue of the magazine.
The Rabbit swept top rankings in
several vehicle attribute
categories, including driver
comfort, ergonomics, features and
amenities and exterior styling.
More importantly, editors scored the
Rabbit highest in the subjective
experience categories of “Gotta Have
It” and “Fun to Drive.”
“This acknowledgement reflects upon
the Rabbit’s distinctly
German-engineered ‘driver’s car’
image, as well as its exterior and
interior design qualities,” said
Adrian Hallmark, executive vice
president, Volkswagen of America,
Inc.
The Rabbit made its return to the
U.S. market this June, having been
previously marketed from 1975
through 1984. It has posted
year-to-date sales of 8,245 units
through October, more than doubling
the monthly average posted by its
Golf predecessor. Available in both
two-door and four-door hatchback
body styles, the Rabbit starts at
$14,990.
Update 11/15/06
2007 RABBIT: VOLKSWAGEN REVISITS ITS ROOTS OF
AFFORDABLE FUN
The Rabbit legend of practical, sporty and fun
entry-level transportation continues
AUBURN HILLS, Mich.
–Like the original
Volkswagen Rabbit, sold in the United States from 1974 through 1984,
the new version is a true "driver’s car" that’s both affordable and
fun to drive.
Available in two- and four-door models (or, as
hatchback devotees refer to them, three- and five-door models), the
2007 Rabbit is nimble and quick, requiring short stopping distances
and small turning spaces. Ideal for squeezing through tight urban
streets and sliding into small parking places, the Rabbit is also a
stable open road cruiser.
With a 2.5 L engine and sophisticated suspension
system, the 2007 Rabbit is available with a choice of a five-speed
manual transmission or a six-speed automatic Tiptronic®
transmission. Either way, a key piece of Rabbit heritage remains:
affordability.
With the reintroduction of the Rabbit, Volkswagen
returns to brand qualities that made the original such a hit—German
engineering, quality materials and construction, and sporty yet
practical design and performance.
The two-door Rabbit with five-speed manual
transmission starts at $14,990.
Music lovers will appreciate that Volkswagen has
added an auxiliary audio jack to the Rabbit. An iPod adapter is also
available. A CD and MP3-format readable audio system comes standard
with a single-disc in-dash "changer" and an eight-speaker sound
system in the two-door
Rabbit model. Four-door models come standard with an
upgraded audio system with a six-disc in-dash CD changer and
10-speaker sound system. Satellite radio is also available, and
comes with a three-month subscription to SIRIUS™ satellite radio
service.
The new Rabbit picks up in spirit where the original
left off, and carries on with one very obvious sign of its ancestry.
At the bottom of the passenger side of the large rear hatch is a
"running Rabbit" and engine badge.
The "sleeper" exterior of the Rabbit is remarkably
reflective of the original, yet updated and modern in every way. As
was the intent from the start, the Rabbit design is simple and
understated. The 2007 Rabbit includes crystal-clear halogen
headlamps and dual exhaust tips for added appeal.
Three new exterior colors are also available.
Tornado Red, Candy White and United Gray exteriors panels are
matched with body-color upper bumpers and moldings, door handles,
front grille and mirror housings. Black moldings are a
distinguishing trait of the two-door Rabbit model.
Manufactured at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg, Germany,
production facility, the sporty 2007 Rabbit is 165.8 inches long,
with a 69.3-in. width and 58.2-in. height. A laser-welding
production process increases body strength and crash protection, and
improves driving dynamics. This production process creates
class-leading fit and finish and helps to reduce interior noise.
At the heart of the Rabbit is the 2.5-liter, inline
five-cylinder, dual-overhead camshaft engine delivering 150
horsepower at 5,000 revolutions per minute. A prodigious 170
lbs.-ft. of torque develops at 3,750 rpm, with 90 percent available
from 1,750 rpm to 5,125 rpm.
Unlike many sport cars, fuel efficiency is not
compromised for driving performance in this latest version of the
Rabbit. The EPA estimates fuel efficiency at 30 miles per gallon in
highway driving, and 22 mpg in city driving.
The Rabbit is sure to please enthusiastic drivers
with its fully-independent suspension system, matched to a
multi-link rear suspension and front and rear stabilizer bars. This
setup delivers stability at speed, agility for quick maneuvers, and
a comfortable passenger ride. Stopping power is provided by
four-wheel disc brakes, with four-wheel Anti-lock Braking System
(ABS). Standard 15-inch steel wheels can be optioned out for 16-inch
alloy wheels, both shod with standard all-season radial tires.
In addition to the advanced ABS system, the 2007
Rabbit comes standard with Anti-slip Regulation traction control and
electro-mechanical steering that helps compensate for lateral forces
while driving, such as wind gusts or road imperfections that
otherwise might push or pull the car from side to side. For even
greater driving performance and safety, an advanced Electronic
Stabilization Program (ESP) is available as an option.
For driver and front passenger safety and comfort,
the 2007 Rabbit includes optimized head restraints. Supplemental
restraint dual front airbags, side thorax airbags, and Side Curtain
Protection® are all standard.
The unusually high level of passenger protection and
safety provided by the Rabbit earned the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety’s "Top Safety Pick, Silver Award" for front offset,
side impact, and rear crash protection.
As you would expect in a Volkswagen, the interior of
the 2007 Rabbit is impeccably tailored and has a solid feel
throughout. Five adults can ride in comfort with passenger volume of
94 cu. ft. Occupants also enjoy an increase in head, shoulder and
leg-room over the previous model. The 60/40 split rear seats fold to
increase cargo space to a whopping 46 cu. ft.
For comfort and convenience, the 2007 Rabbit comes
standard with a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat that
includes height adjustment. The front passenger seat comes with
four-way, manual adjustment, and both front seats include adjustable
lumbar support.
On four-door models, heated front seats come
standard. For added utility, the front passenger seat folds flat. On
two-door models, both front seats incorporate the Easy Entry System
for improved access to the rear seats.
A tilt/telescoping steering column, power windows
with auto up/down on all windows, and air conditioning with climate
control are all standard. A sunroof is also available.
Other standard features on the 2007 Rabbit include
an anti-theft alarm system with a central remote locking feature,
turn signals built into the outside rear view mirrors, and heated
windshield washer nozzles on four-door models. Rear seats of the
four-door models include the ultra-convenient center armrest trunk
pass-through for carrying long objects, like snow skis, without
having to fold the rear seats.
For added assurance, the Rabbit comes with 24-hour
Roadside Assistance for four years with unlimited mileage, plus new
vehicle warranties including:
Four-year/50,000 mile (whichever occurs first) New Vehicle
Limited Warranty with wear and tear items and adjustments
excluded after the initial 12 months/12,000 miles.
•
12-year
unlimited distance Limited Warranty against corrosion
perforation.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is
headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is a subsidiary of
Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is
one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s
largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Beetle, New
Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos,
Touareg and Phaeton through more than 600 independent U.S. dealers.
Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com.
11 April 2006
VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT SPRINGS INTO
NEW YORK—JUST IN TIME FOR EASTER
AUBURN HILLS, Mich.—
In a surprise move, Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today that
its all-new fifth generation Golf, which debuted at the 2006 Chicago
Auto Show, is going back to its roots with the original Rabbit
nameplate for the U.S. and Canadian markets. The Rabbit will hop
into the market in early summer, after its official introduction at
the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, April 12, 2006,
at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
“The Rabbit was always exclusive to the U.S. and Canadian
markets; while the rest of the world had the Golf, we had the iconic
Rabbit,” said Volkswagen’s Director of Brand Innovation, Kerri
Martin.“The reintroduction of the Rabbit represents
Volkswagen’s commitment to this market and is a nod to the
passionate North American enthusiasts who have an emotional
connection with the Rabbit name.”
“Volkswagen customers want a relationship with their cars. Names
like The Thing, Beetle, Fox, and Rabbit support this,” Martin
added.
The Rabbit goes on sale this summer in
both two and four-door versions, with pricing starting at $14,990
for the two-door. Standard features include an advanced ABS braking
system, traction control, active front head restraints, front side
airbags, air conditioning and anti-theft alarm system with remote
locking.Always known for its value, this latest Rabbit
is no exception, offering a high level of standard features and
equipment at an attractive starting price.
The Rabbit was the first Volkswagen
produced in the United States and its appeal grew rapidly, with
sales of over 1.3 million in its 10-year lifespan.The
Rabbit’s popularity can be credited to the wide array of standard
features it offered at an attractive price.The 2006
Rabbit promises a return to the high-value, iconic status of the
original.
“The Rabbit’s return to Volkswagen’s family is not an
attempt to recreate the original car; today’s Rabbit is
manufactured at our Wolfsburg production facility alongside the
all-new GTI.”
The Rabbit, or Golf as it is well known throughout the rest
of the world, is the world’s best-seller with over 25 million cars
sold over five generations.This latest generation has
already won more than 25 awards in more than sixteen countries.And, yesterday, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS),
announced that the 2006 Rabbit four-door received the Top Safety
Pick, Silver award, based on the Institute’s frontal offset, side
impact, and rear crash protection ratings.
Martin adds, “Even the name ‘Rabbit’ dramatizes the
enhanced performance, playing off the car’s clever design,
efficient size, agility and nimbleness.The Rabbit is
back.”
The 2006 Rabbit benefits from its laser-welding production process,
class-leading fit and finish, heightened body strength, crash
protection, driving dynamics, and reduced interior noise.Drivers of
the Rabbit will benefit from it’s fully independent suspension
system that uses a multi-link rear and optimized front axle, and
will enjoy the new optional six-speed automatic transmission with
Tiptronic® (five-speed manual standard). A new powerful engine with
a larger displacement of 2.5 liters and five-cylinders generates 150
horsepower.
Also among the most impressive new driving advancements are a
standard electro-mechanical steering system, and an optional
advanced Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP). The Rabbit also
promises more interior room than ever with a large rear hatch
opening. Legroom has also increased in this new version.
For added assurance, the Rabbit will come with 24-hour Roadside
Assistance for four years with unlimited mileage and new vehicle
warranties including:
•Five-year/60,000
mile (whichever occurs first) Powertrain Limited Warranty
•Four-year/50,000 mile (whichever occurs first) New Vehicle
Limited Warranty
•12 year unlimited mileage Limited Warranty against corrosion
perforation.
Founded in 1955,
Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills,
Michigan. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in
Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest
producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker.
Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, GTI, New Beetle, Jetta, Passat, Touareg
and Phaeton through more than 600 independent U.S. dealers.
