Welcome to Volkswagen South Africa

• Concept Cars
• The 1-litre car
• The Up!
• Dune Beetle
• Magellan
• Golf GTI W12-650
• Iroc
• GX3
• EcoRacer
• Advanced Activity Concept
• Concept R
• Concept T
• Concept A

At the Geneva Auto Salon, Volkswagen unveiled the world's first TSI engine (twincharger) powered by natural gas (CNG). Driven by a highly efficient 1.4 litre TSI-CNG engine, Concept A is a cross between a sports car and SUV distinguished by a powerful and aesthetic design with excellent all round features.

Doubled charged via compressor and turbo, the engine outputs an impressive amount of power - with 110 kW and reaching its maximum torque at 220 Nm, and every hundred kilometres averages a mere 5 kg of natural gas. One of the positive effects: the CO2 balance of TSI-CNG engines improves by another 20 to 25 percent when compared to fuel driven TSIs. Furthermore the TSI+CNG presents itself as an important stepping stone towards a mobility technology en route to becoming independent from crude oil. Through conversion from natural gas to synthetic fuel (gas-to-liquids) for instance Synfuel is produced. It is an environmentally benign, bio-degradable fuel which - among other things - allows the mentioned CCS hybrid combustion process.

But the Concept A is not only clean, sporty and economical. It boasts a progressive design philosophy too. A new 3D crest radiator grille made out of brushed aluminium forms a congenial yet confident appearance. The "face" is well known, just not on an automobile (reflecting the mirror image of a cheetah). The silhouette shows the lines of a coupe. The front and rear doors open facing each other. The carriage overhangs are briskly short, the hood long, the C columns one of a kind. 20 inch alloy rims and 295 tyres fill out the space in the distinctively extended wheelhouses.

Concept A also wears the intensive blue colour shade of semi transparent glacier formations. Mixed-in glass flakes increase the depth of the paint built up in the piano lacquer technique. The rear part, with its athletic flanks, imparts a strong elegance. The hatchback is made of two parts; the area under the rear lights lifts up like a pick- up loading surface and thus creates a lot of room for big items. At the bottom the motor exhales via two round chrome pipes. The interior itself is spacious and open. Light and air dominate the inner feel, and if needed, a large soft top can be attached all the way back to the C column.

Concept A - powerful, beautiful and just around the corner.

The design for Concept A resulted in the Tiguan. Find out more about the Tiguan.