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Coming Next Issue
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Chip Foose |
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VW Phaeton W12 |
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Long Term Storage |
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Ultimate Ears |
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2005 Los Angeles Auto Show:
Seeking Instant Gratification (continued) |
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Bernie, man, it's me Val. I knew you'd remember - Berlin, that little jazz bar on the Lumpenstrasse. The drinks, the cigars, the card game that turned, well... So Bernie, being head of Volkswagen AG, and not wanting to owe me a favor, can you fix me up with the all-new 5th Generation Jetta?
If you had a car that was not only 40% of your North American business, and the first truly new version in 15 years -- AND celebrating its 25th anniversary, heck, you'd get a doggie-bag for that strudel, get on Lufthansa, sip a little Riesling in first class and schlep out to LA for the unveiling, too.
Any way you want to play, the Jetta does its best to please. This dog-like faithfulness has given Jetta serious equity in the marketplace, and the Gen 5 model will get serious consideration with many buyers who can't justify a BMW or Audi but still like their driving with that feel-the-cobblestones-in-your-hair kind of European flair.
Yeah, so this new Jetta looks a bit- um- Japanese?
Bernie sold me by promising 'more'. As in more horsepower (150 - up from 115) from a new 5-cylinder 2.5 liter engine (up from 4-cylinder, 2 liter), a fully independent suspension including a multi-link rear, more trunk, more legroom, you get the picture: More. Also coming this year are some up-market transmission options, including a 6-snicker auto with Tiptronic, with an optional sport-mode. Throw in all-round discs with updated ABS, much improved 'stiffness and rigidity' (the car biz equivalent of the NFL's 'he's quick AND fast') and you indeed have: 'More.'
And oh yeah: more Mexico, where the all-new Jetta will be built with the blessings of NAFTA. But with the Euro high or the dollar slumping (depending on your perspective) what choice does Bernie have? He was either lucky or smart by planning this production capacity before the dollar tanked. We may well be looking at a market where you can own his-and-hers matching Jettas for about the price of one BMW 3 Series (complete with mug holder). That's 'More' by anybody's definition.
The 5th Gen Jetta goes on sale in March. I got me a demo model, drove it off the carpet, and aside from one incident involving that lady's Ferragamo-shod toes, I made it onto the 10 Freeway, found the nearest In N' Out burger, and hit the road. And you should too!
Parker, out! 
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