Monday 17th July 2006

VW launches new Eos open-top

Coupé/cabriolet joins the open hard-top trend

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VW Eos

Volkswagen launches the Eos, its new coupé/cabriolet today. Wolfsburg reckons that over 1,000 orders have already been taken for the car since prices were revealed in February.

According to VW, the Eos combines the benefits of a full convertible and a hard-top coupé, and is unique in its class, being the only convertible with a tilt and slide sunroof fitted as standard.

The folding hard-top is made-up of five parts, enabling the roof to fold neatly into the boot, occupying minimum space and taking 25 seconds.

Two trim levels are available: standard and Sport. All models feature ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), and twin front and combined curtain and side impact airbags for front and rear passengers. Semi-automatic air conditioning, fog lights, electric windows, electric heated and adjustable wing mirrors, radio/CD player, 16-inch alloy wheels, parking sensors and lockable load through provision are also standard.

Sport trim adds 17-inch alloys, sports suspension, upgraded audio player, aluminium-look pedals, decorative aluminium dash inserts and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

The Eos is offered with a choice of five engines: four petrol and one diesel. These include the 113bhp 1.6-litre FSI at the bottom of the range, two other dull engines, and the 247bhp 3.2-litre V6. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, while a 197bhp petrol and the diesel will be offered later in the year with Volkswagen’s DSG automatic gearbox; this ’box is standard with the V6.

The company provided neither performance figures nor kerbside weight.

Prices start at £19,370 on the road for the 1.6-litre, and rise to £28,095 for the 3.2-litre V6.

You can be sure that you'll see these things everywhere over the coming months.

[dubbs]

Naff rubbish.

[deadlym]

What's semi-automatic air conditioning?

"Two other dull engines"

[wildoliver]

Its a soft top Passat!

Wow!

[davidlscott]

Why bother when you can't get anything more than a briefcase in ANY of these coupe/convertibles.
The Peugeot 307 we hired in Spain was no better.

Lets just have a good old soft top (or TVR type as I am biased with my Chimaera) and leave the boot for proper luggage carrying.

[Marki]

dubbs said:

Naff rubbish.

Edited by Marki on Monday 17th July 15:14

[hendry]

Well, cars like this have an obvious appeal - the benefits of open top motoring but without the inherent security risks. Of course, the downside is very little baggage space and a hefty weight penalty. But then the latter isn't likely to bother most who have bought these as cruisers anyway. And my boat barely ever has anything in it anyway, regardless. If I wanted luggage space I'd get an estate. There's always the space behind the rear seats.

[adycav]

To be driven by a Posh Beckham lookalike with 'phone glued to ear, near you soon!

[skint_driver]

article said:

The company provided neither performance figures nor kerbside weight.

Because it is slow and heavy, perhaps?

[andypowell]

not for me, but I think there is a big market for this sort of thing, Renault and Peugeot have already proved this

[skinnyboy]

chicks love em, and so do dubious "metro" kinda blokes...

saying that, the same thing could be said of my 'Lude hehe

[Dr S]

hendry said:

Well, cars like this have an obvious appeal - the benefits of open top motoring but without the inherent security risks. Of course, the downside is very little baggage space and a hefty weight penalty.

Never understood these security concerns. Having driven two Boxsters for more than seven years and traveled with them extensively in France, Italy and the CEE, I never encountered any security problem. Maybe it has to do with the two boots the Boxster offers where you can hide a decent amount of luggage comfortably from the eyes of other people. That's not what you get with the tin tops. They are just a big waste IMHO: extra seats and a boot you can't use, the complete lack of open-air feeling due to ultra big and flat windscreen, no driving fun whatsoever and then they aren't even cheap...

PS: YES, I already had to endure a longer trip in a ghastly rental Megane "convertible" and know what I'm talking about

Edited by Dr S on Tuesday 18th July 10:07

[Twincam16]

VAG have really missed a trick again with this thing.

OK, so build a copycat C-C to compete with absolutely every other manufacturer who seems to be doing the same thing. Sell it to metrosexuals, hairdressers who use the mirrors for putting their makeup on and Syed-from-The-Apprentice types with spiky mullets, cocaine habits and awful tastes in music.

Then..., build a 'new' Corrado using the platform. Lighten it, stiffen the suspension, ditch the servoes on the pedals and keep the power assistance on the steering to an absolute minimum. Most significantly though, make it a hardtop only, welding a lightweight aluminium roof in place of the usual folding hard-top.

[hollypop]

Saw one of these at the weekend. Funny looking thing

[klassiekerrally]

Have seen it a few times last week.
Not one of the prettiest cars...

But I don't like any of the CC cars. IMO they're all ill proportioned.

[discodave]

wildoliver said:

Its a soft top Passat!

Wow!

hard top acually

[tastyturbo!]

I have done a pile of driving in the Eos 2.0t. It handles well, with the roof up or down and the car has plently of power. With the roof up the boot has plenty of space. Shape-wise, it pi*ses all over the 307 with it's big bum cause the windscreen is the right height. With the wind break in you can cruise along the motorway at 85 *where the law permits* with the minimal of swirly wind. I give it the thumbs up.