One of the Rabbit's claim to fame was that it was the first VW built in the U.S., at the facility in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, that VW abandoned almost 20 years ago. At the time, there was considerable angst about the likely lose of quality from the U.S. plant, but that eventually faded and now most of our VWs come from Mexico and no one seems to care.
Before Jetta and hatchbacks from other brands caught up with it, Rabbit did pretty well in North America, selling over 1.3 million units in 10 years.
Now Martin is promising that the new Rabbit "promises a return to the high-value, iconic status of the original," and it will come from the firm's Wolfsburg production facility in Germany alongside the all-new GTI, which is the performance version without the Golf or Rabbit names.
Martin says, "Even the name 'Rabbit' dramatizes the enhanced performance, playing off the car's clever design, efficient size, agility, and nimbleness. The Rabbit is back."
We can expect to hear from VW marketing that the new Rabbit will "hop right along," thanks to a new base engine -- a 2.5-litre inline-five -- that delivers 150 to the car's front tires through a standard five-speed manual or an option six-speed manumatic, which uses VW's Tiptronic system.
Martin believes that drivers of the Rabbit will "benefit from its fully independent suspension system that uses a multi-link rear and optimized front axle, and from its laser-welding production process, class-leading fit and finish, heightened body strength, crash protection, driving dynamics, and reduced interior noise."
Also among the new driving advancements are a standard electro-mechanical steering system, and an optional stability control program.
Martin points out the new Rabbit has more interior room than the Golf it replaces and most certainly its long-gone namesake, thanks to a large rear hatch opening. Legroom has also increased in this new version.
If you're interested, you might want to hop on down to the dealer and try a new Rabbit out. See, it's contagious.
photo:VW of America
Before Jetta and hatchbacks from other brands caught up with it, Rabbit did pretty well in North America, selling over 1.3 million units in 10 years.
Now Martin is promising that the new Rabbit "promises a return to the high-value, iconic status of the original," and it will come from the firm's Wolfsburg production facility in Germany alongside the all-new GTI, which is the performance version without the Golf or Rabbit names.
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| (Photo: Volkswagen) |
We can expect to hear from VW marketing that the new Rabbit will "hop right along," thanks to a new base engine -- a 2.5-litre inline-five -- that delivers 150 to the car's front tires through a standard five-speed manual or an option six-speed manumatic, which uses VW's Tiptronic system.
Martin believes that drivers of the Rabbit will "benefit from its fully independent suspension system that uses a multi-link rear and optimized front axle, and from its laser-welding production process, class-leading fit and finish, heightened body strength, crash protection, driving dynamics, and reduced interior noise."
Also among the new driving advancements are a standard electro-mechanical steering system, and an optional stability control program.
Martin points out the new Rabbit has more interior room than the Golf it replaces and most certainly its long-gone namesake, thanks to a large rear hatch opening. Legroom has also increased in this new version.
If you're interested, you might want to hop on down to the dealer and try a new Rabbit out. See, it's contagious.
photo:VW of America
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