We think there's a theme going on in the auto industry to use old grandmas in comedy bits. BMW is doing it with its X5 commercials, but it seems Volkswagen has hired some grannies that are even funnier to get the message across that TDI engines are no longer horrible.
Of course, when you want to fling a Golf TDI this way and that, it can't hurt to have rallycross legend Tanner Foust involved as well. He's the man behind the wheel of the Rockstar Energy Beetle GRC, so a 150 hp turbodiesel is child's play.
The marketing campaign is called "Diesel Old Wives's Tales" and features three aggressive grannies who curse at each other and ask Tanner to give them mouth-to-mouth CPR. It's a bit much, but at the rate VW sales are going, they're probably willing to try anything.
At the core of this "product" is a brand new EA288 2-liter making 150 PS that's available on the Golf, Jetta, Beetle, Passat and the Audi A3. Available from $22,345, the Golf TDI is supposed to offer up to 45 mpg highway. Too bad it looks average and costs as much as a Honda Accord.
Us humans are a stubborn species and once we get the idea that a car sucks, there's nothing that can change it. But the all-new Golf is based on the MQB platform, is lighter, more refined and practical than the older model. It will also hold its value well and the TDI gets the similar mpg to a hybrid.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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