ALL NEW AUTO CARS

The VW Sharan's Spanish sibling is now more worthy of the “multi-purpose” label as SEAT has presented a new variant with a permanent all-wheel drive system for the Alhambra. The new model benefits from the latest-generation of VW's 4x4 system, electronically controlled and set up for improved driving dynamics.

According to SEAT, the system has been tuned to offer “a surprising level of sporty driving fun”. The all-wheel drive system is operated by a multi-plate clutch that sends the juice to the axle that needs it the most. In the event that the front wheels slip, an electrically driven annular piston pump builds up the oil pressure necessary for the clutch to divert a large proportion of the driving force to the rear wheels.

The 4WD option will be offered in conjunction with the most powerful diesel engine available, the 2.0-liter TDI which develops 140 horsepower. Linked to a six-speed manual transmission, the oil-burner pushes the Alhambra to a top speed of 191 km/h (118 mph). The standard 0 to 100 km/h sprint takes a decent 11.4 seconds and average fuel consumption is rated at 6.0 liters/100 km (equal to 39.2 US mpg).

The low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of 158 grams per km are also due to the Ecomotive package, which includes a brake energy regeneration and an automatic start/stop system.

The SEAT Alhambra 4WD will be available for sale starting this summer, in the Reference and Style versions with interiors configured with 5 seats. Towards the end of the year, the all-wheel drive MPV will also have a 2+2+2 seating arrangement.

When American buyers learned that the European market version of the Jetta came with better and more modern engines, improved materials and a four-link rear suspension system similar to that fitted to the Golf, they felt somewhat let down - even though these changes came with a hefty price increase for European consumers. Now, VW is trying to address some of these concerns with the presentation of the new Jetta GLI, which debuts today at the Chicago Auto Show.

The new model is the most differentiated Jetta GLI model ever. First of all, it is powered by Volkswagen's 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, generating 200 horsepower and a 207 lb.-ft. of torque at just 1,700 rpm. The four-cylinder unit is paired to a standard six speed manual gearbox or an optional dual-clutch DSG transmission. VW said that while EPA figures are not yet available, the Jetta GLI is expected to deliver 31 mpg highway with the manual and 32 mpg highway with the DSG.

The turbocharged engine isn't the only significant change over the standard Jettas as the GLI gets the European version's four-way independent rear suspension instead of the torsion beam setup found on the other N.A.-spec models. Furthermore, the GLI benefits from the Golf GTI's XDS cross differential system that helps prevent inside wheel spin during cornering, plus beefier four wheel disc brakes with floating red calipers.

On the outside, the GLI is distinguished by the 17- or 18-inch alloy rims, a newly styled front bumper, a honeycomb grille with silver accents, smoked taillights and twin exhaust outlets. Inside, the range-topping Jetta gets sport bucket seats with red stitching, a sport flat-bottom steering wheel with red stitching and additional standard features such as a 6.5-inch touch screen premium VIII radio with Bluetooth and iPod connectivity.

Now, the question is will all those that complained about the standard Jettas pay the price for these upgrades as the new GLI has a starting MSRP of $23,495. Dig a little deeper in your pockets and $25,545 will get you the better equipped GLI Autobahn that adds 18-inch alloys, sunroof, dual zone climate control, heated V-Tex Leatherette seats and the Fender Premium Audio System. Another $900 for a grand total of $26,445 will get you the Jetta GLI Autobahn with an RNS-315 navigation system and keyless access with push-button start technology.

Volkswagen has announced that it will compete at this year's 24-hour endurance race at the Nürburgring with an all-new challenger, the freshly developed Golf24. The dramatic racing version of the Golf borrows the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine from sister company Audi's TT RS and RS3 models, modified to deliver 440-ponies and a maximum torque of 540Nm or 398 lb-ft. Power is transmitted to the permanent four-wheel drive by a sequential six-speed gearbox with paddle shift operation.

The last time Volkswagen fielded a factory Golf for the famous Nürburgring endurance race was in 2007, at which time, the 300HP, front-wheel drive Golf that delivered about 300 hp finished in eighth place overall. For the past three years, the Germans have been competing in the race with the Scirocco GT24.

"With the new Golf24 we are continuing our successful commitment at the Nürburgring 24-hour race," said VW Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "The event enjoys huge popularity, is one of the true classics in motorsport and, due to its extreme distance and unique race track, also represents a very big technical challenge, With our spectacular Golf we want to provide an additional highlight in front of a large audience – right in time for the 35th anniversary of the GTI this year."

The new Golf24 has already reeled off its first circuit miles in Portugal and Italy, but VW will continue the testing and development programme until the Nürburgring racing event that takes place from June 23 to 26.

The numbers are in for last week's Super Bowl event and they show that the winner is General Motors with its Chevrolet’s spot, “Miss Evelyn’s Wild Ride”. According to Nielsen, an estimated 119,628,000 viewers watched two guys describing a woman’s wild ride in a silver Chevrolet Camaro making it the most-watched commercial ever. The previous record holder was a Doritos ad from 2010 with 116,231,920 viewers. GM's winning streak continued with the Chevy Cruze ad that came in second with 119.3 million views.

However, despite the record viewing number, Chevy's lovely ladies couldn't beat Volkswagen's little Darth Vader in the Passat ad for the most favorite commercial of the game with a Nieslen likability index of 186 (the average score for the Super Bowl ads is 100, meaning VW's Passat ad was almost twice as liked as the average commercial).

The German firm's second TV spot starring the Beetle was the 6th most favorite ad [146 score], while Chrysler's 200 with Eminem, 8th [138 score] and Audi's A8 10th [127 score]. You can watch the ads after the jump.