Really wish VW had a RWD diesel luxury sports sedan

Busted

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I am wanting a 2nd car, something nice to drive on the weekends.

Unfortunately the selection in America is horrible regarding a luxury 4 door sport sedan with a manual transmission and rear wheel drive.

I really don't want a BMW, Mercedes, or Cadillac. I have test drove an Infiniti G37 Sport, it was nice I guess.

I really want a mid size 4 door sport sedan, rear wheel drive, manual transmission, and a diesel.

I should move out of the US. All the nice cars are everywhere else. :mad:
 

vdubdezl

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If you could get a CC with a TDI, I think that would fit the bill.
 

Busted

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If you could get a CC with a TDI, I think that would fit the bill.
Thanks for the advice, but the CC is not rear wheel drive, nor is it available in the US with a diesel or a manual transmission.

I suppose I could live with the all wheel drive available on the CC with their gas engine, but still no manual transmission.

Most cars sold in the US nowadays have an automatic transmission, which is the polar opposite of Europe which is mostly manual.

Unfortunately I am part of a minority who wants a car that is both practical and fun to drive. Most Americans just care that it starts and gets them to work every day.
 

supton

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I thought Europe too was moving away from manuals? It's still the cheap(er) option, and widely available; but even they are migrating towards flappy paddle gearboxes.

I wish they had an affordable AWD. I might even be willing to live with gas/automatic, if only for the support well-known guru's could give to such a beast.
 

Busted

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I thought Europe too was moving away from manuals? It's still the cheap(er) option, and widely available; but even they are migrating towards flappy paddle gearboxes.

I wish they had an affordable AWD. I might even be willing to live with gas/automatic, if only for the support well-known guru's could give to such a beast.

I would be OK with an affordable AWD, but VW has a penchant for adding crappy automatics to their cars.

Really dont like the paddles, on any car. If I want a manual, I want the clutch and shifter that goes with it.

Would happily buy an AWD version of the Passat, if it had a manual gearbox, TDI, Bi-Xenon headlamps, and Nav.

As it is if I want a German RWD or AWD car, I will have to buy a BMW or Audi. Both prohibitively expensive with the initial purchase, and then maintenance down the road. Yes, you can get the "Certified" warranty, but they end up adding that into the cost anyways.
 

VeeDubTDI

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This thread should be renamed "Pipe Dream."

VW is going to pursue small efficient vehicles before they go down the path of RWD diesel sports cars. Your only option at the moment is a used BMW 335d.

I'd venture to say that VW will build a Passat Wagon TDI before they do anything RWD, and the chance for a Passat Wagon is very very slim in the foreseeable future.
 

bhtooefr

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For that matter, the only RWD VW-branded vehicles at all nowadays (since 2003) are vans and trucks, and the only VW-branded RWD cars have had the engine in the back.

If you want a RWD diesel sport sedan, you really are looking at BMW. Even the engine swap options aren't that great - I think the only one that you could even do that on, that's RWD, without lots of custom fab and electronics, is a Lexus IS 200d or 220d. (Both being versions of the Toyota 2AD-FHV 2.2 turbodiesel.) If you didn't mind the custom work, you could get the drivetrain from an Infiniti M30d and install it in the G37, but that seems like a massive pain. And, importing engines is a pain if they're noncompliant anyway.
 

cfm56

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if BMW would put a diesel in their five-series thats the route to go.
 

No More Buffalo

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I suspect that a big factor here is market cannibilization - making nicer VW's would likely hurt Audi sales more than anything.
 

bhtooefr

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They tried to make nicer VWs.

The idea was that VW would be the comfort-luxury brand, Audi would be the sport-luxury brand.

The end result? Passat W8s and Phaetons that nobody bought.
 

specsalot

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LOL - I sympathize with the OP. I pulled up in stop and go traffic the other day next to a 5 Series SUV with a diesel. I rolled down the window to compare sounds. I was in my noisy MB powered Jeep CRD. The BMW was louder. All I can say is I hope the BMW had lots of sound proofing. It was not inspiring. Took BMW diesel off my list after hearing that. Kind of like the MB diesel chatter sound only a bit more despirate as if the don't yet have the gearing sorted out completely.
 
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RabbitGTI

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Busted, I know you said you don't want a BMW, but if you value sport more than luxury and don't need a lot of room for four large humans, take a look at a One Series, especially the 1M. It's awesome and has the "sport" part covered. :)
 

Busted

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Busted, I know you said you don't want a BMW, but if you value sport more than luxury and don't need a lot of room for four large humans, take a look at a One Series, especially the 1M. It's awesome and has the "sport" part covered. :)

I have a buddy that has been pushing me towards a 1M, he has a Z4 and loves it. He is 6'2 and comfortable in his Z, I am 6' and would probably be comfortable in the 1.

I hear you can chip the 1M for about $700 and get a considerable increase of power.

I suppose for a weekend car that would work, but it doesn't really fulfill my wants of the 4 door sedan.

I realize that my thoughts on this is something of a pipe dream. I am somewhat flexible in my wishes, IE AWD Passat TDI with a manual. I have had FWD cars for so long, I would really enjoy something different.

The trouble with BMW is the initial outlay of cash, followed by a continuous stream of cash out of my bank account for maintenance and repairs. I know how German cars about their maintenance, but BMW seems to go beyond others in both cost and frequency.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts.
 

mrchaotica

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Hey, at least you have an option in the BMW 335d. I want a Diesel compact pickup, which is completely nonexistent! :mad:
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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BMW isn't making a 3-Series diesel this year, are they? I thought they were selling leftover '11 335ds. Didn't see one listed as part of the new body style, either.

If I were shopping for a front-engine, rear drive sedan with a manual I'd go with a 3 or 5 series 6 cylinder gasoline BMW. I'm intrigued by the 528i, as it performs well and gets good fuel economy from the 2.0 liter 4. And the idea of an 8-speed transmission is interesting, even if it is an automatic.

Porsche 911. If I had the money I'd love to have one as a daily driver.
 

bhtooefr

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Myself, I wouldn't mind a 912E. All the Porsche style, better handling, better fuel economy, with aircooled VW maintenance costs instead of aircooled Porsche maintenance costs.

Actually, a modern 912 would be nice, too. Rumor has it that might actually happen, as Porsche is working on a 4-cyl version of the A91 engine.
 

Busted

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Hey, at least you have an option in the BMW 335d. I want a Diesel compact pickup, which is completely nonexistent! :mad:

I've said for years that if Honda or Hyundai would come out with a compact pickup, they would run Toyota out of business.

Even better if it was a diesel!
 

RabbitGTI

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I have a buddy that has been pushing me towards a 1M, he has a Z4 and loves it. He is 6'2 and comfortable in his Z, I am 6' and would probably be comfortable in the 1.

I hear you can chip the 1M for about $700 and get a considerable increase of power.

I suppose for a weekend car that would work, but it doesn't really fulfill my wants of the 4 door sedan.

I realize that my thoughts on this is something of a pipe dream. I am somewhat flexible in my wishes, IE AWD Passat TDI with a manual. I have had FWD cars for so long, I would really enjoy something different.

The trouble with BMW is the initial outlay of cash, followed by a continuous stream of cash out of my bank account for maintenance and repairs. I know how German cars about their maintenance, but BMW seems to go beyond others in both cost and frequency.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts.
I agree 100%. I am so sick of FWD and understeer I could puke. I really want an AWD Golf diesel, but that is never gonna happen unless I move to another country. I've driven Subies WRXs and Evos, but I cannot afford 12 mpg.
 

TDIMeister

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LOL - I sympathize with the OP. I pulled up in stop and go traffic the other day next to a 5 Series SUV with a diesel. I rolled down the window to compare sounds. I was in my noisy MB powered Jeep CRD. The BMW was louder. All I can say is I hope the BMW had lots of sound proofing. It was not inspiring. Took BMW diesel off my list after hearing that. Kind of like the MB diesel chatter sound only a bit more despirate as if the don't yet have the gearing sorted out completely.
You hearing sounds of an adjacent car through the window is not comparable in any way, shape or form to the noise you hear in the cabin of your own car. And don't start with "well, even from outside my car would have been..." That didn't happen so it's hearsay.
 

TDIMeister

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OP, hope that Porsche sells a Panamera TDI in the US. That would be the closest thing to a rear-drive Diesel sports sedan from the VW Group you'll ever get.
 

740GLE

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i thought the panamera was AWD?
 
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