2006 Rabbit

Isn't that the same thing they did back in the early days of the Golf/Rabbit? In Europe it was called a Golf. In the US it was named the Rabbit.

yes and yes.

Not exactly. The Rabbit name was decided on before the car went on sale. However the original Golf name did appear at a few early autoshows this year.

Boy are you out of it. They already have. Within the past year they axed Arnold and got Crispin Porter + Bogusky. The name change I believe was part of CP+B's idea.

Actually I think it's a good move. While purists probably hate that the car isn't being called the same name worldwide, I think it's a swift move for the US market. Since we don't love hatchbacks like most of the world, you have to do something to give the car something and if an air of nostalgia and cuteness is what will do it, then I applaud the name change. Whatever gets the thing selling.

If they offered it with a 2.0T I'd be looking at it.

-- Mike Smith

They have the engine they need, just not in North America yet.

-- Mike S

Why did the omit the Rabbit nameplate from the rear? The chrome bunny seems lost. And where is the marketing blitz?

I am just glad that I did not buy a Golf last year.

Mike Smith wrote:

Look, if you want to all you have to do it get some fishing line and nail polish remover, get rid of the stupid Rabbit emblem and stick on a GOLF to be like the rest of the world. Not that complicated.

TL

Dream on. "Stripped" today in the US would still mean power windows and A/C. A Rabbit 2.0T wouldn't weigh enough less than a GTI to be noticeable.

And if you did take out the A/C and power windows, nobody except for a couple of enthusiasts looking for a showroom-ready autocrosser would buy such a vehicle. The likelihood of VW or any manufacturer building a stripped-down car with the hottest engine available in the bodystyle is pretty much zero and the likelihood of anyone buying such a car is barely any higher than that.

That "World Class" Yaris has been beat by the Honda Fit in every comparison test I have seen. I've test driven them both and the Fit is really fun to drive with a lot of utility. The Yaris was bland and boring. BTW, didn't the "proven" Yaris just get a recall?

Tom: I wished VW never intro'd the Golf in the '90s. I just think the

Tom Levigne wrote:

Bidding my time till they intro the rab deisel in canada. My old bunny is an 82 with 425K on it and getting near retirment age.

Try