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Today, at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Volkswagen unveiled its very fuel-efficient Up! Lite Concept.

The tiny, four-seater hybrid is based on previous Up concepts we have seen over the years, achieves a claimed 70 miles-per-gallon. The hybrid drive concept consists of a turbocharged diesel engine mated to an electric motor and DSG transmission, and is capable of running in electric-only mode for short distances. It also features a start-stop function, which allows it to save fuel when it would otherwise be idling.

The Up! Lite has a three-door, aerodynamic body with a drag coefficient of 0.237, and weighs a mere 1532 pounds, no doubt significant in helping it achieve those impressive fuel economy numbers.

Volkswagen envisions the Up! Lite, which has a top speed of 100 miles per hour, as a useful commuter vehicle across the globe.

See it in the photo gallery, or scroll down for more information in the press release.

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From some wintry part of the world, we have received these spy shots of a four-door version of the Volkswagen Polo. Because of its size and fuel economy, we expect the Polo sedan to appear in the US as part of the 2011 lineup.

It will probably see some more changes before it becomes available, and we’ll post any updates or images as its unveiling draws near.

Check out the Polo sedan in the gallery above, or scroll down for the photographer’s comments.

The details on this one are sketchy (no pun intented), but Volkswagen has just released this first drawing of its new mid-size sedan set to come to market in late 2011.

We assume that this new sedan will be the replacement for the aging Passat and should use a range of standard Volkswagen engines, as well as a TDI variant. No word on if the Passat moniker will stick, and it's clear to see that the new car's styling mimics that of the recent Golf/GTI design language.

No word has been given as to when official details and information will be released. In the meantime, speculate your hearts out, in comments.

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As part of a larger hot hatch comparison test (stay tuned), we have the all-new 2010 Volkswagen GTI in the Ypsilanti test fleet this week. Ours is the five-door with the six-speed manual and it's loaded to the brim, but regardless of what tech options this car has, there's no doubt that our biggest love is with the 2.0-liter turbo four under the hood.

Since we'll surely be putting a lot of miles on the GTI this week, we thought we'd offer it up for a round of Ask It in our forums. We're ready for your questions.

+ NextAutos Forums: Ask It: 2010 Volkswagen GTI

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The Volkswagen Tiguan, following the lead of other VWs, appears to be undergoing a facelift. It’s a bit different than what we’ve seen on other Volkswagens, though.

The new Tiguan gets a new bumper and air intakes, a new grille, headlights, and LED running lights.

Other than that, we don’t see any other visible changes yet, but there’s still plenty of time before the new Tiguan makes its debut in Geneva next year.

See it in the gallery above, or scroll down for the photographer’s notes on the updated Volkswagen Tiguan.

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We’ve seen versions of the Volkswagen Up concept at auto shows, most recently as the electric E-Up in Frankfurt.  Today, our spy shooter offers these photos of an Up mule (badged as a Polo) testing on public roads.

The Up should appear on the market as a 2012 model, and, as our photographer points out, it may end up being called Lupo. It will likely house Volkswagen’s clean diesel and gasoline engines, and perhaps we’ll also see the fully electric version come to fruition. Expect a five-door version down the line.

See the diminutive VW Up in the gallery above, or scroll down for the photographer’s own words.

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Our spy photographer just delivered these shots of Volkswagen’s re-entry into the pickup segment, called the Amarok. Expect to see it in South and Central America, before it begins to show up elsewhere. Is it too early to start a pool to see if it ever comes to the U.S.?

Diesel engines will power two- and four-wheel-drive versions of Volkswagen’s new truck.

See the Amarok in the gallery above, or scroll down for more details from the photographer.

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Our spy shooter spotted these two Volkswagen mules, and he found some clues as to what they are. Upon closer look, the cars are marked with stickers that help to identify them.

He suggests the white one is the next generation of Volkswagen Golf VII, which won’t go on sale until 2012. The black one could be a smaller new coupe based on the current Golf VI.

We’re confident the mystery will unravel as more spy shots show up. Click through the gallery above to see the two little Volkswagen mules. The photographer conjectures about them, below.

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Some speculate that the new Volkswagen Touareg will drop several hundred pounds. Others suggest a third row may be added. Rumors of a hybrid version are also floating around. We’ll probably have to wait until the Detroit Auto Show in January for all the details. In the meantime, we’ll post spy shots as they surface.

Photos above, photographer’s comments below.

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The Volkswagen E-Up! Concept is only a few days old now, but VW is already making a big statement and calling it the "Beetle of the 21st Century." No, it's not a homage back to any sort of retro vehicle, and instead uses Volkswagen's latest design language that we've seen in production form on the Golf and Scirocco. The automaker hopes that the E-Up! will be its small car of the future, better serving the needs of buyers who would originally shop the New Beetle.

As the big capital E in its name would suggest, the E-Up! is powered by a completely electric motor, producing 54 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque, all running to the front wheels. Not that any eco-drivers will be worried about this, but 0-60 sprints should happen in 11.3 seconds and the E-Up! will top out at a maximum speed of 84 miles per hour.

Inside, the E-Up! benefits from a unique three-plus-one seating concept derived from the original Up! concept shown a few years back. This layout means that the driver and two side passengers will have optimum seating positions with the extra space behind the driver used for cargo capacity. Interesting stuff, no?

Will the E-Up! make it to production? We hope so. And if VW wants this to be the Beetle for our future, they'd better get moving. Click through the post for all of the nitty gritty details.