VOLKSWAGEN EOS NAMED “BEST CONVERTIBLE” IN MOTORWEEK’S DRIVERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – MotorWeek TV has named the Volkswagen Eos the “Best Convertible” in its annual Drivers’ Choice Awards. The announcement was made today at the Chicago Auto Show and MotorWeek will feature the Drivers’ Choice Award winners on a special episode to air on PBS February 10.

“The four-season retractable hardtop design of the Volkswagen Eos sets a new benchmark for affordable convertibles,” said MotorWeek host John Davis. “The cleverness of the top is obvious. Add in strong and efficient engines and great driving pleasure and the Eos is an easy convertible standout.”

The Volkswagen Eos is the world’s first four-seat, hard-top convertible with an integrated glass sunroof. The CSC™ (coupe-sunroof-convertible) is a revolutionary five-panel roof that transforms the coupe’s hardtop, with integrated sunroof and heated-glass rear window, into an open-air convertible.

With the click of a switch, owners of the 2007 Eos enjoy the attributes of a traditional “rag top” and the benefits of a protected and quiet interior environment of a hard-top. In an industry “first-and-only,” the panoramic, tinted glass power sunroof is integrated into the folding roof of the Volkswagen Eos. The externally-guided, tilt-and-slide sunroof with automatic pinch protection gets “sandwiched” between roof panels as the hard-top is lowered.

Available with the award-winning 2.0T four-cylinder or the innovative 3.2 L narrow-angle V6 engines, other notable features of the Volkswagen 2007 Eos include Climatic single-zone air conditioning as standard in the base Eos, with dual-zone Climatronic™ standard in the Eos 2.0T and 3.2 L models. Easy entry rear seats that "remember" the driver's and front passenger's longitudinal seating positions, and return to these once the rear passengers have entered or exited the vehicle are standard on the Eos 3.2 L and optional on the 2.0T models.

The 2007 Eos 2.0T offers 200 horsepower and 207 lbs.-ft. of torque from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder engine. High-pressure, Fuel Stratified Injection helps with performance and efficiency. The 2007 Eos 2.0T is EPA rated at an estimated 23 miles per gallon in the city and an impressive 32 mpg in highway driving.

The 2007 Drivers’ Choice Awards were selected by a team of 15 judges, comprised of the writers, producers and crew of MotorWeek. The judges evaluated more than 150 cars and trucks, focusing on key features of superior performance, technology, practicality and dollar value. The vehicles selected for a 2007 Drivers’ Choice Award made it through the grueling gauntlet of road and track tests as well as a comprehensive comparison to competitors.

MotorWeek, the original automotive magazine series on television, is one of the nation’s leading sources for automotive industry news, new car information, and entertainment, focusing on consumers’ needs and the driving experience. The award-winning series can be seen on more than 240 PBS stations nationwide and on cable’s SPEED. MotorWeek is nationally sponsored by Cars.com, The Tire Rack, Valvoline, and Goodyear. Visit MotorWeek online at pbs.org/motorweek