VW's compact two-door coupe and convertible show styling changes for 2006 featuring revised fascias, fenders and side sills with keen lines drawn around wheel wells and a bold face set with large oval headlamps and a mesh grille.

The standard engine this year is also new -- a 2.5-liter five-cylinder rig which achieves 150 hp through a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic with Tiptronic shifter. Equipment upgrades consist of a traction control system (TCS) with ESP added to all models.

New Beetle Cabriolet amounts to a convertible conversion worked out by Karmann Coachworks in Germany. The fabric-lined top has three layers for insulation plus a rear window constructed from glass and imbedded with a defroster element. The top opens and closes by manual mode or optional semi-automatic power controls.

Gecko Green and Salsa Red are fresh paint shades for New Beetle in 2006.

Crisp body styling for the Jetta sedan features a brash face with chrome grille flanking oversized corner lamps and aerodynamic lines sweeping up a canted windshield and across the arching roof. Jetta's five-seat cabin has more room than a car in the compact class should contain and more fine materials and fancy appointments than a car with affordable price points usually provides.

Primary powertrain is VW's 2.5-liter five-cylinder plant making 150 hp. A new 2.0-liter four-pack with turbo-charging and direct injection nets 200 hp for Jetta 2.0T or GLI and ties to a six-speed manual or optional six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) automatic Tiptronic. Jetta Value Edition is the entry issue with the 2.5-liter plant plus a lower MSRP, and Jetta TDI brings a 1.9-liter turbo-diesel worth 100 hp.

Bi-xenon HID headlights are now standard on the GLI, with a DVD navigation system optional on Jetta's top models.

The SUV from VW is a five-door model with a tight unibody structure. It's sleek in style, large in scale for the mid-size class and provides a spacious cabin with seats for five plus plush appointments. Touareg employs VW's four-wheel-drive (4WD) traction device labeled 4XMotion, which provides uncanny stick-it-down traction for all wheels, plus optional locking rear differential and an air suspension.

Engines contain six, eight or even ten cylinders. For 2006, the base plant is new -- a 3.6-liter VR6 with direct injection and output of 276 hp, which marks a 36-point improvement over the previous 3.2-liter VR6. Optional is a 4.2-liter V8 worth 310 hp or a massive turbo-diesel 5.0-liter V10 that knocks out 310 hp. Touareg V10 TDI also has a six-speed automatic transmission, electronic stabilization program (ESP) and a device called Hill Descent and Climb Assist to keep wheels tethered to a steep grade.

The full-size Volkswagen sedan amounts to an ultra-premium limousine on a stretched wheelbase with luxury gear aboard. VW's 4Motion all-wheel-drive (AWD) system is standard, along with an air suspension, xenon high-intensity-discharge (HID) headlights, an automatic interior climate system with four-zone temperature controls, plus a navigation system and deluxe digital audio package with 12 speakers scattered around a leather-lined cabin.

Phaeton brings two powertrain options as model nomenclature follows engine patterns -- Phaeton V8 and Phaeton W12. Phaeton V8 contains a 4.2-liter V8 producing 335 hp and connecting to a six-speed automatic with Tiptronic clutch-less shifter. Phaeton W12 carries VW's W-shaped 12-cylinder engine at 6.0 liters and this year with a 24-point power boost to 444 hp through a five-speed Tiptronic automatic.

Also new for 2006 is the option of Active Cruise Control (ACC) on either V8 or W12 model, along with Bluetooth cell phone preparation.