2012 VOLKSWAGEN EOS: BEAUTIFUL DESIGN, RAIN OR SHINE
08/23/2011
Volkswagen
Twenty-five seconds. That's all it takes for the 2012 Volkswagen Eos to transform itself from a sleek, elegant two-door coupe to an open-top, four-seat convertible.
While there may be other retractable hardtop convertible models on the market, the new Eos stands apart for being the only one to offer a full-width, power-tilt-and-slide, panoramic glass sunroof integrated in to its hardtop.
Unveiled at last year's Los Angeles Auto Show, this second-generation Eos was substantially updated for 2012 with major styling changes that included a complete new front-end redesign together with a host of new features. This latest version went on sale in the U.S. in spring 2011.
With its focus on providing a fun, dynamic driving experience, the 2012 Eos comes with the award-winning, 2.0-liter 200-horsepower turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine coupled with a DSG dual-clutch six-speed automatic.
New for 2012
In addition to the launch line-up of Komfort and Lux models, a new, more sports-focused Executive model is being added for 2012.
It takes the long list of standard equipment offered on the Eos Lux-including leather seating surfaces, genuine Burled Walnut or aluminum Black Peak interior trim-and adds 18-inch Kansas alloy wheels (up from 17s), a sport suspension, Volkswagen's RNS 510 navigation system with 6.5-inch color touchscreen, and a powerful 600-watt, 10-speaker Dynaudio(R) premium sound system.
Exterior
The revised exterior styling introduced for 2012 brings the Eos into line with the latest Volkswagen design DNA. Extending between the new swept-back headlamps is a prominent, slim new grille featuring three gloss-black blades, each trimmed with a narrow chrome strip.
The new lighting system features the option of Bi-Xenon high-intensity headlamps with bright-white LED Daytime Running Lights, plus Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS). This can turn the headlamps up to 15 degrees for increased nighttime visibility around curves.
A new bumper design incorporates a deep, restyled air dam with horizontal blades matching those of the grille. Mounted at the edges, halogen reflector-lens fog lights have a corner-illuminating feature.
At the rear, the Eos has reworked, two-part LED rear lights with fiber-optic technology and a redesigned rear bumper with lower black diffuser and chrome, dual-tipped exhausts.
Top up or down, the 2012 Eos has a sleek, elegant profile, highlighted by a swept-back windshield, slim roof pillars to ensure great all-round visibility, and a bold-muscular body line that starts by the front wheelarch and sweeps back all the way to the rear light.
Folding Hardtop
To see the Eos's electro-hydraulically-operated five-piece steel and glass roof in action is like watching a mechanical ballet.
In the 25 seconds it takes for the top to lower, the five elements form a compact 'sandwich', stacking neatly and elegantly on top of each other so as to take up minimal space inside the trunk. The mechanism itself is activated from the front seat by a press-and-hold lever beneath the center armrest. Thanks to the way the mechanism operates, the roof can be opened or closed in most garages.
This is how the roof lowering process works: Once the switch is pressed, the sunroof section slides backwards and the side windows are lowered. Almost simultaneously, the entire rear section of the roof, from the C-pillar up to the 'imaginary' B-pillar is lifted upwards. The sunroof then slides under the rear area of the roof forming a 'sandwich'.
Now the hydraulic control system folds the entire roof cover deck lid, along with the lid of the trunk, backwards. Then the lateral roof spars of the windshield frame slide back as well. The sunroof and the rear part of the roof are completely lowered into the rear of the car, while the roof spars slide into separate cavities (covered by lids) near the rear side window.
In total, the Eos's roof is made up of 470 components, including an eight-cylinder electro-hydraulic pump located under the luggage compartment cover behind the spare wheel.
A unique feature of the folding roof is its sliding glass sunroof that's integrated into the car's metal roof. At 44 inches wide and 22 inches deep, it is far larger than a traditional sunroof. At the touch of a button it can either be tilted, partly, or fully opened. There's also an integrated, manual sliding sunshade to reduce sunlight glare.
A key design element of the roof is that the section behind the sunroof is made of matching tinted glass, giving the visual impression that the Eos's entire roof is made from glass.
To reduce wind-buffeting when the top is lowered, the Eos comes with a removable, foldable wind-blocker that can be mounted behind the rear seats, plus a neat pop-up mesh wind deflector that deploys from the top of the windscreen.
Interior
Adding to the considerable versatility of the 2012 Eos is its ability to carry four adults in comfort, and still have space for their luggage.
With the Eos's top raised, the trunk offers a generous 10.5 cubic feet of storage space. With the roof fully-retracted, there is still a usable 6.6 cubic feet. For longer items, a lockable pass-through is integrated into the Eos's rear seats.
Just stepping into the cabin of the Eos you are instantly aware of the high-luxury features and the exceptional quality and fit and finish of the materials. From the soft-touch feel of the plastics, to the elegant use of chrome and brushed-aluminum-look 'matte chrome', to the beautifully crafted seat stitching, the Eos is firmly in the luxury-car category.
On Lux and Executive trim levels, genuine Burled Walnut, or the more technical aluminum Black Peak, add luxury and style to the fascia and door panels. It's accompanied by rich, supple leather seating surfaces in a choice of Cornsilk Beige, Atlantic Blue, Titan Black or Red. And all Eos models are equipped with a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel and shift knob.
From the sporty, side-bolstered front seats with standard 12-way power adjustment for the driver (eight-way for the front passenger), to the supportive individual rear seats, the Eos is exceptionally comfortable and accommodating.
To make it easy for passengers to climb in the back, the front seats in the Eos are available with an electric easy-entry feature. Pressing the rocker switch allows the seats to power forward so passengers can step in, and then return to their original position.
With the top folded, one might think that would be all the air conditioning an Eos driver would need. But standard on all models is a dual-zone Climatronic climate control. The system allows driver and front-seat passenger to adjust their own air temperatures individually and independently. The Climatronic system even takes into account the amount of sunlight coming into the cabin, and makes separate calculations to compensate on both the driver and passenger sides.
For entertainment, all Eos models come standard with an eight-speaker touchscreen sound system complete with crystal-clear HD Radio technology, an in-dash six-CD changer, and a Media Device Interface (MDI) with iPod(R) cable to seamlessly navigate playlists, albums and more, plus Bluetooth(R) connectivity.
Standard equipment with the new, top-of-the-line 2012 Eos Executive is a 10-speaker premium sound system from the Danish hi-fi specialist Dynaudio. This 10-channel system delivers up to a true 600 watts RMS without generating unwanted vibrations in the vehicle structure, setting a new standard in this class.
Engines and Transmissions
The 2012 Eos features Volkswagen's award-winning 2.0-liter 16-valve DOHC turbocharged and intercooled four-cylinder gasoline engine that delivers such an exhilarating driving experience in the latest Volkswagen GTI.
This advanced, technically-sophisticated, direct fuel-injection powerplant produces 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque and features drive-by-wire throttle control and maintenance-free hydraulic lifters. One of the key reasons for the engine's lively, responsive performance is that it produces all 207 lb-ft of torque from just 1800rpm, allowing for rapid passing and fast exits from tight curves.
For 2012, the front-wheel drive Eos features the remarkable DSG(R) six-speed dual-clutch transmission as standard. This fast-shifting automatic enables the Eos to deliver an EPA fuel economy rating of 30 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg in city driving.
DSG combines the comfort and ease-of-use of an automatic, with the responsiveness and economy of a manual. The six-speed, transversely-mounted DSG unit features two wet clutches with hydraulic pressure regulation. One clutch controls the 'odd' gears-1st, 3rd, 5th and reverse-while the other operates the even gears. Essentially it is two gearboxes in one.
With DSG, the set-up allows the next-higher gear to be engaged, but remain on standby until it is actually selected. In other words, if the Eos is being driven in third gear, fourth is selected but not yet activated. As soon as the ideal shift point is reached, the clutch on the third-gear side opens, the other clutch closes and fourth gear engages under accurate electronic supervision.
Since the opening and closing actions of the two clutches overlap, a smooth gearshift results and the entire shift process is completed in less than four-hundredths of a second. In addition to its fully automatic shift mode, DSG has a Tiptronic(R) function to permit manual gear selection.
For even livelier performance, the DSG in the Eos also features a Sport mode, which makes the transmission even more responsive to the throttle and will hold on to gears longer.
Suspension
To give the 2012 Volkswagen Eos the ideal combination of two seemingly incompatible elements- sportiness and comfort-a fully independent suspension has been developed that's unique to the car.
At the front, strut-type suspension is utilized, with triangular lower control arms, coil springs, and an anti-roll bar. At the rear is a compact four-link arrangement that is mounted on a subframe that is acoustically decoupled from the main body to reduce road noise and vibration. On the new 2102 Eos Executive, the standard sport suspension has a ride height that's lowered by around half an inch, while the springs and dampers have firmer settings.
Electro-mechanical power steering is also employed to enhance the driving characteristics of the Eos. It features variable assistance for increased feel and weighting at speed, and less steering effort at parking speeds. Other advantages include its mild self-centering action, its ability to compensate for different driving hazards, like crosswinds and steep road cambers, as it dispenses with the usual engine-drive pump.
The Eos has a tight turning radius of just 35.8 feet, which together with the optional Park Distance Control System, makes for easier parking maneuvers.
Four-wheel disc brakes come as standard on the 2012 Eos, with 12.3-inch diameter vented front discs and solid 10.3-inch rotors at the back. Naturally ABS anti-lock braking is standard, along with Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution (EBD) and Engine Braking Assist (EBA).
Another standard feature is a brake disc wipe feature to remove water from the rotors to help improve braking response, together with hill-hold control, and a brake pad wear indicator.
Safety and security
All 2012 Eos models come with an armory of active and passive safety features.
One key feature is the Rollover Protection system for the rear seats. In the event of a front, side or rear collision, or if severe lateral tilt or a rollover situation is detected, two spring-loaded aluminum posts deploy from behind the rear-seat head restraints in just 0.25 seconds to help protect rear passengers.
For the front seats there's a driver and passenger front airbag supplemental restraint system, including driver and passenger detection, as well as driver and front passenger head/thorax side airbags. The front three-point safety belts also feature pretensioners.
The suite of standard active safety technology in the Eos includes Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), and Electronic Differential Lock (EDL). In addition, Eos has Volkswagen's advanced Intelligent Crash Response System that, in certain types of collision, shuts off the fuel pump, unlocks the doors, and switches on the hazard warning lights.
All Volkswagen models are covered by the no-charge Carefree Maintenance(R) Program. Under it, all of the scheduled maintenance, as described in the maintenance booklet, is covered for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
Model Line-up
Komfort
With a starting MSRP of $33,395, the Komfort 2.0T provides entry into the Eos line-up. The long list of standard features include the 2.0L, 200-hp TSI(TM) engine; six-speed DSG automatic transmission with Tiptronic; 17-inch Michigan alloy wheels; hill-hold control; leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel; power sunroof with tilt, slide, and wind deflector; front and rear power windows; 'Microtech Anthracite' inserts for dashboard, console, and door trim panels; leather-wrapped brake lever handle and gearshift knob; wind blocker; cruise control; Climatronic dual-zone climate control; multi-function display; power driver's seat with lumbar; comfort heated front seats; V-Tex leatherette seating surfaces; Premium VIII touchscreen radio with eight-speakers, Aux-In, HD and satellite radio, iPod connectivity; and Bluetooth connectivity.
Lux
Priced from $37,250, the Lux 2.0T takes the Komfort features and adds: 17-inch Fontana alloy wheels; electrically foldable exterior side mirrors; keyless entry system and push-button start; real wood decorative inserts for dashboard, center console, and door trim inserts; intermittent windshield washer control with rain sensor; power front seats with lumbar; leather seating surfaces; RNS 315 navigation system; and park distance control.
Executive
Priced from $39,220, this new addition for 2012 features a sport-tuned suspension, 18-inch Kansas alloy wheels, RNS 510 navigation system, Dynaudio premium sound system with 10-channel amp, 600 watts, HD radio, and 10-speakers.