The Barbie doll brand was launched in March 1959 and comprised of enviable 5 mansions, lavish riding stables and a huge wardrobe any young girl could only dream of having. If having a great family and friends was not enough she has also had her own array of stylish sporty cars over the years. In possession of a rather cool pilots' license and various bicycles and boats, the 1960's icon has always had a parade of enviable cars parked on the imaginary drive way including classics like the VW Beetle, sporty Corvette convertibles and stylish Jeeps.

In 2009 the stylish Barbie Icon celebrated her 50th Birthday and as a present to the life-size 'Malibu Dream House' and to pay tribute to the iconic 60's brand, Volkswagen set about collaborating with Mattel to create a life-size version of 'Barbie's Malibu Dream Car', the VW Beetle convertible.

From inside and out, all around and back again the designers ABD Racing Werks, Katzin Leather and FoamMolders have not left a single detail unpolished or unrefined. The bespoke VW Beetle includes a lavish white custom leather interior, convertible top, hand stitched floor mats and even pink quilted leather lined doors. For the designers this was clearly not enough as the arm rests are also leather quilted to match the interiors. Under the bonnet it is hard not to notice the bright bespoke pink engine which includes even a dipstick to resemble Barbies' favorite shade of lipstick.

As well as the interior features the customized VW Beetle is also equipped with a motorized vanity section in the boot that entails a whole array of classic Barbie rhinestones and ornate mirrors offset by the perfect pink theme of the Beetle which is made up of 5 different color tones.

The customized one-off VW Beetle convertible was presented on a signature pink carpet at Barbies 50th birthday celebration in front of the already existing life-size 'Malibu Dream House' and with all of her fabulous celebrity guests.

Volkswagen has finally broken into the UTE market, and workmen, tradies and devoted pick-up drivers are eagerly anticipating the release of the VW Amarok in Australia later this year.

The first one-tonne class pick-up to be developed in Germany, the Amarok is set to be a leader in the UTE trade on interior space and comfort, fuel efficiency and safety features. Add in the refinement expected from a Volkswagen vehicle and the Amarok is likely to give other Australian workhorse UTEs a run for their money.

Volkswagen Amarok - What can drivers expect?

Layout - The Volkswagen Amarok will initially be launched in a four door double-cab layout, with a single cab design to follow. The interior space is expected to outclass other UTEs, with full seating for five people, spacious headroom and leather upholstery.

Engine and fuel efficiency - The Amarok runs on one of two 2.0 TDI diesel engines, the first a bi-turbo diesel engine and a second smaller diesel engine. One of the drawcards of the Amarok is its fuel efficiency, with the bi-turbo engine's fuel economy listed at just 7.8 l/100km and the smaller engine achieving a similar 7.6 l/100km fuel economy.

Safety Features - The VW Amarok is fitted with an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability programming (ESP) with trailer stabilization for greater safety while driving on every surface. Head-adjustable head restraints and seatbelts, and driver and front passenger airbags ensure further safety.

Driveline concepts - The Amarok has three driveline concepts, making it suitable as both a workman's vehicle and for urban transport and inner city driving. Drivers can choose from a rear wheel drive and permanent or shiftable 4Motion all-wheel drive.

Other features - The Amorak can carry a one tonne payload and the vehicle's Gradient Climbing Ability can handle gradients as steep as 100%.

Amarok is Inuit for 'wolf' and with an imposing exterior and noticeably roomier interior it's sure to turn heads and live up to its namesake. The Volkswagen Amarok will also be the widest and largest mid-range pick-up truck available in Australia.

With Australia the fourth largest UTE market in the world, the newest player on the scene is soon to hit our shores. With the refinement expected from VW's, the Amarok will add another dimension to Australian working and recreational vehicles.

Stay tuned for further pricing and release details!

July 2010 seems to be a month stormed with new car launches. Over five new cars would be launched and one of the most notable entries would be that of the Vento. Volkswagen has not disappointed the Indian consumer who had been waiting for the car's unveiling. The Vento, which is the sedan version of the Polo, has been unveiled on the 6th of July, 2010 in India. It has made its entry as a premium entry level sedan. Every inch of this car is believed to be designed keeping in mind the needs of the Indian consumer. Let's have a look at the Vento offering.

The VW Vento is all set to beat the competition. It is going to real tough as there were other recent launches in the very same segment; the Hyundai Verna Transform, Honda City and Maruti Suzuki SX4 have just entered the road.

The Volkswagen Vento will be available in both petrol and diesel variants. As the Maruti Suzuki SX4 and Honda City come in just petrol variants, the Vento has an advantage in this regard. The very same 105-bhp 1.6 litre engine that powers the BS III version of the Jetta will be powering the Vento while the diesel variant is believed to carry a 1.6-litre, common rail four-cylinder engine that is capable of churning out 105 bhp. This would be the same engine that the cars of the Polo Cup Racers in India are going to flaunt. The racers' cars, however, will be fine tuned to deliver 130 bhp. Both petrol and diesel engines will be mated to manual gearboxes while the petrol variants will also come with the automatic transmission option.

The Polo as a hatchback is very spacious and the sedan version of that car can certainly boast of more space, improved seating with better shoulder and headroom. The Vento also has new controls in the instrument console and the steering wheel comes in a new design with more chrome inserts than what was seen in the Polo hatchback.

The auto maker, Volkswagen says that the Vento will be equipped with features that it felt best suited for the Indian roads. It will come with an excellent suspension that offers great drivability on the Indian roads, a strong air conditioning system that takes care of extreme weather conditions which are very common in the country, convenient legroom including comfortable rear seats, high ground clearance and more for the fat Indian families. The Vento is high on safety too. It carries an array of features like Anti Braking Systems (ABS) and airbags and even a strong horn, that's really necessary for safe driving in India.

The Vento will be assembled at Volkswagen's much hyped Pune plant in Chakan. It will be built together with the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia hatchbacks. The Vento making its entry, Volkswagen now has seven models on offer in India, ranging from the Polo, Vento, New Beetle, Jetta, Passat, Touareg and the handmade luxury car Phaeton. Being very much aware of the competition in the promising Indian car market, the car maker has priced the car just right. Speaking of competition, the third week of July would bring us the much awaited hatchback Nissan Micra, while the Mitsubishi Evo X will launch a little later. Fiat is all set to roll out the 90-bhp Grande Punto Sport.