# Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic...



## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

Well Lufthansa has wireless broadband on their overseas flights and it rocks...
I'm over the Atlantic just south of Greenland on my way back from Greece where Volkswagen is doing the the international press launch of the Eos - over 1,000 journalists from around the world are coming through over a four week period. I can't imagine the logistics and money required to run an event like this - VW is crazy, but all the manufacturers do this type of thing so nothing surprising I suppose.
Anyway the Eos has turned out very nice - we drove German-spec production cars. The car, particularly with the top up is extremely solid and extraordinarily quiet. You would never know this was a convertible with the top up as there are no squeeks, rattles, shakes or bangs from all the roof pieces - and Greece has some truly awful roads that make Detroit roads look like butter smooth pavement. Plus it looks pretty good with the top up giving a decent impression of a coupe without sacrificing too much of an odd rear roof line more common to convertibles.
Unique to the Eos folding hardtop is a sunroof that is huge by sunroof standards and includes a sliding shade inside the car. Because the sunroof opens at the edge of the top of the winshield quite a bit farther forward than most cars, there is a wind deflector that pops up that is about an 1 3/4 inches tall and has some screening - it effectively blocks nearly all the wind noise and prevents any buffeting.
With the top down the Eos exhibits a bit more cowl shake than with the top up, but having recently driven the Volvo C70 I don't think it is any worse than any other convertible considering some of the really harsh roads we drove on. That said the handling on the cars we drove was very compliant, but still controlled with minimal body roll and little dive and squat - in fact I think it handles better than the stock Jetta which isn't too shabby for this type of car. At the limits the car will push into understeer and if you lift the rear end seems to want to swing wide a bit, particularly when the roof is down and stowed in the trunk. I asked some VW engineers to look into weight balance front vs. rear with the top up and top down. ESP reigns any wild tendencies in, but with it turned off, the Eos can be coaxed to do some interesting things. I'd like to put a sticky set of rubber with bigger wheels on it to really see. The car we drove had 17" wheels with all-season high-performance tires. The 17" wheels look like 16" wheels on this car and 18" wheels start to look more "normal" to my eye.
The interior is very well done and my favorite among the Golf/Jetta/Passat models. VW had a wide variety of interior trim options from aluminum to wood to different leathers including a red wine color that looked really good with silver. The cars we drove were German-spec cars but they at least provided us with the 2.0T model which the U.S. will get. The 3.2l VR6 comes later. The 2.0T has no problem moving this car and final U.S. weight specs aren't out yet.
Pricing will start at $27,990 with a manual six-speed 2.0T in a base package. The 3.2l VR6 which comes pretty well equipped will start at $36, 850. A sport package will be available on both the 2.0T and the 3.2l models that includes 18" wheels, sport suspension, aluminum trim, leather 12-way power sport seats and more. Fully optioned, the V6 model will be just a tad over $40k. To be honest, I'd save the money and go with the 2.0T unless you're really hard up for the VR6 sound. Dealers will get a few cars in July for people to drive and should be more widely available at the end of July beginning of August (likely sooner though).
Overall the Eos is very well done and has a lot of innovative features, top shelf trim and components and is a lot of fun to drive. While taking pictures on the side of the road a German 3-series convertible driver pulled over to look at the car, he asked me to raise and lower the roof, sat in it and said it is a nicer car than his BMW. Granted German's aren't as hung up on badges as we are here in the U.S. so take it for what its worth.
I'll have more complete details in a full writeup in the next few days. Overall pretty damn cool. Feel free to fire off any questions and I'll do my best to answer them.
- jamie


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## BigFoot-74205 (Jan 26, 2006)

^Great post, thanks.


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## TURBO PAUL (Mar 20, 2002)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... ([email protected])*

As always, Jamie, great info, way more than VW's told us. Thank you again! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
(although thanking you for going to Greece, driving the newest car around, and getting VW hospitality sounds kind of silly..







Wish my job was as hard to deal with!







)


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## JML (Jun 19, 2000)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... (TURBO PAUL)*

Thanks for a very interesting read. On a sidenote, the VW accessories brochure that I'll link in the German options thread lists an optional suitcase set. Interesting tidbit is that they mention that the set comes in two pieces for the four-cylinder models, but only one piece for the V6. The brochure _ specifically _ mentions in a footnote that the V6 trunk will only fit one of those suitcases (top down). I get the impression that this means the V6 trunk is smaller or of a different geometry in the central trunk area available when the roof is down. Did VW provide any information on the differences between the four-bangers and the 3.2? My only guesses would be four-wheel drive or a larger fuel tank on the V6, but the tech specs list both as front-wheel drive and 55 litre tank capacity.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... (JML)*

Since the 3.2l is being introduced later in the European market they were not part of the launch event. 4motion is however not in the cards for this car.
I would go with your theory on the gas tank being larger in the V6, but I'll ask anyway.
- jamie


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## notawagon (Nov 7, 2005)

*Re: DSG knob better looking yet?*

Do you know if we are still only going to get the boring tiptronic-like DSG knob with the side button?
Any mention of DSG steering wheel paddles or an optional GTI/R32-like knob?


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## dubaudi (Jun 6, 2001)

*Re: DSG knob better looking yet? (notawagon)*

When we were leaving the Spring Show 'n' Go in Englishtown back in April, there was a parking lot full of black EOS's on the other side of the track. Very strange. Nobody realized they were there until the end of the day. Looked like some kind of ride-n-drive day because they had all sorts of cones and stuff set up in the empty lot, with about 10 black EOS's there.


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## gizmopop (Feb 6, 2000)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... ([email protected])*

great preview Jamie! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
would 4 motion have intruded on the trunk space? (just wondering)
Here's my question, the steerable Xenons are they going to be a stand alone option or are they going to be part of a package?


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## johnnyappleseed (May 10, 2006)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... (gizmopop)*


_Quote, originally posted by *gizmopop* »_great preview Jamie! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
would 4 motion have intruded on the trunk space? (just wondering)
Here's my question, the steerable Xenons are they going to be a stand alone option or are they going to be part of a package? 

Just got done watching the VW May Product Forum for VW Sales and they said that for now the xenons will only be available on the V6 with the Technology Package.


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## gizmopop (Feb 6, 2000)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... (johnnyappleseed)*








hopefully the next year they will make the tech pacakage independent of the engine....I already have the 3.2 VR6 in the R32, I was hoping to get a 2.0T with those headlights...


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## johnnyappleseed (May 10, 2006)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... (gizmopop)*

I am sure that by December they will come out with xenons for the 2.0T. Dealerships will be getting the EOS in late July and will be able to sell them starting September 9th. 
Just sucks that they are making them available for sale at the end of the summer.


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## gophaster (May 1, 2000)

Great read. Sounds like VW has a hit on their hands. Thanks for taking the time to fill us in with all those details.


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## JML (Jun 19, 2000)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... (gizmopop)*


_Quote, originally posted by *gizmopop* »_would 4 motion have intruded on the trunk space? (just wondering)

The VW rep I talked to in Novemebr during the Eos Roadshow told me 4Motion would have reduced trunk space to zero with the roof down. That's why they won't offer it (interestingly enough, the review of Sueddeutsche Zeitung mentioned that 4Motion was still in discussion - SZ is similar to the New York Times, though, so what do they know...)


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## [email protected]rtex (Feb 16, 1999)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... (JML)*

I spoke to actual project engineers from VW that are effectively in charge of the Eos development and they said emphatically no to 4motion as it would reduce the already small trunk volume (with the roof down). It would necessitate raising the floorpan height and at this point since they didn't build it into the floorpan already it would also mean more new tooling.
I think for this type of car it isn't necessary unless an R version was planned, but at this point there is no plan for an "R" Eos. I also asked about development of a body kit from VW Individual/Votex and they aren't currently planning on it. 
I'm sure the aftermarket will come up with something for those that want it. It will have to be done right though as it would be easy to screw up the clean lines of this car with a tacky body kit.
- jamie


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## Pelican18TQA4 (Dec 13, 2000)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... ([email protected])*

Trunk space on the VR6 is probably less due to the battery being located in the trunk. The Passat VR6 has the battery in the trunk so I would presume that the Eos is probably the same way.


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## JML (Jun 19, 2000)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... (Pelican18TQA4)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Pelican18TQA4* »_Trunk space on the VR6 is probably less due to the battery being located in the trunk. The Passat VR6 has the battery in the trunk so I would presume that the Eos is probably the same way.

That would be a reason.


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## Mercboyz (Mar 15, 2006)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... ([email protected])*

awesome, can't wait for the full review.


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## klunbo (May 9, 2003)

wow, lufthansa has wireless internet








i am so in the stone ages


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## Phresh (Feb 13, 2006)

*Re: DSG knob better looking yet? (notawagon)*

the DSG automatics will have the paddle shifting when a sport package is ordered


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## flubber (Sep 12, 2005)

*Re: DSG knob better looking yet? (Phresh)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Phresh* »_the DSG automatics will have the paddle shifting when a sport package is ordered

That's disappointing. I'd like the paddle shifters, but I don't know if I want everything that's in the sport package.
Do you know if the wood trim will be available for the 2.0T? I've heard both that it will be reserved for the V6 and that it will be available in a luxury package for the 2.0T.


_Modified by flubber at 7:10 AM 5-21-2006_


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## sirAQUAMAN64 (Oct 25, 2004)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... ([email protected])*

Thanks for the review Jamie.
I couldn't believe the Cdn pricing. Stunningly good! Nearly a full $20,000 less than a C70, although Eos loaded would creep up quickly. Unfortunately, very limited colour, trim, and option availability up here. Still, dang good starting price and I hope more stuff is down the pipe.
Thought of stretching for it (base 2.0T in Eismeer blue, 18"ers), but I *FINALLY* signed for a new GTI this past week-end after hearing no word on Golf Plus, etc.


_Modified by sirAQUAMAN64 at 12:50 PM 5-23-2006_


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## fleuger99 (Mar 12, 2006)

*Re: (klunbo)*


_Quote, originally posted by *klunbo* »_wow, lufthansa has wireless internet








i am so in the stone ages









Only on trans-atlantic flights to/from US.


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## flubber (Sep 12, 2005)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... ([email protected])*

The full article and photos are up now:
http://www.vwvortex.com/artman...shtml


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## JettaBoi_VR6 (Oct 24, 2002)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... (flubber)*

Anyone know if that two-tone black/cream interior will be available in NA? I think its super sexy.


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## dea_grig (Apr 24, 2006)

*Re: Eos First Drive Impressions - From a plane over the Atlantic... (JettaBoi_VR6)*

jamie, txs for everything.
is the eos in the pics midnight blue or shadow blue? not the eismeer pics, the other ones with a blue eos.
txs


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