The new Beetle Cabriolet debuts at the LA Motor Show

Its unmistakable silhouette has given an iconic status to the different generations of the Beetle. The fact that over 330,000 units of the original Beetle Cabriolet cars were produced from 1949 to 1980 speaks for itself. In creating the latest version of the Beetle Cabriolet, Volkswagen has reinterpreted the timeless design of bygone days and given the silhouette a sportier and more dynamic look. The combination of a flatter roofline and the more upright windshield gives the car a silhouette that resembles that of the legendary original Beetle Cabriolet.

The new model also incorporates design cues from the modern Volkswagen line-up: the air inlet under the bumper, the flat contour of the hood’s bottom edge and in particular the tail lights show the car’s close family ties. In the new Beetle Cabriolet, Volkswagen brings together modern technology and the highest standards of quality with the emotional legacy of the car’s ‘forefather’. As on the nostalgic icon, the headlights retain their classic shape.

Another feature contributing to the special charm of the new Beetle Cabriolet is the traditional soft top. When open it lies very flat, enabling good vision to the rear. Despite its compact construction, the top is very wide and elongated in shape. It opens and closes entirely automatically (on all models) within around 10 seconds, including on the move.

Standard on the Beetle Cabriolet is a soft-top cover, which, if desired, tucks the opened top neatly away. Surrounding chrome trim accentuates the borders between steel and fabric. As in other Beetle models, the compact instrument panel with an extra large round instrument cluster and several nostalgic elements, such as the additional glovebox, create a markedly different design inside the new Beetle Cabriolet as well.

With its spacious and comfortably designed interior the Beetle Cabriolet is a real four-seat vehicle. The 225 litre boot includes a fold-down symmetrically split rear bench seat which allows bigger items to be transported even when the roof is closed.

To provide added safety in the event of a rollover accident, Volkswagen has developed an active rollover protection system. It consists of two extendable modules fitted inside the vehicle in concealed fashion behind the back of the rear bench seat. If the car were to roll over, the two rollover modules would be activated via the central airbag triggering unit. Along with the fixed A-pillars, they provide effective protection for the occupants of all four seats within a matter of milliseconds. Another extra safety feature is the standard front and head-thorax airbag system.

The new Beetle Cabriolet will be available with seven engines. The entry-level engine is a highly efficient 1.2-litre TSI with 105 PS. Straight after launch, the BlueMotion Technology version of this petrol engine will also be available. The other petrol options are the lively 1.4-litre TSI and the 2.0-litre version, producing 160 and 200 PS respectively. Diesel engines comprise a 1.6-litre TDI with 105 PS (also available as a BlueMotion Technology version) and a 2.0-litre TDI with 140 PS.

The Beetle Cabriolet will made its world debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show on 28 November and is due to go on sale in the UK in spring 2013. Prices and specification details will be announced closer to launch.

Watford & Chalfont workers push to raise money for local charity

A Watford charity has and will continue to receive a boost to its fundraising efforts thanks to staff from a local business.

Staff from Citygate Volkswagen in Watford and Chalfont are training for this year’s Push for Peace event – a five-mile assault course taking place at Cassiobury Park on Sunday 23rd September to raise vital funds via sponsorship for the Peace Hospice.

The Hospice has organised the event and Citygate recently presented the charity with a cheque for £500 to help cover the cost of water that will be given to participants on the day.

Two teams of five Citygate workers will be crawling, climbing, jumping, swinging, and defying the elements on the energetic adventure, combining a five mile race with assault course-style obstacles.

The teams are currently in training as they’ve been warned that they’ll need to tackle cargo nets, wire crawls and break through barriers with lashings of mud and water along the route.

Emily Leigh-Dugmore, charity and community manager at Citygate who organised the company team said: “Peace Hospice is a phenomenal cause and being on our doorstep means that we want to raise as much money for the charity as we can.

“I’m really proud of the whole team and their determination to complete the assault course and I hope that our fundraising will help raise awareness of Peace Hospice and the valuable work it does across the region.”

The Peace Hospice, based in Watford, cares for people living with a life limiting or terminal illness and supports their families from across South West Hertfordshire. It provides inpatient care, day care, an outpatient service, a hospice at home service as well as bereavement support.

The Hospice needs to raise £3.8 million of charitable income this year in order to run and develop its services. All the care that the Hospice provides to its patients and their families is free.

Anyone who would like to support Citygate’s fundraising efforts can do so my calling Emily Leigh-Dugmore on 01923 255 055.

Pictured (l to r): Citygate’s Adam Baker, sales executive, Jake Mason, sales executive, Scott Mills, parts advisor and Kevin Grace, service advisor

The Event at Citygate Volkswagen, SKODA and Commercial Vehicles

This weekend, Citygate are hosting a special event - with sales across our new, nearly new and used cars! We have some unbelievable savings and finance offers at all of our sites so pop down this sunny weekend.

Watford looking lovely in the sunshine!

Champagne and eating a few burgers on fake indoor grass at Wooburn Green seems very tempting!

...Wooburn Green have sold some vans already!

Wooburn even have tents for sale!!!

SKODA forecourt

Watford are expecting some VIP guests by the looks of their red carpet!!!

Colindale jam-packed with flags and banners

Colindale from afar

Wooburn Green and Peoples Car looking very summer-y

Citygate Volkswagen awarded "one to watch" company status

Citygate, one of the UK’s leading Volkswagen dealers, has been awarded the esteemed ‘One to Watch’ status by Best Companies in its 2012 listings. Only the most outstanding businesses receive such accreditation, which makes them eligible for the highly prestigious Best 100 Companies to Work For list, conducted by The Sunday Times.

Following a thorough employee survey and organisation questionnaire, Citygate was found to excel. Its results put it amongst the most promising business prospects in the UK.

Best Companies’ scrutiny involved assessments across all areas of the company with Citygate possessing impressive management skills, strong core values and excellent customer service. Ever-proud of its consumer relations, Citygate’s new status is a testament to the staff who have worked so hard to achieve it.

Jonathan Smith, Managing Director of Citygate, spoke of his delight at being awarded the new status: “I’m thrilled to have Citygate recognised as a Best Companies ‘One to Watch’. It is a real honour for every member of our team; they’ve put in so much hard work and their focus on great customer service has paid dividends.”

Beginning trade in 2006, Citygate now delivers more than 7,000 top-of-the-range new and used cars to delighted clients every year and employs in excess of 350 highly-trained individuals over five separate operations.

Citygate, specialising in the sale of Volkswagen and Škoda vehicles, pledges to take its customer services far beyond the purchase of the car or van, going the extra mile with its excellent tuning and bodyshop work, as well as MOT testing and support.

Citygate celebrates car of the year

Motorists hoping to own the What Car? 2012 Car of the Year don’t have long to wait, with the victorious Volkswagen up! arriving at Volkswagen retailer Citygate’s five dealerships over the coming weeks.

Those looking to purchase the award-winning car, which the judging panel commended for combining refinement, quality, space and economy, will be able to buy it at Citygate dealerships in Chalfont, Colindale, High Wycombe, Ruislip and Watford from just £7,397.

With a fuel economy of 60.1mpg, What Car? commented that the car ‘set new standards for the £10,000 price bracket’. The magazine also noted that the car, while at home when driving around town, is far from averse to cruising along the motorway.

At the What Car? Awards ceremony the Volkswagen up! received multiple awards, also winning the City Car of the Year Award and the Safety Award for its City Emergency Braking System. The Volkswagen Golf, also available at all Citygate dealerships, claimed top honours in the Small Family Car category.

Citygate is familiar with award-winning quality, having secured two successes of its own in 2011: the company claimed the Motor Trader Website of the Year Award and the Car Dealer Multi Franchised Dealer Website of the Year Award.

“The Volkswagen up! is a truly brilliant product,” said Citygate Managing Director Jonathan Smith. “To add a car that has received such a distinguished honour to what was already a strong line-up of Volkswagen cars is going to make for a very exciting year.”

What Car? Editor-in-Chief Chas Hallett said: 'The Volkswagen up! is the best car we've seen this year. It feels at home in town and copes admirably on the motorway; it is the right car for the time.”

Citygate sponsor "Pilgrim Bandits" Kilimanjaro climb

A team of amputee soldiers preparing to climb Kilimanjaro have received a sponsorship boost from Citygate.

The team, known as the Pilgrim Bandits, will be leaving the UK on 15th February for the nine-day challenge, have recived a £500 cash boost from Citygate Volkswagen to contribute towards the cost of the trip.

The five amputee soldiers on the expedition are doing so to raise money for Pilgrim Bandits and will be joined by Dragon’s Den star, Duncan Bannatyne.

They will be supported by 15 able bodied people and two medical staff, have been preparing for the challenge for the past five months with a mix of endurance training and climbing in the Snowdon area.

Richard Eagell, Brand Manager at Citygate Volkswagen, said: “In committing to this gruelling trek, the climbers have all shown tremendous spirit and strength of character and we were so inspired by their determination that we wanted to lend our support.”

Chris Naughton, related to a Citygate staff member, added: “The amputees will be climbing without assistance and will be carrying their own kit and equipment which given their injuries, is a huge accomplishment. We are grateful to Citygate Volkswagen for their support and as a thank you, we will be taking a Citygate flag up the mountain for future climbers to see!”

Rising 19,340 feet above sea level, Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and the world’s highest free-standing mountain. It lies 205 miles South of the equator and stands on Tanzania’s northern border with Kenya and supports five major eco-zones: rainforest, heath, moorland, alpine desert and glaciers.

The weather on Mount Kilimanjaro can vary from very hot to extremely cold within the same day. At the base of the mountain, the average temperature is around 21-27 degrees however, at the summit, Uhuru Point, night time temperatures can range between 0 and -30 degrees.

In 1889, German geographer Hans Meyer and Austrian mountain climber Ludwig Purtscheller were the first to climb Kilimanjaro. Today, about 15,000 people attempt to climb Kilimanjaro each year, as a spiritual journey or as a personal challenge.

To learn more about the Pilgrim Bandits’ challenge, or to pledge support, visit www.pilgrimbandits.com

Another website award for Citygate

Citygate Automotive are celebrating our second website award for the year having been awarded the multi franchised dealer Website of the Year award by Car Dealer magazine.

We beat off a number of other competitors to drive away with the accolade. 

Citygate’s website manager, Jade-Elise Brooke-Read, said: “At Citygate we realise the digital world is instrumental to our business and it is often our customers’ first point of call.

“It’s great news that we’ve being recognised for our work and we’re always looking at improving. At the moment we’re in the process of developing an update to the website which will deliver improved facilities for our customers.”

The website certainly caught the eye of e-wards judge Alex Knight of Progress Automotive.He said: “The key to this site’s success is a very clean design and a clear navigational path through to key customer action areas. 

“I really liked the new car configuration options and finance calculators, and it’s topped off by a very smart mobile website to cater for browsers on the move.”

Another judge, James Tew, of Webzation commented: “Citygate has always demonstrated a forward thinking approach with their web strategy. 

“They clearly see their website as a fundamental part of their business. In addition to new and used vehicles their site is also a shopfront for their fleet and servicing arms. The site is both informative and rich with content.”