Posted on: Saturday, June 16, 2001

Volkswagen to sell net-capable car

Associated Press

FRANKFURT, Germany — Volkswagen AG will launch a new Golf model that is its first mass-produced car with an Internet connection, the German auto giant said yesterday.

Fittingly, the high-tech multimedia auto will only be sold online.

The Golf eGeneration will come equipped with a mini computer, mobile telephone and MP3 player to get maximum use out of its Internet connection, the Wolfsburg-based company said in a statement.

"With this it's possible for the first time to check e-mail, do banking, check directions or call up information about the weather, traffic and the stock market while under way," Volkswagen said.

The new car, available only in a German pilot program, comes only in blue.

Volkswagen will begin selling the Golf eGeneration over the Internet on July 9 for a price of 43,908 marks ($19,319), about 4,000 marks ($1,760) more than a standard Golf without the high-tech gadgetry.

"Everybody talks about putting the Internet in autos, but it's a matter of whether people will buy it," Volkswagen spokesman Hans-Gerd Bode said. "We will see how this project goes and decide our next step from there."

Volkswagen expects to sell 3,000 of the cars in its first batch, Bode said.