Volkswagen has sold 30 million Golfs in the last 40 years. The model has moved with the times as tastes changed. Customers want more variability, so now one in four Golfs is a Variant station wagon model.Golf has to deal with stiff competition from other compact station wagons, like the Ford Focus, Skoda Octavia, Opel Astra, and Seat Leon. VW is looking to rise to the challenge with the Golf Variant GTD. The 2-liter TDI engine produces 135 kW, making it the most powerful Golf turbocharged diesel to date. It's a long-distance vehicle that balances power and condition.

Open-air cruising pleasure in the new Mercedes or sporty thrills in the revised Audi A5 Coupé - Drive it looks at the new German cars.Present it: Mercedes C300 convertibleJust in time for the start of summer, Mercedes has launched its first C-class convertible. Its fully automatic soft top is available in four colors and opens or closes in 20 seconds while driving up to speeds of 50 km/h.The automatic wind deflector system AIRCAP and neck-level heating AIRSCARF means you can enjoy open-topped driving even in the colder season. We tested the new convertible with the C300 engine, which produces 180 kW. The open 4-seater accelerates from zero to 100 in 6.4 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h.Examine it: Audi A5 Coupé world premiereCoupés have a long tradition at Audi, as displayed at the world premiere of the company's new premium two-door.Iconic vehicles from 70 years of coupé history strutted their stuff on Audi Piazza in Ingolstadt, in front of more than 1,000 invited guests. All that was in preparation for the guest of honor: the second-generation Audi A5 coupé. In just under ten years, Audi sold more than 200,000 of the first generation of A5s. Developers have cut the second generation's weight by up to 60 kg and have improved the aerodynamics. The new A5 also has new technological features. the A5 and S5 will come to the showrooms this fall. Test it: Skoda Octavia RS 230Skoda has launched a new, sporty model of the Octavia RS. The Octavia RS 230 has 7 kW more power than the regular Octavia RS. But that's not all. It also comes with an electronically controlled front axle inter-wheel lock that ensures greater traction and enhanced stability.It is the first time this motorsports technology is available in a Skoda production model. The car is on offer as a station wagon or as a sedan. We tested the powerful 2.0 TSI gasoline sedan with an output of 169 kW. In Germany, prices for the new RS start at 33,490 Euros.Taste it: VW Golf GTD station wagonVolkswagen has sold 30 million Golfs in the last 40 years. The model has moved with the times as tastes changed. Customers want more variability, so now one in four Golfs is a Variant station wagon model.Golf has to deal with stiff competition from other compact station wagons, like the Ford Focus, Skoda Octavia, Opel Astra, and Seat Leon. VW is looking to rise to the challenge with the Golf Variant GTD. The 2-liter TDI engine produces 135 kW, making it the most powerful Golf turbocharged diesel to date. It's a long-distance vehicle that balances power and condition.Vintage: Kitzbühel Alpine RallyeKitzbühel in Tirol was once again the setting for the 29th edition of Austria's famous classic car rally. 187 drivers brought their classic cars to take part in the Kitzbühel Alpine Rallye.An army of 28,344 horsepower assembled at the starting line. There were 31 different brands of car in the race, including some extremely rare models. The contestants came from nine different countries. They had to cover 500 kilometers over three days, ascending to heights of up to 1630 meters. From brilliant sunshine to heavy rain, the drivers had to keep their focus to cope with the changing conditions. The aim at the rallye is always to keep up an even tempo. It's not the fastest but the most consistent who have the best chances of winning...

Kitzbühel in Tirol was once again the setting for the 29th edition of Austria's famous classic car rally. 187 drivers brought their classic cars to take part in the Kitzbühel Alpine Rallye.An army of 28,344 horsepower assembled at the starting line. There were 31 different brands of car in the race, including some extremely rare models. The contestants came from nine different countries. They had to cover 500 kilometers over three days, ascending to heights of up to 1630 meters. From brilliant sunshine to heavy rain, the drivers had to keep their focus to cope with the changing conditions. The aim at the rallye is always to keep up an even tempo. It's not the fastest but the most consistent who have the best chances of winning...

Jochen Bader's Karmann Ghia RS is one of a kind. It's part Volkswagen, part Porsche and a whole lot of fun. He took the sporty body of a 1970 Karmann Ghia and pumped it full of Porsche technology.

Lexus has sold 2 million RXs worldwide, more than any other model in its history. It comes with a 2-liter gasoline engine or hybrid variants. We tested it as a hybrid. Together, the electric motor and a V6 gasoline engine generate 230 kW.

Lexus RX 450h, hybrid, luxury SUV

Smoking tires, roaring engines and lightning-fast pit stops are par for the course at Germany's legendary race track. We accompany the Mathilda Racing team and go a look behind the scenes at this grueling endurance race.

A new Audi aims to prove that sustainable technology and driving fun are no contradiction. In the rest of this edition, Drive it! steps on the gas.

Smoking tires, roaring engines and lightning-fast pit stops are par for the course at Germany's legendary race track. But at this year's event scorching heat, blinding rain and hail pushed man and machine to their limits. Drive it! accompanied the Mathilda Racing team and got a look behind the scenes at this grueling endurance race.

Downsizing – building engines that maintain power with less cubic capacity – is important in carmaking. Audi is offering a 1-liter, 3-cylinder engine in its premium compact class, the A3.

Lexus has sold more than 2 million RXs worldwide, making the RX the best-selling model in the company's 26-year history. It comes in 2-liter gasoline and hybrid variants.We tested the sporty, elegant SUV with hybrid drive. The RX450h's electric motor combined with a V6 gasoline engine gives the luxury SUV a total of 230 kW -- enough, despite the car weighing more than 2 tons, to accelerate to 100 km/h in just 7.7 seconds. Thanks to its electric motor, it consumes only 5.3 liters per 100 km.