Volkswagen
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A new report alleges that former Volkswagen CEO, Martin Winterkorn knew about the defeat devices two weeks before the official announcement from U.S. regulators. German publication Bild am Sonntag (via Reuters) got their hands on a letter sent on September 4, 2015, to Winterkorn from a manager. The letter said, "In the conversation on 03.09.2015 with the regulator CARB (California Air Resources Board), the defeat device was admitted." Volkswagen's U.S. CEO Michael Horn told a House of Representatives hearing in October that the company came clean about the defeat device on September 3rd. Now this letter could have some serious ramifications for Volkswagen.…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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It has been almost six months since Volkswagen admitted to using illegal software on their diesel vehicles to fool emission tests. Since then, a lot of people have been waiting for a fix to make the vehicles legal. Now a federal judge has given Volkswagen a deadline to come up with a solution. Reuters reports that at hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco has given the German automaker till March 24th to give a definitive answer on the status of a fix. "Six months is long enough" to determine if this is a fixable problem, Breyer said. "This is an ongoing problem." Back in January, Volkswagen presented a possible solution to …
Last reply by cp-the-nerd, -
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This has not been a good week for Audi in terms of leaks. Earlier this week, we reported on a video that showed Audi introducing the RS3 sedan to employees. Now a product roadmap has come to light showing what's in store for next two years. Dutch site Autobahn.eu got their hands on a picture showing the timeline for Audi products in 2017 and 2018. Let's start with 2017. The roadmap shows the RS3 sedan, the Q7 e-tron (a plug-in hybrid that will either come with a gas or diesel engine), and the SQ7 (performance version much like the SQ5 that could offer a tweaked supercharged V6 or a V8). We also spy the A5 and S5 coming in 2017 - makes sense as the new A4 has been laun…
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A possible punishment that the EPA could bring down on Volkswagen is making them build electric vehicles in the U.S. German newspaper Welt am Sonntag reports the EPA is asking the German automaker to produce EVs at their Chattanooga, TN plant and to help build out a network of chargers across the U.S. The report doesn't say if EPA is asking for VW to produce a new electric vehicle or a current one - the Golf EV. It should be noted that Welt am Sonntag's report doesn't cite a source. "Talks with the EPA are ongoing and we are not commenting on the contents and state of the negotiations," said a Volkswagen spokesperson to Reuters. The EPA declined to comment. …
Last reply by regfootball, -
Last month, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) rejected Volkswagen's plan to fix the 2.0L TDI because it was "incomplete, substantially deficient and fall far short of meeting the legal requirements to return these vehicles” to compliance. With this setback, many are concerned that it will be awhile before a fix is agreed on by Volkswagen and CARB/EPA. German magazine Manager Magazin reports that top managers at the German automaker believe an agreement between the three parties might not happen until the end of March. The reason comes down to the EPA wanting to do a long-distance test of Volkswagen's proposed fix to make sure it actually fixes the problem of e…
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Last week, we brought you a report that Audi executives confirmed the existence of the RS3 sedan and said it would be going into production. We also learned some possible details about the new RS such as a new turbocharged five-cylinder engine capable of producing over 400 horsepower and a new front end. This week, a YouTube user called 'Ron Bolton' uploaded a video that was supposedly recorded at this meeting and shows the reveal of the RS3 sedan. The video also confirms some of the details in our previous report such as the turbocharged five-cylinder engine (producing up to 400 horsepower the person in the video says), larger brakes, and new suspension tuning. The vid…
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Last week, we brought you a report that Audi executives confirmed the existence of the RS3 sedan and said it would be going into production. We also learned some possible details about the new RS such as a new turbocharged five-cylinder engine capable of producing over 400 horsepower and a new front end. This week, a YouTube user called 'Ron Bolton' uploaded a video that was supposedly recorded at this meeting and shows the reveal of the RS3 sedan. The video also confirms some of the details in our previous report such as the turbocharged five-cylinder engine (producing up to 400 horsepower the person in the video says), larger brakes, and new suspension tuning. The vid…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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Rumors have been flying around for a couple of years of Audi doing an RS3 sedan for North America. But there hasn't been any concrete evidence for it, just hints and speculation. Continuing this trend, Quattro World has learned from sources that the RS3 sedan is a go. Audi of America executives told employees at a recent summit that the RS3 sedan has been given the green light. Sources say the model will look slightly different from the current RS3 Sportback sold in Europe with new front end and headlights. A new turbocharged 2.5L five-cylinder with over 400 horsepower will be paired with a seven-speed S-Tronic gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive. The RS3 sedan is…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
Volkswagen has said time and time again they didn't know about the emission cheating until sometime in 2015. But a new report calls this into question. German newspaper Bild am Sonntag (via Reuters) reported over the weekend that an employee known internally as "Winterkorn's fireman" notified senior managers - including Volkswagen's CEO at the time Martin Winterkorn - about the U.S. possibly probing some of VW's diesel vehicles for high emission levels back in May of 2014. The letter came from Volkswagen's product quality and safety department. "It can be assumed that the authorities will investigate VW systems to establish whether Volkswagen has implemented test-…
Last reply by William Maley, -
Kenneth Feinberg is still hard at work on developing a compensation plan for TDI owners in the U.S. affected by the diesel emission scandal. But in an interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Feinberg says "there will be a generous solution." Now what that solution will end up being is unknown at this time. Part of the problem is Feinberg has his hands tied as Volkswagen and the EPA/CARB are still working on trying to figure out a fix for the 2.0L TDI engine. "..my hands are tied, while VW and the authorities do not resolve their differences. The original time frame could be delayed, therefore." The other problem is trying to fig…
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Ever since the Porsche Boxster was released back in 1996, the formula of a two-seat roadster powered by flat-six engine never changed. But the German sports car maker is making some big changes come 2017. First, the 2017 model will not be called Boxster. Instead, it will be named 718 Boxster. The 718 is in reference to the 1957 718 race car that used a four-cylinder engine. That takes us to other big change for the Boxster; the flat-six engines will be replaced by turbocharged flat-four engine. Here is what 718 Boxster engine lineup will look like: 718 Boxster: Turbocharged 2.0L Flat-Four - 300 horsepower, 280 pound-feet of torque 718 Boxster S: Turbocharged 2.…
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The emission cheating that went back to 2006 and would land Volkswagen in deep trouble last September was an open secret in the automaker's engine development department. German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung along with regional broadcasters NDR and WDR reported on Friday some of the results of Volkswagen's internal investigation into the diesel cheating scandal. The cheating goes back to 2006 at Volkswagen's engine development department. With strict U.S. emissions standards looming, the department was given an impossible task; find a cost effective solution to develop clean diesel engines. Pressure from the board and fear of telling their bosses that it could no…
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As stricter fuel economy and emission regulations come into play, automakers are scrambling to figure out solutions that meet the regulations while retaining power. Porsche believes the solution is a plug-in hybrid system for the iconic 911. Car and Driver spoke with Erhard Mössle, engineering boss for the 911 Turbo, Carrera 4, and Targa revealed that Porsche is working on a plug-in hybrid system for the next-generation 911. “We are working on different solutions. We are developing a pure-electric car like the Mission E, and of course we are discussing plug-in solutions as well for the 911,” said Mössle. But trying to fit a hybrid system in the 911 is a diffic…
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
The diesel emission scandal has caused Audi to change up their development cycle. A source tells Car and Driver that Audi has sped up the development cycle for e-tron quattro and h-tron quattro models. The board has allegedly diverted engineering and financial resources toward these models and put all non-essential projects on the back burner. “Everybody is of course concerned about the aftereffects of the diesel crisis, and the thinking is that Audi has to show people we are serious about these kinds of cars,” said the source. “Every kind of thinking has changed since the diesel problems. We are pushing to bring zero-emission cars to market as fast as we can now—…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
It was expected that Volkswagen would begin repairing diesel vehicles with the illegal software in the first few months of 2016. But after the California Air Resources Board rejected Volkswagen's fix this week, the timeframe for when vehicles will be fixed is unknown. On Tuesday, CARB said Volkswagen plan were "incomplete, substantially deficient and fall far short of meeting the legal requirements to return these vehicles” to compliance. Speaking at the Automotive News World Congress, Chris Grundler, director of the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality said his team agreed with CARB's decision. “Both CARB and EPA continue to insist on an expeditious…
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Audi can now use Q2 and Q4 for future models thanks a new deal with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler tells Autoblog that the German automaker has done a trademark swap to get their hands on Q2 and Q4. It is unknown what FCA got out of the deal. "We tried to get it years ago and they said 'No, never,' but there is never 'never' in business. ... This year I went back to them with a proposal and we talked and there were some negotiations and then we agreed to it," said Stadler. Q2 was used by FCA to denote vehicles equipped with a limited-slip differential (mostly used on Alfa Romeo vehicles). Q4 denoted vehicles with all-wheel drive (used on Al…
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Volkswagen has found itself in hot water once again over the diesel scandal. In an interview with NPR before the Detroit Auto Show, CEO Matthias Mueller said the company didn't lie to the EPA. The company just misunderstood the law. Here is the exchange After this interview was aired on NPR, Volkswagen asked if it would be possible to do a do-over. NPR agreed and did another interview with Muller. This time, Muller clarified some of his earlier comments, adding this was a problem that has existed in Volkswagen for ten years. “We had the wrong reaction when we got information year by year from the EPA and from the [California Air Resources Board]. We have to…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
You would think the last thing anyone Volkswagen wants to admit is they still believe there is a place for their diesel vehicles in the U.S. Alas, Volkswagen's brand chief thinks differently. Herbert Diess told reporters at the Consumer Electronics Show that Diesels will still have a place in Volkswagen's U.S. lineup, despite the mess the company finds itself in. “I wouldn’t give up diesel, even in the U.S.,” said Diess. Diess pointed that with the latest emission technologies, diesels can be clean. He was also quick to point to the long range and high torque figures. At the moment, Volkswagen is trying to get approval from U.S. regulators to fix the nearl…
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Volkswagen announced today a new Goodwill Package for owners of the affected 2.0L TDI engine. As we reported over the weekend, the package includes two $500 gift cards - a Visa and Volkswagen Dealer card - along with three-years of roadside assistance. To get your hands on this package is quite the challenge. First you have to visit VWDieselInfo.com and put in your VIN, along with vehicle information. From there, Volkswagen will mail out the cards to you. But you cannot use those cards yet. You need to take them to a Volkswagen dealer who will activate the cards. Now Volkswagen makes it clear that the Touareg equipped with the 3.0L TDI isn't eligible for this prog…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil suit against Volkswagen today for allegedly violating the Clean Air Act by using illegal cheating devices on nearly 600,000 diesel vehicles. "The United States will pursue all appropriate remedies against Volkswagen to redress the violations of our nation's clean air laws," said Assistant Attorney General John Cruden. A senior official at the Department of Justice tells Reuters the penalties in the lawsuit could cost the German automaker billions of dollars. The official also says the suit doesn't preclude the Justice Department from filing criminal charges against Volkswagen. The suit will be filed in the Easte…
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The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has given Volkswagen a reprieve on the diesel emission scandal. According to Reuters, CARB has extended the deadline to approve or reject Volkswagen's fix for the nearly 500,000 vehicles with the cheating 2.0L TDI to January 14, 2016. The reason for the extension is Volkswagen continued to submit "significant information and data" about the repair effort for the affected models since submitting the proposed fix back on November 20th. VW spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan tells Reuters the German automaker continues "to fully cooperate with EPA and CARB as we work to develop an approved remedy as quickly as possible." Volkswagen …
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The last thing Volkswagen wants is another issue on its plate. But this week, the UAW has filed an unfair labor practices charge in Tennessee against the automaker. The filing states that Volkswagen declined to negotiate on a contract with the newly formed collective bargaining unit at the Chattanooga, TN plant. Earlier this month, a group of 152 skilled tradesmen voted at the plant voted on whether or not to form a UAW bargaining unit at the plant. With 71 percent votes saying yes, the unit was formed. At the time, Volkswagen said it would appeal the vote to the National Labor Relations Board. The Wall Street Journal reports that the German automaker hasn't done that…
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We knew it was coming, it was just a matter of when. In March, Volkswagen will end production of the current Phaeton at the Dresden plant. A pet project of former Chairman Ferdinand Piëch, the Phaeton never gained traction in the luxury flagship market for over a decade. Last year, Volkswagen only built 4,000 Phaetons. Volkswagen will bring back the Phaeton nameplate in 2020 for a fully electric luxury sedan. As for the Dresden plant where the Phaeton is built, it will be renovated to build an upcoming electric vehicle. Carsten Krebs, a spokesman at the factory tells Bloomberg that the renovation will take about year to complete. Source: Bloomberg View fu…
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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Kenneth Fineberg finds himself helping out another automaker in crisis. Volkswagen announced yesterday they have brought in Fienberg to work on and oversee a new claims program for owners of Volkswagen models involved in the diesel emission scandal. “We are pleased to announce the retention of Kenneth Feinberg. His extensive experience in handling such complex matters will help to guide us as we move forward to make things right with our customers,” said Michael Horn, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America in a statement. Automobile Magazine was on a conference call with Feinberg to discuss his involvement and plans. Fineberg made it clear this was going t…
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German authorities will put Volkswagen's fixes for diesel emissions to the test. German newspaper Die Welt reports that the German Transportation Authority will take Volkswagen vehicles affected by the diesel cheating scandal and perform emission and fuel usage testing once the company begins doing the fixes. Die Welt goes on to say that the test results and raw data will be published in full to guarantee transparency. No word as to when the re-tests would be carried out. Volkswagen says vehicles in Europe only need a software upgrade and a new mesh filter to be placed in front of the vehicle's air mass sensor. Source: Reuters View full article
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Greencar is reporting that VW submitted to EPA and CARB their repair for the 2.0 TDi engines which is pretty much expected to be a software flash. Their story also implies that it is easier in Europe to fix all diesels than here in the US. US Politicians here are stating that due to the need for what is expected to have to be a Urea fix, changes to grill and other hardware components, that VW should be forced to buy back the half a million TDi auto's at fair market price before the news came out and crush them. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100974_volkswagen-proposes-2-0-liter-diesel-fixes-as-crisis-continues The story is a 3 page story with details abo…
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Next year will see the introduction of the next-generation Porsche Boxster and Cayman. The new models will also boast new names; the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman. You might be wondering what the deal is with 718. Porsche didn't just pull this number out of hat. 718 is referencing the 1959 718 racecar with a mid-mounted, four-cylinder engine. When the new Boxster and Cayman are introduced, they will also have a mid-mounted, four-cylinder. But unlike the 718 racecar, the Boxster and Cayman's four-cylinder will be turbocharged. Porsche says the two models "will share more similarities than ever before," both visually and mechanically. Also, the next-generation Boxster …
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This morning at Volkswagen's headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, executives admitted there were parts of the company "tolerated breaches of rules" and would be 'relentless' in finding those involved in the diesel emission scandal. Volkswagen Chairman Hans Dieter Pötsch told reporters at the press conference that investigations into the affair were going well, but it would take time for the investigation to figure out which individuals were the key players. Poestch also reiterated that a small group of individuals were involved in the cheating. The key question is how did the cheating happen in the first place? Poetsch explained there were three key reasons, “Min…
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Porsche has given the Mission E concept the go-ahead for production. "With Mission E, we are making a clear statement about the future of the brand. Even in a greatly changing motoring world, Porsche will maintain its front-row position with this fascinating sports car," said Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG. First shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the concept featured an 800 Volt electrical system with two electric motors producing around 600 horsepower. The run to 60 MPH takes around 3.5 seconds and have a total range of around 310 Miles. A unique feature of the concept was the 800 Volt charging system that prov…
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Volkswagen's dealers find themselves wondering what's next and if the diesel scandal would end. Dealers seemed hopeful when the initial fallout came as Volkswagen seemed to understand what could happen. The German automaker offered emergency aid to its dealers which earned Volkswagen of America's CEO Michael Horn a standing ovation at Volkswagen's national meeting. But three months on and a scandal that seems to go in a new direction every day, dealers are becoming worried and frustrated. "This thing isn't getting better with time. We don't have a fix. We don't have a timeline," said Alan Brown, chairman of VW's dealer council. The unknown, he added, is "what …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
To shoulder the massive costs that will come from the diesel emission scandal, Volkswagen has agreed to terms to take out a 20 billion euro (about $21 billion) bridging loan with a number of banks. Sources tell Reuters the decision to go with a number of banks allows Volkswagen to spread the debt out and that the company hopes to start paying back the loans next year by issuing bonds in the company. A few weeks ago, we heard rumors that Volkswagen was planning to take out 20 billion Euros in short-term loans to act as a buffer for upcoming fines. But since that report, the news has only gotten worse. Volkswagen has admitted that 430,000 vehicles in Europe have "implau…
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Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, head of Audi's r&d has stepped down today. Hackenberg has been a key presence at Audi and the Volkswagen group since he joined in 1985. He has played a major role in a number of projects including the first-generation Audi TT, Volkswagen XL1, and the MQB modular platform. In 2013, he was named the head of Audi's r&d division. Hackenberg made headlines back in September as he and two other r&d heads at Volkswagen - Porsche's Wolfgang Hatz and Volkswagen's Heinz-Jakob Neusser - were suspended for possible involvement in the diesel scandal. “In the 30 years that he was active in the Volkswagen Group, Ulrich Hackenberg was involv…
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Volkswagen is trying to save as much cash as they can to help offset the upcoming fines and penalties due to the cheating devices they fitted to a number of diesel vehicles. We have reported that Volkswagen is in the process of freezing and reevaluating a number of projects. Now it seems the German automaker is making cuts in the trims and variants it offers. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen will be cutting back on the number of trims and variants that it offers. Bernd Osterloh, a supervisory board member at Volkswagen says the move will cut a fair amount of complexity and costs. How much are we talking about? About $1.9 billion Euros (about $2 billion). “We from…
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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Volkswagen's diesel emission scandal went deeper this week as the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (known as the KBA) announced on Tuesday that the software Volkswagen uses on their diesel vehicles was deemed illegal. This decision opens up the possibility of lawsuits and penalties against the company, but the extent of this is unknown at this time. As the New York Times states 'it was a turbulent day for the company.' Aside from the KBA announcing the software Volkswagen used was deemed illegal, the company announced monthly sales in the U.S. dropped 25 percent. Volkswagen also announced that 50 employees have stepped forward and provided information about th…
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Audi believes that the future of the brand will rest on electric vehicles. In fact, the German automaker wants to have 25 percent of vehicles sold to be electric. Now this goal is way down the line, but Audi is beginning to make this a reality with a number of electric vehicles going into development. They are also tackling how they will sell them. A recent piece in the New York Times said that dealerships were a stumbling block when selling electric vehicles either because they didn't know anything about them or pushed buyers into buying a gas-powered vehicle. Tesla is the only automaker that no problem with selling their models, but that is due to their decision of …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
Audi announced this afternoon that the 3.0L TDI V6 did have a defeat device that allowed the engine to circumvent U.S. clean air laws. In a statement, the German automaker said that it failed to disclose three emission control software functions, also known as auxiliary emissions control devices (AECD) to the various agencies as required by law. One of devices, a 'temperature conditioning of the exhaust‑gas cleaning system' was deemed to be illegal by the EPA as it could detect when it was being tested for emissions and turn on the pollution-control equipment to cut emission levels down. Audi also announced the plan to fix the vehicles that will involve a software…
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On Friday, Volkswagen made an announcement that many of us were expecting, cutting its massive R&D budget. The company will cut 1 billion Euros (about $1.1 billion) from R&D to prepare itself for the massive fines that will be heading its way in the near future due to the emission scandal. Along with this, Volkwagen announced that it would be capping spending on property, plant and equipment at around 12 billion euros ($12.8 billion) for next year. This is about eight percent smaller than the previous plan put forth by the company. In a statement, Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller said a number of projects are being delayed or put on hold, including a new design…
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We're getting to the point where it is becoming a bad idea mentioning 'could it get any worse' when talking about Volkswagen and the diesel scandal it finds itself embroiled in. Sooner or later, it will get one step worse. Case in point is Volkswagen admitting on Friday that their 3.0L TDI V6 used on a number of their vehicles does violate emission standards. Earlier in November, the EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) accused Volkswagen of using a defeat device in a number of vehicles with the 3.0L TDI V6. Volkswagen denied the allegations at the time. But Volkswagen and Audi told EPA and CARB officials this week that yes the 3.0L TDI V6 did violate reg…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
Ahead of a November 20th deadline where Volkswagen must submit a plan to EPA about how they are planning to fix the nearly 500,000 vehicles with illegal emission software, Reuters has learned about a meeting between the EPA and officials from Volkswagen. According to sources, Volkswagen's powertrain development chief Friedrich Eichler will meet officials from the EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) to talk about the efforts being put forth by Volkswagen to fix the illegal vehicles. Sources go to say that officials from Audi will meet with the EPA and CARB in a separate meeting. Volkswagen and the EPA declined to comment about the meetings. Source: R…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
Volkswagen's emission scandal will not be an easy or quick problem to fix. Along with fixing a number of vehicles, the automaker will be facing a large amount of fines from various governments and possibly payouts from lawsuits. To make sure they have enough money to cover all of this, Volkswagen is reportedly is taking out some short-term loans. Bloomberg has learned from two sources that the German automaker will meet with a number of banks tomorrow to apply for 20 billion euros (about $21.5 billion) in short-term loans to act as a buffer for upcoming fines. The hope is to have the loans by the end of this year. “It makes perfect sense” to shore up financing, sa…
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After Volkswagen admitted that it used software to vary the amount of emissions being produced in their diesel vehicles, Volkswagen is using a legal loophole to provide a defense in Europe. In a letter sent last week to European regulators, Volkswagen Group Managing Director Paul Willis said that the company's cheat software might not be illegal under current European Union regulations. Crazy as might sound, there is a loophole that allows this. The New York Times reports that the European regulations have a massive loophole that could put Volkswagen in the clear. In fact, regulators knew about this loophole back in 2011. We'll let the New York Times explain t…
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More bad news for Volkswagen this week. Speaking with German publication Wirtschaftswoche, California Air Resources Board's (CARB) chair Mary Nichols said in their testing, only Volkswagen TDI models were found to have cheating devices. "So far we have found in vehicles of other brands no fraudulent shutdown. This does not mean that all emissions are as we would wish. But there is nothing that comes close to the magnitude of the excess in VW vehicles," Nichols said CARB will continue testing diesel vehicles. Meanwhile, Automotive News reports that Volkswagen has halted production of 2016 Passat TDI models at its Chattanooga, TN plant. No word on production was…
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A number of Volkswagen engineers have admitted that they manipulated CO2 emission data to meet ambitious goals to meet goals set by former Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn. German newspaper Bild am Sonntag (via Reuters) reports that engineers filled tires with more air and mixed diesel with their motor oil to make them use less fuel. This reportedly began after then-CEO Martin Winterkorn's announcement at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show that by 2015, the company would cut CO2 emission levels by 30 percent. Engineers at the time were afraid to tell the CEO that this goal was impossible and decided to cheat. "Employees have indicated in an internal investigation that th…
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Volkswagen's reputation has been taking a number of big hits due to the cheating software they used in a number of their diesel models to pass EPA regulations. But a new report says the company is planning to regain the trust of some of their owners. The Truth About Cars learned from a source that Volkswagen will be announcing a program that offers owners of affected TDI models (new and used) to recive a prepaid card. Two cards will be available to owners; the first will be a $500 card that can be used anywhere, while a second card - expected to be around $500 to $750 - can only be used at Volkswagen dealers. Details of this program are expected to be announced th…
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In light of new allegations put forth by the EPA on Monday, the American branches of Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen have issued a stop-sale on vehicles equipped with the 3.0L TDI V6. According to Automotive News, this move grounds the sales of not only new TDI models from the Volkswagen group, but also a number of used models equipped with the 3.0L TDI V6. The EPA announced on Monday that it had found a second 'defeat device' on a number of models using the 3.0L TDI V6. Volkswagen has denied the charges of an another defeat device, but will be cooperating during the investigation. So what is this second defeat device? Audi of America spokesman Brad Stertz tells AN …
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The sh*t is hitting the fan. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced today that Volkswagen had illegal 'defeat device' software installed on a number of their vehicles equipped with the 3.0L TDI V6 to evade diesel emission testing. The two parties say the software allowed the TDI engine to emit nine times the legally allowable pollution limit. Vehicles involved in this latest allegation include, 2014 Volkswagen Toureg TDI 2015 Porsche Cayenne Diesel 2016 Audi A6 TDI, A7 TDI, A8 TDI, A8L TDI, Q5 TDI “VW has once again failed its obligation to comply with the law that protects clean air for all Americans. All…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Volkswagen is looking to limit the damage that has been caused by the diesel emission scandal. According to Automotive News, part of this comes from buying some used TDI model on U.S. dealer lots at pre-crisis prices. Speaking with dealers briefed on the plan, Volkswagen will guarantee the value of used models equipped with 2.0 TDI containing the illegal software sitting on dealer lots. If the vehicles aren't sold within 60 days, Volkswagen will buy them back. In a memo from Volkswagen of America COO Mark McNabb, the program will take three phases. The first phase will have Volkswagen making an inventory of the TDI models to help the company figure out which ones …
Last reply by William Maley, -
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Nearly four years ago, Volkswagen made the pronouncement that it wanted to be the world's largest automaker by 2018. But in light of the diesel scandal, Volkswagen is taking that dream off the table and focusing on trying to survive. Today, Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Müller announced a new plan called Strategy 2025 that will focus on improving profit rather than volume growth. The plan will be developed over the next few months and will be shown sometime next year. “Many people outside of Volkswagen, but also some of us, did not understand that our Strategy 2018 is about much more than production numbers. A lot of things were subordinated to the desire to be ‘F…
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Days after the news came out that Volkswagen had outfitted a number of diesel vehicles with illegal software, the company set aside 6.5 billion Euros (about $7.2 billion) to deal with lawsuits and fines. But Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Müller says that isn't enough. Speaking to reporters at Volkswagen's HQ, Müller said the 6.5 billion is just for the recall. "I can only speculate about any further provisions. Should there be a change in sales volumes, we would react rapidly," said Müller. So how much more could Volkswagen be in for? According to a report done by Credit Suisse, the worst-case scenario could see Volkswagen spending 78 billion Euros (about $84 …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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The Volkswagen diesel scandal has prompted the German transport minister to meet with the counterpart in the U.S. According to Reuters, Alexander Dobrindt will be holding talks today with Anthony Foxx, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation about the scandal. The report goes on to say that Dobrindt hopes to meet with officials from the EPA. That's not all that is taking place in the U.S. for Volkswagen. Another report from Reuters says the company has put plans of overhauling the management and overall strategy for the U.S. on hold till they deal with the litany of lawsuits and penalties. "What matters more than anything else right now is to sort out this disaster,"…
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Another week has passed and some new information has come to light in the Volkswagen diesel scandal. First off, Volkswagen has confirmed one of their diesel engines doesn't have the cheat. The EA 288 TDI engine used in vehicles for the European-market has been checked out to see if it had the illegal software. In a statement issued by Volkswagen, the engine did not have “software constituting an improper defeat device as defined in laws is installed in vehicles with EA288 EU5 as well as EU6 engines in the European Union with those engines comply with legal requirements and environmental standards." Also, one of the questions that have been up in the air is how wou…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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Reuters is reporting that Volkswagen developed several versions of its "defeat device" software for their diesel models. Three sources tell the news service the company used the different versions of the software on four diesel engine types. If this proves to be true, this could indicate a widespread cheating program at the company, not the rogue engineer claim that executives have been using as a defense. This also puts Volkswagen in a difficult position when it comes to potential fines. If executives are found to play a role in the plot to cheat emissions tests, fines could increase by a fair amount. "The more higher-ups that are involved, the more the company i…
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
When the Volkswagen Eos ends production in a few months time, that will leave Volkswagen with only one convertible in their lineup - the Beetle Cabriolet. But Car and Driver says a replacement is on the way. According to a source at Volkswagen, the company is planning on sending the next-generation Golf Cabriolet. No timeframe was given as to when we'll see it, but expect it not to look that much different from the current model sold elsewhere. Now it should be noted that the Golf Cabriolet wasn't the only option on the table for the U.S. The source said there was a cabriolet using the Passat platform as an option, but that idea was canned. Source: Car and Dr…
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http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/10/16/ftc-reviewing-vws-clean-diesel-ads-for-fraudulent-claims The Federal Trade Commission is now reviewing whether that 30-second spot and others like it touting Volkswagen's "Clean Diesel" engines amount to fraud, adding a new avenue for U.S. regulators to punish the German automaker for its emissions-rigging deception. While the FTC can't send anyone to jail, it can go to federal court to protect consumers and negotiate settlements with wide-ranging penalties. Those could potentially include paying cash restitution to the affected car owners and forcing VW to buy new national ads admitting the company lied to c…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
Just when you think the hole Volkswagen has found itself in can't get any deeper, it has. Earlier this week, The Associated Press reported that Volkswagen disclosed to the EPA that 2016 model year TDI models have a different piece of software that would allow them to pass the emissions test. This software makes a pollution-control catalyst heat up faster to improve the performance of a device which cleans up the nitrogen oxide into harmless hydrogen and oxygen. Now fitting a device like this isn't illegal unless you don't disclose it during the emission certification process. Janet McCabe, acting assistant EPA administrator for air quality wouldn't say if Volkswagen's…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
In light of a scandal, the one item a company needs is stability. Unfortunately for Volkswagen, the diesel emission scandal has seemed to bring growing levels of instability. Case in point is the announcement of Dr. Winfried Vahland stepping down. Vahland was picked to become the head of Volkswagen's North American unit only a few weeks back. In a statement released by the automaker, the two had "differing views" on the company's new structure and his departure is "expressly not related" to the emissions scandal. Meanwhile, a report from German publication Spiegel says that at least 30 managers at Volkswagen were involved in cheating emission tests citing informat…
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Volkswagen is making some big changes for the future. In a statement released today, the company announced that it would cut 1 Billion Euros (about $1.1 billion) in investments. The statement didn't say would be part of the cuts. Volkswagen also announced that it would be fitting diesel models sold in Europe and U.S. with SCR and AdBlue technology 'as soon as possible'. Further down in the statement, Volkswagen announced that it would put more of a focus on battery and plug-in powertrains for its MQB architecture (what underpins the Golf and the upcoming Tiguan. Along with this, the company is working on a new modular electric “toolkit” that could deliver around 1…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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VW's scandal is, undoubtedly, a revelation that has rocked the automotive industry since its discovery. Day in and day out, it's a story that cannot escape the news. It shows up on my Twitter feed, my Google now stories, my local news, my nightly talk shows... It's everywhere, including the little pamphlet shoved under your windshield wiper, likely left carelessly by some hypocritical Prius driver. The overwhelming negative response has even spurred some to the point of pulling Nazi-controlled pasts out of the grave. If there were ever a story to drown out Donald Trump, this is it. Yes, it's that big... But is it justified? I have a few questions regarding some of the…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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A lot has been happening in the past couple of days for Volkswagen over the diesel emission scandal. Let's get you up to date. First, Volkswagen of American has pulled its application for EPA certification on 2016 models equipped with the 2.0L diesel four-cylinder until they comply with emission standards for the U.S. Volkswagen hasn't said when they will resend their application for certification. Next is the Associated Press reporting that German prosecutors carried out searches at a number of Volkswagen facilities, including the company's headquarters in Wolfsburg today. In a statement, the purpose of the searches was to "secure documents and data storage devic…
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
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Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller told a German publication that it would launch a recall for diesel vehicles that have emission-cheating software starting in January and hopefully finish up fixing all of the vehicles by the end of the year. "If all goes according to plan, we can start the recall in January. All the cars should be fixed by the end of 2016," Mueller told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Now it should be noted this is only for vehicles in Europe. A Volkswagen of America spokeswoman says the EPA has to agree to the fix that Volkswagen would present. No timetable was given as to when a fix would be announced. Muller said a number of vehicles coul…
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Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller told a group of 20,000 employees today in Germany that the company will be cancelling and delaying a number of projects in light of the diesel emission scandal. "Therefore we are putting all planned investments under review. What is not urgently needed will be scrapped or delayed. And therefore we will adjust our efficiency program. I will be very open: this won't be painless," said Muller. Fixing around 11 million vehicles around the world that are affected by the rigged software is a costly prospect for Volkswagen. Muller says the $7.29 billion set aside for repairs will not be enough to pay for fines and lawsuits. Volkswagen …
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Hi guys, I drive a Volkswagen Golf 2001 (bought it refurbished in 2007). When I got it it didn't come with car mats, I got such a good deal on the car that I decided to splurge and bought some legit car mats from the dealership. Several years down the road they're getting a bit raggedy and I want to replace them with some good quality all-weather ones. Where have you guys gotten your car mats from/what are some brands I should stay away from? I'm willing to spend the money on quality ones as long they last and come with attachments so I can install them securely.
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"The German government has given VW until October 7 to present a viable solution to the "cheat code" diesel cars, or else the company's 2.8 million affected cars are banned from driving on German roads. Germany is coming down hard on its biggest carmaker over the diesel-emissions crisis, giving Volkswagen just over a week to come up with a fix to a problem eight years in the making. Yesterday, VW received a letter from Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority, signed by transport minister Alexander Dobrindt, demanding that it deliver a binding plan and schedule to fix the 11 million "cheat code" diesel cars by October 7. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below…
Last reply by hyperv6, -
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One of the big questions coming out of the Volkswagen Diesel scandal was whether or not other automakers also manipulated emission tests. The German transport office at the moment doesn't have any evidence that says so. "At this point we have no indication of other manufacturers being involved," a spokesman for the office said at a government news conference today. Not the news Volkswagen wanted to hear as the company is beginning to feel the heat from European countries. France's prosecutors have opened a preliminary inquiry into suspected "aggravated deception" by the German automaker Separately, French consumer protection and fraud control authorities have o…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
Yesterday, Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller said that owners of affected diesel vehicles will need to have them 'refitted'. Muller didn't go into detail about what he meant, but Reuters has some possible ideas. Speaking with experts, Reuters says Volkswagen might have to develop different solutions for the 482,000 vehicles affected in the U.S. This comes down to Volkswagen using two different systems for controlling emissions; lean NOx traps (most Volkswagen diesel vehicles involved in the scandal) and a urea injection system (Volkswagen Passat TDI). For vehicles equipped with the lean NOx traps, Volkswagen could get away with using a software update says Marc Trah…
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If you didn't think the diesel scandal at Volkswagen could get any worse, think again. Let's begin with the former CEO at Volkswagen, Martin Winterkorn. Reuters is reporting that German prosecutors have opened an investigation into Winterkorn into "allegations of fraud in the sale of cars with manipulated emissions data" based on ten unidentified individuals filing charges. Now Winterkorn has said that he wasn't aware of any wrongdoing on his part in light of this scandal. There is a report from Automotive News Europe that says three r&d heads at Volkswagen have been suspended. The three are, Audi development chief Ulrich Hackenberg Porsche development head…
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This afternoon, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice of violation to Volkswagen for skirting clean-air rules on some of their TDI models. The EPA says certain Volkswagen and Audi diesel models from 2009 to 2015 model years had special emission control software that could detect when a car is undergoing EPA emissions testing and turns on the full emissions controls. The software would turn off the controls during real-world driving. This allowed Volkswagen not to equip urea injection and/or more complex emission-control systems onto some of their vehicles. “These violations are very serious, not only because illegal defeat devices results in excess…
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It seems Volkswagen's Supervisory Board is keeping true to their promise holding more people accountable in the company's diesel crisis. Reuters (via Automotive News) and German publication Bild are reporting that three executives will be dismissed. The three are, Michael Horn, Volkswagen U.S. CEO Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi's r&d Boss Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche's engine chief Porsche and Volkswagen in Germany declined to comment, while Audi couldn't be reached. A spokeswoman for Volkswagen of America declined to comment as well, but called the reports of Horn's exit 'speculation'. Now if the reports are true, there will be one party not happy with the decision; …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
After a meeting of Volkswagen's Supervisory Board today, Porsche CEO Matthias Müller has been named as the CEO of Volkswagen. Rumors of Müller's appointment have been swirling around for the past week. "My most urgent task is to win back trust for the Volkswagen Group – by leaving no stone unturned and with maximum transparency, as well as drawing the right conclusions from the current situation," said Müller in statement. Müller has a difficult task ahead of him as he'll need to right the ship at Volkswagen due to the ongoing crisis. He will also oversee a massive reorganization of the company. This begins with newly formed North American region structure which c…
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Another day and more bad news for Volkswagen and their diesel engines. Let's begin with the latest. Automotive News is reporting that about 11 million Volkswagen vehicles equipped with diesel engines worldwide have the illegal software. Also, Volkswagen is planning to set aside 6.5 billion Euros ($7.3 billion) in the third quarter to cover the costs of addressing the issue. Volkswagen says the amount could change as the investigation continues. Also, France, Germany, Italy, and South Korea have announced today they will open investigations to see if Volkswagen rigged vehicles to pass their emission tests. The Detroit News has learned the EPA will be expanding …
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After an emergency meeting held today, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn announced his resignation amid allegations that the automaker manipulated their diesel vehicles to meet emissions regulations around the world. "As CEO I accept responsibility for the irregularities that have been found in diesel engines and have therefore requested the Supervisory Board to agree on terminating my function as CEO of the Volkswagen Group. I am doing this in the interests of the company even though I am not aware of any wrongdoing on my part," said Winterkorn in a statement. "Volkswagen needs a fresh start - also in terms of personnel. I am clearing the way for this fresh start …
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In light of the announcement made by the EPA on Friday about certain Volkswagen vehicles equipped with the diesel engine violating emission standards, the German automaker has been at work on damage control. The Detroit News reported on Saturday that the company had pulled all of their ads and videos promoting the diesel engines on their YouTube page and asked dealers to put a stop-sale on Beetle, Jetta, and Passat models equipped with TDI engines. No word on how many vehicles are affected by this. Yesterday, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn issued a statement apologizing for violating emission standards in the U.S. and said the company would launch an internal invest…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Porsche has revealed an updated 2017 911 before its official debut at Frankfurt. The update introduces new turbocharged engines for the Carrera and Carrera S models. The 3.0L flat-six engine comes equipped with a set of twin turbos which adds an extra 20 horsepower. Here are the power ratings for both models, 911 Carrera: 370 horsepower, 331 pound-feet of torque 911 Carrera S: 420 horsepower, 368 pound-feet of torque Both engines will also see a 12 percent increase in efficiency, meaning a slight increase in fuel economy. As for transmissions, both models come with a seven-speed manual as standard. Porsche's PDK dual-clutch is available as an option. Porsc…
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Volkswagen may have put the Phaeton redesign on the back burner to improve profitability. Bloomberg has learned from sources that the German automaker is looking at ways of lowering the costs of materials and production, despite a new version of the Phaeton is ready to go. The Phaeton was never a big seller for Volkswagen. However, the model seemed to find a foothold in Asian markets - notably China and South Korea - in 2010 and 2011. But the fallout of the Chinese automaker and the age of the Phaeton has caused sales to drop. With the possibility of Volkswagen reworking the Phaeton, this could signal a change at the German automaker from the Piech era where …
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Audi has revealed some teaser images for an electric crossover concept that will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. Called the e-tron Quattro, the images show a vehicle having an upright grille, paired with sloping roofline and a tapering rear end. The overall shape of the concept has drag rating of 0.25 cd, the same rating as a Toyota Prius. Power will come from three electric motors - one on the front axle and two on the rear axles. A lithium-ion battery pack sits underneath the passenger compartment. Audi isn't saying how much power the electric motors produce but did say overall range will be over 310 miles. Now this concept is a preview to a produc…
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A new report from British publication Car says Porsche is going turbocharged with the refreshed Boxster and Cayman due sometime next year. All engines will be of the flat-four variety ranging from 2.0L to 2.5L. Here is how the engine lineup will look, Boxster/Cayman: 2.0L turbocharged flat-four producing 240 HP Boxster S/Cayman S: 2.5L turbocharged flat-four producing 300 HP Boxster GTS/Cayman GTS: 2.5L turbocharged flat-four producing 370 HP The report goes on to say that the engine will use a single turbocharger and possibly have an 'e-boost' electric system to work while the turbo spools up. Source: Car View full article
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http://www.ft.com/fastft/353721/worker-killed-volkswagen-robot-accident Anyone have any other info on the 'side-by-side' robots the article mentions?
Last reply by cp-the-nerd, -
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Meet the fifth-generation Audi A4 sedan and Avant. The new A4 follows the same formula as previous models: grow in size, add more features, improve performance, and cut weight. Although there is one element missing from this formula - make it look slightly different than the model it replaces. There are small changes to the A4 such as new headlights and larger grille found on the new Q7. But you have to look very closely to notice the changes, since it almost looks like the A4 it will replace. At least Audi has cut a fair chunk of weight out of the new A4 - 264 pounds to be exact (mostly dependent on engine and trim). Also Audi has worked on improving the A4's aero. T…
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During the reign of former Volkswagen Chairman Ferdinand Piëch, the company was arranged in such a way where each of the twelve brands were given autonomy to encourage competition between them. Many believed this arrangement made controlling almost impossible and was slow to react to changes in the marketplace. But with Piëch out the company, there appears to be a change incoming in how the company is structured. German publication Handelsblatt reports that Volkswagen will restructure the decentralized system into four holding companies for the 12 brands. Here's how it will break down, Holding Company 1: Volkswagen, Skoda, and Seat to be under the leadership of Form…
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Another Porsche 911 variant is on the way according to a report from Autocar. This variant will be focused on 'simple driving pleasure'. Power will likely come from a naturally-aspirated 3.8L flat-six from the 911 GT3, which means 475 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque. Unlike the GT3, this variant will feature a manual transmission, most likely the seven-speed version. Its expected this variant will also keep the narrow body found on most 911s, not the wide body as seen on the GT models. No word on what this model will be called or when it will debut. Source: Autocar View full article
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Imagine getting into a new vehicle with a payment that could range $39 to $99 per month. Seem like a fantasy? Well that is what a number of Volkswagen dealers across the U.S. are doing. An example is a Volkswagen dealer offering an $89 36 month lease on Jetta, after you hand over $2,500 as a down-payment. It's part of an effort by Volkswagen to bring customers in now at a loss to have hopefully return in three years when the automaker will have a brand new lineup. 2018 will see Volkswagen in the beginning stages of their plans to introducing new products every five years - a seven-seat crossover is the first - and refreshing their product lineup every three years. …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Volkswagen is gearing up expand their Chattanooga, TN plant, and that expansion could add as many as 2,400 jobs. Chattanooga currently builds the North American version of the Volkswagen Passat sedan and the expansion will be to grow capacity to build a new Volkswagen mid-size crossover SUV due in late 2016 as a 2017 model. Part of the expansion will be a new Engineering and Planning center that will bring 200 jobs. The addition to the production facility will add another 1,800 new jobs once the plant is operational. A study by the University of Tennessee Center of Business and Economic research estimates that on top of the 2,000 jobs provided by the plant expansi…
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Sports and supercars have been stepping up with power it seems with every new model. There comes a point where the question is raised is there such thing as too much power. Someone at Porsche believes so. Andreas Preuninger, the head of Porsche’s GT division (group behind the 911 GT3) tells Car Magazine that future GT models will pass on the horsepower wars. "I’m not a believer in this horsepower monster, up, up, up, more, more, more. For my personal tastes, around 500bhp is enough, because 700-800bhp calls for bigger brakes, sturdier suspension, it gets heavier and heavier logically," said Preuninger. Preuninger went on to suggest that future GT and RS models will foc…
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Breaking news coming out of Germany today as Volkswagen Chairman and grandson of the company's founder, Ferdinand Piëch announced his resignation after losing a public battle to try an oust Volkswagen's chief executive, Martin Winterkorn. "The members of the Executive Committee have unanimously determined that in view of the background of the last weeks the mutual trust necessary for successful cooperation no longer exists," said Volkswagen's Supervisory Board in a statement today. "For this reason Professor Dr. Ferdinand K. Piëch has resigned with immediate effect from his position as Chairman of the Supervisory Board and from all his mandates as a Supervisory Board me…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Last month, we reported that Volkswagen could be cutting the Polo 3-Door and Beetle as a way to save costs. But Autoblog reports that the Beetle will live on. Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neusser, member of the board of management responsible for development at Volkswagen said that the Beetle will continue, with a new model coming sometime in the next 3 years. The next-generation Beetle will move to the MQB platform which allows such options as a hybrid and a electric version. Neusser also went onto say that the Beetle "will remain an emotional design." But that it would be shaped with a new design language. Source: Autoblog View full article
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If you had the chance to read a review or opinion on the Volkswagen Jetta or Passat, then you'll notice a reoccurring theme - they are boring to look at. Volkswagen is getting tired of this complaint and has decided to make a change. Automotive News reports that next-generation of Volkswagen vehicles for the U.S. will "bare their teeth and flex their muscles to convey a more aggressive design message". This was said during a tour of Volkswagen's design studio. "This has to be bold. It has to be a statement," said Klaus Bischoff, chief designer for Volkswagen. So what kind of boldness can we expect from Volkswagen? Well Automotive News says the upcoming seven-seat cross…
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Volkswagen is looking towards vans and a possible pickup as way to bolster its U.S. lineup and become something other than a niche player in the marketplace. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen's head of the light commercial vehicle unit, Eckhard Scholz said the company is investigating whether or not to send some of their vans and possibly the Amarok - the only pickup VW builds at the moment - to the U.S. “Pickup trucks are a dominating segment,” while there’s also a trend in the U.S. toward compact European vans, Scholz said. “We’re looking at both options intensively.” Now if this sounds familiar, Volkswagen of America CEO said something similar back in January. Micha…
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Volkswagen is turning towards plug-in hybrid technology for the majority of its models till longer range batteries become a reality. This was announced at Volkswagen's annual media conference yesterday by Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn. Why plug-in hybrid tech? Winterkorn explained that plug-in hybrids are the best stop-gap technology with reducing emissions without sacrificing range. Now that doesn't mean Volkswagen isn't stopping work on electric vehicles. The automaker is currently working on electric systems that will have a range of more than 300 miles. One other note; the Volkswagen Golf GTE plug-in hybrid will be coming to the U.S. next year. This news wa…
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VW News: Rumorpile: Cost-Cutting At Volkswagen Puts the Beetle and Polo 3-Door in Danger for Cutting
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Volkswagen is on a mission to cut costs and that means models will be shown the door. According to a report from German publication Der Spiegel, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn said last June he would like to cut 5 billion Euros. Models that are being considered to get the ax include the three-door variant of the Volkswagen Polo. The reason for the cut is that the popularity of three-door hatchbacks has been declining in Europe. A key example of this is rival Renault dropping three-door version of the Clio. Dropping the three-door Polo variant would save around 200 million Euros. Der Spiegel also reports that the Beetle could be on the chopping block. A Volkswagen spo…
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Tesla isn't going to be the only automaker with an electric-only crossover. Audi announced this week they are planning to do an EV "sports activity vehicle" for early 2018. The announcement was made by Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi’s research and development boss during the brand's annual press conference. Hackenberg didn't go in much detail about the model, but did talk about certain items with Autocar. He revealed the model will use the MLB platform like the new Audi Q7 and feature design cues from the recent Audi Prologue concept car. Source: Audi, Autocar Image Source: Autocar Press Release is on Page 2 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Ma…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 10, 2013 It has been a long time coming, but the time has come. Porsche announced the details of the upcoming 918 Spyder. The 918 Spyder looks almost like the concept vehicle we saw back at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. With its race car styling and removable roof panels, the 918 will not be mistaken for anything else but a Porsche. The 918's heart begins with a mid-mounted, dry-sump-lubricated, 4.6L V8 engine that produces 608 horsepower. There are also three electric motors that provide an extra 286 horsepower and large lithium-ion battery pack. Total output stands at 887 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torqu…
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Trying to figure out the logic of Volkswagen concerning the next-generation Phaeton is a very difficult task. The German automaker loses 28,000 euros (about $31,598) on every Phaeton built. Also the automaker has announced a cost-cutting plan that a plan to save 5 billion euros ($5.7 billion) annually in the coming years. Yet, Reuters is reporting that Volkswagen is going forward with the next-generation Phaeton due sometime in 2017 or 2018. "Economically speaking, it's the most irrational project. Piech and Winterkorn simply cannot let go of their fondness for luxury products,"said Evercore ISI analyst Arndt Ellinghorst. How irrational are we talking about? Analysts sa…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Volkswagen has outlined new plans to bring new and updated models to the U.S. on a shorter timeframe. Michael Horn, head of VW’s U.S. operations told Bloomberg that the company is planning to introduce new models every five years, down from the current seven years. As for refreshes, Volkswagen wants cut that down from four to three years. “Customers want quicker change. We’re working to shorten the life cycle of the products to bring more new features and design elements, in terms of face-lifts, to the market quicker. We believe we have a positive business case. It commercially makes sense that we move,” said Horn. Now Volkswagen's management board needs to sign off on …
Last reply by jabay, -
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Ferdinand Piech reportedly has a grand plan to make VW the #1 auto manufacturer in the world by buying up Fiat-Chrysler. VW has $24 billion in cash so they have the money to buy controlling interest in FCA, assuming they could get the regulatory approvals. He would then revive the Auto Union name to be the parent company with Fiat, VW, Jeep, Chrysler/Dodge and a luxury group of Alfa Romeo, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Maserati and Porsche. This would give VW a substantial lead in global sales volume over GM or Toyota. Full Story at link: http://europe.autonews.com/article/20140721/COPY/307259994/a-vw-fca-deal-would-be-risky-reasonable
Last reply by jabay, -
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I was wondering, what does Porsche get out of being a part of the VW group? Do they use any of VW's technology? Wouldn't they be better of as an independent car manufacturer specialized in produced super cars? Are they profitable?
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For a number of years, there has been debates of which Porsche is the better one; the 911 or the Cayman. During these debates, the point comes up that Porsche would not make the Cayman as good as it should because of the fear that it would overshadow the 911. Well expect these debates to become more lively and frequent as Porsche has announced the Cayman GT4. The Cayman GT4 features a number of aerodynamic improvements such as a deep front bumper with three large air dams and a splitter, a large fixed rear wing, and a wide air diffuser. A set of unique alloy wheels help differentiate the GT4 from other Cayman models. Power comes from the 3.8L flat-six from the 911 Carre…
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A new report from Germany's Auto motor und sport (via Automotive News) says that Volkswagen is working on a new Golf that will be due out in 2017, just under three years after the current model has begun arriving in the U.S. The eighth-generation Golf is expected to be lowered and wider than the current model, along with a restyled front end and new taillights. Other changes for the eighth-generation model include an automatic parking system, automatic braking with pedestrian recognition, heads-up display, and the ability ti access and use smartphone apps through the Golf's touchscreen. The new Golf will still use the MQB modular platform, but feature new engines that a…
Last reply by kestas57, -
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Car and Driver is reporting that the next-generation Audi RS4 will retire the naturally-aspirated 4.2L V8 engine and use a turbocharged V6 engine. This is due to the upcoming emission regulations coming soon to Europe which are very stringent. Now the decision to go with a turbocharged V6 engine strikes us as odd since Audi currently has supercharged V6 that is being used in a number of their models. However Car and Driver says Quattro GmbH, the folks behind RS, is looking towards turbo power for future models. Car and Driver also reports that a decision on whether or not the next-generation RS4 will come to the U.S. hasn't been made. Source: Car and Driver William Mal…
Last reply by kestas57, -
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This morning, Volkswagen announced that it will build the upcoming seven-seat crossover at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant starting in 2016. The seven-seat crossover will see Volkswagen investing $900 million into the plant and add 2,000 jobs. The investment will also include retooling for the plant so it can build vehicles based on the MQB platform. “The Chattanooga-built midsize SUV will allow us to fulfill the wishes of our dealer network, bringing new customers to our showrooms and additional growth for the brand. We are eager to be entering this growing vehicle segment with a world-class, seven-passenger SUV from Volkswagen,” said Michael Horn, President and CEO Vo…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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We know that Audi is going mad with crossovers considering the U.S. lineup has three at the moment and more are on the way (smaller and bigger crossovers, along with coupe-design models). Car Magazine has learned about one that will fit into the TT lineup. Back at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show, Audi revealed the TT offroad concept which featured a noticeable amount of design cues from the current TT such as flared wheel arches and the distinctive roofline. Car Magazine reports that this concept will go into production sometime in 2017 wearing the TTQ nameplate. Originally, the plan was for the TTQ to wear the Q4 nameplate to keep everything simple. But Audi ran into troubl…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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