Beautiful 2008 Audi A4 3.2 Quattro Cabriolet, Loaded, Navigation, Just Serviced on 2040-cars

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Cars we're thankful we drove in 2019

We drove a lot of cars in 2019, and there's still a month to go. We drove them in our home office in Michigan, at our remote offices in Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Columbus, Ohio, and throughout the globe on myriad press launches. We could count them, but hey, that seems boastful.  Instead, we want to be thankful. Not only for the opportunity to do this wonderful task some might describe as a "job," but for the new, shiny cars that brighten our days (and most hopefully yours). We asked our fellow editors which car they were most thankful to drive in 2019 ... here are our answers. 2019 Hyundai Veloster N Performance Senior Editor Alex Kierstein Every once in a while a car comes along that changes the narrative on a company or its segment, and everyone scrambles to experience it for themselves. This year, for me, that car’s the Veloster N Performance, perhaps the most transformative car the companyÂ’s ever built. Everyone whoÂ’s driven it, here and elsewhere, says it captures all those intangibles that make great driving hatchbacks great. And IÂ’m thankful that I got a go in it before all of them left the fleet, because it does. It upends the segment long dominated by the GTI, a car that nails its brief. The N is rowdy and loud, sure, but it also has some of the most deftly tuned suspension IÂ’ve come across in a front driver. My advice: if youÂ’re in the market for something fun and unique, go test drive a Veloster N. I think youÂ’ll be thankful you did. 2019 Hyundai Veloster N View 47 Photos 2019 Audi E-Tron Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder IÂ’m pleased that I got to drive the Audi E-Tron. ThatÂ’s high praise for a year in which I also drove the stellar Jaguar I-Pace. The E-Tron, while not as sporty as the Jaguar, is excellently executed, and feels like a more refined, polished offering. ItÂ’s quick, whisper-quiet, comfortable, stylish inside and out, and incredibly sturdy. Some may lament that it doesnÂ’t do much to stand out from ICE vehicles, but I donÂ’t think it needs to. What it does need to do is win over the electro-skeptical, and I think Audi put its best foot forward with a crossover that can do just that, and more. So, yeah, not only am I thankful that I got to drive it, IÂ’m glad that itÂ’s compelling enough that itÂ’ll hopefully make potential customers feel the same. 2020 Audi E-Tron View 13 Photos 2013 Peugeot 508 West Coast Editor James Riswick My choice totally sucks.

Next-gen Audi A4 spotted

With fresh entries from Lexus and Mercedes-Benz and a newer entry from BMW, Audi is in a rather precarious position with its A4 sedan, which has been on sale in its current form since 2008 (aside from its 2012 mid-cycle refresh). It's high time a new vehicle takes its place.
If Audi follows convention, the vehicle shown above will be known internally as the B9, and will ride atop the so-called MLB Evo, a new version of the modular platform underpinning the current A4 (and a whole heap of other Volkswagen Group products). That new bit of hardware should bless the next-gen A4 with a weight savings of anywhere from 175 to 220 pounds.
In terms of its looks, our spies point to a more evolutionary approach. Expect the A4 to borrow from the design being pioneered by the third-generation Audi TT, particularly around the grille, which should be more upright. The wheelbase should get a stretch while Audi will clip the overhangs of its midsizer, relative to the current sedan.

Volkswagen finds CO2 'irregularities' for 800k vehicles

The latest issue for Volkswagen affects another 800,000 vehicles, and this time its for irregularities in CO2 emissions certifications. VW estimates this issue could cost the company $2.2 billion to fix. The company officially makes no specific mention of which engines are covered, the models they are in, or even where they are located. VW discovered the situation during its ongoing internal investigation, and, according to the automaker, "it was established that the CO2 levels and thus the fuel consumption figures for some models were set too low during the CO2 certification process." Most of the affected vehicles are diesels, and the company is now reaching out to "the responsible type approval agencies" to figure out the next step. While VW isn't officially confirming which models and engines are involved, Automotive News reports that it affects some 2012 and later VW, Audi, Seat, and Skoda models with the company's 1.4-, 1.6-, and 2.0-liter diesel engines, as well as the 1.4-liter ACT gasoline engine. The issue mainly affects vehicles sold in Europe. "The Board of Management of Volkswagen AG deeply regrets this situation and wishes to underscore its determination to systematically continue along the present path of clarification and transparency," CEO Matthias Muller said in the announcement. Volkswagen Group of America spokesperson Jeannine Ginivan was able to provide some further clarification to Autoblog. "This is not related to US-certified vehicles," she said. Clarification moving forward: internal investigations at Volkswagen identify irregularities in CO2 levels Matthias Muller: "Relentless and comprehensive clarification is our only alternative." Around 800,000 Group vehicles could be affected Initial estimate puts economic risks at approximately 2 billion euros The Volkswagen Group is moving forward with the clarification of the diesel issue: during the course of internal investigations irregularities were found when determining type approval CO2 levels. Based on present knowledge around 800,000 vehicles from the Volkswagen Group could be affected. An initial estimate puts the economic risks at approximately two billion euros. The Board of Management of Volkswagen AG will immediately start a dialog with the responsible type approval agencies regarding the consequences of these findings. This should lead to a reliable assessment of the legal, and the subsequent economic consequences of this not yet fully explained issue.