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2017 Audi A4 pricing drops before Detroit debut

With its spring 2016 on-sale date rapidly approaching, Audi confirms the official pricing structure for the new A4 sedan. The four-cylinder-only A4 line starts at $38,250 – a $1,400 increase over last year's model – but like the similarly priced BMW 328i and Mercedes-Benz C300, that figure climbs quickly. For one, unless you're planning on living with a front-wheel-drive Audi, you'll need to add on $2,100 for the automaker's torque-vectoring Quattro all-wheel-drive system. And unless you want the basic Premium trim, plan on tacking on $3,800 for the Premium Plus trim or $8,600 for the range-topping Prestige. What's all this mean? For that, we'll turn to the newly switched-on online configurator. The standard A4 doesn't sound like a terrible deal, offering standard bi-xenon headlights, LED taillights, three-zone climate control, leather seats, a sunroof, and a seven-inch MMI system. Moving up to the Premium Plus switches up to full LED headlights, heated front seats, a 19-speaker Bang and Olufsen 3D stereo, push-button start, and an S-line exterior treatment. Finally, the top-line Prestige's notable standard items include an 8.3-inch, nav-equipped MMI system, Audi's excellent virtual cockpit (an Autoblog Tech of the Year finalist), and a head-up display. If you're balking at the trim packs, rest easy knowing Audi has spread the options around liberally. You can get navigation and heated seats on a base model – they're $2,400 and $900, respectively – and Virtual Cockpit can be added to the mid-grade model. The base can be had with standard 18-inch wheels, while the Premium Plus allows drivers to ditch the 18s and move up to 19s. Even the top-of-the-line Prestige has a few options, including an $1,800 Driver Assistance pack (adaptive cruise, auto high beams, and lane keeping assist ) and a $1,450 Warm Weather Pack (vented front sport seats). While you can get an A4 for $38,250, you can also build one up to $55,375. Look for the 2017 Audi A4 in dealerships this spring. And head over to the online configurator to build your ideal Audi sedan now.

Volkswagen pushed back against Takata airbag recall

Volkswagen and Audi will recall about 850,000 vehicles in the US to replace their Takata-supplied driver side airbag inflators, but the automaker doesn't believe the safety campaign is entirely necessary. In a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the company pushes the agency to re-evaluate the recall's scope because the parts are allegedly safe, it claims. VW asserted in the letter, which NHTSA posted online (as a PDF) with other documents about the company's safety campaign, that the vast majority of the automaker's recalled vehicles used Takata inflators from the supplier's factory in Freiburg, Germany. Only the US-built Passat had components from Takata's plant in Mexico. VW's argues to NHTSA that its recall is unnecessary because there are no reported airbag ruptures in the German-made parts, and the plant has better quality control than Takata's factories in the US and Mexico. In addition, the Mexico-manufactured components in the Passat are also allegedly safe because they come from a time after significant upgrades to the plant to address humidity and welding concerns. "We do not believe the facts known to date support the scope as defined in the Takata defect notification," VW's letter says. To be clear, VW is not refusing the Takata recall and plans to fix the affected vehicles. Instead, this letter shows the automaker expressing an opinion that NHTSA's scope for the campaign is too broad. VW now plans to do its own analysis on the inflators to strengthen that case, according to The Detroit News. "We respectfully request that, should such results be shown, the agency work with Volkswagen and other manufacturers to revisit the scope of these recalls," the letter said. Takata's recalled inflators use ammonium nitrate as a propellant, and experts believe that long-term exposure to high humidity can make the chemical more likely to cause a rupture during airbag deployment. The spray of metal shrapnel from the exploding parts has links to at least 10 deaths. Related Video:

VW, Rivian, Nissan, BMW, Genesis, Audi and Volvo lose EV tax credits starting tomorrow

The U.S. Treasury said Monday that Volkswagen, BMW, Nissan, Rivian, Hyundai and Volvo electric vehicles will lose access to a $7,500 tax credit under new battery sourcing rules. The Treasury said the new requirements effective Tuesday will also cut by half credits for the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Rear Wheel Drive to $3,750 but other Tesla models will retain the full $7,500 credit. Vehicles losing credits Tuesday are the BMW 330e, BMW X5 xDrive45e, Genesis Electrified GV70, Nissan Leaf , Rivian R1S and R1T, Volkswagen ID.4 as well as the plug-in hybrid electric Audi Q5 TFSI e Quattro and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) electric Volvo S60. The Swedish carmaker is 82%-owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. The rules are aimed at weaning the United States off dependence on China for EV battery supply chains and are part of President Joe Biden's effort to make 50% of U.S. new vehicle sales by 2030 EVs or PHEVs. Hyundai said in a statement it was committed to its long-range EV plans and that it "will utilize key provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act to accelerate the transition to electrification." Rivian declined to comment and the other automakers could not immediately be reached for comment. Treasury also disclosed General Motors electric Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV will qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit. GM said earlier it expected at least some of its EVS would qualify for the $7,500 tax credit under the new rules, including the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq and forthcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV SUV and Blazer EV SUV. Treasury said all GM EVs will qualify. Earlier, Ford Motor and Chrysler-parent Stellantis said most of their electric and PHEV models would see tax credits halved to $3,750 on April 18. Treasury confirmed the automakers' calculations. The rules were announced last month and mandated by Congress in August as part of the $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA requires 50% of the value of battery components be produced or assembled in North America to qualify for $3,750, and 40% of the value of critical minerals sourced from the United States or a free trade partner for a $3,750 credit. The law required vehicles to be assembled in North America to qualify for any tax credits, which in August eliminated nearly 70% of eligible models and on Jan. 1 new price caps and limits on buyers income took effect.