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Favorite vehicles of 2017

The Autoblog staff has driven a lot of vehicles in 2017. This video showcases our favorite vehicles from this year, along with some thoughts on why they made the list. Wanna read more head over to https://www.autoblog.com/photos/best-drivers-cars-2017/ Aston Martin Audi Ford Jeep Lexus Porsche Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video porsche macan lexus lc 500 macan wrangler r8 Arts and Entertainment

VW execs didn't think diesel problem would be so serious

Volkswagen Group has admitted that former chairman Martin Winterkorn received two memos about the diesel scandal in 2014. Top execs ignored the problem because they didn't think it was a serious issue. VW disclosed these details to counter allegations in a German shareholder lawsuit that alleged the automaker violated the law by withholding the info from investors. A memo on May 23, 2014 first advised Winterkorn about emissions cheating. A memo on May 23, 2014, first advised Winterkorn about the study from the International Council on Clean Transportation, which identified the emissions cheating. According to VW, the document was part of the exec's weekend mail, and the company's investigation didn't discover whether Winterkorn actually read it. A rumor last month alleged this memo existed. Another memo for Winterkorn on November 14, 2014 was about several defects, including the diesel engines. The document estimated it would cost 20 million euros ($22 million US at current rates) to fix the problem. The chairman learned about the issue again on July 27, 2015, during a meeting on product issues. "Mr. Winterkorn asked for further clarification of the issue," according to VW's statement. Things got serious at the end of August 2015. Things got serious at the end of August 2015 when technicians explained the diesel issue to the legal department. VW came clean to the California Air Resources Board and the Environmental Protection Agency on September 3. A memo told Winterkorn the next day, which was also previously alleged. According to this investigation, management didn't believe the diesel problem would affect the stock price, and they estimated the cheating might cost at most a few hundred million dollars in fines. The execs were clearly wrong. The share price dropped after the scandal broke last September, and the problems have started to affect its divisions. According to Reuters, Audi reported it suffered 228 million euros ($249 million) in costs in 2015 from the emissions issue and repairing Takata's faulty airbag inflators. Volkswagen still doesn't know the exact costs of the scandal, but the automaker's law firm, Jones Day, plans to release a report in the second half of April to explain the whole affair. By that time, we might also know how VW plans to fix the problem because a judge recently gave the company until March 24 to outline a fix for the 2.0-liter TDI. CARB started evaluating a repair plan for the 3.0-liter TDI in early February.

Recharge Wrap-up: Air Liquide buys Airgas, Audi automated parking in Boston

Air Liquide will buy US competitor Airgas for $13.4 billion. The Paris-based industrial gases company — also a major producer of hydrogen gas — will pay $143 per share in the acquisition of Airgas. The deal could help Air Liquide surpass German rival Linde as the world's top industrial gases company. "The US is a very attractive gas market, it's the largest industrial gas market worldwide," says Air Liquide CEO Benoit Potier. "It's the fastest growing market among advanced economies." Read more from Bloomberg. The US Department of Energy (DOE) will announce a new funding opportunity for hydrogen and fuel cell technology. Expected to be worth up to $35 million, the funding will focus particularly on the research, development and demonstration of technology for light duty passenger vehicles with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum consumption. This includes hydrogen production, delivery and storage, as well as fuel cell technologies, manufacturing and analysis. The DOE expects to issue the Funding Opportunity Announcement around December 10. Read more at Green Car Congress. Audi will bring network infrastructure and automated parking to the Boston area. In an agreement with the city of Somerville, Massachusetts, Audi will work to improve traffic flow and increase the efficiency of space used for parking. As the city continues to develop, Audi's automated parking project will help decrease the amount of land needed to park cars, and the extra space can be used for more important real estate. Also, an intelligent traffic management project connecting cars to traffic lights can help reduce congestion. Read more in the press release below. Audi brings automated parking to the Boston area November 17, 2015 | INGOLSTADT/BARCELONA • Memorandum of Understanding between Audi and the US city of Somerville • Urban innovations – networking with traffic lights and automated parking • Real-estate developers save space and money thanks to self-parking cars Audi and the city of Somerville, Massachusetts, are planning joint innovations for the city of the future on the east coast of the USA. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler and Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the context of the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona. They agreed to develop an urban strategy for Somerville, applying technologies for swarm intelligence or automated parking, and networking cars with traffic lights.