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VW internal investigation finds 'no evidence' against suspended engineers

Volkswagen is still working out the chain of events that led to emissions-evading software being installed in 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide and deciding who was responsible for the treachery. So far, the German automotive giant's internal investigation hasn't publicly named many suspects, and three suspended executive-level engineers have been found not to be culpable in the wrongdoing, according to an anonymous insider speaking to Reuters. VW knows that the software began being installed in the EA 189 engine in 2008. The internal investigation has found that the emissions-evading tech was created because the powerplant was found to fail US standards. Plus, the diesel mill wasn't meeting cost targets, according to Reuters. The automaker responded by suspending over 10 employees, but three top engineers among them might not have been involved. Those put on leave include Heinz-Jakob Neusser from VW, Ulrich Hackenberg from Audi, and Wolfgang Hatz who led Porsche's research and group-wide engine development. The internal detective work hasn't turned up any evidence against these three men. In addition to VW's own inquires, government investigators in both the US and Germany are taking a serious look into the company's actions, too. So far, the automaker is setting aside about $7.3 billion to pay to fix the vehicles with the evasive software. Depending on what authorities find, the costs could grow quickly. Beyond the financial implications, the scandal has led to a serious shakeup in VW's corporate structure. Related Video:

2015 Audi S8

You've gotta hand it to the Audi A8. Last year, Mercedes-Benz launched the truly stunning S-Class, putting the rest of the high-dollar luxury flagship class on notice. With the brand-new S-Class turning heads and garnering all sorts of praise from the automotive press, classmates like the BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ and Audi A8 started to look, well, old. But Audi didn't see fit to just let its big sedan carry on and let the Mercedes take the cake.
So when Audi refreshed its A8 line for the 2015 model year with only minor updates, I kind of shrugged it off as just a quick way to keep the big sedan fresh until an all-new, hopefully S-Class-trumping version arrives. But then I drove the S8 pictured above, and I'm no longer so sure the Merc's shadow is as big and imposing as it once was.
Spoiler alert: the Audi S8 is simply fantastic.

After Le Mans exit, Audi adds World Rallycross to Formula E and DTM efforts

Back in October, Dieselgate claimed another victim: Audi's FIA World Endurance Championship program. Audi left at the height of its Le Mans racing prowess, having won 13 times overall in 18 years at the famous French race. We didn't expect Audi Sport to confine itself solely to the Formula E and Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series, and so today Audi announced that the company would officially back an existing FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX) team, EKS, in 2017. EKS was formed by Mattias Ekstrom, who is also a factory Audi DTM driver with a couple of championships under his belt in that series. He's been competing in various rally and touring car series for years, and even snagged a ride in a NASCAR Sprint Cup race back in 2010 at Infineon Raceway. The EKS team came together in 2014, with Ekstrom fielding an Audi S1 EKS RX Quattro. And the team hasn't done too badly for itself; in 2016, it took the driver's and team championships. There's only so much Ekstrom's team as privateers can do to protect its championship from factory-backed teams, so that explains why Audi Sport was happy to step in with full support – including vehicle development supported by the actual motorsport department at Audi. Ekstrom will also continue on as a factory Audi DTM driver. Related Video: Motorsports Audi Racing Vehicles fia audi s1