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Recharge Wrap-up: BMW i8's Engine of the Year, biodiesel producer guilty

BMW has won International Engine of the Year for the hybrid system in the i8. The i8 PHEV uses a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine with a hybrid drive unit including a 96-kilowatt electric motor. BMW beat Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine by a small margin to win the award for best overall engine. It also took the award for the 1.4-liter to 1.8-liter category, as well as best new engine. Tesla beat BMW to win the green engine category for the electric powertrain of the Tesla Model S. Read more at Green Car Congress, or see all of the results from the International Engine of the Year Awards. The head of Audi powertain development is quitting as the automaker steps up electrification. Stefan Knirsch has worked at Audi since late 2013, and previously worked at Porsche as the head of quality management and engine development. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport magazine had reported that Knirsch was leaving Audi, which Audi confirmed without giving a departure date or saying if he would be working elsewhere. Audi has been feeling pressure from its competitor Mercedes-Benz, and has been working on improving its EV offerings and autonomous vehicle technology. Read more from Reuters. The owner of a biodiesel company has pleaded guilty to fraud. Philip Joseph Rivkin, aka Felipe Poitan Arriaga, took part in a scheme to defraud the EPA, falsely claiming to be producing millions of gallons of biodiesel. This allowed his company, Green Diesel, to receive renewable fuel credits and sell them to oil companies and brokers. "These crimes are a serious threat to an important program that helps combat climate change," says Cynthia Giles of the EPA. "Companies and individual managers should get the message that there are serious consequences for breaking the rules and undermining the integrity of this program." Rivkin faces over 10 years in prison and $51 million in restitution. Read more in the press release below. Biodiesel Fuel Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Clean Air Act Crimes Connected to Renewable Fuels Scheme Philip J. Rivkin faces more than 10 years imprisonment and $51 million in restitution WASHINGTON – Philip Joseph Rivkin, a.k.a. Felipe Poitan Arriaga, 50, today pleaded guilty to a Clean Air Act false statement and mail fraud as part of his role in a scheme to defraud EPA by falsely representing that he was producing millions of gallons of biodiesel fuel.

Mercedes partners with Lufthansa to design executive jet cabins [w/poll]

Luxury automakers like to crow about their flagship models boasting first-class cabins, but the truly elite class of travelers know there's a class above that. We're talking about private jets, and now Mercedes is applying its skills to those as well. The German automaker isn't building its own jet aircraft. Its design department has, however, collaborated with Lufthansa to create a cabin space for executive jets that looks even more upscale. The concept integrates the walls, ceiling, and floor of the cabin into one fluid, continuous surface, with the furniture similarly integrated into the design with chairs, sofas, beds, and tables. It's even got a fish tank on board and auto-dimming touchscreen glass panels in front of the windows that can control the infotainment system. The design is being showcased by Mercedes-Benz Style and Lufthansa Technik at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibit (EBACE) in Geneva. It's the same show where Brabus displayed its jet cabin design, rival BMW Designworks did the same, and where the Mercedes' Eurocopter cabin design debuted four years ago. There, Mercedes hopes to attract orders from private customers. If the finished product ends up half as stunning as these design renderings look, we don't doubt they'll find a few takers. Mercedes-Benz Style and Lufthansa Technik develop VIP cabin for short- and medium-haul aircraft: State-of-the-art luxury high above the clouds Stuttgart/Geneva, May 19, 2015 In time for EBACE 2015, which will take place from 19 to 21 May 2015 in Geneva, Mercedes-Benz Style and Lufthansa Technik have announced their cooperation on the design and completion of VIP aircraft cabins. The two companies will jointly develop an entirely innovative, luxurious and integrated cabin concept for short- and medium-haul aircraft. Dynamic architecture instead of traditional interior cabin design: Under the joint approach adopted by the two companies, the traditional separation of ceiling, wall and floor will be entirely replaced by a dynamic, spiral layout. This gives rise to new, independent spatial zones without the typical arrangement of seat and wall elements. The new sense of space is additionally reinforced by Mercedes's typically strong emphasis on contrast in terms of material, colour and lighting. The overall design is characterised by the aesthetic appeal of state-of-the-art luxury embodied in the Mercedes-Benz brand.

2016 Mercedes CLA and GLA get more power, quicker

Unlike in Europe, Mercedes-Benz doesn't have hyper hatches like the Audi RS3 to compete against in North America, at least not yet. However, the company isn't letting its high-performance compacts get behind the times anywhere in the world with the announcement that the CLA45 AMG and GLA45 AMG in the US are getting practically the same raft of upgrades as the ones across the pond. Both models go on sale in October in US dealers. Like its European counterpart, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder in the diminutive AMGs receives upgrades to produce 375 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque (the 381 hp rating over there is in metric ponies). That's an impressive 20-horsepower and 18 lb-ft bump over the current version of the mill. Beyond just the boost in output, quicker acceleration comes from revised, more aggressive ratios in third through seventh gears. The latest AMGs make great use of their upgrades, too. The 2016 GLA45 now clocks the run to 60 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds, a staggering half-second quicker than the 2015 model. The CLA45 slices 0.3 seconds off its time to make the sprint in 4.1 seconds, which gives the sedan the same acceleration as a SL63 AMG. In addition to the powertrain tweaks, the 2016 models get a few other added luxuries. As in Europe, they receive the Dynamic Select System that uses a rotary knob select from multiple driving modes. Inside, there's standard keyless start, dual-zone climate controls, and Mercedes' latest infotainment unit. A "Turbo 4Matic" badge on the fender now hints at the vehicles' performance potential. The new Dynamic Plus Package is the major addition to the options list. It combines a limited slip differential at the front, AMG Adaptive Suspension, Race Mode, Performance Steering Wheel, and pushes the top speed to 167 mph. At the same time, the AMG Driver's Package is discontinued, and the AMG Performance Studio Package is dropped on the CLA45. Related Video: