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VW will reportedly offer cash to cheated diesel car drivers

If you're feeling burned by Volkswagen's decision to cheat on diesel emissions tests, you might get some compensation for your troubles. Sources for The Truth About Cars understand that VW will launch a "TDI Goodwill Program" that compensates diesel car drivers with cash in the form of prepaid cards. In the US, you'd get both a $500 universal card as well as a VW-only card worth $500 to $750. The automaker isn't confirming details just yet, but it tells the New York Times that it's planning an announcement on Monday. Dealers also tell the newspaper that they're aware of a program in the works, although they don't know the specifics. It may not include the expanded range of cars reportedly tainted by the scandal, though, since VW is denying claims that it cheated with some models. This isn't the only olive branch VW has been offering: it's been handing out deals to existing owners willing to hop into new vehicles, and there are more discounts than usual across the board. However, the goodwill effort would represent the first instance of VW directly compensating drivers who'd previously thought they were getting an eco-friendly machine. This isn't going to make up for years of unnecessary pollution, but it may represent the company's best hope of holding on to customers. This article by Jon Fingas originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. ?> News Source: The Truth About Cars via The New York TimesImage Credit: Ralf Hirschberger/dpa via AP Earnings/Financials Green Audi Porsche Volkswagen Hatchback Wagon Diesel Vehicles Sedan vw diesel scandal compensation

2014 Porsche Cayman S

Second Fiddle Moves To First Chair
In the interest of full disclosure and a bit of bloodletting, allow me to admit that while I've always coveted the Porsche Boxster and its hard-hatted Cayman cousin, I've never really warmed to them visually. They've always had a certain push-me, pull-you, can't-decide-which-way-they're-going aesthetic that I've never really wrapped my head around. Porsche achieved the same thing with the original 550 Spyder's overturned bathtub bodyshell that would come to inspire the Boxster, but somehow that classic's even more symmetrical nature works for me. Fast-forward to this third generation, and at least for this enthusiast, Porsche's manchild has well and truly come of age as a design.
It's all there - a piercing stare thanks to squircle headlamps inspired by the 918 Spyder hypercar, newfound directional thrust afforded by a longer wheelbase and elongated greenhouse, and muscular rear haunches with a wider stance emphasized by larger side ductwork and snubbed overhangs. The body's teardrop shape terminates with an active spoiler that integrates into a gorgeous arc with the taillamps like a budding ducktail nod to 1973 911 Carrera RS. Despite casting a longer shadow than its predecessor, the 2014 Cayman still looks tidily proportioned, smooth and wieldy, the perfect skipping stone to ricochet down a canyon river road.

Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid has 462 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque

Hybrids are for more than saving fuel, according to Porsche. To wit, the German automaker's upcoming 2018 Panamera 4 E-Hybrid boasts 462 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque courtesy of its 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 (330 hp and 331 lb-ft) and electric motor (136 hp and 295 lb-ft). All that power is sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed PDK transmission, resulting in a 4.4-second 0-60 run and a top speed of 172 miles per hour. For those keeping track at home, those performance stats put the E-Hybrid a few ticks behind the 2017 Panamera 4S, which uses a more powerful version of the twin-turbo V6 engine to hit 60 in 4.0 seconds (with the optional Sport Chrono package). The payoff, though, is in efficiency. There's a maximum electric range of 31 miles with a fully charged battery, and the engine isn't needed until speeds top 86 mph. That means the majority of drivers won't need to use a drop of gas for most daily driving chores. The E-Hybrid ought to be pretty fun to drive, too. In the previous Panamera Hybrid, the accelerator pedal had to be pressed at least 80 percent of the way down to get maximum electric motivation. For the new version, every electric horse is available at all times. Coupled with the nature of turbocharged engines, we'd imagine there's going to be a lovely wave of torque at around-town speeds and on highway on-ramps. A liquid-cooled, 14.1-kWh, lithium-ion battery is located under the floor of the cargo area. It takes 12 hours to charge on a standard outlet, or as little as 3 hours with an optional high-speed charger. As with other Panamera models, most of the interior buttons have been replaced with touch-sensitive panels. E-Hybrid models get unique programming for the dual 7-inch displays in the dash and the 12.3-inch touchscreen atop the center stack that shows various power meters and driving tips to increase efficiency. Porsche's Sport Chrono Package comes standard on the Panamera E-Hybrid. In addition to the Sport and Sport Plus modes of the steering-wheel-mounted mode switch, there's an E-Power mode that relies solely on electricity, a Hybrid Auto mode for maximum gas/electric efficiency, an E-Hold setting that switches the car into gas-only mode to preserve the battery, and an E-Charge mode that forces the gas engine to keep the battery fully charged. If you want maximum performance, you'll want to keep the switch in Sport Plus. Expect the 2018 Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid to hit US showrooms this summer.