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Paul Walker's father sues Porsche

Porsche will reportedly face another wrongful-death suit in connection with the death of Paul Walker. This latest suit, according to USA Today, was filed by the late actor's father and the executor of his will. In the suit, Paul William Walker III claims that the Porsche lacked the safety equipment that could have saved the life of his son, actor Paul William Walker IV. The case dates back almost two years, to the day when Walker and his associate Roger Rodas were traveling in a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT. Rodas lost control of the car, which struck a lamppost and two trees on Hercules Street in Santa Clarita, CA. A fire erupted after the crash and both Rodas and Walker (who was riding in the passenger seat) were killed. The ensuing investigation determined that unsafe speeds were at fault, however grieving members of the deceased victims' families have launched a series of lawsuits – including several directed against the German automaker – in the aftermath. Walker's father previously sued the Rodas' estate over the ownership of a collection of cars estimated to be worth some $1.8 million. Meanwhile Rodas' widow Kristine has also filed a wrongful death suit against Porsche. And just this past September, Walker's 17-year-old daughter and heiress Meadow filed another wrongful death suit, also against Porsche. In response to the latter, Porsche spokesman Calvin Kim wrote to Autoblog: "As we have said before, we are very sad whenever anyone is hurt in a Porsche vehicle, but we believe the authorities' reports in this case clearly establish that this tragic crash resulted from reckless driving and excessive speed." This latest lawsuit filed by Walker's father alleges that the Carrera GT should have been equipped with stability control, reinforced doors, and a breakaway fuel line – features that, the plaintiff asserts, could have saved his son's life. According to USA Today, Porsche recently claimed in court that the vehicle in question had been modified and improperly maintained. Those factors could have led to the accident that claimed both Walker's and Rodas' lives. Walker was an actor who made his debut in television before appearing in movies like Varsity Blues, The Skulls, and Flags of Our Fathers. He will perhaps be best remembered, however, as the star in the Fast and Furious series – the most recent installment of which was completed posthumously with the help of his brothers and computer animation. The California native was 40 years old.

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:

One Lap of America, with three times the madness

Instead of celebrating last weekend face down in a sombrero full of tequila-spiked OJ and a few lime wedges, 71 racing teams with one set of tires each and no support crews began Cinco De Mayo — and this year's 35th running of the One Lap of America — by hitting the wet skid pad at Tire Rack's headquarters in South Bend, Ind. There were Porsches, Vettes, Camaros and BMWs galore. There was a Miata, a vintage NSX, a Honda S2000 and even an old VW Rabbit. There were GTIs, the odd Evo and, oh yeah, six Toyotas, a couple of Vipers and a couple of GTRs. When the skidding stopped, a 2011 BMW 1M emerged triumphant and led the pack out into the heartland, where it will spend 5,000 miles this week hitting road courses, dragstrips and time trials at tracks as far west as Denver, as south as Fort Worth and then New Orleans. From there, it will barrel north through Mississippi, Alabama, Nashville, Kentucky and back home again to Tire Rack in Indiana. Twenty events, eight venues, with a three-hour window for each event. It's a nonstop, no-sleep, one-week road trip comprising 150-ish friends and brothers, partiers and pro racing drivers, spouses and other family-member combo packs. Some will never speak to each other again, some might end up divorced, some might get married. All of them are nuts. I know this because I made three laps. Three laps I will never forget.LAP ONE: 1984 Vehicle: 1984 Dodge Van Team #0: Jean Lindamood (Jennings), Walker Evans, Parnelli Jones I was present for the inaugural 1984 One Lap of America because I worked at Car and Driver back then and so did Brock Yates. He was the guy who came up with the clandestine, illegal, unsanctioned Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash from Connecticut to Redondo Beach, Calif. It ran five times in the 1970s, with Yates joining Dan Gurney in a Ferrari Daytona for the second run. They won, Gurney insisting that "at no time did we exceed 175 miles per hour." One Lap was born of Cannonball nostalgia (read: Brock was bored), and I was beyond game for it. After securing a van from Dodge and two giant decals for the van sides, along with $5,000 in sponsorship from local Detroit Stroh's Brewery, I coaxed my friend, nine-time Baja 1000 winner Walker Evans, into running One Lap by suggesting he didn't have a hair on his ass if he refused. Then I suggested that if he didn't get his best friend and longtime road trip buddy, Parnelli Jones, to go with us, I would actually have to drive the van, too.