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VW confirms development of 10-speed dual clutch, 134-hp/liter diesel

Each year, the Vienna International Motor Symposium showcases some of the up-and-coming technologies automakers are engineering for the use in passenger cars, and Volkswagen AG CEO Martin Winterkorn revealed some big developments VW is working on for its future products. Winterkorn discussed a multi-faceted approach that VW is looking to reduce its fleet fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
Some of the bigger news he discussed included a "high-performance" diesel engine that will produce 134 horsepower per liter and a 10-speed DSG automatic transmission. While no specific applications were mentioned, we can only hope this is for the Audi R4 we keep hearing about.
Another topic he touched on that caused us to perk up our ears was had to do with VW's plug-in hybrid technology. While we know the PHEV versions of the Audi A3 and Porsche Panamera are on the way, Winterkorn also said that these two models will be followed up by Golf, Passat, Audi A6 and Porsche Cayenne plug-in models. Scroll down for a press release highlighting the automaker's future fuel-saving initiatives.

VW reaches out to diesel consumers with new website

Volkswagen is starting to get details out to the public about its diesel emissions evasions in the US, and the automaker now has a dedicated website for consumers. The first thing that visitors see is an apology video from Volkswagen Group of America CEO Michael Horn. The site also details all of the VW TDI's currently known to be affected here, including the 2009-2015 Jetta, 2009-2014 Jetta SportWagen, 2010-2015 Golf, 2015 Golf SportWagen, 2012-2015 Beetle and Beetle convertible, and 2012-2015 Passat. Although, the Audi A3 should be on there, too. The company repeatedly reassures owners that these vehicles are safe to drive and promises it's developing a fix as quickly as possible to make them emissions compliant. On the site's FAQ, VW also clarifies that there's still a stop-sale on all of these models with the 2.0-liter TDI, including certified pre-owned ones. That could change soon because the automaker believes that the 2016 model year examples are legal, but the Environmental Protection Agency needs to sign off before they could go to dealers. Until the diesels can be sold, there also won't be any TDI advertising by VW. "We are working at full speed on a technical solution that we will present to partners, to our customers and to the public as swiftly as possible," Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen passenger car division, says in a statement. He also offers an improved accounting of the number of vehicles affected. VW had previously said that there were 11 million with the emissions evading software worldwide. According to Diess, around five million of these came from the VW brand. Audi has said there about 2.1 million of its models affected globally with between 13,000 and 14,000 in America. DR. HERBERT DIESS, CEO OF THE VOLKSWAGEN PASSENGER CARS BRAND, EXPLAINS: "WE ARE WORKING AT FULL SPEED ON A SOLUTION." Wolfsburg, September 25, 2015 – In the press release dated September 22, 2015, the Volkswagen Group announced that Volkswagen Group vehicles worldwide are affected by the current issues regarding emissions. The internal evaluation revealed that approximately five million Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand vehicles are affected worldwide. Certain models and model years of these vehicles (such as the sixth generation Volkswagen Golf, the seventh generation Volkswagen Passat and the first generation Volkswagen Tiguan) are equipped exclusively with type EA 189 diesel engines.

VW won't let emissions scandal keep it from racing

The Volkswagen Group may have its hands full dealing with the diesel emissions scandal. But that doesn't mean it will be curbing its considerable racing programs. At least not in any significant way. This according to Matthias Muller, who recently moved up from his previous position as Porsche CEO to preside over the entire group. Speaking with Autosport at the World Endurance Championship finale in Bahrain this past weekend, Muller emphasized the importance of racing to the company. "The motorsports programs are not in danger of being dropped or significantly reduced because motorsports is very important for the group and the brands," said Muller. "Basically we do not question our motorsport efforts." Of all the brands under the group's umbrella, several have prominent, top-level factory works racing programs, and others support customer racing teams. The Volkswagen brand has emerged as the dominant force in the World Rally Championship, securing both titles over the past three years. Both Porsche and Audi compete in the top tier at Le Mans and in the World Endurance Championship, trading places in the winner's circle. Audi also competes in DTM, and alongside Lamborghini, Bentley, and Porsche, and also offers GT3 and GTE racing cars to private customers. Lamborghini, Porsche, Audi, and Seat (once the leader in touring cars) all run their own spec racing series as well. Skoda continues to compete in lower-level rallying, leaving only Bugatti to draw on its prominent pre-war grand prix racing history. To hear Muller tell it, those racing programs – or at least the top-levels ones among them – aren't going away anytime soon. But there may still be some tweaks here and there, and we shouldn't expect any new programs to be launched in the near future. Porsche, for example, is anticipated to wind down its factory involvement in GT racing, after winning both the drivers' and manufacturers' titles in the WEC GTE Pro class this year in addition to its LMP1 victories. Instead it will focus on preparing new racing versions of the 911 for client racing teams. The auto giant was also reportedly close to branching out into Formula One in partnership with Red Bull. But after negotiations were interrupted by emergence of the diesel emissions scandal, that deal fell apart. It remains unknown which brand might have been represented in the F1 engine-supply program.