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'Clean Diesel' leaves dirty taste for green-minded VW owners

Volkswagen developed the advertising campaigns for its "Clean Diesel" cars far better than the actual technology. In dozens of complaints filed with the Federal Trade Commission in September, green-minded consumers said they were enticed into buying diesels by the company's advertising, which touted the environmental benefits of new diesel technology. Those alleged benefits convinced many to buy cars they otherwise would not have considered. In actuality, Volkswagen installed secret software in its cars that allowed the company's diesels to brazenly circumvent emissions standards. For environmentally conscious consumers, those decisions backfired. Instead of helping the environment, they drove cars that polluted at up to 40 times beyond the legal threshold for certain emissions. Now, those consumers are angry. They've asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Volkswagen for alleged deceptive advertising, and are hoping the federal agency can intervene and force Volkswagen to either buy back their compromised cars or negotiate trade-ins on favorable terms. An FTC spokesperson confirmed the agency is investigating. Many of those who wrote or called the agency said they felt like they had nowhere else to turn. For green-friendly drivers, it wasn't only about the money. It was also about the betrayal. "I am ashamed to drive this car on the road, as doing so is evidence that I have been taken for a fool." "It's awful for the environment," wrote one consumer from Shreveport, Louisiana, on September 24, days after the diesel scandal unfolded. "It's caused me anxiety thinking about the amount of emissions I have been producing." The motorist's comments echoed others filed with the FTC. Many owners felt trapped with cars they couldn't sell and cars they felt they could no longer drive in good conscience, knowing they spew nitrogen oxide at levels that violate the Clean Air Act. "I do not see how I can drive it knowing highly toxic pollutants are being produced," wrote another driver from Middletown, Rhode Island. "I have not driven the car since this news came to light." The two statements were among the 89 filed with the FTC's Consumer Sentinel Network in the week following the Environmental Protection Agency's announcement that Volkswagen had admitted rigging approximately 482,000 cars in America with software that allowed them to cheat emissions testing.

Brazil contemplates safety exemption for VW Kombi as it goes out of production today [w/poll]

Brazil: the country of carnivals, indescribable beauty adjacent to abject poverty, Ayrton Senna and old Volkswagen models. Only they're not old - they're new, they're just based on old designs. The original Beetle continued production there long after it had been phased out elsewhere, but the original Kombi van has lasted much longer. That ends today, however, with the iconic VW Microbus ambling out of production on the last day of 2013.
VW kept making the van in Brazil with the original air-cooled 1.2-liter boxer four until 2005, after which the original design was updated with a 1.4-liter water-cooled engine. Today, however, it ultimately falls prey to safety regulations that mandate that all vehicles - no matter how old their design - need to have airbags and ABS, forcing Volkswagen do Brasil to cease production of the Microbus after a 56-year production run. But the latest word is that the Kombi (as it's presently known) could get a stay of execution - or at least a resurrection in short order.
According to reports, the Brazilian government is looking into granting the Type 2 Microbus an exemption from said safety regulations, reasoning that the van was designed long before the advent of airbags and ABS. If the measure goes through, the Kombi Last Edition (pictured above) could prove not to be the last at all. So what do you think, should the Microbus get an exemption from Brazilian safety regulations for nostalgia's sake? Vote in our poll below, then have your say in Comments.

Car and Driver 10Best list cracked by Tesla Model S, BMW 3 Series left off

Car and Driver is keeping new blood pumping into its annual 10Best cars list with three new entries making it on for 2015 and a perennial favorite falling off. Among the biggest shocks this year is that the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series are no longer named, despite years of some portion of that lineup earning a mention. In another surprise, the Tesla Model S (specifically in S 60 trim to fit under the $80,000 cost cap) makes it to the 2015 roster and is the only electrically motivated member of the group. Despite the loss of the 3 Series, BMW isn't entirely shut out this year, because the M235i gets its name on the list. Car and Driver argues that the little coupe feels like a welcome throwback to the E46 chassis M3 of the early 2000s. In addition to the Model S, the final newbie to the annual group is the 2015 Ford Mustang GT. The inclusion of these new members knocks the Audi A6/A7 family and Ford Fiesta ST out from the 2014 rundown. The other seven models carry over from last year, including the Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Honda Accord, Mazda3, Mazda6, Porsche Boxster/Cayman and Volkswagen Golf/GTI. The 2015 10Best cars list certainly seems to have something for everyone from the hot hatch fan to the family man and even the green car driver, thanks to the addition of the Tesla. Head over to Car and Driver to read its detailed explanations for each vehicle's inclusion, but if you've got a difference of opinion or just really like the list, let us know in Comments. Featured Gallery Car and Driver 2015 10Best Cars List View 10 Photos News Source: Car and DriverImage Credit: Car and Driver, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Porsche, Tesla, Volkswagen Auto News BMW Cadillac Chevrolet Ford Honda Mazda Porsche Tesla Volkswagen Convertible Coupe Hatchback Performance Sedan 10Best