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VW pits Foust against Winslow in epic sound-effects battle

Tanner, we feel your pain. You are, by all accounts, an excellent driver. You've won races, starred in television shows, and generally proven yourself a nice all-around guy. And then Volkswagen shows up and asks you to be as childish as possible for a couple laughs on video as you make pretend driving sounds for the German brand's latest ad campaign. How demeaning. And then, to top it all off, they bring Michael Winslow, the king of noise-making merriment, to one-up you. How could they? Just kidding. Really, the videos you see above and below are pretty clever, highlighting the same 18th letter of the alphabet that is affixed to the Golf R, a car we're deeply in lust with. And, to be honest, Tanner's goofy driving sounds are just as good as Mr. Winslow's. See for yourself. And if you feel like acting out your own inner child on VW's behalf, feel free to click here. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. NEW VOLKSWAGEN 'UNLEASH YOUR RRRR' CAMPAIGN ALLOWS USERS TO DRIVE A VIRTUAL GOLF R WITH SOUND OF VOICE Deep learning, an artificial intelligence subset of machine learning, analyzes each unique vocal pitch to create customized film of Golf R driving in sync with the sound of the user's voice Herndon, VA (July 13, 2015) — Volkswagen of America, Inc., is excited to unveil the Unleash Your Rrrr site that allows Volkswagen fans to drive a virtual Golf R using only the sound of voice. The web app utilizes deep learning, an artificial intelligence subset of machine learning, developed by VW's agency of record Deutsch LA, to analyze each user's unique impression of the Golf R engine's roar. It then generates a customized video of the 292-hp turbocharged Golf R model roaring through a race track, drifting, braking, among other cool stunts that correspond with the user's voice recording. "The idea behind the Golf R 'Unleash Your Rrrr' was simple – imagination. As children, we've all played with toy cars, and the power of our imaginations allowed us to turn rugs into expressways and wooden floors into slick racetracks. Our voice would act as the engine. Fast forward to today where we now have the power of technology to enhance our imagination, and to visualize the power of our voice." said Vinay Shahani, Vice President of Marketing for Volkswagen of America.

Angry diesel owners joining lawsuits against Volkswagen [w/video]

Livid at the prospect of losing thousands of dollars from the value of their cars and performance from their diesel engines, many owners of Volkswagens are headed to court. A law firm with a track record of suing automakers has already filed three class-action lawsuits against the German automaker related to its emissions-cheating scandal and says a fourth one is on the way. The lawsuits, filed by national firm Hagens Berman, accuse Volkswagen Group of America of fraudulent concealment, false advertising, and violations of federal and state laws. Plaintiffs in all 50 states have joined the class-action suits, according to the firm. A spokesperson says there has been "an unprecedented response" since the first lawsuit was filed within hours of an announcement from federal regulators last Friday. The lawsuits accuse Volkswagen Group of America of fraudulent concealment, false advertising, and violations of federal and state laws. Diesel owners paid thousands more for their vehicles instead of their gasoline-powered counterparts because Volkswagen's diesel engines ostensibly offered both torque and fuel economy. Now affected car owners are faced with a double-whammy – the value of their cars has diminished with the news and the purported software fix that brings the cars in emissions compliance will likely lower their performance and gas mileage. "Hundreds of thousands of consumers put their trust in VW when they looked to its 'Clean Diesel' line for an efficient, environmentally conscious diesel option," said Steve Berman, managing partner. "But for years, VW cheated the system. Its TDI line of fast but 'good-for-the-environment' cars seemed too good to be true, and they were." In its latest court filing, Hagens Berman lawyers said that car owners believed their vehicles were in compliance with Environmental Protection Agency standards and that the cars would retain their operating characteristics throughout their useful lives. Another firm, Girard Gibbs, has also filed a lawsuit over the diesel deception. "These Volkswagen vehicles should never have been sold, and certainly should not have spent the past six years on American roads polluting our air," said Eric Gibbs, the lead attorney. "Not only does this kind of fraud harm consumers and the environment, it negatively impacts competition, which is what drives our free-market system.

Leonardo DiCaprio buys rights to VW emissions scandal story

The smoke – proverbial or otherwise – has yet to clear from the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal. But already they're negotiating over the book and even the movie rights to tell the story of the biggest debacle in the company's post-war history. The news revolves around Jack Ewing (no relation), European economics correspondent for the International New York Times. Ewing is preparing to write a book about the VW scandal. He's already sold the publishing rights to the as-yet untitled project to publishing house WW Norton & Company for a reported six-figure sum. Now movie producers are stepping in to buy the film rights to turn that book into a movie once it's finished. Paramount Pictures and Leonardo DiCaprio's production Appian Way have reportedly already acquired the movie rights. It remains unclear at this point, however, whether DiCaprio might act in the film as well as help produce it. His studio Appian Way produced several films in which Leo has starred in recent years, including The Aviator, Shutter Island, and The Wolf of Wall Street – but has also produced many movies without him. Of course, this isn't the first time DiCaprio has appeared on these pages. A longtime proponent of clean transportation, he was among the first Hollywood celebrities to drive a Prius, inspired the creation of the Fisker Karma, and partnered with Venturi to launch a Formula E electric racing team. It'd take some magic transformation to make DiCaprio look like Martin Winterkorn, or really any of the senior executives at Volkswagen. But whatever his involvement, we think The Wolf of Wolfsburg has a nice ring to it. Then again, so does Rolling Coal. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Victoria Will/Invision/AP Celebrities Green TV/Movies Volkswagen Videos vw diesel scandal