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2016 Volkswagen Golf GTE First Drive [w/video]

For the past few years I've enjoyed a simple automotive tradition: When planning a European vacation, I request a relatively attainable loaner car that's unavailable in the States. These slices of can't-get-it-at-home automotive exotica have tended to be clean diesels, and experiencing them in their native habitat ahead of their US debuts often gives some form of four-wheeled revelation. For instance, before the mainstream emergence of clean diesels stateside, I racked up 1,500 miles on a then-brand-new 2008 Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI. The otherwise unassuming sedan enabled me to cannonball from the South of France to Barcelona on a single tank of fuel, while delivering satisfying torque around town and averaging 41 mpg. The following year, I bombed through the Italian Alps in a Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TDI, which eked a claimed 17 percent better fuel economy than its predecessor. Once again, I was in car guy heaven, returning home with nothing but praise for these efficient, entertaining diesels that seemed to defy conventional wisdom. And then came the Volkswagen scandal, single-handedly besmirching so-called clean diesels and everything they purported to represent. With a European pleasure trip around the corner (and a request for a press car pending with VW), I wondered what would be waiting for me curbside when I touched down at Aeroporto di Firenze-Peretola. The GTE packs what is essentially an Audi A3 E-Tron beneath its familiar skin. Enter The High Performance Hybrid Volkswagen, quite understandably, didn't want to arm a journalist with potentially damning commentary about the technology that has already inspired environmental outrage and the ousting of CEO Martin Winterkorn. For the automaker in peril (and the auto writer in waiting), I soon discovered that the 'clean' diesel elephant in the room would be supplanted with a vehicle that could single-handedly deflect controversy. My loaner? A still-can't-get-it-back-home alternative to diesel, the 2016 Volkswagen Golf GTE plug-in hybrid. First off, let me admit to some prejudicial bias against the GTE. Maybe it's my personal views on hybrids, tainted by the eco self-righteousness exuded by their drivers back home, and epitomized by teeming swarms of Prius drivers who couldn't give a single damn about driving. Or maybe it's the added weight and complexity of a hybrid drivetrain that runs counter to my petrol-loving soul.

Dealers, owners feel betrayed by VW scandal

Bob Rand bought his Volkswagen Passat last year for its clean emissions and high gas mileage. He liked the car so much he convinced his son and a friend to buy one, too. Now, as Volkswagen comes clean about rigging diesel emissions to pass US tests, Rand is desperately trying to sell the fully loaded model with white leather seats for $10,000 below what he paid. His sole bite has been from a man who offered $7,500 on speculation that he could resell it in Mexico. "Volkswagen was somebody that you could rely on for cutting-edge products and quality and all those things and now you find out that they're not above lying just flat out," said Rand, who plans to join a class-action lawsuit against VW. "That's probably about as bad a thing as a company can do is lie to your face when you're buying a $35,000 car." Rand's anger at the world's top-selling car company was echoed Wednesday by private dealers, auto wholesalers and owners across the US as fallout from the smog test trickery mounted. The US Environmental Protection Agency first disclosed Friday that stealth software makes VW's 2009-2015 model cars powered by 2.0-liter diesel engines run cleaner during emissions tests than in actual driving. On Wednesday, CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned and took responsibility for the "irregularities" found by US inspectors - a scandal that has wiped out billions in the company's market value and raised the possibility of criminal investigations and billions more in fines. The revelations left dealers sitting on hundreds of diesel cars they could not sell. Many also dealt with a flood of angry calls, emails and tweets from Volkswagen owners who felt betrayed because they believed they had bought a car that polluted less without sacrificing the good gas mileage and performance that comes with a diesel engine. "I think their feet should be held to the fire." - Joe DeCarolis "I think their feet should be held to the fire. I think apologies don't mean anything when something is so premeditated," said Joe DeCarolis, of Cary, NC, who owns a 2012 TDI Jetta Sport Wagon — a car he bought after careful comparison shopping for its clean emissions and good gas mileage. Dealers can't give customers good answers because Volkswagen hasn't said a whole lot, said AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson, the leader of the largest auto dealership chain in the US.

VW previews huge screens, gesture control with Golf R Touch Concept at CES

Volkswagen is showing off the future of infotainment and connected driving at CES 2015 with a fleet of concepts that highlight its latest technology. According to its displays, the coming years might mean gesture-based vehicle controls and electric cars that drive themselves to find their own charging locations. VW's biggest debut at CES is its next-gen infotainment system, dubbed MIB II. The setup supports a wide array of smartphone integration standards, including MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto, to make sure that practically every smartphone user can pair the device's interface with the vehicle. Beyond just keeping occupants entertained, MIB II offers a system called Regular Routes that detects traffic along the driver's regular commute to work and suggests alternatives. The Parking Guide also helps find parking spots that are likely open. If MIB II represents the near future of VW infotainment, then the technology on the Golf R Touch Concept is the next step from there. It takes the brand's hot hatch and adds support for gesture controls inside, plus a trio of massive infotainment screens. This R features a 12.8-inch central infotainment screen, an 8-inch screen below it for things like the climate control and switching media and a customizable 12.3-inch display that digitizes the instrument panel. A camera in front of the central display waits for the driver's hands to make specific movements that activate various vehicle functions. Despite all of the potentially distracting screens, VW says the system offers control without requiring a look away from the road. VW hopes the technology reduces driver distraction and creates a closer relationship with the car. Another of the German automaker's big tech showcases is an e-Golf that demonstrates the potential future of both electric and semi-autonomous driving. This version can be charged inductively, rather than through a traditional power cord, and the exterior lights show when the vehicle is fully recharged. It's also equipped with the e-Station Guide that helps drivers find a charging location and tells them about the payment options there. This e-Golf's other major innovation is VW's Trained Parking system. A camera at the front scans the route to a parking space, and if the driver returns later, then the process can be done semi-automatically.