Rare Automatic Stick Transmission on 2040-cars

Auto blog

VW Diesel Scandal Wrap-up: Time for bullet points

Here we go again. If you were not pegged to your RSS reader yesterday, scoping out all of the VW diesel scandal news, here's a brief rundown of what happened: Just how much extra pollution did VW's little problem cause in the US? New estimates suggest it's as bad as having an additional 19 million cars on the road, or "12,000 additional tons of nitrogen oxide pollutants per year." NOx can create smog and acid rain. The diesel scandal is also reshaping some online ads. Sponsored content in WIRED that talked about clean diesel has been taken down. The advertisement was a partnership between Volkswagen and the Wired Brand Lab and claimed to have, "created an experience that will inform, educate, surprise, and change the way you think about diesel." Canada says it might start up its own governmental investigation and that "enforcement action will be taken," if the automaker is found to have broken the law. The German government says it did not know about VW's subterfuge until recently, and is going to start a fact-finding process this week. It turns out that the first hints of this scandal were discovered by independent researchers in 2012 and 2013. Whatever happened, Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said that it's hard to hide something like this. Following CEO Martin Winterkorn's departure yesterday, speculation is running rampant to see who will replace him. Automotive News says it should be current Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller. Don't feel too bad for Winterkorn, though, as he's still likely to get his $32 million pension, Bloomberg says. Oh, and this isn't even the first time VW has tried to cheat the EPA. It's a problem in the auto industry. We'll see how many bullet points we have tomorrow. Government/Legal Green Volkswagen Emissions Diesel Vehicles vw diesel scandal martin winterkorn matthias mueller pension

VW will reportedly offer cash to cheated diesel car drivers

If you're feeling burned by Volkswagen's decision to cheat on diesel emissions tests, you might get some compensation for your troubles. Sources for The Truth About Cars understand that VW will launch a "TDI Goodwill Program" that compensates diesel car drivers with cash in the form of prepaid cards. In the US, you'd get both a $500 universal card as well as a VW-only card worth $500 to $750. The automaker isn't confirming details just yet, but it tells the New York Times that it's planning an announcement on Monday. Dealers also tell the newspaper that they're aware of a program in the works, although they don't know the specifics. It may not include the expanded range of cars reportedly tainted by the scandal, though, since VW is denying claims that it cheated with some models. This isn't the only olive branch VW has been offering: it's been handing out deals to existing owners willing to hop into new vehicles, and there are more discounts than usual across the board. However, the goodwill effort would represent the first instance of VW directly compensating drivers who'd previously thought they were getting an eco-friendly machine. This isn't going to make up for years of unnecessary pollution, but it may represent the company's best hope of holding on to customers. This article by Jon Fingas originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. ?> News Source: The Truth About Cars via The New York TimesImage Credit: Ralf Hirschberger/dpa via AP Earnings/Financials Green Audi Porsche Volkswagen Hatchback Wagon Diesel Vehicles Sedan vw diesel scandal compensation

Volkswagen Golf GTD Variant burns the oil long and fast

Volkswagen offers no shortage of variations on the Golf theme in America, from the base hatchback and the electric e-Golf to the sporty GTI and performance-oriented Golf R. But as many as are available Stateside, there are even more that never make it here. Like the one you see above. It's called the Volkswagen Golf GTD Variant. It's based on what we'd know as the new Golf SportWagen, which is just arriving in the US now, but this one packs the performance upgrades from the Golf GTD. Isn't that a typo? Don't we mean GTI? No, we don't: we mean GTD. Because in Europe, you can get what is essentially a GTI with a diesel, complete with all (or at least most) of the gear you'd find in the petrol hot hatch, only with a 2.0-liter turbodiesel inline-four packing 181 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. That may not sound like all that much as far as performance models go, but it's more than we'll be able to get from either the gasoline or diesel versions of the Golf SportWagen back in the States. And that makes us a little jealous, especially with room for the kids, the dog and all their gear in the back. World premiere of the new Golf GTD Variant - The perfect all-round package: sporty, economical, comfortable and spacious - Launch set for Geneva Motor Show Since 1982 Volkswagen's GTD logo has stood for Gran Turismo Diesel, with its promise of sporty yet economical motoring. Now for the first time, the GTD initials grace the Golf Variant, which like the Golf GTD, boasts the 184 PS (135 kW) TDI engine. The new Golf GTD Variant is set for its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, and is available to order as of now at a price of 31,975 euros. The Golf GTD Variant* is excellently placed to establish itself as an iconic long-distance cruiser. The 184 PS TDI engine takes the Golf GTD Variant to 100 km/h in just 7.9 seconds with the 2-litre unit delivering a maximum torque of 380 Nm – and yet this sporty Variant car boasts impressive fuel consumption figures of only 4.4 litres per 100 km. The car's sporty character is reflected in its exterior design: along with special GTD bumpers and the honeycomb radiator grille, the Golf GTD Variant also features smoked rear lights and flared sills. The look is completed by 17-inch Curitiba alloys, black roof rails and dual chrome tailpipes.