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Audi's CEO might not have known of VW emissions scheme

There's been no shortage of finger-pointing when it comes to finding people to blame for the Volkswagen diesel-emissions scandal that broke last September. One rather powerful executive, however, appears to have escaped blame. That would be Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, whose company sold about 85,000 diesel vehicles with emissions-cheating software, Reuters says, citing people familiar with the process. US law firm Jones Day questioned executives at both VW and its Audi unit and has found no evidence that Stadler was complicit with the plan, which involved programming Volkswagen-made diesel engines to produce artificially low emissions when the vehicle was being smog-tested. In Audi's case, the engine type in question was the 3.0-liter V6 diesel. Officials with both VW and its Audi unit declined to comment, according to Reuters. That engine was used for the Audi A6, A7, A8, Q5, and Q7 since the 2009 model year, in addition to the VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne. Audi also sold the VW Group 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the A3 from 2010 to 2013 and 2015. VW has reached an agreement with US regulators concerning that engine, which is also not connected to Stadler. Last month, German newspaper Bild am Sonntag published specifics on how the 3.0-liter diesel cheated the emissions-testing process, including records that the motor was programmed to shut of its emissions-control equipment after 22 minutes of running, or about two minutes longer than typical emissions-compliance testing. Audi said last November that it would work on a software update for the V6's emissions-control system that would be submitted to both the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but the VW unit hasn't reached any settlement with US regulators implying that a solution was agreed upon. Volkswagen's settlement with the EPA will cost Europe's largest automaker as much as $15 billion in the form of buybacks, lease buyouts, vehicle repairs, and investments in zero-emissions technology. VW sold about a half-million vehicles in the US that contained the so-called "cheat" software. Related Video: News Source: Reuters Government/Legal Green Audi Volkswagen Diesel Vehicles vw diesel scandal scandal Rupert Stadler

Five cylinders, no waiting | 2018 Audi TT RS First Drive

A five-cylinder engine is an odd duck in the modern automotive world, so why put it under the hood of a sophisticated sports car like the 2018 Audi TT RS? We're posing this question to an engineer when a loud, guttural sound interrupts the conversation. A TT RS blasts by, growling and percolating as it shoots down the front straight of the historic Circuito del Jarama in Spain. Oh, that's why. The RS treatment brings the sound and the fury to the TT, transforming a cute, sporty little car into a sports car with mettle. With 400 horsepower channeled to all four wheels, a stiffer suspension, and styling flourishes like organic LED taillights, the RS makes for a big-time upgrade over the 292-hp TT S and the mild-mannered 220-hp TT. Who wants a four-cylinder, anyway? We're considering the five-pot's potential as we mash the throttle and explode onto Jarama, an old Formula 1 course that still looks ready to host top-level racing. There's a couple of long straights and lots of curves and elevation changes. Sure, it's a bit trite to praise a sports car after a few laps in a controlled setting, but the TT RS has legit performance chops. The engine sounds just as good inside the car as it does to spectators, and it's more satisfying since we're the ones provoking the five cylinders to anger as we approach triple-digit speed. It's all real, too. There's no pumped-in sound or fake flatulent exhaust. "It's the unadulterated sound of the engine – we didn't change it," says Philipp Ade, Audi technical project manager for powertrain. Speaking trackside through an interpreter, he admits the exhaust system adds resonance but also filters out other noises to produce a clean engine note. Trust us, you'll want to tune in. The five-cylinder is not a glorified sound check. It's a new engine developed for Audi's smaller performance cars, though the TT RS is the only one confirmed for the United States. The 2.5-liter mill uses aluminum for its block and crankcase and magnesium for the oil sump. This all results in a 57-pound weight loss compared with the old five-cylinder, which was last sold in the US market in the previous-generation TT RS for the 2012-13 model years. That car was brought to the states after a Facebook campaign. This time there was no doubt Americans have an appetite for the hottest TT. A non-enthusiast will wonder: why the fuss over a five-cylinder engine? To Audi and its band of loyal followers, it's a defining element of performance.

Audi partners with AT&T for 4G LTE, will offer Mobile Share data plan

Audi has made a big splash at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, joining the Open Automotive Alliance with Google, Honda, Hyundai, General Motors and NVIDIA, debuting a next-generation cockpit that's destined for the third-generation Audi TT and promising to offer laser headlights in a production car. But much like Apple during the Steve Jobs days, it has "just one more thing."
The German luxury brand has announced that it will, like Chevrolet, be teaming with AT&T to offer 4G LTE connectivity in its vehicles. The first model to benefit will be the 2015 Audi A3.
"With the introduction of the new A3 family Audi is putting the most advanced technology into the compact luxury segment," said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America in a press release. "Offering drivers a 4G LTE connection will provide the fastest in-vehicle connection available and significantly enhance the infotainment experience."