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VW suspends sales in South Korea ahead of government meeting

Volkswagen and Audi have announced they will suspend sales of 79 different models in South Korea ahead of a meeting with the country's environmental ministry. VW will halt sales starting on July 25, the same day that its officials are to sit down with the South Korean environmental ministry, which will likely punish the German company. The Wall Street Journal reports that Korea's response to the situation will likely come in the form of an outright sales ban on Volkswagen products by revoking certifications on 79 different models based on 34 different vehicle types. Affected models include the VW Golf, Jetta, and Tiguan and the Audi A3 and A6, the WSJ reports. Essentially, it looks like VW is merely trying to get out ahead of the South Korean government. If the revocation goes through, it'd likely lead to fines and a relatively large recall of around 79,000 vehicles, the WSJ reports. Despite the dreary forecast, Volkswagen reaffirmed its commitment to the South Korean market. "This decision doesn't mean that Volkswagen is pulling out of Korea, which is a very important market to us," a Korean rep for the company said in a statement. "We'll reapply for certification of our cars if the government revokes it. The process may take several months." While Volkswagen's diesel emissions testing scandal is part of the problem, South Korea is taking a harder line than a lot of other countries. Authorities indicted a Volkswagen exec on charges of submitting falsified emissions documents and noise tests last week, while separately, Korea's trade watchdog is considering criminal charges against execs, according to the WSJ. Banning VW Group sales in South Korea isn't quite as dramatic as if the company stopped sales in China, the United States, or Germany, but it's still going to sting. VW Group products (including Bentley) represented around a third of European cars imported by South Korea last year. News Source: The Wall Street JournalImage Credit: Stefan Wermuth / Reuters Government/Legal Green Audi Volkswagen Emissions vw diesel scandal

Audi A5 DTM diesel sport coupe thumbs nose at scandal

While the diesel emissions scandal is damaging the reputation of the four-cylinder TDI engines, the torquey, fuel-efficient 3.0-liter TDI V6 at the heart of this latest special edition from Audi is so far unsullied. However that doesn't mean the 3.0 couldn't face investigation at some point in the future before the issue is settled. In the meantime, those outside of North America can look forward to the Audi A5 DTM edition's enticing features. The A5 DTM edition is powered by the same 3.0-liter V6 TDI that we can already get in the A6, A7, and A8 sedans as well as the Q5 and Q7 crossovers. Here, it produces 245 horsepower and 427 pound-feet of torque (in the US-spec A6, the engine is quoted as making 240 hp and 428 lb-ft). The A5 DTM channels its power to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. That's enough to propel it to 62 in a claimed 5.9 seconds and an electronically-governed top speed of 155 miles per hour. The sporty look is inspired by Ingolstadt's DTM touring car program. That includes a sportier front fascia, Misano red paint, gloss-black trim, 20-inch split-five-spoke alloys, and special badges inside and out. The interior packs the bucket seats from the RS5, Alcantara trim, stainless steel pedals, and more. Audi will only offer 50 examples, priced in Germany at ˆ74,540 – equivalent to about $85k at current exchange rates. Racing spirit – The Audi A5 DTM selection limited-edition model - Limited run going into production from October - 20-inch wheels, bucket seats and Misano red finish - Third DTM special edition from Audi Audi is taking the spirit of the DTM from the racetrack to the road – with the Audi A5 DTM selection* special edition. A powerful 3.0 TDI developing 180 kW (245 hp), 20-inch wheels, dynamic design and bucket seats reveal the two-door coupe's connections with the race version that has featured in the German Touring Car Masters (DTM). The Audi A5 DTM selection turns heads with its special racing design. The front lid, doors and rear window are emblazoned with dynamically designed DTM, quattro and Audi Sport logos. The Misano red paint finish contrasts with high-gloss black add-on parts on the front, sills and rear, giving added emphasis to the sports appeal of this limited-edition model. The front apron and the large air inlets with their rhombus-pattern grilles also contribute to its special looks. The cast aluminum wheels by Audi Sport embrace a five twin-spoke design in matt titanium look.

Car companies may need to start curbing model proliferation

Looking at the current automotive landscape, especially from German makers, you quickly get the impression that less definitely isn't more. BMW alone offers its 3 Series platform in practically every segment possible, including the regular sedan and 4 Series Gran Coupe, which would seem to be direct competitors. Porsche might be the winner, though, with 20 different variants of the 911 listed for sale on its US website. However, some of this model madness might be reaching an end as companies begin cutting back spending or shifting money to other priorities.
According to Yahoo Finance, the offerings from the German automakers are up 25 percent over the past three years to over 200 models in Europe. The peak is expected to come around 2018 at 230 separate vehicles, according to consulting company PwC.
Amazingly, BMW, which is among the poster children for this model explosion, might be changing its tune. "I'm sure there will be points in the future where we look at certain cars and say, 'Maybe we need to think differently now,'" said head of sales Ian Robertson in an interview, according to Yahoo Finance. The statement certainly sounds shocking coming from a company rumored to have 23 front-wheel-drive vehicles all using a single platform on the way.