Audi S5 4.2 Quattro on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Audi boss: no to minivan

Well done to you, Rupert Stadler. We salute you. The Audi exec went on record during an interview with Automotive News and basically shut the door on the idea of a Audi-badged minivan. When asked by AN, Stadler pointed to the high conquest rate enjoyed by crossovers and SUVs compared to minivans. On top of that, Stadler argued against vehicles like the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer by pointing out that customers tend to shy away from minivans because of the image they put forth. "Consumers are more likely to switch to an SUV and are more likely to pay a premium price because SUVs are considered more emotional," Stadler told AN. "We would rather be the emotional choice than the rational choice." It's not all good news, though. Stadler gave a resounding "no" to an A8 wagon, based on the Prologue Avant Concept, as well as a BMW 6 Series rival. Instead, Audi will focus on the upcoming Q8 SUV, which the exec said was "more likely to be a winner than a large coupe." The company is also hard at work on additional Sportback models, although Stadler didn't elaborate on which models could get the five-door treatment. Related Video:

VW will expand goodwill package to larger diesels

Volkswagen Group of America will expand its goodwill package to affected owners of the VW Touareg and other models with the 3.0 TDI. The company may also replace the catalytic converter on some cars equipped with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI engine to bring it into compliance with US emissions. VW Group of America boss Michael Horn told Reuters he plans announce the goodwill program's expansion to the 2009-2016 Touareg during the Detroit Auto Show, and company spokesperson Jeannine Ginivan also confirmed this to Autoblog. Audi intends to extend the offer to its affected owners, too. As with the previous goodwill package, participating customers would receive a $500 prepaid Visa card and $500 to use at dealers. The EPA issued a violation notice against the 3.0 TDI in November and later extended it to additional model years. Audi later admitted that the engine, which was also in the Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, had undisclosed emissions management software. However, the automaker limited the goodwill package only to the 2.0-liter powerplant while it investigated the allegations against the larger mill. VW has not announced a recall plan in the US for the 2.0 TDI so far, but VW Group CEO Matthias Muller recently outlined a possible solution that could fix about 430,000 of the 482,000 affected vehicles. "We have one [catalytic converter] in the works and we believe that will be a part of the technical solutions," he told Reuters. Muller plans to discuss the repair while in Washington D.C. on Wednesday to meet with the EPA. "I think we can now offer a package that will come very close to what the EPA is expecting from us," Muller said to Reuters. He also suggested the company might buy back some affected models but didn't confirm the recent rumor claiming that the buy-back may cover as many as 115,000 cars.

McLaren 650S Spider wrecked in multi-vehicle crash in LA

A multi-vehicle crash in Los Angeles left a $280,000- McLaren 650S Spider mangled and two hospitalized, reports KTLA5. The Los Angeles Police Department suspects street racing caused the incident. The crash occurred just outside of Hale Charter Academy in Woodlawn Hills on Tuesday night. According to eyewitness statements, the 650S Spider was traveling at a high rate of speed in a race against a black Dodge Charger or Challenger before colliding with an Audi (possibly an A6), leaving the Audi heavily damaged. The Dodge fled the scene before police arrived. Related Video: News Source: KTLA5Image Credit: News Top / YouTube Auto News Audi Dodge McLaren Coupe Supercars Sedan lapd mclaren 650s spider Los Angeles Police Department