2015 Audi Tts Quattro Awd 2.0t on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Audi prepping a flex-fuel A3 for Latin America

Volkswagen's Audi division hasn't fared well from its parent company's diesel-emissions scandal, especially in the US and Europe. In South America, though, Audi is set to unveil its first vehicle of the flex-fuel variety, according to Nseavoice. Perhaps the German automaker can earn some good karma down in the Southern Hemisphere. The model is the 2016 Audi A3, which is made in Audi's Brazil factory. The engine is a 1.4-liter variety, and it will be able to run on either conventional gasoline or ethanol, or a blend of both. The decision makes sense because ethanol is plentiful in Brazil since the government has long pushed for it and there's plenty of sugar-cane feedstock to produce the stuff. Audi can use all of the positive news it can get, especially in the wake of VW's diesel-emissions scandal. As many as 11 million VW and Audi diesels may have been fitted with software that cheats emissions-testing systems. One result from the scandal's proverbial shrapnel is that the Audi A3 TDI diesel was stripped of its 2010 Green Car of the Year Award by Green Car Journal. The decision marks the first time in the award's history that a winner was stripped of the honor. VW has a long history offering flex-fuel vehicles in Brazil. In 2003, the German automaker was the first to debut a flex-fuel engine, and within two years, VW's Brazil factories were making 300,000 flex-fuel vehicles annually. Other companies have since jumped into Brazil's flex-fuel fray, including Nissan and Honda.

New info on how VW, Porsche, Audi V6 TDI engine cheat works

The German newspaper Bild am Sonntag is reporting that US investigators have found three pieces of software that work in concert to turn off the emissions control equipment in certain diesel models after a set period of time. The engine in question, the 3.0-liter TDI turbodiesel, was found in certain Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7, and Porsche Cayenne models – the sale of which was suspended in the US late last year. Since most emissions compliance testing takes around 20 minutes, the software in the three VW Group models shuts off the emissions control equipment after 22 minutes, a straightforward end run around the testing. Remember that the 3.0-liter TDI engines aren't included in the big buyback and recall program announced for the smaller 2.0-liter, four-cylinder TDI engines. The 3.0-liter engines will likely get their own program, but we don't know when to expect it or exactly what it will look like. Last month, California rejected a proposed fix for the larger TDI engines, and VW went back to the drawing board. Since the company is unlikely to create two fixes, one for California and one for the rest of the nation, the company can't really proceed until they figure out a solution California will accept. The EPA hasn't officially commented on the report, and we don't know how Bild am Sonntag came across the information, but we'll be closely watching what emerges after this report. Related Video:

Next-gen Audi RS4 coming, might make it to America

Let us be frank: The second-generation Audi RS4 was one of the best, most exciting cars of the past decade. A four-door sedan with a 4.2-liter V8, all-wheel drive, and a six-speed manual transmission? What wasn't to like? While you can still get a taste of the B7 RS4's character with the current RS5, it isn't quite the same. That's why we're giddy about a new report from Car and Driver, which claims that not only is a new RS4 on the way, but that it could, maybe, possibly return to the United States. As previously reported, the fourth-generation RS4 will go back to a twin-turbocharged V6, after two generations of unassisted V8s under the hood. As per RS4 tradition, it will also be limited to a five-door Avant body style, because "that is what people expect from the RS4," Quattro GmbH boss Heinz Hollerweger told Car and Driver. An RS5 Sportback could also be in the offing, which might remain more true to the character of the first US-market RS4. The US question, though, remains an iffy one, largely because of the Avant shape. Audi has reduced the number of wagons it's offered in the US over the years, dropping the A4 and A6 Avant, although the former is sort of still offered in the form of the Allroad. But that position might be enough to keep the next-gen RS4 off our shores, although as the Quattro boss told CD the US market is changing and "there is more demand there [for wagons], so maybe that will change." Well, Herr Hollerweger, we're here to tell you that America loves wagons, and that you should put the next-gen RS4 on sale over here post haste. Danke.