2005 Audi A4 on 2040-cars

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VW execs didn't think diesel problem would be so serious

Volkswagen Group has admitted that former chairman Martin Winterkorn received two memos about the diesel scandal in 2014. Top execs ignored the problem because they didn't think it was a serious issue. VW disclosed these details to counter allegations in a German shareholder lawsuit that alleged the automaker violated the law by withholding the info from investors. A memo on May 23, 2014 first advised Winterkorn about emissions cheating. A memo on May 23, 2014, first advised Winterkorn about the study from the International Council on Clean Transportation, which identified the emissions cheating. According to VW, the document was part of the exec's weekend mail, and the company's investigation didn't discover whether Winterkorn actually read it. A rumor last month alleged this memo existed. Another memo for Winterkorn on November 14, 2014 was about several defects, including the diesel engines. The document estimated it would cost 20 million euros ($22 million US at current rates) to fix the problem. The chairman learned about the issue again on July 27, 2015, during a meeting on product issues. "Mr. Winterkorn asked for further clarification of the issue," according to VW's statement. Things got serious at the end of August 2015. Things got serious at the end of August 2015 when technicians explained the diesel issue to the legal department. VW came clean to the California Air Resources Board and the Environmental Protection Agency on September 3. A memo told Winterkorn the next day, which was also previously alleged. According to this investigation, management didn't believe the diesel problem would affect the stock price, and they estimated the cheating might cost at most a few hundred million dollars in fines. The execs were clearly wrong. The share price dropped after the scandal broke last September, and the problems have started to affect its divisions. According to Reuters, Audi reported it suffered 228 million euros ($249 million) in costs in 2015 from the emissions issue and repairing Takata's faulty airbag inflators. Volkswagen still doesn't know the exact costs of the scandal, but the automaker's law firm, Jones Day, plans to release a report in the second half of April to explain the whole affair. By that time, we might also know how VW plans to fix the problem because a judge recently gave the company until March 24 to outline a fix for the 2.0-liter TDI. CARB started evaluating a repair plan for the 3.0-liter TDI in early February.

Audi H-Tron Concept is a familiar face now with hydrogen power

Audi shows its green side at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show with the H-Tron Concept, a hydrogen-fueled version of the recent E-Tron Quattro concept. The new fuel-cell powertrain gives the futuristic crossover an estimated range of 372.8 miles on the European cycle, and the company claims that the solar panel that spans the roof could let drivers recoup 621 miles of range each year from the sun's rays. The H-Tron's powertrain benefits from both the fuel cell and a lithium-ion battery for an extra boost. The hydrogen system alone can produce 148 horsepower, and three tanks under the passenger compartment carry the fuel. The battery can also provide enough energy for an extra 134 hp for short periods. Its combined torque rating of 406 pound-feet is impressive. The Audi puts the power down through electric motors at the front and rear axle to allow for an electrified version of Quattro all-wheel drive, and the automaker claims the concept could accelerate to 62 miles per hour in less than 7 seconds. Other than the new coat of eye-catching yellow paint for Detroit, the H-Tron looks largely the same as the E-Tron Quattro, and both of them also ride on the Volkswagen Group's second-generation modular longitudinal platform. The most notable tweaks to the outside are the smoother hood and larger openings in the lower fascia of the latest concept. The two vehicles are also twins on the inside, and they both feature cabins with Audi's latest virtual cockpit with OLED screens. Zero emissions: the Audi h-tron quattro concept Audi h-tron quattro concept High range, swift refueling, sporty road performance: The Audi h-tron quattro concept car can boast all these virtues. It combines a highly efficient fuel cell achieving an output of up to 110 kW with a powerful battery that can provide a temporary boost of 100 kW. The car can be fully refueled with hydrogen in around four minutes, and is then ready to drive for up to 600 kilometers (372.8 mi). In another major step, Audi will go into production with its new technologies for piloted driving and parking in 2017 along with the next generation of the A8 luxury sedan. The technology study already provides a glimpse of things to come. The Audi h-tron quattro concept is another milestone along the path towards future mobility.

European RS6 Avant ad features diesel-hybrid R18 racecar

We'd be just as happy to casually walk back to an RS6 Avant as anybody, but Audi's commercial for its fastest ass-hauling wagon takes casual to another level. The RS6 isn't even seen until more than two-thirds of the way through the 46-second German commercial, but Audi seduces us long before that with the R18 E-tron Quattro diesel-hybrid endurance racer juxtaposed into scenes of everyday life. Since when can you be picked up at the airport or drive peacefully to a riverbed in a racecar?
The German automaker cashed in on childhood dreams its nearly flawless endurance-racing pedigree big time for the advertisement - and it works, even though we realize the RS6 drinks gasoline and isn't a hybrid. It does have Quattro four-wheel drive, however. But the commercial makes us want the beautifully pragmatic long-roof with 550 horsepower all the more, especially since Audi currently has no plans to bring it to the US. Please say it ain't so!
Even if the US doesn't get an RS6 Avant, we're happy to indulge in commercials like this. Be sure to watch it below.