2005 Audi A4 Quattro Base Sedan 4-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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2015 Audi A3 Cabriolet

When my 758-mile journey on the A3 TDI Challenge came to an end in Boulevard, CA, Audi had a very nice consolation prize waiting for me: the 2015 A3 Cabriolet you see here. And with miles left to drive before reaching my hotel in Coronado (just outside of San Diego), what better way to celebrate my personal victory of achieving nearly 60 miles per gallon in the TDI than to run the rest of the route in couple of turbocharged A3 droptops? After all, the efficiency part of my drive was done, so it was time to have some fun. The A3 Cabriolet comes to market just as the sun sets on another four-seat convertible from the Volkswagen Group stable: the Eos. That car, often criticized as being too expensive, is technically replaced by the Beetle Convertible as far as VW-badged products go. But for those who still prefer something a bit more upmarket, the A3 Cabriolet will fill the void nicely, and with more style and grace than the Eos ever had. Driving Notes The A3 Cabriolet arrives with a choice of engines. On the base end lives a 1.8-liter turbo-four with 170 horsepower, 200 pound-feet of torque and front-wheel drive, or you can pony up for the 2.0T with 220 hp, 258 lb-ft and standard Quattro all-wheel drive. Regardless of engine, the only transmission available in the A3 Cab is Audi's six-speed S-tronic dual-clutch unit. This is a fine cog-swapper, with quick shifts regardless of chosen powertrain, and steering wheel-mounted paddles that offer plenty of fun from behind the wheel. That said, I found it best to just leave the transmission alone, no matter the engine. The paddles are entertaining, sure, but slick the gear selector into Sport and the A3 will instinctively hold gears through turns and always have you right in the heart of the powerband. The 1.8T's 170 hp and 200 lb-ft are more than adequate for duty in the 3,373-pound A3 Cabriolet. I was never bothered by a lack of power, especially with the engine on boil with the transmission in its sport setting. Hitting 60 miles per hour takes 7.4 seconds, en route to an electronically limited top end of 130 miles per hour. If speed is your thing, though, the 2.0T certainly delivers quite a punch. That same 0-60 sprint takes just 5.9 seconds with the more potent powerplant, and you can really feel the stronger rush of power right off the line, even with the quicker A3's 210-pound weight penalty.

South Korea to file criminal charges against VW exec

South Korea has tossed out Volkswagen's recall plans and is preparing to level criminal charges over its handling of the diesel emissions catastrophe, The Wall Street Journal reports. "Recall plans the company submitted to us earlier this month were insufficient and lacked key information, and thus are unacceptable," the South Korean Ministry of Environment said in a statement obtained by the WSJ. A ministry official hinted at the possibility of criminal charges earlier this month if VW's recall plan wasn't satisfactory, the Yonhap News Agency reports, and now it looks like it will actually follow through. According to the WSJ, South Korea has already ordered VW to recall 125,000 vehicles and slapped the automaker with a $12.3 million fine – one of the many countries to do so – but if it follows through with criminal charges against the company or its employees, it'd be among the earliest to so. Other countries, including the United States, are still exploring the possibility of criminal charges. Charges would likely come against both Audi Volkswagen Korea and its managing director, Johannes Thammer. It's not clear what the actual charge would be, but the WSJ claims Thammer could be facing up to five years in prison and a fine of 30 million won (around $24,700 at today's rates). For its part, VW officials in South Korea maintains that it is "doing its utmost to resolve the emissions issue" and that it plans to "offer further explanation" to authorities regarding its proposal for an emissions and fuel mileage fix in that country.

Nissan Truck-a-Palooza | Autoblog Podcast #483

Episode #483 of the Autoblog Podcast is here. This week, Dan Roth, Alex Kierstein, and Michael Austin talk about the jam-packed Autoblog Garage, Alex Kierstein's time with several new Nissan trucks including the 2017 Armada, and we wrap it up trying to spend your money. Check it out! Check out the rundown with times for topics, and thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #483 The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics 2017 Nissan Armada In The Autoblog Garage 2016 Audi R8 V10 Plus 2016 Jaguar XJR 2016 Jaguar XE Diesel 2016 Jaguar F-Pace 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Premier 2016 Kia Sedona SXL 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage GT Hosts: Dan Roth, Michael Austin, Alex Kierstein Rundown Intro & Garage - 00:00 Nissan Trucks - 19:39 Q&A - 29:38 Total Duration: 40:19 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Podcasts Audi Jaguar Mitsubishi Nissan