Audi A6 Quarto 3.2l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Audi A3 Cabriolet leaked ahead of Frankfurt

Leaked images of the new Audi A3 Cabriolet have emerged ahead of the compact droptop's debut at next week's Frankfurt Motor Show. Audi has sold a convertible A3 in Europe since 2008, although that car has never made it to the US market. Still, with Audi already bringing an A3 and S3 sedan across the pond, there's hope for this small convertible to arrive here.
The looks of the A3 Cabrio aren't a huge departure from the A3 sedan, besides the obvious deletion of rear doors. We can't tell from the images shown, but considering Audi still hasn't brought a folding hardtop to market, we don't imagine it'll start with an entry level model like the A3. Expect a fast-folding canvas roof, much like the A5 Cabriolet.
From the leaked images, we can see TFSI and Quattro badges on this A3. It seems natural that the Cabrio will sport the same range of four-cylinder engines as the sedan - a 2.0-liter TDI, a 1.4-liter turbo and a 2.0-liter turbo. Of course, we'll have much more on the new A3 Cabrio when it makes its debut in Frankfurt.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla truck's close call, Tesla age discrimination suit

A semi with a trailer full of Teslas has a close call on the highway in this video. With a half-dozen electric vehicles in tow, the truck has to swerve onto the shoulder as a commuter bus nearly hits it after crossing multiple lanes. An example of human error, this near miss is the type of thing Tesla would like to prevent by advancing and widely deploying autonomous vehicle technology. Watch the heavy-duty mishap in the video above, and read more at Teslarati. A former Tesla engineer is suing the automaker for age discrimination. 69-year-old Thomas Flessner, who was fired from his Materials Engineer position in February, says he "was isolated due to his age and routinely chastised for completing projects slower than his coworkers." The suit claims younger engineers working at a similar pace were not subject to the same criticism. Flessner encountered further problems after taking time off for surgery, when a supervisor told him, "these guys are gunning for you." Read more from Fusion. Audi has placed orders with Ballard as part of Volkswagen Group's HyMotion fuel cell technology program. Audi has taken over responsibility for Volkswagen's program to develop its next-generation fuel cell stack. Ballard is providing engineering services to the automaker until at least March 2019. "Our HyMotion team of engineers and scientists are collaborating closely with Audi's experts and together we are on-track with respect to key technical and financial goals set for the current year," says Ballard VP of Technology and Product Development, Dr. Kevin Colbow. Read more at Yahoo Finance. Car2go has reached 2 million members worldwide. The world's largest car sharing service has 800,000 members in North America, 1.1 million in Europe, and 100,000 in Chongqing, China. Car2go claims 43 percent year-over-year growth, with a trip taken by a member every 1.5 seconds. "The rise of car sharing can be attributed to a changing paradigm of demographics, social preference shifts towards usage of vehicles instead of ownership, and technology that enables the seamless short term rental of vehicles," says Frost & Sullivan Principal Mobility Analyst Martyn Briggs. Read more from Car2go. Related Gallery Volkswagen Golf SportWagen and Passat HyMotion News Source: Teslarati, YouTube: Rumble Viral, Fusion, Yahoo Finance via Electrek Government/Legal Green Audi Tesla Volkswagen Alternative Fuels Transportation Alternatives Electric Hydrogen Cars Videos recharge wrapup

VW CEO talks up 20 new plug-in models in Frankfurt

For years now, Volkswagen has dreamed big, forming plans to become the world's largest automaker. That trajectory includes a big plug-in vehicle push, and the CEO of Volkswagen, Martin Winterkorn, said that his group of companies will bring out 20 more EVs and plug-in hybrids by 2020. The list includes the next Phaeton and the Audi A8. "No commitment to electro-mobility can be any clearer than that," Winterkorn said, according to a VW press release. "Our Group already has the largest connected vehicle fleet on the road. By 2020 we will have transformed all of our new cars into smartphones on wheels." Perhaps most illustrative, Winterkorn admitted that the auto industry has turned a corner. "Technological leadership is no longer solely defined in terms of horsepower and torque," he said. "We are taking the precision, enduring value and quality of our cars into the new, digital world." The VW group is also showing off new plug-in concepts in Frankfurt this week, like the Tiguan GTE and the Porsche Mission E. Winterkorn's prepared remarks do not give out the details of these vehicles, but we'll have all the info from the show floor in short order. Stay tuned. PROF. DR. MARTIN WINTERKORN: "THE REINVENTION OF VOLKSWAGEN" 14/09/15 from Volkswagen Group 20 more electric cars and plug-in hybrids by 2020 announced Group not only has broadest electric fleet, but also largest connected vehicle fleet on the road Customers should benefit from automated driving technologies as quickly as possible Volkswagen taking precision, enduring value and quality of its cars into the digital world Wolfsburg/Frankfurt am Main, September 14, 2015 – In the Volkswagen Group, there is a sense that a new era is dawning. On the eve of the 66th International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main the CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, said on Monday evening: "We are in the process of reinventing Europe's largest automaker, laying the technological, economic and structural foundations." The Group Chairman announced there would be 20 more electric cars and plug-in hybrids by 2020 – from compact cars to the next Phaeton and Audi A8: "No commitment to electro-mobility can be any clearer than that." He said the Group already had the broadest electric fleet in the automobile world, and added that Volkswagen was also at the forefront when it came to the future-oriented field of digitisation: "Our Group already has the largest connected vehicle fleet on the road.