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Audi, Porsche ensnared in new Volkswagen cheating allegations

The scope of the Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal that has enveloped the global automaker for the past six weeks widened Monday. Now, some of the automaker's premium brands are further ensnared in the mess. Officials with the Environmental Protection Agency issued a second notice of violations Monday, accusing Volkswagen of violating the Clean Air Act by using defeat devices that circumvent emissions testing on diesel versions of certain vehicles equipped with 3.0-liter engines. Roughly 10,000 vehicles in the United States contain the illegal software, the EPA alleges. That's a far smaller number than the 482,000 vehicles affected by the first instances of cheating, which Volkswagen confessed to in September. But this latest violation alleges the cheating occurred broadly through the Volkswagen empire and includes vehicles from the Porsche and Audi brands. Audi had one model, the A3, involved in the first round of announced violations. But the brand, which has enjoyed skyrocketing sales in the US in recent years, is more extensively involved in violations announced Monday. The 2016 Audi A6 Quattro, A7 Quattro, A8, A8L and Q5 are among the cars which contain the illegal software, which permits the cars to emit nitrogen oxide at up to nine times the allowable thresholds set in the Clean Air Act, according to the EPA. The 2015 Porsche Cayenne and '14 Volkswagen Toureg SUV are also affected. "There is clear evidence of additional violations and it's important to put Volkswagen on notice and to inform the public." - Janet McCabe. "Audi, which has been on a roll in terms of sales, reputation and image of late, now is being drawn deeper into the quagmire," said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst for Autotrader. "Previously, only the low-volume A3 was under scrutiny, but now Audi's core models are under fire." Audi officials did not respond to a request for comment Monday. In a written statement issued late Monday afternoon, a Porsche spokesperson said, "We are surprised to learn this information. Until this notice, all our information was that the Porsche Cayenne Diesel is fully compliant." Porsche said it would cooperate with authorities.

Porsche Cayman, Boxster caught in GTS trim

A few months ago, we reported on some leaked information from an internal presentation for upcoming Porsche models. This included details about the Macan and the 911 Targa, which we now know to be true, but there was also talk about GTS versions of the Cayman and Boxster.
Well, it appears we're now getting our first look at these GTS models, as our spy photographers have just snapped a pair of Porsche prototypes out testing - one Cayman and one Boxster.
Right off the bat, we can see that both GTS-branded cars will get a slightly tweaked exterior with new fascias (bringing LED daytime running lights to the Cayman) and air diffusers at the rear. The true gem of these cars will be the added horsepower to the tune of 340 horsepower - a 15-hp bump. A manual transmission will likely be standard, as will Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).

Porsche 918 Spyder roars electric through London

The Porsche 918 Spyder can be an object of lust for anyone who appreciates the finer things in the automotive world, but for us greenies with penchant for speed, the car is an icon. This gorgeous, all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid offers 887 horsepower and 940 pound-feet of torque, can do 0-60 in just 2.5 seconds and is capable of 214 miles per hour. It lapped the Nurburgring in a record 6:57. Still, it is capable of near-silent, relaxed cruising through one of Europe's busiest cities. In a new video from Porsche, chief driving instructor Gordon Robertson takes the 918 to London and does just that. While driving in E-Power mode, he describes some of the things that make the car special, as well as how the technology has developed through the 911 GT3 R Hybrid and the 919 LMP1 car to eventually be passed onto the Panamera S E-Hybrid. If you're interested, you can learn more about the car in our own drive review, here. It's great to see, for the first time, the 918 Spyder driving alongside London's black cabs and double-decker buses. The rubbernecking from pedestrians is noticeable and completely understandable. I'm sure we'd all love to see this car come silently sneaking down our own city streets, but until Porsche makes that happen, you'll just have to enjoy the video below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.