2012 Porsche Cayenne on 2040-cars

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Automakers agree to clean up diesels to avoid ban in German cities

BERLIN -- Auto industry officials and politicians in Germany have agreed to clean up diesel vehicles through software updates as part of a rescue plan for avoiding diesel bans in cities, industry and government sources said on Friday. The costs of the rescue plan amount to under 2 billion ($2.33 billion) euros for cars in Germany, with the auto industry agreeing to shoulder the expense of about 100 euros per car, the sources said. After Volkswagen Group confessed to emissions-test cheating in 2015, the entire auto industry has come under scrutiny for producing nitrogen oxide emissions in diesel cars, which are blamed for causing respiratory disease. Audi, a division of Volkswagen Group, said it would update engine software on up to 850,000 diesel cars. The refit of six and eight cylinder engines will be free of charge for all customers, Audi said. The service will also be offered to Porsche- and Volkswagen- branded cars using the same six- and eight-cylinder engines, Audi said. Earlier this week, Porsche's CEO was quoted as saying the brand may abandon diesel engines as its electric cars go to market, and Mercedes announced a plan similar to Audi's, in which it will recall 3 million diesel cars in Germany for a $255 million engine software fix. Diesel cars from all domestic and foreign car brands that conform to the latest emissions standards, Euro-6 and Euro-5, will be updated, the sources said. The plan is set to be presented at the beginning of August. With the software updates, the auto industry is able to cut nitrogen oxide pollution by about 20 percent, the sources said. A committee will be set up to measure the impact of updating diesel cars on individual communities and cities, with a view to averting bans of diesel cars, the sources said. Auto industry executives and German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt are due to discuss diesel pollution at a summit on Aug. 2. Reporting by Arno SchuetzeRelated Video: Government/Legal Green Audi BMW Mercedes-Benz Porsche Volkswagen Diesel Vehicles dieselgate diesel emissions

Watch Jeff Zwart drive his Porsche GT3 Cup Turbo at Pikes Peak in 4K

There are always fantastic videos documenting the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, but 2015 is giving us an embarrassment of riches. After seeing clips from some of the record-breaking runs this year, possibly the very best is here somewhat belatedly after the rally. Watching master Porsche pilot Jeff Zwart wind his fire-breathing 911 GT3 Cup Turbo up the mountain was definitely worth the wait. Already no stranger to success at Pikes Peak, this year Zwart won the Time Attack 1 Class with a run of 9:46.243. To make the feat more exciting, his Porsche was outfitted with cameras to perfectly capture his entire race up the course. The external shots truly convey a sense of speed and show how the mountain goes from tree-lined at the bottom to rocky with patches of snow at the top. The film's sublime production shouldn't be too big of a surprise, though, because Will Roegge was director, editor, and among the camera operators for the video. In 2014, he put together a great, short documentary about Zwart's preparation for the mountain and the run, as well. This year was yet another success. At a breezy 4.5 minutes, this clip is definitely a must-see, and the entire thing looks and sounds fantastic no matter how your experience it. However, if you have the capability, the video is also available in 4K. Switching over to the high resolution really makes it possible to pick out all of the gorgeous details. Related Video:

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo returns in these spy shots

Way back in 2012, Porsche got enthusiasts all hot and bothered with the Panamera Sport Turismo at the Paris Motor Show. The concept imagined a hybrid wagon with a shapely rear end. Porsche said at the time production was "possible," but these spy shots indicate the vehicle is actually under development now. Take a close look through the gallery and you'll see that this test car sports some light camouflage at the back, but it does nothing to hide the new rump. Compared to the sedan, the longer roof looks to provide extra headroom for rear passengers, along with a few extra cubes of cargo space. The rear glass sits more upright, and a spoiler visually lengthens the five-door. The wagon's front end is identical to other recent spy shots of the future Panamera. We don't have any technical details about the wagon, but it would likely share powertrains with the sedan. The cabin layout would probably also be identical, including touch-capacitive controls to replace traditional buttons. A Panamera wagon makes sense in the Porsche range. The long-roof version would offer all of the sedan's performance but have a little more room. If a customer with a family doesn't want a Cayenne, this would be the obvious alternative, and the massive 911 range shows Porsche isn't afraid to build a bevy of model variants. If you think a Panamera station wagon seems odd, just remember people thought a Porsche SUV was weird, too. And, of course, that move turned into a huge success for the company. Related Video: