2006 Vw New Beetle Convertible on 2040-cars

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2016 Volkswagen Golf GTE First Drive [w/video]

For the past few years I've enjoyed a simple automotive tradition: When planning a European vacation, I request a relatively attainable loaner car that's unavailable in the States. These slices of can't-get-it-at-home automotive exotica have tended to be clean diesels, and experiencing them in their native habitat ahead of their US debuts often gives some form of four-wheeled revelation. For instance, before the mainstream emergence of clean diesels stateside, I racked up 1,500 miles on a then-brand-new 2008 Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI. The otherwise unassuming sedan enabled me to cannonball from the South of France to Barcelona on a single tank of fuel, while delivering satisfying torque around town and averaging 41 mpg. The following year, I bombed through the Italian Alps in a Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TDI, which eked a claimed 17 percent better fuel economy than its predecessor. Once again, I was in car guy heaven, returning home with nothing but praise for these efficient, entertaining diesels that seemed to defy conventional wisdom. And then came the Volkswagen scandal, single-handedly besmirching so-called clean diesels and everything they purported to represent. With a European pleasure trip around the corner (and a request for a press car pending with VW), I wondered what would be waiting for me curbside when I touched down at Aeroporto di Firenze-Peretola. The GTE packs what is essentially an Audi A3 E-Tron beneath its familiar skin. Enter The High Performance Hybrid Volkswagen, quite understandably, didn't want to arm a journalist with potentially damning commentary about the technology that has already inspired environmental outrage and the ousting of CEO Martin Winterkorn. For the automaker in peril (and the auto writer in waiting), I soon discovered that the 'clean' diesel elephant in the room would be supplanted with a vehicle that could single-handedly deflect controversy. My loaner? A still-can't-get-it-back-home alternative to diesel, the 2016 Volkswagen Golf GTE plug-in hybrid. First off, let me admit to some prejudicial bias against the GTE. Maybe it's my personal views on hybrids, tainted by the eco self-righteousness exuded by their drivers back home, and epitomized by teeming swarms of Prius drivers who couldn't give a single damn about driving. Or maybe it's the added weight and complexity of a hybrid drivetrain that runs counter to my petrol-loving soul.

VW Golf R, Ram Power Wagon and Subaru Forester | Autoblog Podcast #591

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Road Test Editor Reese Counts. After some talk about sponges and other randomly received oddities, this episode is all about the cars we've been driving, including the new Subaru Forester, VW Golf R (which is going on hiatus), BMW M340i xDrive and Ram Power Wagon. Then, they take to the mailbag to help a listener pick a sporty new car in the "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #591 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 Rundown Sponges, really? 2019 Subaru Forester Sport 2019 Volkswagen Golf R 2020 BMW M340i xDrive 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:  

Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and Audi announce Takata recalls

Daimler, Volkswagen, and Audi will recall nearly 1.7 million total vehicles in the US to replace their Takata airbag inflators. The Japanese parts supplier and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced in late January that several automakers would need to fix around five million more vehicles, and the various companies have been releasing the details since then. Daimler has a recall for 841,000 vehicles in the US, including 705,000 from Mercedes-Benz and 136,000 from the company's van division. Reuters reports the affected models consist of 2005-2014 examples of the SLK-Class, C-Class, E-Class, M-Class, GL-Class, R-Class, and SLS-Class. The vans comprise the 2007-2014 models of the Dodge, Freightliner, and Mercedes Sprinter. Autoblog reached out to Mercedes USA to confirm these details, and we're awaiting a reply. Daimler expects the repair campaign to cost 340 million euros ($382 million at current rates). The company will book the costs as part of its financial year 2015 results, and net profit for that year will fall to 8.7 billion euros ($9.8 billion). Volkswagen's recall covers 680,000 vehicles in the US to replace their driver side airbags. The affected models have Takata's SDI and PSDI-5 inflators, which could rupture in an crash, but the automaker isn't aware of any explosions for these parts in its products. This campaign includes: 2006-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon (German Production) 2012-2014 Eos 2010-2014 Golf 2010-2014 Jetta SportWagen 2012-2014 Passat (U.S. Production) 2009-2014 CC There are also 170,000 Audi vehicles with the SDI and PSDI-5 inflators in the US, but there are no reports of the parts rupturing in the company's models. The affected products are: 2005-2013 A3 2006-2009 A4 Cabrio 2009-2012 Q5 2010-2011 A5 Cabrio VW and Audi are still working to identify the specific VINs for these vehicles. Afterwards, they will notify affected owners. Ford, Mazda, and Honda already announced details for their new round of Takata repairs. VW and Audi also recalled a small number of Tiguans and Q5s to replace their side airbag inflators from the Japanese company. NHTSA still expects BMW and Saab to detail expanded safety campaigns.