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VW diesel scandal: South Korea could be next

To no one's surprise, there are constant new developments in the VW diesel scandal. We hit the main points in a number of posts recently, but there were other, smaller developments that we didn't put into their own post. Instead, we've collected them here. For our complete coverage of this issue, click here. There's a lot to digest, so here goes. To try and keep dealers happy, VW announced that it guarantee bonus payments to its US dealers this month worth $300 for every new car sold ($600 for each Passat). The automaker is also going to guarantee payments from the company's customer experience bonus program. A memo from VW's US chief Michael Horn said, "We understand the pressure these recent events have put your business under and we are committed to providing you support," according to Automotive News. You can see Horn speaking at an event Monday night above. There will be at least one more official investigation into just how widespread this issue. South Korea has now said it will look into the emissions numbers for around 4,000-5,000 cars there. The affected TDI engines can be found in two VW and one Audi models (Jetta, Golf and A3) in South Korea. In the US, there could be another investigation as well, since Senator John Thune, (R-SD), the chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, has asked the Federal Trade Commission to take a closer look. A scandal this big is not only going to affect VW. To get ahead of any possible criticism, Bosch has issued a statement saying that yes, it does make parts for the 2-liter, 4-cylinder TDI engine that is at the heart of the problem. But, in a statement emailed to Reuters, said, "We produce the components after specification of Volkswagen. The responsibility for application and integration of the components lies with Volkswagen." Looking ahead, VW said in a new statement (available below) that its new EU 6 diesel engines do, " comply with legal requirements and environmental standards." That means that, supposedly, there's no "defeat device" needed to make these engines clean enough to pass strict environmental regulations. That'll be important if VW wants to keep marketing diesel as a clean fuel. For now, the tide seems to be turning against the automaker. Volkswagen AG has issued the following information: Volkswagen is working at full speed to clarify irregularities concerning a particular software used in diesel engines.

2019 Hyundai Veloster N vs. hot hatch rivals: How they compare on paper

The highly anticipated top-rung of the Veloster line, the 2019 Hyundai Veloster N, is on the verge of hitting dealers. And the company has finally dropped all the specifications, and perhaps most importantly, the car's official pricing that starts at $27,785. So you know what that means: it's time to see how it stacks up to the competition. The Veloster N falls into an interesting niche in the hot hatch world. It's the most potent of its model line, but it's not as powerful as vehicles such as the Civic Type R, Focus RS and Golf R. But it also doesn't have the price of those cars. As such, we decided to compare it with other sub-$30,000 sport compacts. We examined each car's power, fuel economy, size and pricing. You can see all the vital statistics in the chart below, as well as additional photos and analysis after that. As always, specifications only tell so much, so be sure to check out our detailed reviews of these cars. Also be sure to check out our comparison tool if you want to compare these with other models. Engines, transmissions and performance Three of these cars are impressively close in output, and one is, well, not. The Veloster N Performance Pack is the clear horsepower champion with 275 ponies. Second place for power is almost tied, with the Focus ST's 252 horses edging out the standard Veloster N's 250. The Focus ST also boasts the most torque at 270 pound-feet. The GTI nearly matches both Velosters with its 258 pound-feet, but its 228 horsepower is far behind the Korean and American entries. The Civic Si lags far behind with just 205 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque from the only 1.5-liter engine here. The rest use 2.0-liter engines. 2019 Hyundai Veloster N View 47 Photos Every vehicle here sends its power to the front wheels, and three of the four do so exclusively with 6-speed manual transmissions. That means that if you don't want to work a clutch, your only option is the VW GTI. It offers a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, which, like all VW Group dual-clutch units, is really smooth and fast. While the Civic Si is at the back of the pack in terms of power, it does make up for it somewhat with excellent fuel economy. It's capable of hitting 38 mpg on the highway, and city mileage is rated at a solid 28 mpg. The Veloster N is at the back of the pack here, with its highway mileage the same as the Civic's city economy. Its city fuel economy is just 22 mpg.

Recharge Wrap-up: Eigg's renewable energy grid, Wulin City Car EV looks like i3

Scotland's Isle of Eigg's electrical grid relies solely on wind, hydro and solar power. It's the first grid of its kind after switching to renewable energy from noisy, unreliable diesel generators. Scotland's renewable resources are fodder for supporters of independence form the UK, and Eigg is a perfect example of that potential. Besides being a responsible community, it also seems like a lovely place to visit. Read more at Reuters. London Mayor Boris Johnson is calling for incentives for diesel vehicle scrapping. The goal is to improve London's air quality, encourage the purchase of clean vehicles and offset the inconvenience of charging diesel cars to enter the city's proposed Ultra Low Emissions Zone. Read more at Green Car Congress or in the press release below. BMW, Nissan, Renault and Volkswagen are teaming up to create a better EV charging infrastructure in the UK and Ireland. As part of the Trans-European Transport Network (T-ENT) program, the group aims to create extended EV-friendly roadways with the UK Rapid Charge Network, connecting major cities on the islands. Plans for the network include 70 rapid chargers along 684 miles of road. The four manufacturers also want to extend the project to mainland Europe to encourage the adoption of EVs. Read more at Hybrid Cars. Wuling is working on an EV, called City Car, which liberally takes visual cues from the BMW i3. The City Car EV concept is slated to make its debut in November at the Guangzhou Auto Show, while a production version could make its way onto Chinese roads next year. We might have to wait until the debut to know what powers the City Car, as those details haven't been released yet. General Motors is a 43-percent stakeholder in Wuling. Read and see more at Car News China. Taxi customers in New York will enjoy greater payment flexibility with the new interoperability between RideLinQ and Way2ride apps. Now customers will be able to use either app to pay in any of the city's 20,000 green and yellow taxis. There's no need for separate apps for separate cabs, and no need for drivers to install any new equipment. The groups behind the apps hope to expand this functionality to other cities across the country. Read more in the press release below.