2003 Volkswagen Passat Glx Wagon 4-door 2.8l on 2040-cars

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Peugeot will prove it doesn't offer cheater diesels

Our diesels are clean, really. That's the message from French automaker PSA/Peugeot-Citroen as it plans to go on the offensive in response to Volkswagen's diesel-emissions scandal. PSA will go out of its way to prove its diesels are as clean as advertised. The company is looking at disclosing "real-world" fuel-economy statistics as soon as next spring and will use an independent entity to vet the numbers, Automotive News Europe says, citing comments that PSA/Peugeot-Citroen financial chief Jean-Baptiste de Chatillon made to reporters this week. Such efforts may be vital, since roughly two-thirds of the vehicles Peugeot-Citroen sells in Europe are powered by a diesel engine. Last month, VW admitted that as many as 11 million of its diesel-powered vehicles were programmed with software designed to cheat emissions-testing systems. The news shook up the industry, especially companies that sell a good chunk of diesels. The EU itself may start instituting "real world" fuel-economy and emissions testing as soon as 2017. French regulators have said they may eliminate diesel-fuel subsidies that currently make diesel fuel cheaper to customers than gas. That adjustment may occur as soon as next year, since it's been pushed up in response to the VW scandal. Peugeot-Citron continues to reiterate that it has never installed software that was designed to cheat emissions-testing systems. Additionally, the automaker was more than a decade ahead of European Union mandates for engine components designed to cut soot emissions, so the company is hoping its track record makes a difference. It wants to be perfectly clear about that. News Source: Automotive News Europe-sub.req.Image Credit: Cletus Awreetus/Flickr Green Volkswagen Citroen Peugeot Diesel Vehicles vw diesel scandal France psa peugeot citroen

VW Jetta GLI, Peugeot 505 are MotorWeek's 1986 Euro sport sedan alternatives

Video reviews have become a mainstay of automotive journalism, but long before every publication turned on its video cameras and started uploading to YouTube, there was one program that was blazing the trail. That, of course, was MotorWeek, the television car program produced by Maryland Public Television and hosted by the inimitable John Davis. The program first aired back in 1981, and after more than three decades in the business, it's got a considerable archive of old episodes to unearth. In this latest gem recovered from the MotorWeek back catalog, the program pitted two European sports sedans against each other: a Volkswagen Jetta GLI and a Peugeot 505 Turbo. That's right: back in the 1980s, Peugeot was still competing in the US marketplace. The forced-induction 505 may not have been enough to keep the French automaker in American showrooms, but it was enough to stand up against the VW. Which one won MotorWeek's favor? You'll just have to watch the six-minute clip to find out. News Source: MotorWeek via YouTube Volkswagen Peugeot Economy Cars Performance Videos Sedan vw jetta gli

VW reveals updated 2016 Jetta GLI [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Volkswagen has updated its press release regarding the EA888 four-cylinder engine. Originally, it was described as the same engine as the GTI. This is not strictly the case, though. While both the GTI and GLI use the EA888 engine, the GLI's engine does not get variable valve lift. Our story has been edited to reflect this. The Volkswagen GTI's slightly more mature and conservative fraternal twin, the Jetta GLI, is getting updated for 2016 in a big way. Chief among the changes is the GLI's new engine. It's an EA888 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder, like the engine we've so thoroughly enjoyed in Autoblog's long-term GTI, although it does without variable valve lift, according to Volkswagen. It's still rated at 210 horsepower, though. Volkswagen also made some minor visual tweaks, including 18-inch "Mallory" wheels, a new front fascia, and a rear bumper that includes a diffuser and two chromed exhaust tips. There's also a new standard safety feature being offered for 2016 in the form of the Automatic Post-Collision Braking system. This is not, as we initially thought, a collision mitigation braking system, though. Basically, it only kicks in after the airbag sensors detect a crash, at which point APCB clamps down on the brakes in a bid to minimize the severity of the accident. Check out VW's full press release on the 2016 Jetta GLI, and the head up top for a look at the visual changes for this year. VOLKSWAGEN REVEALS THE 2016 JETTA GLI Jun 10, 2015 The performance version of Volkswagen's best-selling car offers new features and a sporty new look for the 2016 model year Herndon, VA — Today, Volkswagen of America unveiled the 2016 Jetta GLI, the sedan equivalent of the Golf GTI. Equipped with a specially tuned sport suspension and the same 210-horsepower, 2.0-literTSI® turbocharged and direct-injection EA888 four-cylinder engine as the Golf GTI, the GLI offers a compelling blend of value, performance and practicality. For 2016, the GLI gets a bold new look highlighted by an aggressive front fascia that incorporates a honeycomb grille and foglights, along with a new rear bumper design that has a diffuser and a pair of chrome-tipped exhausts. All 2016 Jetta GLI models have 18-inch Mallory design aluminum-alloy wheels, shod with standard all-season tires or optional summer performance tires. Inside, 2016 GLI models benefit from the new MIB 2 infotainment system that incorporates the full suite of USB and Car-Net connectivity.