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Senators want civil, criminal actions against VW

With the Department of Justice just beginning its investigation into Volkswagen's emissions evading diesels, Senators Richard Blumenthal and Amy Klobuchar are pushing for the automaker to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law both civilly and criminally. In a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, they press the agency to make its scrutiny "thorough but expeditious." The politicians allege that VW misled people while pumping huge amounts of pollution into the air. The Senators believe that all the information about VW's actions needs to make it to the public eye, and the DOJ must have a strong response to the automaker breaking the law. "Officials at Volkswagen should be granted no get out of jail free card, and the Department should accept no plea agreement with Volkswagen that does not ensure any and all information regarding criminal acts by high level officials is provided to the Department," they write. Senator Blumenthal is no stranger for championing changes in the auto industry as of late. He was an advocate for the General Motors Ignition Switch Compensation Fund and pushed for a similar organization for Takata airbag victims. He has also been a staunch supporter for greater automotive cyber security. Blumenthal, Klobuchar: Department of Justice Should Take Strong Civil and Criminal Actions Against Volkswagen for Any Violations Monday, September 28, 2015 Condemns Volkswagen's actions that misled hundreds of thousands of consumers and resulted in tens of thousands of tons of additional pollution emissions Calls for thorough but expeditious investigation (Washingtion, DC) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) today urged the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to take strong civil and criminal actions against Volkswagen for any violations following the German carmaker's actions that misled hundreds of thousands of American consumers and resulted in tens of thousands of tons of additional pollution emissions. In a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, the senators called for a "thorough but expeditious" investigation. "Officials at Volkswagen should be granted no get out of jail free card, and the Department should accept no plea agreement with Volkswagen that does not ensure any and all information regarding criminal acts by high level officials is provided to the Department," wrote Blumenthal and Klobuchar. "The U.S.

VW brings back the bus, and Jeep might be on the block | Autoblog Podcast #524

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. We discuss the week's news including the introduction of the VW T-Roc, the confirmed production of the VW I.D. Buzz and the Hyundai Santa Cruz truck. We also cover the cars we've been driving, talk about whether the Woodward Dream Cruise is better than the Pebble Beach Concours, and we try to spend your money. The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want buying advice of your very own, send a message or a voice memo to podcast@autoblog.com. (If you record audio of a question with your phone and get it to us, you could hear your very own voice on the podcast. Neat, right?) And if you have other questions or comments, please send those too. Autoblog Podcast #524Get 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 Topics and stories we mention Rundown Volkswagen T-Roc reveal Volkswagen I.D. Buzz confirmed for production Chinese automaker interested in FCA and Jeep Ferrari celebrates 70th anniversary at Pebble Beach Hyundai Santa Cruz confirmed for production What we're driving Unpopular opinion Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes

2014 Volkswagen GTI to start a new hot hatch era in Geneva

The upcoming Geneva Motor Show is going to be stocked with important new production models and sexy concept cars, but hot hatch enthusiasts will undoubtedly see it as the coming out party of the MkVII Volkswagen GTI. And while we've only got European specifications and pricing to go on for now, we can tell from the get-go that the new GTI will be a proper heir to VW's hot hatch legacy.
This seventh-generation GTI is powered by a turbocharged, direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which makes 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque in base form. For the first time ever, Volkswagen is also offering a performance pack for the GTI as well, which ups the horsepower to 230 (torque remains unchanged). With a slightly lower curb weight to push around - the new base car weighs 2,978 pounds versus 3,034 for the current three-door GTI - 0-62 miles per hour is now achieved in 6.5 seconds, and top speed is 153 mph. (Cars with the performance pack offer 0-62 mph in 6.4 seconds, and a 155-mph top speed.) Buyers my choose between a six-speed manual transmission or an optional six-speed DSG unit.
Visually, the new GTI has obviously adopted the slant-nosed looks of the MkVII Golf, though with plenty of added drama. The exterior is dominated by the 17-inch "Brooklyn" wheels wearing 225-section rubber, and the aggressive front fascia gets black honeycombed inserts in the upper and lower grille sections. At launch, Volkswagen will offer the GTI in three colors: the Pure White seen here, Tornado Red and Black. Tartan patterned seats are of course still an option for the interior, while the GTI-specific steering wheel and shift knob are standard.