1977 Volkswagen Super Beetle Karman Convertible 2-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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VW debuts Get Happy Super Bowl ad

Brace yourself for another tidal wave of Super Bowl commercials. Volkswagen has released its spot for this year's big game. Set to air during the second quarter, the Get Happy spot follows one jubilant office worker as he makes his way through the day, spreading joy wherever he goes. The source of his happiness? A Volkswagen Beetle, of course. Now, if you're wondering why a gaggle of white guys are running around on your screen with Jamaican accents, it will help to know the spot is part of a larger Get Happy campaign featuring Jimmy Cliff.
The first ad in the series featured the artist singing his rendition of "C'Mon, Get Happy," complete with a little help from some notorious unhappy YouTube stars. You can take a look at the new ad before it airs below, along with the complete press release for a little more background.

Car Club USA: CleanMPG Northwest Rally

Car Club USA heads to Los Angeles for the CleanMPG Northwest Rally, where a group of like-minded hypermiling enthusiasts led by Wayne Gerdes attempts to drive from Los Angeles, CA, to Bend, OR, on one tank of fuel. For this challenge, Wayne tapped some of the most accomplished hypermilers in the world, including Guinness World Record holder Bob Winger and Mike Sefton, "the most fuel efficient driver in all of Canada." It doesn't take long for the competition to get heated. "They're not aggressive enough, and it's not going to save them anything by being soft right now," says Gerdes as the group attempts to navigate the Interstate traffic. "Driving in Los Angeles is a hyper miler's nightmare," says Winger. The trip will challenge both car and driver, while putting the latest fuel-efficient tech to the test. Wayne is piloting the Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen TDI, Sefton drives the Audi A3 TDI, and Winger attempts the trek in a Honda Accord Hybrid. It's diesel versus hybrid tech on this fuel-efficient trip of a lifetime. Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog. Green Audi Honda Volkswagen Alternative Fuels Fuel Efficiency Green Culture Green Driving Driving Diesel Vehicles Hybrid Car Club USA Videos Original Video cleanmpg

A fix and buyback program for Audi V6 diesels may be on the way

While Volkswagen reached a settlement to buy back 2.0-liter diesel inline-fours with emissions defeat devices, the roughly 80,000 cars with 3.0-liter diesel V6s built by Audi have yet to be addressed. But a new report from Bloomberg indicates that a solution is near. The publication says that sources familiar with the situation say the company has a fix ready for the majority of the cars, and that the EPA and California Air Resources Board are ready to approve it. According to Bloomberg, this fix would involve a software update and would work for about 60,000 of the Audi A8, Q5, Q7, Porsche Cayenne, and VW Touareg models with the engine. The rest of the vehicles won't be fixable without major modification, so those would have to be purchased back from the owners. Bloomberg does point out that approval from the EPA and CARB are only one piece of the puzzle. The publication said that this deal has yet to be approved by owners of the cars and the Federal Trade Commission, both of which may demand that VW offer a buyback to all owners, even those whose cars can be fixed. The good news for owners of VW products with this engine, is that they should have some closure pretty soon. And owners that still like their diesel V6 can take solace that they might actually be able to get them fixed, as opposed to owners of the 2.0-liter diesels. VW offered buybacks to owners of all 475,000 cars with the turbo four-cylinders, or a fix when it's available. However, there have been no signs of an approved fix. Related Video: News Source: Bloomberg via Automotive NewsImage Credit: Sebastian Blanco Government/Legal Green Audi Porsche Volkswagen Diesel Vehicles vw diesel scandal audi diesel