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Volkswagen caught testing hotter Golf R 400

We're getting closer, folks. Last we heard, Volkswagen gave its super-hot Golf R 400 the green light for production. And before that, we were told that if the car got the go-ahead, it would be offered in the United States. So here we are, with a fresh set of spy shots showing what we believe to be the R 400 out testing. Here's one dream that might just be coming true. The prototype seen here sports bigger brakes, different wheels, very low-profile tires, a front lip spoiler, and a wing around back – that last bit looks to be borrowed from the GTI Clubsport. It's not nearly as outrageous-looking as the original R 400 concept, but that's okay with us. Volkswagen's production hot hatches have always been pretty subtle. We love a good sleeper. Under the hood, expect a turbocharged powertrain tuned up to over 400 horsepower. It'll be mated to a dual-clutch transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive – two parts of the current Golf R package that work very, very well. There's no telling exactly when we'll see the production Golf R 400, assuming it's actually, really, finally happening. All we can do now is wait. And salivate.

Fast Porsches and gold BMWs | Autoblog Podcast #548

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Reese Counts and Contributing Editor James Riswick. The trio discuss driving the BMW X2, the Porsche 911 GT3, the Volkswagen GTI and Autoblog's new long-term Kia Stinger GT as well as a new engine for the Ford F-150. They also reflect on FCA and Ferrari head Sergio Marchionne and what his passing means for the future of those two companies. Autoblog Podcast #548 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 Cars we've been driving: 2018 Porsche 911 GT3, Volkswagen GTI, BMW X2 and Kia Stinger GT Sergio Marchionne Ford F-150 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Earnings/Financials Podcasts BMW Ferrari Fiat Kia Porsche Volkswagen Coupe Crossover Luxury Performance porsche 911 gt3 bmw x2

VW suspends sales in South Korea ahead of government meeting

Volkswagen and Audi have announced they will suspend sales of 79 different models in South Korea ahead of a meeting with the country's environmental ministry. VW will halt sales starting on July 25, the same day that its officials are to sit down with the South Korean environmental ministry, which will likely punish the German company. The Wall Street Journal reports that Korea's response to the situation will likely come in the form of an outright sales ban on Volkswagen products by revoking certifications on 79 different models based on 34 different vehicle types. Affected models include the VW Golf, Jetta, and Tiguan and the Audi A3 and A6, the WSJ reports. Essentially, it looks like VW is merely trying to get out ahead of the South Korean government. If the revocation goes through, it'd likely lead to fines and a relatively large recall of around 79,000 vehicles, the WSJ reports. Despite the dreary forecast, Volkswagen reaffirmed its commitment to the South Korean market. "This decision doesn't mean that Volkswagen is pulling out of Korea, which is a very important market to us," a Korean rep for the company said in a statement. "We'll reapply for certification of our cars if the government revokes it. The process may take several months." While Volkswagen's diesel emissions testing scandal is part of the problem, South Korea is taking a harder line than a lot of other countries. Authorities indicted a Volkswagen exec on charges of submitting falsified emissions documents and noise tests last week, while separately, Korea's trade watchdog is considering criminal charges against execs, according to the WSJ. Banning VW Group sales in South Korea isn't quite as dramatic as if the company stopped sales in China, the United States, or Germany, but it's still going to sting. VW Group products (including Bentley) represented around a third of European cars imported by South Korea last year. News Source: The Wall Street JournalImage Credit: Stefan Wermuth / Reuters Government/Legal Green Audi Volkswagen Emissions vw diesel scandal