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VW to pay $1B in settlement with US government over V6 diesels

Volkswagen and the US government have come to a settlement for the civil claims against the automaker's 3.0-liter, diesel V6s. Over 83,000 V6 TDI-powered models are currently prowling US roads in violation of emissions laws. The settlement allows VW to recall over 75 percent of its cheating V6 diesels – about 63,000 units – and bring them into compliance. These represent newer VW Touaregs, Audi A6, A7, A8, Q5, and Q7s, and Porsche Cayennes built between 2013 and 2016. According to the company, the recall will bring these so-called Generation Two engines up to emissions specs, provided the EPA and CARB okay the modifications. Should the regulators say no to VW's tweaks, the company will buy back or terminate leases with the affected owners. For older V6 TDIs built between 2009 and 2012, Volkswagen will do broadly the same thing, only in reverse. It will lead with buy backs of older Touaregs and Q7s – the only vehicles the company sold with the earlier engines – but could offer fixes if EPA/CARB give the okay. As part of its agreement over the emissions-cheating V6s, Volkswagen will contribute $225 million to the "environmental remediation trust" it established as part of its settlement over cheating 2.0-liter TDIs. VW is also on the hook for $25 million with CARB, bringing the total for the six-cylinder part of its emissions cheating scandal to around $1 billion, Automotive News reports. This initial agreement still needs approval from US District Court Judge Charles Breyer. Related Video:

Audi rumored to leave top-tier endurance racing after 2017

Volkswagen's ongoing diesel scandal is turning out to be an expensive problem for the German automaker. With a recent settlement expected to cost the company up to $14.7 billion, the company is scrambling to find ways to save cash. In light of this, Audi could be pulling out of the highest class of endurance racing, which it has dominated for years. A report from Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, indicates that Audi has already finalized the automaker's departure from the World Endurance Championship's top-tier LMP1 class after the 2017 season. Another report by Autocar cites an unnamed insider to corroborate the LMP1 exit rumors. The report fingers the VW Group's ongoing diesel scandal's financial fallout as the main culprit for Audi bowing out of LMP1. The move to could also be due to the group's decision to move away from diesel technology. Audi's LMP1 car, the R18, utilizes a V6 turbo-diesel engine. The Porsche 919 Hybrid, on the other hand, uses 2.0-liter turbocharged V4 engine that runs on gasoline. Audi has won the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans 13 times since 1999, making Audi an unstoppable force in endurance racing. Porsche, Audi's corporate sibling, reentered endurance racing with a LMP1 competitor of its own in 2014 and won the constructor's championship last year. Audi's decision to leave LMP1 could give Porsche a shot at creating its own Le Mans-winning dynasty. Autocar reports that Audi is expected to continue fielding cars in other WEC classes, like GT3 and GT4, and perhaps the brand will even enter Formula E. We reached out to Audi for some clarification on the matter and a spokesperson stated that the rumors were "pure speculation at this point." Related Video: News Source: Auto Motor und Sport, AutocarImage Credit: Audi Motorsports Rumormill Audi Porsche Volkswagen Diesel Vehicles Hybrid Racing Vehicles vw diesel scandal rumor world endurance championship wec porsche 919 hybrid

Volkswagen bringing production GTI Clubsport to Frankfurt

"No plans for the car to be sold here." It's probably good I read that part of the email from Volkswagen before I looked at the photos and read the release for the car you see above. It's the production-spec GTI Clubsport. It's coming to the Frankfurt Motor Show. It's awesome. And I want one. I know, I'm kind of a GTI fanboy, but really, there's a lot to like here. The special-edition hot hatch is essentially a road-going version of the concept Volkswagen brought to Worthersee this year, complete with a more powerful engine. It produces 261 horsepower – a healthy increase over the 210 hp of the base GTI (or 220 if the car is fitted with the performance pack) – and can even crank out 286 hp for short bursts, thanks to an overboost function. Hitting 62 miles per hour takes six seconds flat with the six-speed manual gearbox, and that time is reduced to 5.9 seconds should you opt for the six-speed dual-clutch automatic. Even with these upgrades, VW says the GTI Clubsport will still return nearly 34 miles per gallon with the manual transmission. Volkswagen doesn't specifically mention any chassis upgrades, however. In its press release, VW simply says that the GTI Clubsport "has groundbreaking handling properties at high speeds and breathtaking cornering speeds." Cool. I'm sure it'll be a riot. A lot of the exterior is new: the front bumper, side sills, rear diffuser, roof spoiler, and aluminum wheels are all unique to the Clubsport. Buyers can choose between 18- or 19-inch rollers, the tailpipes are larger than those on a standard GTI, and the LED lights out back have a black/red, dark finish. Inside, the Clubsport comes with racing buckets covered in tartan fabric (of course) and there's Alcantara everywhere. Fellow GTI fans, get excited about this one – even if it's just another delicious piece of forbidden fruit. Still, I can't wait to see it live in Frankfurt next week. Related Video: VOLKSWAGEN TO UNVEIL MORE POWERFUL GTI CLUBSPORT AT THE FRANKFURT INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW New anniversary model celebrates the GTI's 40th birthday - 265 PS special edition accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 5.9 seconds - An overboost function increases power to more than 290 PS for a short time - Expressive exterior design features new front bumper, side skirts, rear diffusor and multi-part roof spoiler Wolfsburg, September 9, 2015 – At the beginning of 2016, the iconic sporty compact—the Golf GTI— celebrates its 40th birthday.