Volkswagen

Porsche is already at work on more variants for the Panamera. Motor Trend has learned from a source that work has begun on a model that will sit above the high-performance Turbo model. Using the Biturbo V8 from the Panamera Turbo, the source explained that Porsche would use various components from the 918 hybrid to produce somewhere in the range of 700 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque. There will also be the standard Panamera Hybrid, most likely using a supercharged V6. No word on when we could see either model. Source: Motor Trend View full article

http://www.autoblog.com/2016/11/01/v...hip-next-year/ Dieselgate has its costs.

Audi seems to be impressed with the BMW X6 that they are working on their own competitor. Volkswagen Group design chief Walter de’ Silva told Automotive News Europe that the company has signed off on Audi’s X6 rival, dubbed the Q6 by the media. “We will definitely launch a sportier crossover in between the Q7 and Q5,” de’ Silva said. De' Silva also said that Audi is still deciding whether to add a smaller SUV, likely named the Q4, to fit between the Q5 and Q3. The Q4 would compete with the upcoming BMW X4, which was confirmed by BMW’s CEO Norbert Reithofer, to come out in 2014. Source: Automotive News Europe (Subscription Required) View full article

This morning at Volkswagen's headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, executives admitted there were parts of the company "tolerated breaches of rules" and would be 'relentless' in finding those involved in the diesel emission scandal. Volkswagen Chairman Hans Dieter Pötsch told reporters at the press conference that investigations into the affair were going well, but it would take time for the investigation to figure out which individuals were the key players. Poestch also reiterated that a small group of individuals were involved in the cheating. The key question is how did the cheating happen in the first place? Poetsch explained there were three key reasons, “Min…

G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com The late wife of the driver that killed Actor Paul Walker claims her husband was killed by a faulty designed auto that had suspension problems and that the car was only going 55mph when it had failed before the crash. Msn Movie news is reporting, full story here: http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=866888&ocid=ansent11

There is finally some good news for owners of the 80,000 vehicles equipped with Volkswagen's 3.0L TDI V6. Today in U.S. Federal Court in San Fransisco, District Court Judge Charles Breyer announced that Volkswagen and the U.S. Government have a reached an agreement on the 3.0L TDI settlement. The AFP in a tweet reports the settlement will total $1 billion. The agreement will see Volkswagen buying back 20.000 models as they cannot be retrofitted with new parts to make them legal. The remaining 60,000 models will be fixed once Volkswagen and U.S. Government agree on one. No matter which option, there will be compensation, although how much is unknown at this time. …

VWVortex- Golf VI to be.. GOLF in the U.S.! I for one am glad for this. I always feel embarrassed when I tell others that I drive a Rabbit.

Next year will see the introduction of the next-generation Porsche Boxster and Cayman. The new models will also boast new names; the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman. You might be wondering what the deal is with 718. Porsche didn't just pull this number out of hat. 718 is referencing the 1959 718 racecar with a mid-mounted, four-cylinder engine. When the new Boxster and Cayman are introduced, they will also have a mid-mounted, four-cylinder. But unlike the 718 racecar, the Boxster and Cayman's four-cylinder will be turbocharged. Porsche says the two models "will share more similarities than ever before," both visually and mechanically. Also, the next-generation Boxster …

In addition to $14.7 billion settlement reached with the U.S. Government, Volkswagen will pay an additional $86 million in civil penalties to California over the diesel emission scandal. "We must conserve and protect our environment for future generations and deliver swift and certain consequences to those who break the law and pollute our air," said California's Attorney General Kamala Harris in a statement. Harris explained the civil penalties resolved certain claims made by state officials against Volkswagen dealing with the state's unfair competition law, along with certain violations of federal law. The majority of $86 million will go to the Attorney Gen…

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com March 23, 2012 Is there such a thing as too many crossovers? Not to Audi. They currently sell the Q3, Q5, and Q7, and there is a forth coming along. A spy photographer caught a Q5 mule undergoing some winter testing and many believe what lies underneath the body is the new Q6. You might be wondering how they reached that conclusion and its simple. The pictures show this Q5 a little longer and wider than the production Q5. The Q6 will be Audi’s competitor to the BMW X6 (don’t even ask why). Expect a coupe like shape and lowered stance. The engine range will include four-cylinder and V6 turbocharged engines in both di…

G. David Felt - Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.cheersandgears.com VW EV Pikes Peak Racer Tease for 2018 VW attempt to put their Diesel gate behind them was shown today in their press announcement of their return to Pikes Peak racing to set a new world EV auto record on June 24th 2018 in Colorado. This 12.4 mile long drive climbs 4,700 feet to the summit at just over 14,000 feet above sea level. The current record for VW to beat was set last year by Rhys Millen in an EV Prototype at 8 min and 57.118 seconds. VW News Release

At last month's court hearing where Volkswagen announced a deal had been reached with the U.S. Government on the 2.0L TDI engine, we learned the two were still in negotiations over the 3.0L TDI V6. Now it seems that issue is coming to a close. Bloomberg has learned from sources that Volkswagen and U.S. Government are ironing out technical details and reviewing test results of a possible software fix for the engine. It is said that a new catalytic converter could be part of this as well. Sources go on to say a that the timing of a final agreement depends on a broader settlement of the diesel emission scandal. The 3.0L TDI is primarily used in a number of Audi produ…

According to spy shooter Hans Lehmann, the snapper who provided us with these unorthodox spy shots, this morbid hunk of a test car is actually an Audi RS8. We’ll leave the brief telling of this sob story to Hans: “With just hours to go on the last test day, the worst thing happened to the Audi test team. Just coming into the part Brünnchen at the Nürburgring, this million euro expensive Audi RS8 prototype caught fire and burned up totally. There is not much left of this super fast super car with a V10 engine. The only thing revealing that it was the RS8 are the wheels and the mid-engine layout… (Click through to the jump for more details and shots of this tragedy) …The…

Audi is in the process introducing the next-generation V8 that will be used in their models, along with Bentley and Porsche. We've already gotten a glimpse of the diesel version that powers the SQ7 and before too long, we might see the gas version. But Autocar reports that this V8 could be Audi's last. A source tells the British publication that the German automaker is moving a fair amount of their investments over to electric and hybrid vehicle development. This change would likely mean there isn't enough money to develop another V8 engine in the future. “By 2025, the plan of Audi management is to have between 25% and 35% of Audi’s output as battery-electric vehi…

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 17, 2012 For the past couple of years, the future of the Volkswagen Phaeton was in question. Some said the Phaeton would disappear within a few years, while others said a redesign is in the cards. Now, a decision has been made on the Phaeton’s future. Motor Trend reports that Volkswagen is very interested in keeping the Phaeton alive. "There will be a show car first, then we will build it," a Volkswagen source tells Motor Trend, "The car will be their legacy." Who’s legacy? Most likely the source is talking about Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn and product development head Ulrich Hackenberg. The two have b…

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/20/la-2008...ar-of-the-year/ This gives me hope that people are looking at cars other than the Prius, and that there is real hope for the Volt when it comes out. Chris/66

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 26, 2012 Audi has given their midsize crossover, the Q5, a mid-cycle refresh. Not that you actually can tell on the outside or the inside. Both got subtle styling changes and updates. The big news on the Q5 refresh is what lies under the hood. The only engine sticking around is the base 2.0T with 225 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque. Everything else is all new. Replacing the 3.2L V6 is Audi's supercharged 3.0T (don't ask why they didn't use an S instead of a T) producing 272 HP and 295 lb-ft of torque. Also, coming is a 3.0L diesel churning out 245 hp and a eye-watering 428 lb-ft of torque and a Hybrid model that pai…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 13, 2012 Just as Porsche is getting ready to begin selling the new Cayenne Diesel here in the states, they announce a more powerful diesel version called the Cayenne S Diesel. The Cayenne S Diesel uses a turbocharged 4.2L V8 with direct injection that produces 382 HP and 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) of torque. Porsche says the V8 diesel is their most powerful diesel engine ever. Its easy to see why when the Cayenne S Diesel posts a 0-60 MPH time of 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 157 MPH. The diesel V8 also has a stop-start system which helps the Cayenne S Diesel fuel economy of 8.3 liters per 100 km on the European cycl…

Some interesting news came out of Chicago concerning Volkswagen. First up, Autoblog reports that the next-generation Passat will be coming out next year. Volkswagen's North American CEO Hinrich Woebcken revealed this during a roundtable with journalists at the show. Not many details are known about the Passat. It is hinted that it could grow in size and feature styling similar to the new Jetta. One detail that is certain is that Passat will continue to be built at Volkswagen's Chattanooga, TN plant. Volkswagen's first electric model for the U.S., the I.D. Crozz is expected to launch in 2020. According to Car and Driver, the Crozz will come in two body styles - t…

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 1, 2013 At the Los Angeles Auto Show last November, Audi announced they would be offering four models with the option of a diesel engine. The first of those four, the 2014 Audi A8L TDI will be the first to arrive in the U.S. in the spring and have a base price of $83,395 (includes $895 for destination). The A8L TDI comes with a 3.0L TDI V6, producing 240 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Audi's quattro all-wheel drive is standard. Even with the extra weight of TDI being in the long-wheel base model only, Audi says the A8L TDI can reach 60 in 6.4 seconds and gets 24 city/36 highway/28 combined MPG. Sou…

Volkswagen has shown three different I.D. concepts - I.D. hatchback, I.D. Buzz, and the I.D. Crozz. We know that Volkswagen is working on making the hatchback production ready by 2020 and the Buzz has been given the green light. What about the Crozz? According to a report from Autoblog, the Crozz will follow the hatchback in production - arriving in either late 2020 or 2021 - and will be the first I.D. model to arrive on our shores. The I.D. Crozz which made its debut earlier this year at the Shanghai Motor Show is Volkswagen's vision of an electric crossover. Using Volkswagen's MEB platform, the I.D. Crozz produces 302 horsepower from two electric motors. On-demand …

start here http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti.../FREE/809029985 so much nicer than the dodge.

I guess these are official photos from my understanding. So enjoy, its going to be one helluva car! http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?...E/70402007/1059

If you're planning on picking up a 2019 Volkswagen Passat, then you might be disappointed by the limited amount on configurations on offer. The Car Connection reports that Volkswagen will be cutting down the 2019 Passat lineup to just two models - the Wolfsburg Edition and SE R-Line. Wolfsburg Edition: 17-inch alloy wheels, push-button start, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring as standard. A sunroof and 18-inch wheels are optional. SE R-Line: LED lighting, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, lane keep assist, navigation, and Fender audio system. Along with the drop in trims, the 280 horsepower V6 will be going away in 2019. This …

In light of the announcement made by the EPA on Friday about certain Volkswagen vehicles equipped with the diesel engine violating emission standards, the German automaker has been at work on damage control. The Detroit News reported on Saturday that the company had pulled all of their ads and videos promoting the diesel engines on their YouTube page and asked dealers to put a stop-sale on Beetle, Jetta, and Passat models equipped with TDI engines. No word on how many vehicles are affected by this. Yesterday, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn issued a statement apologizing for violating emission standards in the U.S. and said the company would launch an internal invest…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 22, 2012 Porsche's new Macan crossover will be using the platform from the Audi Q5 and Porsche is saying the Macan will not be a Q5 in Porsche clothing. “Everything has been modified. Engines, transmissions, suspension — it’s all new. Audi can’t believe what we’ve done,” said Porsche’s R&D chief, Wolfgang Hatz. Hatz went onto say that the Macan will be the first Porsche in a long time to have a four-cylinder. “Not from the beginning, but in the medium to longterm, for sure,” he said. Source: Autocar William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected]…

Last summer, Skoda CEO Bernhard Maier said a decision on whether or not the brand would come to the U.S. would be made sometime next year. But it seems that decision has been put on the back burner. Autocar reports that Skoda is taking the lead on developing a new low-cost vehicle for emerging markets. Earlier this year, Volkswagen had entered a partnership with Indian automaker Tata Motors to do the same. However, this would be dissolved as cost targets were not met. “We will need more time to work on the US plans now. The Group has asked us to lead development of a platform with a strong focus on India and to investigate building that business sustainably and …

This car is serious, sporty, functional, buttoned-down, non-trendy and all-around a cool little gem: New Polo!

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/06/its-off...cirocco-to-u-s/ but at least we got the eos and tiguan we do have 2 different passats tho, tis gud, ya?

November 28, 2005 First Drive: 2007 Bugatti Veyron Review and photos by Michael La Fave Canadian Driver For 47 years, Bugatti built race, touring and luxury cars that were, and still are, thought by many to be the finest automobiles of their time. Ettore Bugatti's company went bankrupt in 1956 less than a decade after his death, but not before producing almost 8000 automobiles – some with impressive race provenance. Almost 35 years later, the company re-surfaced under Romano Artioli, a wealthy Italian car distributor who had acquired the rights to Bugatti's famous name, and the hallowed marque set out once again to build the most amazing cars in the world. …

http://www6.autonet.ca/Spotlight/Concepts/...22/4198973.html

Volkswagen has announced pricing and various details on the upcoming 2017 Golf Alltrack this week. The Golf Alltrack differs from the Golf SportWagen with 0.6-inch higher ride height, underbody guard for the front bumper, a larger gas tank (14.5-gallon for Alltrack vs. 13.2-gallon for Golf SportWagen), and 4Motion AWD as standard. Power comes from a turbocharged 1.8L four-cylinder with 170 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy is rated at 22 City/30 Highway. Pricing begins at $26,670 for the Golf Alltrack S with the manual and $27,770 for the DSG (prices include an $820 destination charge). The S gets leatherette seats, heated front seats, cruise …

If you're wondering when Volkswagen will resume sales of diesel vehicles in the U.S., you're going to have to wait a bit longer. Automotive News has learned that the German automaker hasn't applied for the necessary EPA approvals to start selling diesel vehicles in the U.S. "They need to address our concerns" before sales can resume, an EPA official said. Those concerns most likely relate to Volkswagen coming up with a fix that meets the standards of the EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB). As we have reported previously, Volkswagen might not be able to fully fix some of the TDI vehicles. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full…

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2016/09/volkswagen-axes-two-door-golf-gti-report/ Sad but true....

Greencar is reporting that VW submitted to EPA and CARB their repair for the 2.0 TDi engines which is pretty much expected to be a software flash. Their story also implies that it is easier in Europe to fix all diesels than here in the US. US Politicians here are stating that due to the need for what is expected to have to be a Urea fix, changes to grill and other hardware components, that VW should be forced to buy back the half a million TDi auto's at fair market price before the news came out and crush them. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100974_volkswagen-proposes-2-0-liter-diesel-fixes-as-crisis-continues The story is a 3 page story with details abo…

Surprise: VW Phaeton to return to U.S. market Volkswagen intends to reintroduce its Phaeton luxury sedan to the U.S. market, according to VW of America spokesman Andreas Meurer. Mr. Meurer made the announcement during an interview with Bloomberg. Adrian Hallmark, the company's Executive Vice President, said VW expects its U.S. operations to break even in 2009. He said sales in 2007 would be flat, while the company focuses on preparing new models for 2008 and 2009. Volkswagen pulled the Phaeton from the U.S. market in late 2005 due to poor sales. It's unclear when the Phaeton will return to America. Meurer said it would be reintroduced when the next version goes on sale…

Do you remember the Volkswagen Kübelwagen? You might know it better as the Thing sold in 1970s. Volkswagen could be bringing it back as an electric vehicle. Speaking with Car and Driver, Volkswagen brand boss Herbert Diess said the upcoming MEB (Modular Electrification Toolkit) architecture might be the perfect platform to bring back some of the company's iconic vehicles like the Thing. “MEB is flexible—rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive—and we have so many emotional concepts. I don’t know if you remember the Kübelwagen. This Thing is a nice car. Then there are all the buggies, the kit cars. We have the bus. We have the various derivatives of t…

Volkswagen developing coupe-style Passat to battle Mercedes CLS AUTOMOBILEWOCHE Posted Date: 11/21/05 WOLFSBURG, Germany -- Volkswagen AG is developing a coupe-style Passat that the automaker hopes will attract Mercedes-Benz customers. The unnamed four-door coupe, code-named the CC, will be launched in early 2008. It will be assembled at the Emden factory in northern Germany. VW hopes the coupe will compete against the Mercedes-Benz CLS. The base Mercedes CLS 500, powered by a 302-hp V-8, is priced at $65,675, including destination, in the United States. A VW executive said the Passat will beat the Mercedes significantly on price. To hold down costs, VW will use …

Blake Noble Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 28th, 2012 Lamborghini has certainly been trademarking any sort of interesting name it can get its hands on lately. Earlier this month, we reported that the Italian supercar builder laid claim to the “Deimos” name. It wasn’t much longer after that rumors quickly began to circulate that Lamborghini also trademarked “Urus” — rumors that proved to be true when the super-SUV concept car debuted at the Beijing Auto Show. Now, according to Car and Driver, Lamborghini has snapped up another trademark and you can add “Huracán” to the list of names the marque has acquired. If you haven’t figured out the meaning of the nam…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com June 17, 2013 Back at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, Audi unveiled the quattro concept. The concept marked the 30th anniversary of the original quattro being introduced. Talk of a production model came and gone, leaving us wondering if there was the chance of a quattro rebirth ever happening. A new report from Autoweek says it could happen. Sources tell the magazine that Audi is preparing a new quattro concept that could be shown as soon as the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The new concept will pay homage to the Sport quattro, introduced back in 1984. Details on this vehicle are somewhat scarce, but sources say t…

Another day and more bad news for Volkswagen and their diesel engines. Let's begin with the latest. Automotive News is reporting that about 11 million Volkswagen vehicles equipped with diesel engines worldwide have the illegal software. Also, Volkswagen is planning to set aside 6.5 billion Euros ($7.3 billion) in the third quarter to cover the costs of addressing the issue. Volkswagen says the amount could change as the investigation continues. Also, France, Germany, Italy, and South Korea have announced today they will open investigations to see if Volkswagen rigged vehicles to pass their emission tests. The Detroit News has learned the EPA will be expanding …

VW has announced the eight-generation of the Golf model with the most powerful Golf ever built for the North American market. The 2025 Golf GTI and Golf R offer a compelling blend of performance, technology and driver engagement and will be offered in the following trims per model: 2025 Golf GTI S trim SE trim Autobahn trim 2025 Golf R Black edition The Golf GTI has a fresh look with enhanced technology. The exterior has new headlights, front bumper, illuminated logo and a standard lightbar. The interior gets significant upgrades with a new freestanding 12…

The new Volkswagen Tiguan looks to solve some of the pressing issues of the current model such as its size that puts it between subcompact and compact crossovers. But that doesn't mean the current Tiguan is leaving anytime soon. Hendrik Muth, VW’s senior vice president for product marketing tells Car and Driver that the current Tiguan will stick around for 2018 and 2019, wearing the Tiguan Limited nameplate. Muth explained this model will be aimed at more budget-minded buyers and those who don't want the bigger footprint of the new Tiguan. Another reason mentioned in Car and Driver's story is the current Tiguan saw its best sales in 2015 and 2016. One item that …

For a number of years, there has been debates of which Porsche is the better one; the 911 or the Cayman. During these debates, the point comes up that Porsche would not make the Cayman as good as it should because of the fear that it would overshadow the 911. Well expect these debates to become more lively and frequent as Porsche has announced the Cayman GT4. The Cayman GT4 features a number of aerodynamic improvements such as a deep front bumper with three large air dams and a splitter, a large fixed rear wing, and a wide air diffuser. A set of unique alloy wheels help differentiate the GT4 from other Cayman models. Power comes from the 3.8L flat-six from the 911 Carre…

Drove through the VW dealer lot today by the mall. Was there literally two days ago, I swore I did not see the new 011 Jettas! After seeing an ad in the paper saying as much, and checking online inventory, indeed they had 2011 Jettas! A slew of them. I drove right by them the other day and did not notice, but went there again today, and yes they do exist!. HMMMMMM.....how's that for a first impression. ANYWAYS this is like one of those unboxing a cell phone videos. There is not much meat other than just a first sort of thought on the presentation. So I did not get to sit inside one. But here goes.... exterior. BLAND, however......tidy. Balanced, inoffensive, …

After an emergency meeting held today, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn announced his resignation amid allegations that the automaker manipulated their diesel vehicles to meet emissions regulations around the world. "As CEO I accept responsibility for the irregularities that have been found in diesel engines and have therefore requested the Supervisory Board to agree on terminating my function as CEO of the Volkswagen Group. I am doing this in the interests of the company even though I am not aware of any wrongdoing on my part," said Winterkorn in a statement. "Volkswagen needs a fresh start - also in terms of personnel. I am clearing the way for this fresh start …

The California Air Resources Board has rejected Volkswagen's plan to fix the 3.0L TDI V6. "VW's and Audi's submissions are incomplete, substantially deficient, and fall far short of meeting the legal requirements to return these vehicles to the claimed certified configuration," CARB wrote in a letter to the German automaker. This comes as a bit of a surprise as last month, Volkswagen's lawyer Robert Giuffra said the company was close to a fix for this engine and it wouldn't affect overall performance. Volkswagen apparently did not learn its lesson when its proposed fix for the 2.0L TDI four-cylinder was rejected by CARB earlier this year for the same reasons. …

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 22, 2013 Volkswagen has officially pulled back the curtain on the next-generation Golf R, making its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. The new Golf R packs the same 2.0L turbo-four found under the new Audi S3 with 296 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Impressive numbers when compared to the outgoing Golf R which packed 256 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. Power is channeled to all four wheels via Haldex system and the choice of either a six-speed manual or dual-clutch transmission. Other changes to the Golf R include a 0.78 inch drop to the suspension, aggressive body kit, dual exhaust …

Bugatti to introduce open-top Veyron Link to Original Article @ LeftLane News Bugatti has long been rumored to be mulling over the idea of producing an open-top version of its outrageous Veyron closed-roof supercar, but now the Volkswagen-owned manufacturer has confirmed plans for a Veyron sans top. The Veyron-without-a-roof will feature a targa-style removable roof over the two passengers in order to maintain structural rigidity. The detachable roof is expected to be glass, so it can't be stored inside the Veyron. But Bugatti engineers think of everything and they're planning to include a soft cloth roof for emergencies. Autogespot reports that the topless Veyron wi…

Full article @ Seattle Times ALMS CEO Comments @ americanlemans.com It will be sad to lose one of the racing series best competitors. Just as Acura is planning to join LMP1 too.

Ever since the Volkswagen Buzz I.D. concept made its debut, rumors have been flying as to whether or not the German automaker would go forward with it. Yesterday at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Volkswagen finally put the rumors to rest. "After the presentations at the global motor shows in Detroit and Geneva, we received a large number of letters and emails from customers who said, 'please build this car’,” said Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess. "The Microbus has long been part of the California lifestyle. Now we're bringing it back by reinventing it as an electric vehicle." Before you start lining up at your Volkswagen dealer, the company says the mod…

http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/news/new-volk...many-127638.php

Volkswagen has cleared one hurdle in the form of the 2.0L TDI talks. Now it is working trying to clear the hurdle that is the 3.0L TDI V6. Yesterday in U.S. Federal Court in San Fransisco, Judge Charles Breyer got on update on the talks over the 3.0L TDI V6. Breyer said at the hearing that "substantial progress" is being made between Volkswagen and the U.S. Government. People briefed on the talks tell Reuters that Volkswagen might agree on buying back at least 21,000 older Audi Q7 and Volkswagen Touraeg models and repair the remaining vehicles, but only if regulators agree on the proposed fix. A number of other issues are still undecided such as how much Volksw…

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 29, 2012 For the past six months, we've been following rumors about what will replace Volkswagen's 2.5L five-cylinder engine that is used in the Jetta, Golf, Beetle, and Passat. Last November, a report from Car & Driver stated the 2.5L will be replaced by a 1.8T. Then in January, Volkswagen executives hinted the Jetta, Beetle, and Golf could get the 1.4T that will be under the hood of the upcoming Jetta Hybrid. Now, Car & Driver reports the 1.8T for the Jetta, Beetle, and Golf is back on the table according to a source. Car & Driver speculates with Volkswagen's ambitious sales goal by 2018, it will …

German authorities will put Volkswagen's fixes for diesel emissions to the test. German newspaper Die Welt reports that the German Transportation Authority will take Volkswagen vehicles affected by the diesel cheating scandal and perform emission and fuel usage testing once the company begins doing the fixes. Die Welt goes on to say that the test results and raw data will be published in full to guarantee transparency. No word as to when the re-tests would be carried out. Volkswagen says vehicles in Europe only need a software upgrade and a new mesh filter to be placed in front of the vehicle's air mass sensor. Source: Reuters View full article

Volkswagen recalls 790,000 cars to fix brake light switch Associated Press | Link to Original Article @ DetNews Volkswagen of America Inc. said Monday it would recall 790,000 vehicles because of problems with the brake light switch. The recall involves several vehicles: 1999-2006 model years of the Golf and GTI, 2001-2005 Jettas, 2001-2007 New Beetles and the 2004 R32. It expands upon a recall announced last year of some Jettas and New Beetles because of the same defect. Volkswagen told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the brake light switches in the vehicles could malfunction if they were improperly installed. The automaker said the light cou…

I just saw this on CarandDriver.com. It's spec'd as a 270 hp turbo 4 cyl with AWD. Sounds interesting! Original story HERE

Spied: Porsche Panamera Yuck. Read "Porsche Panamera spied" @ Edmunds Straightline (See post #23 for update.)

One question that we have found ourselves wondering is who blew the whistle on the software cheat Volkswagen was using on their TDI models. A new book says it was someone at Volkswagen of America. Automotive News got their hands on Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal by New York Times reporter Jack Ewing. In the book, Ewing reveals that the head of VW’s Engineering and Environmental Office in the U.S., Stuart Johnson revealed the existence of the cheat to federal authorities. Johnson was the primary contact for the various regulation agencies in the U.S. and would be one of the people on the front lines when the scandal unfolded. In the book, CARB de…

Since 2014, there have been numerous rumors about Apple's self-driving project known as Titan. At one time, the project had a 1,000 workers with the goal of designing and building a self-driving electric vehicle. But numerous issues and changes in vision has caused the project to be majorly behind scheduled. A new report from the New York Times shines a light at the current circumstances. According to sources with knowledge of the project, Apple signed a deal with Volkswagen late last year that would see the automaker provide less than two dozen of T6 Transporter vans to the technology company. Apple will equip the vans with their self-driving tech and be used as shu…

car connection

There are changes afoot in the Volkswagen Golf family. We'll begin with the bad news, the two-door Golf GTI will be no more in the U.S. Car and Driver was able to confirm this news with Volkswagen. Why? “The trend is clearly shifting toward four-door models,” said Volkswagen of America’s marketing chief, Hendrik Muth. Originally, Volkswagen was planning to offer the two-door GTI for 2017, but only in the base S trim. Now for the possible good news, Volkswagen is considering adding all-wheel drive to the standard Golf. During the press launch of the Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen's vice president of product marketing and strategy Dr. Hendrik Muth explained that…

Audi A1: Audi Bringing a Mini-killer? We found some sources saying that Audi will bring a Mini killer in 2010 which will be the official successor of the Audi A2, but now called Audi A1. The current issue of German "Autobild" has this story as a main topic including the first pics ever. Being currently in Japan we couldn't get our hands on a copy of it, so we had to rely on some pics from an AutoWeek forum. Make your own mind if it looks reliable. To be honest, we don't hope and think so. Stay tuned for more news! The Audi A1 is said to arrive with 3 doors, 4 seats, in compact size and with the new twincharger engines. Diesel engines will also be available. It seems …

It seems Volkswagen's Supervisory Board is keeping true to their promise holding more people accountable in the company's diesel crisis. Reuters (via Automotive News) and German publication Bild are reporting that three executives will be dismissed. The three are, Michael Horn, Volkswagen U.S. CEO Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi's r&d Boss Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche's engine chief Porsche and Volkswagen in Germany declined to comment, while Audi couldn't be reached. A spokeswoman for Volkswagen of America declined to comment as well, but called the reports of Horn's exit 'speculation'. Now if the reports are true, there will be one party not happy with the decision; …

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 18, 2012 Volkswagen's first try with Phaeton was a colossal failure in the U.S. Despite being one the best luxury vehicles with a surprising price, no one could get over the high price-tag for a Volkswagen. Well, Volkswagen is going for another try with Phaeton in the U.S. Automotive News is reporting that the Phaeton will return sometime in 2015. The Phaeton will ride on the new longitudinal platform and be priced “well below” the $70,000 mark. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you c…

Volkswagen and U.S. regulators have finally agreed to a plan on the diesel emission scandal and possible dates have been set up for fixing the various the vehicles involved. Despite this, some of the diesel vehicles will not be fully compliant with clean air laws. According to Bloomberg, the oldest 2.0L TDI engines found in the last-generation Jetta and Golf, and 2009 Beetle will emit more emissions even with a possible fix. According to the California Air Resources Board, the possible fix will cut the emissions down by 80 to 90 percent. But even with the cut, the vehicles could emit as much as 40 times the permitted amount of NOx. This has some environmental advocate…

VW Going Hybrid Volkswagen may have come a long way since the original Beetle, but in at least one way it still is very much the People's Car, giving the market their own versions of some of the most popular trends in the industry. Despite their pioneering the Microbus decades earlier, Volkswagen managed to skip the minivan craze, but has jumped on the biggest ones since. With the Touareg, VW joined the SUV boom. With the Eos, it got on the coupe-cabrio elevator closer to ground floor. The next big thing is hybrids, and Wolfsburg's not about to be left holding their hats. To that effect, Volkswagen is tipped to release a hybrid Jetta in two years. Autoblog