William Maley

I guess I can tell it is smaller because I have been staring at many Equinox photos to tell this. But give it time and we'll see it out on the road where it will be easier to tell.

The current Chevrolet Equinox is nearing the end of its lifecycle and we have been wondering when we'll be seeing any information about it. Thanks to a spy photographer, we have some photos to show what Chevrolet has in store. The most apparent thing we can tell the photos is the new model is smaller than the outgoing model. This confirms a report back from January that Chevrolet will be moving the Equinox downmarket to compete better with compact crossovers. We can't you much about the exterior thanks to excellent camouflage job done by GM. Car and Driver says the Equinox will use GM's Delta architecture and possibly feature the same suspension setup as the Buick Envision - struts up front and a multilink setup in the rear. Power is expected to come from a 2.5L four-cylinder and a turbo engine - Car and Driver isn't sure if it will be the 1.5L or 2.0L turbo. A choice of front or all-wheel drive will be offered. When could we see the new Equinox? Either late this year or early next year. Source: Car and Driver View full article

General Motors has announced new investments for two of their plants today. The Spring Hill manufacturing complex in Tennesse will see the largest of these two investments. A total of $788.7 million will go towards a new high-efficiency engine program and modernizing vehicle production. The investment will bring forth 792 new jobs and retaining 16. The Detroit News reports that GM is keeping quiet on what on the new engine program. “This investment will help GM and our workforce continue to put the customer at the center of everything we do, providing them with powertrain solutions to meet their changing needs. Today’s announcement reinforces our absolute faith in this facility, and our strong commitment to this community and the state of Tennessee,” said Arvin Jones, GM North America manufacturing manager in a statement. GM will also invest $118 million into the Bay City Powertrain plant in Michigan, creating 29 jobs and retaining 67. The investment will be used to support the new engine program in Spring Hill. Source: The Detroit News, General Motors Press Release is on Page 2 GM Invests Additional $788.7 Million in Spring Hill Manufacturing Brings total announced investments in Tennessee to $936.7 million in 2016 Bay City Powertrain operation to get $118 million to support engine project SPRING HILL, Tenn. — General Motors will invest $788.7 million for an all-new, high-efficiency engine program, as well as projects to modernize the vehicle programs at its Spring Hill Manufacturing Plant, creating 792 and retaining 16 jobs. At the same time, GM announced a $118 million investment at its Bay City Powertrain facility, creating 29 and retaining 67 jobs. Since 2010, GM has announced investments of more than $2 billion for the Spring Hill operations. This includes a $148-million investment announced in February to repurpose flexible machining and assembly equipment to build V8 engines. “This investment will help GM and our workforce continue to put the customer at the center of everything we do, providing them with powertrain solutions to meet their changing needs,” said Arvin Jones, GM North America manufacturing manager. “Today’s announcement reinforces our absolute faith in this facility, and our strong commitment to this community and the state of Tennessee.” According to Cindy Estrada, vice president and director of the UAW General Motors Department, this investment helps secure a bright future for its workforce. “UAW members at Spring Hill and Bay City have well-earned reputations for quality work and craftsmanship,” said Estrada. “Since the 2015 collective bargaining agreement, GM has invested more than $1.7 billion and UAW-GM members, their families and their communities will all benefit for years to come.” Construction will begin in May and will last several years. “Spring Hill and its employees have earned a reputation for producing award-winning engines,” said UAW Local 1853 Chairman Mike Herron. “GM recognizes this and we’re thankful they are investing further in the future of this facility and this community.” Numerous local, state and federal officials attended the announcement to show their support of the investment in capital and employment, including Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. “We want to congratulate and thank GM on another substantial investment in Spring Hill and its workforce,” Haslam said. “Tennessee is number one in the Southeast for job growth over the last year, and we continue to attract investment from companies that can choose to do business anywhere in the world. It is exciting for our entire state to see long-time partners like GM continue to invest in Tennessee and create high quality jobs here.” The Tennessee Valley Authority worked with government and company representatives in helping secure this investment announcement. ”TVA understands the importance of reliable, affordable electricity to General Motors and the entire automotive industry. We are proud to be a partner in this announcement, which will lead to more jobs and investment in the region’s economy,” TVA President and CEO Bill Johnson said. Spring Hill Manufacturing opened in 1990 and produced Saturn vehicles until March 2007. It produced the Chevrolet Traverse from September 2008 until November 2009, and the Chevrolet Equinox from September 2012 until October 2015. Currently, the site operations consist of a flexible vehicle assembly plant producing the Cadillac XT5 and the GMC Acadia, an engine plant making 4-cylinder engines, a stamping plant, a body shop, a paint shop and two polymer injection molding operations. Engines and stampings are supplied to various GM assembly plants globally. The complex will begin building small block V8 engines by the end of 2016. Bay City Powertrain produces engine components that are used in Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles. The plant opened in 1892 as National Cycle Manufacturing Company and produced a new bicycle to replace old high-wheeled types. In 1916, William Durant and Louis Chevrolet bought the plant and the plant was added to the General Motors portfolio in 1918. With this investment, GM has invested or will invest $249.4 million in Bay City Powertrain since 2010. View full article

The most famous boulevard in Paris, the Champs-Élysées will not see any vehicles for one Sunday every month. The Agence France-Presse reports that the Paris city government will ban vehicles from the Champs-Élysées the first Sunday of every month. The ban will go into effect on May 8th, not the 1st. The reason it is a week later is May 1st is a national holiday and many workers who will be needed to run the scheme will have the day off. This is part of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo's plan to improve the overall environment in the city. Since she was elected back in 2014, Hidalgo has backed plans to create more pedestrian zones in the city and ban diesel cars by 2020. She also implemented the first "day without cars" last September. Vehicles were banned from some major boulevards in the city. According to Airparif, the agency that monitors air quality for the region said nitrogen oxide levels declined by between 20 and 40 percent during that day. Of course, this is a temporary decrease. Source: Agence France-Presse via The Guardian, The Verge Pic Credit: Citroën View full article

As we reported yesterday, Volkswagen has decided against revealing the preliminary results of their internal investigation as it would bring “unacceptable risks” to the company. It might have been a good idea as a new wrinkle has appeared in the diesel emission scandal. The New York Times has learned from two sources that a top technology executive prepared a PowerPoint presentation showing the automaker could fool the EPA's emission testing. The presentation was only a few pages long and explained the process of how the EPA did it. The presentation also talked about how the test could be fooled by a piece of code in the engine management software, turning on equipment that would reduce the amount of emissions produced. The obvious question is why? Back in 2006, engineers at Volkswagen's r&d complex realized that the emission equipment in their new diesel engine would wear out faster if it was set up for the U.S. emission standards. This presentation provided a possible solution. It is unknown who and how many people saw this presentation. But it brings doubt into Volkswagen's claim that a small group of employees knew about the cheat. The Times also reports that Martin Winterkorn - the former chief executive for Volkswagen - rejected proposals from low-ranking employees. According to sources who attended meetings with the management board, the proposals were tossed out as it would increase the price of Volkswagen vehicles. Unsurprisingly, Volkswagen declined to comment. Source: The New York Times View full article

The only semi-logical reason I could think of is to give the Regal some breathing space from the Malibu. Poor reason? Sure. But considering this is GM...

It has been awhile since we heard anything from Karma Automotive - the company formally known as Fisker. Our last report in November said the company would be sourcing powertrain parts from BMW and was planning to restart production in 2016. Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal published a report saying Karma Automotive is busy with finishing development of an updated version of the Karma sedan. The sedan will be renamed the Revero which Karma says is the combination of the Latin words "re" and "vero," meaning truth. Karma is planning to reveal the Revero later this summer, with the order books opening sometime later in the year. Karma is keeping quiet on various details such as range, price, and release date. “If you manufacture all kinds of hype then fail to deliver on time, it undermines your credibility. We are being careful about making promises [because] things happen in car development,” said Jim Taylor, Karma’s chief marketing officer. One item that was divulged was the Ravero will use the powertrain and charging system from BMW. Taylor said the company is working hard to make sure the Ravero doesn't experience the numerous quality issues that sunk the Karma and Fisker itself. It was also revealed that the Ravero will be built at a new 556,000 square-foot factory in Moreno Valley, California. The equipment used to build the Karma have been shipped in from Finland. Source: Wall Street Journal (Subscription Required) View full article

Jeep is safe no matter what, it has a lot of value. Ram Trucks might be another story.

Last week, Mitsubishi admitted that it had manipulated fuel economy figures for 625,000 vehicles sold in Japan. But today, the scandal has only grown as the Japanese automaker revealed that it used fuel economy testing methods that were not compliant with Japanese regulations since 1991. Reuters reports that Mitsubishi was compiling data for fuel economy tests using U.S. standards ( focuses on higher-speed, highway driving) and not Japanese standards (focuses more on city driving). Since Mitsubishi has come clean about the manipulation last week, the company has lost half of its market value (about $3.9 billion). This has also brought back memories of a scandal Mitsubishi Motors was embroiled in fifteen years ago with covering up customer complaints and vehicle defects for more than 20 years. Last week, Japanese authorities raided one of Mitsubishi's R&D offices. The Japanese Government has also asked Mitsubishi to submit a report on the manipulation by tomorrow. Meanwhile, U.S. regulators are pressing Mitsubishi to see if any vehicles sold here were involved in the manipulation. Mitsubishi announced that it has brought in three lawyers to conduct an investigation into the scandal. A report is expected in three months. Source: BBC News, Reuters, Mitsubishi Press Release is on Page 2 Tokyo, April 26, 2016 Regarding the Report to MLIT Concerning Improper Conduct in Fuel Consumption Testing of Vehicles Manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation The following is a summary of the report submitted by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) today, pursuant to instructions received from MLIT on April 20 to investigate improper conduct in fuel consumption testing of vehicles manufactured by MMC. Report Summary 1.Background to the improper conduct of MMC mini-car fuel consumption testing data (1) Four grades of the model year 2014 eK Wagon and Dayz (submitted in February 2013) were produced—a fuel-economy grade, a standard grade, a turbo grade and a 4WD grade. During development of the fuel-economy grade, the fuel consumption target, which had initially been 26.4km/l (in February 2011), was revised upward over a series of internal meetings until finally being set at 29.2km/l (February 2013). (2) Driving resistance data were obtained for that fuel-economy grade using a "high-speed coasting test," which differed from the coasting test required by the applicable laws and regulations in Japan. A relatively low value was selected from among the test results for use as the driving resistance value in order to give the appearance of greater fuel consumption. Data for the remaining three grades were calculated without testing based on the data for the fuel-economy grade. (3) The data submitted for the model year 2014 eK Space and Dayz Roox (submitted in October 2013), the model year 2015 eK Wagon and Dayz (submitted in March 2014), the model year 2015 eK Space and Dayz Roox (submitted in December 2014), and the model year 2016 eK Wagon and Dayz (submitted in June 2015) were all calculated without testing based on the data for the model year 2014 eK Wagon and Dayz to achieve the fuel consumption targets. 2. The following is the timeline leading up to the use of the "high-speed coasting test" differing from the test required by the applicable laws and regulations in Japan. We are currently investigating the reasoning behind each of the decisions outlined below. (1) In 1991, the coasting test was designated as the method for testing driving resistance under the Road Transport Vehicle Act, but MMC began testing vehicles for the Japanese market using a different method, the "high-speed coasting test". (2) In January 1992, a method was developed to reverse-calculate coasting time using driving resistance. (3) In January 2001, a test was run that compared the coasting test to the "high-speed coasting test," and the difference in results was found never to exceed 2.3%. (4) In February 2007, the testing manual was updated to add that "TRIAS (i.e., the coasting test) is to be used for DOM (i.e., vehicles for sale in Japan)." Nevertheless, the "high-speed coasting test" continued to be used thereafter. 3. Future direction of investigations (1) While some progress has been made in investigating the events described in sections 1 and 2 above, we will continue to work to discover the causes of this improper conduct and who is responsible. (2) Sufficient investigation has not been made into MMC vehicles other than the mini-cars described above; we plan to submit a separate report after looking into those models. Establishment of Special Investigation Committee In connection with the certification process for the mini-cars manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation ("MMC"), MMC hereby notifies that, yesterday, the board of directors decided to establish a special investigation committee (the "Committee") consisting of only external experts. MMC expresses its most sincere apologies to all of our customers, shareholders, and stakeholders for any inconvenience or concern caused by this occasion. 1: Background for the establishment of the Committee As announced, on April 20, 2016, in the press release titled "Improper conduct in fuel consumption testing on products manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC)," it has been revealed that, in the certification process for mini-cars manufactured by MMC, with respect to the fuel consumption testing data submitted to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, MMC conducted testing improperly, to present better fuel consumption rates than the actual rates; and that the testing method was also different from the one required by Japanese law (the "Matter"). For the sake of ensuring an objective and thorough investigation into the Matter, MMC has established this Committee in a way such that all members would be external experts independent from MMC. 2: Membership and activities of the Committee i Membership of the Committee The Committee is composed of the members, as follows, who have no conflicts of interest with MMC. Therefore, MMC has recognized no factor that would harm the independence and neutrality of the Committee. Further, MMC is considering appointing experts with technical knowledge to participate in the investigation. Committee Chair: Keiichi WATANABE, Attorney at Law (former Superintending Prosecutor, Tokyo High Prosecutors Office) Committee Member: Yoshiro SAKATA, Attorney at Law Committee Member: Genta YOSHINO, Attorney at Law ii Activities The Committee shall perform the following activities pursuant to MMC's delegation. I Investigation to uncover the facts surrounding the Matter, including review of related documents and data, and interviews with the related people. II Investigation to confirm the existence of other improper conduct similar to the Matter, and uncover the facts, if it does. III Analysis of the cause of the Matter, and a suggestion on measures to prevent recurrence. 3: Schedule moving forward The Committee shall investigate the Matter for about the next three months, and make a report on its results. MMC plans to disclose the report in a timely manner. View full article

Volkswagen was planning to release the preliminary findings of its internal investigation into the diesel emission scandal this month. But now, the company has scrapped those plans. In a statement, the German automaker cites strong objections from their lawyers and “unacceptable risks” to the company. But there might be more this than what Volkswagen is saying. Last week, Volkswagen finally reached a deal with the U.S. Government over the emission mess. By releasing the results, it might put Volkswagen in a difficult sport. “Publishing such a preliminary report would not only endanger the complex and confidential settlement talks [with authorities and plaintiffs], it would also have a negative effect on ongoing investigations as individuals who have yet to be questioned could align their statements with the contents of the report. We must avoid this,” said Volkswagen board director Wolfgang Porsche to reporters in Wolfsburg. It isn't being helped that the investigation has hit a few bumps in the road. According to Automotive News, the Jones Day law firm - hired by Volkswagen to do the investigation - have so far failed define key points of the scandal. Bloomberg goes on to say that the firm has been confounded by engineers using code words to describe the illegal software and outdated computer systems. The final investigation report is not expected until the fourth quarter of the fourth year. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Bloomberg, Volkswagen Press Release is on Page 2 Statement by Volkswagen AG regarding the status of the comprehensive investigation in connection with the diesel matter At the end of September 2015, the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft assigned law firm Jones Day with a comprehensive investigation in connection with the diesel matter. This investigation is already far advanced and is being pursued intensely. For this purpose, approximately 65 million documents were submitted for electronic review, of which more than 10 million were forwarded for review by Volkswagen's lawyers. Around 450 interviews have also been conducted about the diesel matter; dozens of additional interviews are planned. Based on the current assessment, Jones Day expects the investigation to conclude in the fourth quarter of 2016. After a thorough examination of the legal situation, the Supervisory Board and the Management Board of Volkswagen have nevertheless had to recognize that a disclosure of interim results of the investigation at this point in time would present unacceptable risks for Volkswagen and, therefore, cannot take place now. This decision is based on the assessment of the U.S. law firms retained by Volkswagen (Sullivan & Cromwell and Jones Day), which have both strongly advised against such a disclosure independently of each other. Volkswagen regrets that it has had to move away from the original plan to disclose interim results of the investigation by the end of April. The reasons lie in the following developments in proceedings involving Volkswagen in connection with the diesel matter in the United States: Volkswagen's complex negotiations with a large number of parties in the United States (including private plaintiffs and multiple U.S. regulators, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the Federal Trade Commission, the Attorneys General of each of the 50 states, and, in particular, the U.S. Department of Justice) have entered a decisive phase sooner than anticipated and require Volkswagen to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality. The extensive and confidential nature of these negotiations and Volkswagen's cooperation with the Department of Justice restrict Volkswagen´s ability to comment further on necessarily tentative results of the continuing investigation. The further disclosure or characterization of interim results, which are currently available, would likely prejudice the rest of the investigation at this time, in particular because individuals who have yet to be questioned could align their statements with the contents of the interim report. In counsel's view, a disclosure would also significantly impair Volkswagen's cooperation with the Department of Justice and weaken Volkswagen's position in any remaining proceedings. In counsel's view, such disclosure could also jeopardize the credit that Volkswagen may expect to receive in the event of its full cooperation with the Department of Justice. According to Volkswagen's legal advisers, this could have very substantial negative financial consequences. lf a full settlement can be achieved with the Department of Justice, the Supervisory Board and the Management Board currently expect that a detailed statement of the facts of this matter will be made public in the U.S. at that time. This is because the settlement of a criminal investigation with the Department of Justice is customarily accompanied by a detailed statement of facts, agreed to by the parties. Volkswagen explicitly regrets that it is not able to publish interim results by the end of April as initially planned. However, due to the reasons outlined above, the Management Board and the Supervisory Board see themselves forced to refrain from a disclosure in the interest of the company. View full article

I don't believe so.

2016 was supposed to be the year when the current Dodge Journey would head off into the sunset and a new version would appear, using the CUSW platform that underpins a number of FCA vehicles. But a source tells Automotive News that the current Journey will continue for a couple more years. The source explained the 2017 and 2018 Journey will retain the JC body code. In FCA's internal model nomenclature system, the vehicle's body code only changes when it is redesigned for a new platform. Why is FCA extending the lifecycle of the Journey? Redesigning the Journey would have meant production of the vehicle would have moved from Toluca, Mexico to either Sterling Heights, MI or Belvidere, Illinois; homes to 200 and Dart. But with FCA outsourcing production of the next-generation Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart - models that use the CUSW platform - has caused the company to rethink their overall strategy. A spokeswoman for Dodge declined to comment. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) Pic Credit: William Maley for Cheers & Gears View full article

Audi chose the Beijing Auto Show to reveal the 2017 TT RS family. Offered in coupe and roadster, the TT RS boasts a new 2.5L TFSI five-cylinder engine with 400 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Compared the old TT RS, the 2.5L boasts 40 more horsepower and 11 more pound-feet. This engine only comes paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and Audi's quattro all-wheel drive. The TT RS coupe can hit 62 mph in 3.7 seconds while the roadster does it in 3.9 seconds. Here is an interesting fact, the TT RS coupe is only 0.2 seconds slower than the current Audi R8 to 62 mph. Top speed stands at 155 mph, but can be increased to 174 mph through an option that removes the limiter. The suspension has been lowered by 10 millimeters and you can option a set of adaptive dampers with magnetic ride technology. 19-inch wheels and a set large brakes come standard. A set of 20-inch wheels and carbon-fiber ceramic brake discs are on the options list. Outside, the TT RS features a more aggressive body kit with larger air vents on the bumper, rear wing, side skirts, and carbon fiber side mirrors. Audi will launch the TT RS this fall in Europe. No word when we'll see it in North America, but it would be safe to assume it would be sometime next year. Source: Audi Press Release is on Page 2 Stronger than ever: new Audi TT RS Coupé and new Audi TT RS Roadster Impressive: new aluminum five-cylinder engine with 294 kW (400 hp) Available for the first time in a series-production Audi: OLED rear lights Controls like a racing car: numerous functions on the RS sport steering wheel The sound: inimitable five-cylinder. The performance: tremendous at 294 kW (400 hp). The traction: inexhaustible thanks to quattro drive. As the sporty spearhead of the TT series, the new TT RS* is to be marketed under the Audi Sport label. At the Beijing Motor Show, Audi is presenting its Coupé and its Roadster for the first time to the world’s public. Sales in Europe will begin in fall 2016. “The new aluminum five-cylinder engine delivers 400 hp, which is 60 hp more than its predecessor,” says Dr.-Ing. Stefan Knirsch, Audi Board Member for Technical Development. “Together with the quattro drive, it ensures sporty driving pleasure with maximum traction. Audi uses Matrix OLED technology in the rear lights for the first time.” Impressive performance: the new five-cylinder engine A jury of international motor journalists has voted the 2.5 TFSI “Engine of the Year” six times in a row. Now Audi has further developed the five-cylinder engine in all areas – with lightweight construction measures, reduced internal friction and increased power delivery. As a result, the turbo engine gains a good 17 percent increase in performance at an unchanged capacity of 2,480 cc. At 294 kW (400 hp), it is more powerful than ever before. The maximum torque of 480 Nm (354.0 lb-ft) is available between 1,700 and 5,850 rpm. It ensures fantastic pulling power, which accompanies the unmistakable sound. Cylinders positioned directly beside each other and far away from each other fire in alternation. This brings with it a very special rhythm. The TT RS Coupé accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62.1 mph) in 3.7 seconds, the Roadster in 3.9 seconds – this corresponds to the level of a supercar. Audi regulates the top speed at 250 km/h (155.3 mph), or at 280 km/h (173.9 mph) upon request. For the best traction and plenty of driving pleasure: the quattro drive The forces of the 2.5 TFSI engine flow via a seven-speed S tronic, which shifts at lightning speed, to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive. Its multi-plate clutch distributes the power freely between the axles. This provides strong grip and immense driving pleasure. The wheel-selective torque control makes handling even more agile and safe. Using the Audi drive select system, the driver can influence the quattro drive and other components such as the steering, S tronic, engine characteristic and exhaust flaps. The four modes available for this are comfort, auto, dynamic, and individual. Pure dynamics: the chassis In addition to its light weight, the Audi TT RS has its sporty chassis to thank for its outstanding handling. The direct steering provides close contact with the road and makes it a pleasure to drive challenging winding stretches. At the front axle, ventilated and perforated steel discs are in action behind the 19-inch wheels – or 20-inch forged lightweight wheels as an option. Alternatively, lighter and particularly abrasion-resistant carbon-fiber ceramic discs are available. At the back, a steel monoblock disc is used. As an option, Audi supplies RS sport suspension plus adaptive dampers in magnetic ride technology. In this case, the damping characteristics can be influenced electronically. The control technology is integrated into the driving dynamics system known as Audi drive select. New feature: Matrix OLED lights For the first time in a series-production Audi, Matrix OLED technology (organic light emitting diode) is used in the rear lights as an option. These emit an extremely homogeneous, high-contrast light. The light can be continuously dimmed, it does not cast any shadows and does not require any reflectors – this makes the OLEDs in 3D design efficient, light and visually impressive. Each rear light contains four wafer-thin units which become smaller from the inside out. The biggest bears the TT logo and the four Audi rings. The TT RS has LED rear lights and LED headlights as standard. Alternatively, the latter are available as intelligently controlled Matrix LED units. Athletically streamlined: the exterior design Large air inlets, a Singleframe grille with a newly designed honeycomb grille and quattro logo, a fixed rear wing and two large, oval exhaust tailpipes – the new TT RS Coupé and the new TT RS Roadster exude concentrated power. Along the flanks, aerodynamically-shaped side sills emphasize the dynamic design. Both models measure 4.19 meters (13.9 ft) in length, 1.83 meters (6 ft) in width and 1.34 meters (4.5 ft) in height. Inspired by racing cars: the cockpit Controls and display in the new TT RS are focused completely on the driver. All information is displayed as standard on the fully digital Audi virtual cockpit with 12.3-inch screen. The driver can choose from three views, including a special RS screen that highlights the rev counter and provides information on tire pressure, torque, and g‑force, among other things. The Audi virtual cockpit also displays a shift light which informs the driver that the engine speed limit has been reached. For the first time in the RS portfolio, the RS sport leather steering wheel with shift paddles has two operating satellite buttons for turning the engine on and off as well as the driving dynamics system known as Audi drive select, in addition to multifunction buttons. This means that the driver’s hands stay on the wheel at all times. The driver can influence the exhaust flap control via the sound button on the center console. Best entertainment: infotainment and Audi connect Audi also offers a huge amount of high-end infotainment technology. The options include MMI navigation plus with MMI touch including free text search and natural voice control, as well as the Audi connect online module with Wi-Fi hotspot. Using Audi phone box, compatible cell phones can be charged inductively and paired with the onboard antennae for optimal reception. The new Audi smartphone interface technology displays selected apps from the cell phone directly in the Audi virtual cockpit. The Bang & Olufsen sound system is a highlight for fans of excellent acoustics. Golden Fall: market launch The new TT RS models will be launched on the European market in fall 2016. The Coupé prices start at 66,400 euros, the Roadster is listed at 69,200 euros. View full article