VW Cheats EPA Tests, Faces Up to $18 Billion in Fines

Unnamed sources within Volkswagen have confirmed that the German automaker fitted its “clean” TDi diesel cars with devices meant to detect when the car is undergoing official emissions testing, and will activate full emissions controls only during the official test. That confession comes after findings from West Virginia University, which uncovered the defeat devices, led to company officials being questioned by both CARB and the EPA.

The device in question deactivated key emissions controls systems, and the popular VW TDi modelsfitted with the cheat- a list that, so far, includes the VW Golf, Jetta, Beetle, and Passat TDi models, as well as the Audi A3 and A4- produced up to 40% more nitrogen oxide and other dangerous emissions, in some cases.

For its part, the EPA is absolutely losing its s*** about this, stating that “it is incumbent” on Volkswagen to initiate a recall fix for all the affected cars. “Using a defeat device in cars to evade clean air standards is illegal and a threat to public health,” said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Working closely with the California Air Resources Board, (the) EPA is committed to making sure that all automakers play by the same rules. (The) EPA will continue to investigate these very serious matters.”

If the EPA and CARB decide to press the dual issues of Volkswagen deliberately cheating environmental testing procedures and marketing their TDi models as “clean diesels“, it could levy fines of up to 18 billion (with a b) US American dollars on VW. An amount which could be enough to force VW out of the US market.

What do you guys think about this mess? Should Volkswagen be held liable to fullest extent of the law for violating the public’s trust by willfully and maliciously manipulating the EPA test procedures? Should VW be given a slap on the wrist because we all love the Beetle? Is this just the tip of a fraudulent clean diesel iceberg that will soon sink Mercedes-Benz and BMW, too? Let us know what you think in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Source | Images: AutoGuide, IIHS.

Volkswagen’s 10-Speed Transmission Is The First Ever

Chrysler, you’ve been out-transmissioned. Volkswagen has announced that as soon as next year, it will introduce a 10-speed dual-clutch transmission on select models. That means more shifting, sure, but also better fuel economy. It also begs the question…how many gears is enough?

The 2015 Volkswagen Passat will probably get the 10-speed transmission first, though it will likely spread throughout the VW lineup as the German brand chases an overall 20% improvement in fuel economy. Capable of handling up to 369 ft-lbs of torque, this transmission would be equally at home in a miserly Golf TDI SportWagen as it would the 400-horsepower Golf R, though the initial pairing will be with a 236 horsepower four-cylinder turbodiesel.

There are some doubts as to whether automakers are really getting any value out higher-geared transmissions, with seven, eight, and nine-speed units suddenly the norm. That isn’t stopping automakers from joining forces to pursue ever-more-efficient transmissions, but as Volkswagen’s 10-speed pushes technology into the double digits, and one has to wonder…where is the ceiling on this stuff? More importantly, will consumers be bothered by constant shifting?

I think I would.

Source: Volkswagen

That Perfect 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTD May Not Happen

The 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTD seems, on the surface, to be the best of all possible worlds. It’s got a near-premium badge that’s not too flashy. It’s got a willing, well-suspended chassis. It’s good-looking and practical, but not so much so that your soul revolts, minivan-style, at the sight of it. The best part? It’s got VW’s high-torque, ultra-efficient, and (arguably) clean-burning EA288 turbo diesel engine. It stops just short of being everything a car guy/gal could ask for …

… which, of course, means that Volkswagen won’t be bringing it to the US.

That word comes down from on high. From Volkswagen’s “CEO of the Americas” Michael Horn, who said that the chances of a 2015 Golf GTD coming to the US are diminishing. “The price point (about $27,000 US) is not really attractive,” says Horn- despite the fact that a $27,000 price-point would put it almost $1000 below the definitely-not-a-premium-brand Chevy Cruze diesel.

Too bad, that. It would have been nice to have a “nearly perfect-er” 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTD wagon to flog around Joliet once or twice a year nestled into the garage with the bikes and the wife’s mommy-mobile. Maybe next year/CEO. Until then, take a look at some GTD pictures and lament what could have been.

Source | Photos: VW, via MotorAuthority; ZerCustoms.

2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI Sportwagen Is Close To Perfect

Don’t be fooled by the frumpy face and stretched wheelbase, the 2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI Sportwagen ain’t no Jetta, but it’s close to the perfect car. With ample utility, plenty of torque, and hybrid-rivaling fuel economy, the Golf TDI Sportwagen concept is just the latest expansion of Volkswagen’s MQB platform.

The new long-roof version of the 2015 Golf is like a gift from the car gods to every auto writer out there; an affordable, diesel station wagon with an available manual transmission. Sure, it’s just a concept, but Volkswagen is already planning on bringing the Sportwagen to America in much the same form, with wiether a 2.0 liter TDI or 1.8 liter turbo gas engine. According to Volkswagen, the Golf Sportwagen will be up to 17% more efficient than the Jetta Sportwagen it takes after.

Alas, the one feature that makes this concept a cut above the rest, its all-wheel drive system, may not make the cut when it comes time for production next year. I’m sure all my fellow New Englanders are sad to hear that, though the inclusion of a manual transmission option means even better MPGs. As it stands, the 2014 Jetta TDI Sportwagen is rated at 30 MPG in the city and 42 MPG on the highway. If Vdub’s predictions are true, the Golf Sportwagen should be good for close to 34 MPG around town, andclose to 50 MPG on the highway.

A 50 MPG turbodiesel station wagon with an available manual transmission? I’ve died and gone to car guy heaven. The only way it could be better is with rear-wheel drive, but as the Rolling Stones once sang, you can’t always get what you want. For now, the 2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI Sportwagen is close-enough to perfect for me to want one for myself.

Source: Volkswagen