Audi Q7 To Debut New Electric Turbocharger Setup

Electric turbochargers have been discussed for years now, but Audi seems ready to bring this tech to the road. According to Australia’s Drive, the next Audi Q7 will launch with an electric turbocharger that eliminates the gremlin known as “turbo lag”.

Speaking with Audi’s head of diesel drivetrain development Ulrich Weiss, Drive learned that the electric turbocharger tech highlighted in the recent Audi RS 5 Concept will be ready for production “very soon”. With the next Audi Q7 set to debut this September at the Geneva Auto Show with a new TDI diesel engine, it’s not out of the question that the electric turbo could show up under the hood.

Why an electric turbocharger? Because electric motors spool up instantaneously, it eliminates the time it traditionally takes for turbochargers to reach their max RPM and thus, maximum output. In the RS 5, the electric turbo supplemented by a large traditional turbocharger, which would take over once the engine exceeded 3,000 RPM.

The Audi Q7 is shaping up to be a hotbed of high-tech gadgets, as it’s also been rumored that an all-electric version of the Q7 is in the works as a competitor to the Model X. A plug-in hybrid version of the Q7 is almost certainly in the cards as well, giving it a wider array of drivetrain options than most competitors.

As far as the electric turbo goes, its the kind of technology I can see finding its way into cheaper and more popular cars as the costs come down and the benefits go up.

Source:  Gas 2.

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

Volkswagen Group reports more than 100k diesel sales this year

Volkswagen Group of America reported that it has sold 100,000 TDI Clean Diesel vehicles from the Volkswagen and Audi brands this year—the first time it has reached this mark in a calendar year. Volkswagen and Audi currently offer 12 different TDI models in the United States.

Volkswagen is responsible for more than 75% of the diesels sold in the passenger car and SUV segments in the United States. Since 1977, when Volkswagen first offered a diesel in the Rabbit, the company has sold more than one million cars and SUVs powered by these engines in this market. TDI Clean Diesel Volkswagen models accounted for 21% of sales in November and 24% of sales year-to-date, the best year-to-date results yet.

In 2013, Audi enhanced its lineup with the new Audi Q5 TDI, A6 TDI, A7 TDI and A8 TDI models. Those premium models joined the Audi Q7 SUV in the market, and next summer Audi will introduce its most fuel-efficient model, the all-new A3 TDI sedan.

Volkswagen offers Clean Diesel technology in seven different models, six of which get an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 40 mpg or more on the highway. The models include the Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat and Touareg.

Source: Green Car Congress

Volkswagen Passat TDI Sets Cross-Country MPG Record

If cars can get triple-digit fuel economy from a single gallon of fossil fuels, do we really need an alternative? That is quite the question, isn’t it? It is made all the more complicated because a couple of well-known hypermilers just set a new cross-country mpg record in a turbodiesel-powered Volkswagen Passat TDI, averaging an astounding 77.9 mpg.

CleanMPG.com founder Wayne Gerdes and co-driver Bob Winger, an electrical engineer, visited all 48 contiguous U.S. states in 17 days, covering 8,122 miles on just 104.94 gallons of diesel fuel. The duo set off from Volkswagen’s Virginia headquarters and using techniques like drafting and shifting into neutral going downhill, they average almost 78 mpg.

Keep in mind this includes crossing some serious mountain ranges multiple times, including the Rockies and Adirondacks. Gerdes managed to beat his own 48-state record of 64.55 mpg, set back in 2011 with a Kia Optima Hybrid. With turbodiesels now surpassing hybrids in terms of fuel economy, are we approaching an age where burning fossil fuels is the responsible thing to do?

Source: Volkswagen

Volkswagen Passat TDI sets Guinness World Record for fuel economy around the 48 US states; 78 mpg US

A Volkswagen Passat TDI, produced at the Volkswagen Chattanooga (Tennessee) plant, now has covered 8,122 miles (13,071 km) with record low fuel consumption and within 16 days. The record drive was witnessed by officials of the Guinness World Record Organization.

The driver team, hyper-miler Wayne Gerdes of CleanMPG and engineer Bob Winger, achieved a fuel consumption of only 3.02 l/100 km (77.99 mpg US).

We felt we had a good chance of beating the existing record with a series production Passat TDI, but to smash it by averaging 77.99 mpg is really impressive and a testament to the potential of Volkswagen’s TDI vehicles. It shows how much the fuel consumption depends on the driver.

—Wayne Gerdes

Volkswagen’s advanced turbocharged and direct-injection TDI engine offers an official highway fuel economy of 43 miles per gallon (EPA) when equipped with the six-speed manual transmission (5.5 l/100 km).

2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI

Engine:

Turbodiesel 2.0L I4

Power:

140 HP / 236 LB-FT

Transmission:

6-Speed Manual

0-60 Time:

9.0 Seconds (est.)

Drivetrain:

Front-Wheel Drive

Curb Weight:

3,393 LBS

Seating:

2+3

MPG:

31 City / 43 HWY

MSRP:

$27,020 (as tested)

Can you name a fun-to-drive sedan with a manual transmission that can transport five adults and their luggage comfortably while sipping fuel at the rate of 50 mpg? The answer is the Volkswagen Passat TDI – a German antonym for "range anxiety."

The past forty years have seen the Volkswagen Passat evolve from a three-door hatchback with a 1.5-liter engine (sold as the Dasher in the States) to a four-door near-luxury sedan boasting a 4.0-liter W8 a decade ago. I'm making the case that today's reasonably priced diesel-burning 2.0-liter TDI is the best, and most sensible, Passat ever built.

• The turbocharged, direct-injected, 2.0-liter inline-four is a little stump puller. While only rated at 140 horsepower, it delivers 236 pound-feet of torque at 1,500 rpm. Launching from a standstill – even with a full load – was uneventful and it pulled confidently under all driving conditions (even though the acceleration numbers are far from impressive).
• According to the EPA, the Passat TDI earns 31 mpg city and 43 mpg highway – but not on my watch. My city average was more like 35 mpg and 50 mpg wasn't difficult to achieve on the highway at 70 mph. With an 18.5-gallon fuel tank, its cruising range is just short of the moon.
• Curiosity got the better of me one night, so I decided to run a 100-mile highway loop between Camarillo and Goleta on Southern California's coastal US 101. Following a few suggestions, I pumped the tires up from the recommended 32 psi to 42 psi (51 psi is the maximum on the sidewall of the all-season Continental ContiProContact tires), shut off the air conditioning and set cruise control at 60 mph on the highway. Driving at this "hypermiling" speed was painful, but it delivered an impressive 56.9 mpg according to the Passat's computer – that's a burn rate of just over one gallon per hour!
• The Passat's cabin is huge. Almost limousine-like in the second row, it easily swallowed two adults and three teenage soccer players (with all of the associated gear in the trunk) during a long drive to a weekend tournament. Nobody complained about room, and the air vents in the second row kept the atmosphere fresh.
• The cabin appointments on the 6MT model, Volkswagen's SE trim, aren't very luxurious. An upgrade to a sunroof, navigation, leather upholstery or even an iPod interface requires acceptance of the dual-clutch DSG automatic, which brings with it lower fuel economy and a less engaging driving experience. That's very frustrating.
• On the odd side of things, the clutch pedal transmitted an awful lot of engine vibration to the driver's left foot and I noticed an unnerving sound of fuel sloshing around inside the tank each time the sedan came to a stop (keep the radio on and passengers won't notice). [Volkswagen says the noise I heard was the AdBlue urea solution sloshing around inside its 4.9-gallon tank in the trunk. One tank lasts about 15,000 miles - MH]
• Even though the diesel is the perhaps the wisest choice in the Passat family, Volkswagen doesn't seem to want offer consumers any incentives to take one home. Unattractive lease and financing rates on the TDI often make its more expensive gasoline counterparts (or worse, its competitors) more attractive in the showroom. America's wildly fluctuating (but generally costlier) diesel fuel prices don't help, either.

Audi to introduce four new TDI® clean diesel models to the U.S. Market at the L.A. Auto Show

PRESS RELEASE

The Audi A8 TDI clean diesel achieves manufacturer estimated fuel efficiency of 24 city/ 36 highway

New 3.0 liter V6 TDI clean diesel models will include the Audi A8, A7, A6, Q5 and an updated Q7 TDI

Audi to use #FuelForThought at the LA Auto Show to create a social media experience at the display and online

Audi of America announces the arrival of the new TDI® clean diesel models for the Audi A8, A7, A6 and Q5 to debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The addition of these four models marks the first time Audi will feature a full lineup of TDI clean diesel vehicles in the U.S. as they join the updated Q7 model. Each TDI vehicle delivers up to 30% better fuel economy and 30% lower carbon dioxide emissions than gasoline engines*, resulting in longer range and fewer trips to the fuel pump. By having more density than gasoline, diesel packs more energy content in the same amount of fuel, which helps maximize the miles per gallon when that energy is released during a more powerful combustion cycle.

The TDI clean diesel engine lineup adds to Audi's list of advanced technologies that help enhance fuel efficiency, including Audi ultra® lightweight technology, such as the use of aluminum, and the AFS® frame technology.

"Owners of Audi TDI engines have helped save over 4 million gallons of gasoline, or the equivalent of more than 240,000 barrels of foreign oil, since the introduction of Audi TDI to the U.S. in 2009**," said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America. " And, TDI technology delivers better fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance."

In order to fuel the conversation surrounding the benefits of TDI technology in the U.S., Audi will use the hashtag, #FuelForThought and invite fans to join the conversation through a social experience at the display and online.

Audi A8 TDI
The flagship of the Audi brand, the A8 TDI, makes a powerful statement in achieving a manufacturer estimated fuel efficiency of 24 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway*. The A8 TDI clean diesel executive sedan embodies superior design and progressive advancements which sets new standards for luxury sedans in terms of uncompromising efficiency and performance. The new 2014 A8 sedans dramatically expand the flagship's engine offerings by moving from two variants (4.2 liter V8 and W12) to six, including: the entry level A8 3.0T V6; the 420 horsepower A8 4.0T V8; the new Audi S8 4.0T V8; the A8 6.0 liter W12; and the new A8 3.0 TDI V6. The new 3.0 liter TDI clean diesel engine generates an astonishing 240 horsepower with 406 lb.-ft. of torque and seamlessly goes 0-60 in 6.4 seconds.

Audi A7 TDI
The Audi A7 TDI clean diesel is the pinnacle of design and is now more fuel efficient than ever. Without compromising design or performance, every detail of the A7 TDI delivers a striking visual statement. The A7 was the first car in the world to feature available factory-installed Wi-Fi (for up to 8 passenger devices) with Audi connect™ and MMI® navigation plus with 3D Google Earth™ maps. From the groundbreaking available MMI touchpad and its gracefully integrated display screen, to the state-of-the-art head up display, the Audi A7 TDI is the perfect marriage of progressive design, efficiency and versatile space.

Audi A6 TDI
One of Audi's most innovative and technologically advanced models to date, the A6 TDI performance sedan sacrifices virtually nothing in performance, comfort or design. As with the successful A6 TFSI® gas engines, the A6 TDI clean diesel engine can make up to 2,000 decisions per second. Available driver assistance systems include night vision assistant, head-up display and Audi pre sense plus that helps detect imminent collisions and initiates protective measures when needed. Other available intelligent features include head-up display and a MMI Touch pad that recognizes handwriting, along with available Audi connect – the first factory-installed wireless internet connection that enables Google Earth maps, Google Local Search, and a WiFi hotspot for up to eight passenger devices.


Audi Q5 TDI
The Audi Q5 has proven itself an absolute success as one of the best-selling models in the Audi lineup. For the 2014 model year, the Q5 will receive the new TDI engine which will allow for better fuel economy along with increased torque. The Audi Q5 TDI combines the driving appeal of a sedan with high versatility of its interior space and many practical solutions for recreation and everyday driving. Audi has further sharpened the profile of its performance SUV in its design, technological advancements, driver assistance systems and fuel efficiencies. The new TDI clean diesel engine marks the fourth engine variant for the Audi Q5 model lineup, adding to the current four-cylinder 2.0T, the 3.0T V6, and the Q5 hybrid.

Audi Q7 TDI
The Audi Q7 continues to establish the standard in progressive design, sophisticated technology and fuel efficiency in premium sport utility vehicles. The benefits of TDI clean diesel technology are further enhanced through the revised V6 TDI engine that offers a 10 percent efficiency improvement compared to gasoline engines. The revised TDI clean diesel engine has an increased output of 240 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque that helps improve performance and offers impressive fuel economy with an EPA estimated 19 city/ 28 highway miles per gallon*. The incredibly efficient TDI clean diesel engine enables the Q7 TDI to achieve a range in excess of 700 miles per tank***.

2014 MY Availability
A8 TDI Spring 2013
A7 TDI Fall 2013
A6 TDI Fall 2013
Q5 TDI Fall 2013

Pricing for all 2014 MY vehicles to be announced at a later date

2013 MY Availability Starting MSRP
Q7 TDI Since September 2012 $52,000

* EPA estimates. Mileage will vary.
** Based on total A3 TDI and Q7 TDI vehicles sold, average nationwide gasoline fuel prices, and EPA estimated annual average miles driven.
*** Range based on 28-mpg highway EPA estimates and a 26.4-gallon fuel-tank. Mileage will vary.

Where stated, fuel economy values (mpg) are EPA estimates. All other fuel economy values are forecast manufacturer values for the USA; those EPA estimates were not available at time of release. Audi Connect and SiriusXM Traffic services may require additional subscriptions. MSRPs exclude taxes, title, transportation, options and dealer charges.

Volkswagen brings diesel Alltrack Concept to New York; offroad ability with wagon versatility

Alltrack Concept in New York. Click to enlarge.

Volkswagen is showing a diesel-powered Alltrack Concept at the New York International Auto Show. The company staged the world premiere of the new Passat Alltrack—a new wagon configuration that VW says closes the gap between the conventional Passat Estate and the Tiguan SUV—at the Tokyo Motor Show in November 2011. (Earlier post.)

The Alltrack concept on display in New York features Volkswagen’s 2.0-liter turbocharged TDI Clean Diesel engine that produces 140 hp (104 kW) and 236 lb-ft (320 N·m) of torque, mated to a six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission. It also features 4Motion all-wheel-drive, with an offroad driving program. Essentially, this program tunes key vehicle dynamic and assistance systems for offroad driving at speeds of up to 18 mph at the press of a button.

The offroad program modifies the settings for the safety and driver assistance systems. For instance, the anti-lock braking system (ABS) now has higher control interval thresholds; on loose surfaces, such as gravel, a wedge of material is formed in front of the tires to decelerate the vehicle more effectively. At the same time, the electronic differential locks react more quickly to help prevent wheelspin at individual wheels. The engine’s torque control is modified in parallel.

A Hill Descent Assist program is automatically activated when the gradient exceeds 10%; the system applies the Alltrack’s brakes. Meanwhile, features such as the optional adaptive cruise control are deactivated.

In offroad mode, the throttle map is altered to give a “longer” pedal to more accurately meter engine power. At the same time, gearshift points are raised, automatically giving the driver higher engine revs and therefore more power to work with. If the DSG lever is switched to the manual shift gate, the transmission no longer upshifts automatically.

To illustrate how serious the Alltrack can be in an offroad environment, the engine is protected by a solid underbody guard made of steel plate. This helps protect the engine, gearbox, oil pan, exhaust system (front section) and various hoses from damage, and there’s another underbody shield at the rear of the car. Other exterior changes include matte chrome window surrounds, door mirror housings and radiator grille trim strips. Anodized silver roof rails are standard, along with front foglights and dual chrome tailpipes.

Adding to its offroading credentials, the Alltrack’s ground clearance is raised by 1.2 inches compared with a non-Alltrack model. This ride height and the more aggressive bodywork improve the approach and departure angles: these are pitched between a conventional wagon’s and many a crossover at 16 degrees and 13.6 degrees respectively. The ramp breakover angle is 12.8 degrees.

Currently, there are no plans to bring this vehicle to market in the US, but the concept is set to gauge market reaction to a potential future model that is similarly sized and combines offroad ability with wagon versatility.

Source: Green Car Congress

New entry-level engines for the Volkswagen Beetle

Volkswagen has expanded the range of engines for the Beetle with a 77 kW / 103 hp diesel engine (TDI) and a 118 kW / 158 hp (TSI) gasoline engine.

The 1.6 TDI Beetle offers fuel consumption of 4.5 l/100 km (52 mpg US) equivalent to 119 g/km CO₂) and achieves a maximum speed of 180 km/h (112 mph). Fully fueled (55 liters), the Volkswagen thus has a theoretical driving range of 1,222 km (759 miles).

The 1.2 TSI (77 kW) is a charged gasoline direct-injection engine. Fuel consumption is 5.9 l/100 km (40 mpg US) or 137 g/km CO₂, with top speed of 180 km/h.

The top engine is currently a 2.0-liter TSI with 147 kW / 197 hp that has a combined fuel consumption of 7.7 l/100 km (30.6 mpg US) equivalent to 179 g/km CO₂ and accelerates the Beetle to 223 km/h (139 mph).

The Beetle 1.2 TSI starts at €16,950 (US$22,200).