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ABT Sportsline and Vossen wheels have combined their efforts to make a very limited edition Audi Q7. They will be building just 10 of their Audi Q7 ABT Vossen model. Making it special are a handful of “1/10” badges around the dash and door sills. There are more changes than that, of course. ABT and Vossen have added an ABT widebody kit. It comes with a new bumper with absolutely massive air inlets. The fenders are pulled out to clear the enormous wheels, and there are new side skirts to fill in the gap. At the back, there is a new rear bumper with room for the new muffler and exhaust pipes. The front grille, lip, and door inserts are all carbon fibre. Filling those arches are special 10-inch wide, 22-inch diameter Vossen forged wheels. The stealth grey five-spoke design is exclusive to the 1 of 10. Completing the stance is an ABT level control kit that lowers the Q7 20 mm. On top of the badging, the interior gets Alcantara inlays in the seats, along with carbon dash inserts, seat...

Car owners spend more time inside their car than looking at it from the outside, so a car’s interior has to be a nice place to be.  Of course, luxury vehicles excel at making sure their drivers have a comfortable and pleasing place to spend time, but luckily for the rest of us, there are plenty of affordable cars that have surprisingly higher-end interiors. Here are some vehicles with inviting premium-looking interiors despite their modest pricing Top 10 Affordable Cars with Surprisingly Higher-End Interiors 10. 2018 Honda Civic Honda  has recently undergone a styling revolution for its cars both inside and out. The 10th-generation Civic starts at just $20,125 in the U.S. ($21,512 in Canada), but the interior looks like it could be from a more expensive car. Well textured dashboard plastics, metal effect trim pieces, smart details, and a nicely integrated seven-inch infotainment touchscreen create a classy look. The new Honda Accord also has a premium-look...

Audi USA has been on a hot streak, setting a new monthly sales record every month since 2011. There’s still room to grow, though, and Audi USA’s President, Scott Keogh, sees electric cars as the key to that growth. Speaking to Bloomberg , Keogh said that though the Audi still has ground to make up on the competition, its electric cars will far outperform those brands in the electric market. “I think Audi is going to dramatically over-perform in electric versus the total industry, because honestly I feel that we have the right demographic that is interested in this,” he told Bloomberg. The first such model, the e-Tron, Audi is expected to hit the road next year and is being sold as the first true electric SUV. That, argues the brand, is because the Tesla Model X is more of a crossover, or a minivan by another name. The e-Tron will be followed by more electric vehicles bearing the e-Tron badge and by 2025, the brand expects to have 15-20 electrified vehicles in its fleet. That will i...

Lamborghini was on such a hot streak of obstinate heroism, promising us naturally aspirated V12s well into the future , but now they’ve admitted that the V10 that powers the Huracan will need hybridization when that model is replaced. The Huracan’s followup isn’t expected until 2022, so it won’t be for a few years now, but a measure of the hybrid tech going into the Urus will make its way into Lambo’s supercars in the future. “The [next] Huracán – that car will need hybridization. Hybridization is the answer, not [full] electric,” Stephano Domenicali, head of Lamborghini, told AutoCar. “There is still a lot of potential for the V12. The right approach for us is to have the V10 and V12 to suit our customers and then be ready to switch [to a hybrid] at the right moment.” The brand isn’t jumping into hybridization, though, because it feels the technology isn’t ready yet. Range anxiety–albeit a very Lamborghini form of range anxiety–seems to be its main concern. “The issue today is t...

With 400 hp from a 2.5L five-cylinder and quattro all-wheel drive, the Audi RS3 is quick right out of the box. But as always, aftermarket tuners can always make a little bit more than could fit in that box. This is APR’s Stage 1 RS3 sedan . It ran a couple of times with different setups, but the fastest came after the APR guys pulled some seats and threw in some ethanol. So how quick can a mostly stock RS go? How about 10.55 seconds at 127 mph in the quarter-mile. That’s faster than a stock R8 V10 Plus manages with 610 hp. That should give you a rough idea of just how much this RS3 is making. Even on 93 octane, though, the RS3 with the Stage 1 tune ran in the low 11.1s. And it’s not just a rocket ship, either. APR took their RS3 for a few laps around Road Atlanta with nothing more than the tune and 93 octane gas and it did a 1:39.1 in the dry. That’s only ten seconds off race pace for the Riley Motorsports – WeatherTech Racing Porsche 911 GT3 at the Motul Petit Le Mans. “Most prod...

Boasting a 192 mph top speed and a 0-60 time of just 3.6 seconds, Audi has taken the TT to its limits with the clubsport turbo concept. Introduced today at the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show (SEMA) in Las Vegas, the clubsport takes inspiration from Audi’s motorsports past. With a widebody kit that widens the TT by 5.5 inches, the makers were inspired by the Audi 90 IMSA GTO, which brought quattro AWD to the IMSA series back in the late ’80s The clubsport still makes use of Audi’s shiny new five-cylinder engine, but here adds an electrically assisted turbo to pump the power up to 600 hp. All of it is kept on the ground with some choice new aero bits, including an adjustable rear wing made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. Along with the clubsport, Audi is also premiering its Audi Sport Performance Parts for the TT RS at SEMA. Offered as a way to push the RS model just that little bit further into the realm of the ridiculous, Audi is offering suspension, exhaust, a...

Top Gear is getting ready to declare a Performance Car of the Year, but before it can do that it needs to thoroughly examine the cars on offer. Among the supercars and the hypercars, there’s one contender that you’d struggle to even call a sports car: the Up! GTI. Yes, the Up! GTI with its 100-ish hp and 8.8 seconds-to-60 acceleration figures seems like it’s outclassed in the field. But like golf, performance isn’t always about the biggest numbers. Unlike the competition, which is actively involved in the conspiracy to end your life with high speeds and Gs, the Up! is a friendlier kind of performance car. Tipping the scales at less than 1,000 kg (just a shade under 2,200 lbs), the Up! has nearly the same power to weight ratio as the original Golf GTI. That makes it one of the only performance cars on this list whose performance can be achieved. As Top Gear puts it, “This car is all about tactility, it’s about agility, it’s about involvement. It’s not really about going as fast as...

Although it was accused of being late to the big SUV party, Volkswagen has proven that the wait was worth it. The new Atlas has taken the first of what’s sure to be many accolades as the year comes to a close, winning the title of “Best 3-Row SUV of 2017” from cars.com . Not only did the Atlas beat market stalwarts like the Chevrolet Traverse, the Honda Pilot, and the Toyota Highlander–it beat them by a lot. “Volkswagen’s first SUV with a standard three rows of seats won this competition by one of the larger margins in Cars.com Challenge history,” said Jennifer Newman, Cars.com editor-in-chief. “The all-new three-row SUV stole the show with its refined driving manners, ample passenger and cargo space, and easy-to-use technology.” Entry into the competition required the tested cars not to cost more than $46,000 MSRP (including all options and destination charges). The decision, meanwhile, was based on 12 categories, including second-row comfort, cargo space, powertrain, and more. Sa...

Following Lamborghini development boss Maurizio Reggiani’s comments a few weeks ago that naturally aspirated V10s and V12s would continue to power Lamborghinis of the future, another exec has come out with promising comments. This time, the comments come from the brand’s chief commercial officer, Frederico Foschini. Speaking to CarAdvice he said that the follow-up to Lamborghini’s flagship supercar, the Aventador, would also be powered by a thundering V12. “I don’t want Aventador to die, honestly. I love it,” Foschini told CarAdvice . “The time will have to come – let’s say it will be soon, but not too soon – and there are still a few more surprises to come with Aventador. But I can’t tell you any more or someone will kill me.” Foschini’s comments also reveal that Lamborghini is planning on some more special editions. Just last week, the brand celebrated 50 years in Japan with the Aventador S Roadster 50 th Anniversary Japan. Rumors and spy pictures also hint at a powerful new tr...

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] Here’s another ratty ride in need of rescue by a VWVortex member. This ongoing series helps match our faithful readers to an interesting car in need of attention. And what we have today is one of the era’s most iconic models: a 1984 GTI. After the oil crisis of the 1970s, there were few true performance cars. Emissions and economy standards choked the life out of all engines. Even V8 models from American manufacturers struggled to make more than 150hp. There weren’t many options for enthusiasts looking for something with some real pep. VW engineers turned the notion of a sporty car on its head when it introduced the GTI. What started as a simple and economical hatchback transformed into something altogether different when a high-compression motor, suspension upgrades, wide alloy wheels, and a 5 speed close-ratio transmission were added. The hot hatch was born. And Volkswagen had an instant hit on their hands. This 1984 GTI is a little rough ...

Filed under: Etc. , Ownership , Volkswagen , Used Car Buying , Africa , Coupe , Classics "They never fail you - they take you anywhere and have excellent functionality." Continue reading Life after death for the 'Love Bug' in Ethiopia Life after death for the 'Love Bug' in Ethiopia originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Oct 2017 16:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/2gI2uBR

Cost cutting and increased sales have lead to a big earnings increase for Volkswagen in the third quarter of this year. The Volkswagen group reported that quarterly earnings before interest and taxes jumped to $5.01 billion from $4.3 billion a year ago. Operating profit, though, dropped 48 percent to $2 billion. That’s because of a $3.0 billion charge to fix diesel engines in the U.S. Volkswagen bumped up their profit outlook for the year with the announcement, expecting a margin between six and seven percent. Volkswagen has boosted its SUV lineup, especially in the U.S., where the all-new Atlas and the expanded Tiguan are both selling well. European SUV models like the Skoda Karoq and Seat Ateca are also boosting sales. Total deliveries to customers hit 2,651,000, up 6.3 percent from the same quarter last year. That lead to total revenues of $63.76 billion, up 5.8 percent from the year before. “Earnings in the first nine months make us quite optimistic about the year as a whole,...

For the most part, car enthusiasts have two goals for their cars: to go fast and look good. New German Performance has had a firm grasp on going fast for some time, and now we are excited to say we also have ‘look good’ covered, too, as  we now stock the full line of Adam’s Polishes! Much like NGP, Adam’s Polishes was founded and is driven by enthusiasts that have a serious passion for automobiles and we are fired up to offer our customers their truly amazing products. You can head over to our website to  view our entire Adam’s offering , but we wanted to share with you a couple of our favorites right away. Adam’s  Essentials Car Detailing Kit  is chock full of premium car care products and includes everything you need to clean, polish, wax, and preserve your vehicle. This car-care-in-a-bucket kit has everything you need to keep your car looking fresh and is perfect for those wanting to build their car care product arsenal, or are looking for a car-centric gift fo...

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] This 400 hp ABT Sportsline Mk7 Golf R is putting the Mercedes-AMG A45 on notice. While the Golf R and its 292 hp turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder aren’t exactly suffering from a power deficit, the car can be overshadowed by the 400 hp Audi RS3 and the Mercedes-AMG A45’s 381 hp. If you’re worried about the R not being quick enough, ABT Sportsline has just introduced their answer. Thanks to ABT’s specially developed ECU, the tuner has managed to find a few more horses hiding in the barn–108 of them, to be exact. That brings the total for the modified Golf R up to 400. Torque jumps too, from 295 lb-ft to 369. ABT fits a bigger exhaust system with 102 mm quad-tips in extra-mean black chrome. ABT lowering springs drop the R by 20 mm (0.8-in) in front, and 25 mm (1.0-in)at the back, helping reduce body roll. ABT anti-roll bars are on the options list, as is a height-adjustable suspension that can drop the car up to 40 mm (1.6-in)in front ...

Although the Forzas and Gran Turismos of the world  have consumed most of the world’s racing game attention, but one of the world’s classics, Need for Speed, is coming out with a new installment. Need for Speed Payback will look to scorch your corneas with all its racing fun on November 10, so they’re looking to get you all excited with the full list of playable cars. The list is smaller than the likes of Forza 7, but features some good metal, all the same. Although only a pair of Audis will grace the game, they are good ones. The R8 V10 Plus and the Audi S5 Sportback, which we like very much indeed, will race for your heart. If you’re in the mood for something Italian, you can race any number of Lambos (actually the number is four): the Aventador, the Diablo SV, the Huracan, and the Murcielago LP 670-4 should help get your supercar yayas. Porsche is also well represented with a selection of 911s, a 918, and a Panamera Turbo all playable. But if you’re in the mood for somethi...

We’ve fired up the Algorithmotron 3000 again this week . This time it’s for VW’s other all-new crossover. The completely redesigned, grown-up Tiguan . The new Tiguan hasn’t been on sale for long, but we’ve found some happy owners and some with teething problems. And some who want more power no matter how much the turbo-four has. Cons The Tiguan’s new engine has 184 hp. That’s down from 200 in the last-gen Tiguan, despite a bigger and heavier vehicle. It trades power for fuel economy and premium gas for regular. Not everybody likes that. cc’ed summed up the new engine like this “Interesting…but the new Tiguan is still a slug…”. DAYTA said that “I’ve been looking at the 2018 Tiguan but the lack of power is a huge turn-off. Without an APR flash, I will be forced to look elsewhere.” There have been a few teething issues with the new Tiguan. A few owners reported issues with rattles and creaks, especially from the B-pillar area . rev18gti asked: “Does anyone else have an annoyi...

The ravages of time don’t just affect humans. Engines, too, over time lose power as wear and tear take their toll. Fortunately, like people, engines can be fixed and some of the damage can be prevented. Engineering Explained’s Jason Fenske goes over the major factors that lead to power loss. The reasons can be organized into four categories. Unsurprisingly, the categories are air, fuel, compression, and spark. Air issues might be the simplest and gives credence to that old nugget about engines being air pumps. The reasons for the loss here are air intake (get a new air filter), throttle cable (it gets loose. Tighten it), mufflers and catalytic converters. All are reasonably easy to fix, though the former are easier than the latter, and will get you back into ship shape. Fuel issues could be as simple as a weak fuel pump, but can also come as a result of dirty fuel injectors. That last reason also impacts compression, as fuel injected engines are particularly susceptible to va...

Strong ratings in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) crash tests means that the Tiguan, when equipped with Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking, earns a 2017 Top Safety Pick award. “We are so pleased to receive the IIHS Top Safety Pick award for the all-new Tiguan,” said Derrick Hatami, Executive VP of Sales, Marketing, and Aftersales. “This award demonstrates Volkswagen’s longstanding commitment to vehicle safety and the development of innovative technologies.” To earn the rating, the Tiguan had to earn a “good” rating in frontal impact moderate overlap; frontal impact small overlap; side impact; roof strength; and head restraints. On top of which, it needed to offer an emergency braking system, called Front Assist at VW. The Tiguan not only offers the system, Front Assist earned a Superior rating from the IIHS. The Tiguan also offers Automatic Post-Collision Braking and it’s the only car in its class to do so. The system is standard on all t...

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] You’d figure that once you’d become rich enough to buy a Bugatti Chiron, there wouldn’t be any clubs too exclusive to get into. And yet, even among the super-rich, there are “No Homers Clubs. ” To make a wristwatch worthy of its 1,500 hp Chiron, Bugatti wen to Swiss watchmakers (that’s the country that’s famous for its watchmakers!) Parmigiani Fleurier. And with a name that fancy, you know the watch will be special. So special, in fact, that they’re only making 10. To start, even the wristband that keeps the thing on your wrist is special. Made by masters of exclusivity Hermès , the band once belonged to a (presumably very angry) alligator. Up top, meanwhile, this isn’t some mass-produced timepiece. It’s not even the same as most bespoke timepieces. Parmigiani Fleurier went so far as to develop a unique mechanism for the Type 390, as it’s known—a reference to the Type 370 that went along with the Veyron. Featuring a tourbillon mo...

Driving a Lamborghini on public roads is an experience that’s akin to tight-rope walking. People point and exclaim, happy they’re seeing something so rare in action. The brand is built on spectacle and wow-factor. Legend has it that in the mid-’60s, one of the first Miuras was parked in front of the Hotel de Paris during the Monaco Grand Prix, and caused the square to be completely clogged up by onlookers and oglers. The atmosphere around a Lamborghini is always buzzing. Inside the car, the driver and passenger are buzzing too. The performance is astounding, as is the certainty of being the center of attention, but it requires so much discipline to try and keep things legal. With 740 horsepower, the Aventador S is a beast, accelerating to highway speeds in under three seconds and capable of hitting a top speed of 217 miles per hour. It goes without saying, it’s overkill on the road, and with a design as eye-catching this, it can bring some unwanted attention if you dare t...

Audi revealed the all-new A7 Sportback last week and if you watched the launch video, you’ll no doubt have noticed the LED turn signals and headlights. So let’s take a look at Audi’s latest HD Matrix LED headlights with Audi laser light. And yes, that’s the official name for them: “HD Matrix LED headlights with Audi laser light.” It’s a mouthful, to say the least, but these complex headlights deserve a fittingly complex name. The A7 will have three different lighting options available. The base model’s lights haven’t been shown yet, but we’ve seen the top car’s. It starts with the visual signature that Audi says “takes up the subject of digitalization.” There are 12 lighting segments on each site with narrow spaces in between. You’re supposed to see those as binary digits. Zeros and ones. The 12 segments make up the running lights, but will also turn amber as turn signals. The lights have another party trick too, they run sequentially, from inside to outside, to indicate your turn....

For the first time ever, American rallycross fans will be able to see the FIA World Rallycross Championship at home, as the series has announced that next year’s calendar will include a race at the Circuit of the Americas. For years, the closest American fan could get to seeing the European rallycross series racing in America was to trek to the Canadian leg of the series, in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec. Next year, though, you’ll be able to watch the Polo RX and the Audi A1 quattro (maybe) racing in Texas, at COTA. The track is still relatively young but has been the battlefield on which Formula 1, Australian V8 Supercars, American Le Mans racers, and more have duked it out. Weirdly, the American leg of the race will take place in late September, nearly two months after the Canadian leg. That means that teams will have to travel back to Europe for two races, before returning to North America for COTA. Granted the weather differs mightily between the two locations, but Quebec isn’t e...

[ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] As car enthusiasts, we’ve all heard an anecdote or two around low mile cars. Things like “It was only driven on Sunday” or “A little old lady just used it to run errands” seem to lead the reasons why a car was barely driven. This 2006 GTI is a different story. It’s…pure as the driven snow, if you catch my drift. And I’m not talking about its color. Taking a look back, when VW revealed the Mk5 GTI for the 2006 model year, it brought the nameplate back to its roots. While the Mk3 and Mk4 GTIs strayed a bit from the winning formula of the Mk1 and Mk2 models, the fifth edition brought all that back. It even marked the return of the red stripe grille. Magazines and websites the world over regaled it with praise. This all-new model was equal parts fun, function, and finesse. It quickly earned top spots in performance shootouts and ‘must buy’ lists. This particular 2006 GTI may very well be the most pristine example on the market. To start, it only...

The end of the year brings many joys, chief among them being Car of the Year events. Yes, every publications brings together their favorite cars on tracks to compare, contrast, and decide which is best. This year, Top Gear has a good, VAG-heavy batch. Among the many hyper-, super-, and otherwise superlative-cars Top Gear is featuring the Lamborghini Huracan Performante, the Porsche 911 GT3, and a pair of Audis, the RS3 and the R8 Plus Spyder. It’s not all crazy-fast, insanely expensive cars, though. There’s humbler fare, too, like a Golf GTI and, adorably, an Up! GTI. Frankly, that the Up! GTI, a car with less than 1/6th of the R8’s power, can reasonably be considered among this storied group is a victory in itself, but its combination of light weight, tiny proportions, and low-speed chicanery make it one of the year’s most special cars. But punching above your weight doesn’t mean you can knock out the R8 or even the spectacular RS3. Find out which one takes the cake as Top Gear w...

With the electric MEB platform essentially being a skateboard onto which Volkswagen can lay any body, designers in Wolfsburg are looking back through the ages for inspiration for the next EV concept. The latest contenders? The Thing and the dune buggy. That’s what brand boss Herbert Diess told Car and Driver recently. “We have so many emotional concepts,” said Diess. “I don’t know if you remember the Kübelwagen. This Thing is a nice car. Then there are all the buggies, the kit cars.” Diess’s comments on the heels of the wildly popular I.D. Buzz, which first debuted as a concept in Detroit early this year. As with many other modern microbus concepts, opinion was divided as to whether or not it would ever become a reality. Its unexpected popularity meant that VW basically had no choice but to put it into production, but at Monterey Car Week this summer, VW announced that it would go into production. Now, it seems that VW has gotten a taste for nostalgia and hopes to create the Buzz...

It takes a special kind of person to sit in the back of a Rolls Royce and think: “I can do better than this.” But that’s exactly what Pete Casciato thought to himself on his way to a childhood friend’s wedding. A born entrepreneur, Pete threw himself headlong into a major project involving an engine swap and an electrical engineer that started in 2010 and continues to this day (as any good project does). Casciato was interested in starting his own limousining business, but he also had an interested in cool cars (i.e. classic Volkswagens), and a passing interest in electric vehicles. Realizing that the task required lots of space and lots of city driving, he decided that there was a way to marry all of those interests. So he bought a 1973 bay window microbus from Washington state, the motor from a forklift, and a whole bunch of Chinese aviation batteries and set about making his very own electric VW. Do you remember when Clarkson used to start a bit in Top Gear by asking “ how hard ca...

Filed under: Design/Style , Green , Volkswagen , Automotive History , SUV , Classics , Electric , Off-Road New EV platform could accommodate the Kubelwagen and other classics. Continue reading Volkswagen brand boss hints at an electric Thing Volkswagen brand boss hints at an electric Thing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Oct 2017 10:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/2i2nsf1

Filed under: Government/Legal , Audi , Porsche , Volkswagen WASHINGTON - U.S. and California regulators have approved a fix for about 38,000 Volkswagen 3.0-liter diesel-powered SUVs with potential excess emissions, a decision that could save the automaker more than $1 billion, according to a letter made public on Monday. The approval means the German automaker will not need to buy back luxury 2013-2016 model-year diesel Porsche Cayenne, Volkswagen Touareg and 2013-2015 Audi Q7 sport utility vehicles. Under a settlement approved by U.S. District Judge Ch Continue reading U.S., California approve fix for 38,000 VW 3.0-liter diesels U.S., California approve fix for 38,000 VW 3.0-liter diesels originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Oct 2017 15:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen http://ift.tt/2gwvlJg

On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it had approved a fix for the remaining 38,000 Volkswagen Group vehicles equipped with emissions-cheating 3.0-liter diesel engines. That’s potentially very good news for Volkswagen, as it’s a decision that could save the company a truckload of cash. In May, VW agreed to spend over $1.22 billion to repair or buy back nearly 80,000 vehicles with 3.0-liter engines as part of its “dieselgate” settlement . The manufacturer was also obliged to pay owners of fixed units between $8,500 and $17,000. However, there was an additional fine of $4.04 billion if the EPA and California Air Resources Board were unwilling to approve repairs on all 3.0-liter vehicles. With a fix now in place for 38,000 Porsche Cayenne, Volkswagen Touareg, and Audi Q7 SUVs, the company may have just saved itself a over a billion dollars.  According to Reuters , which broke the news even before the EPA, Volkswagen...