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Showing posts from November, 2018

2019 VW Beetle Final Edition Review | A car out of time in more ways than one

Filed under: Reviews , Volkswagen , Hatchback We see why it's time to say goodbye, but it's still sad. Continue reading 2019 VW Beetle Final Edition Review | A car out of time in more ways than one 2019 VW Beetle Final Edition Review | A car out of time in more ways than one originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Nov 2018 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2AAE1bi

German automakers planning White House meeting over tariffs

Filed under: Government/Legal , BMW , Mercedes-Benz , Volkswagen BERLIN — Top executives from German carmakers Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler are finalizing plans for a White House meeting on trade policy next week, German and U.S. officials said on Thursday. Officials from the carmakers, asking not to be named, said the meeting was tentatively set for Tuesday, and would include VW Chief Executive Herbert Diess, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche and BMW production chief Oliver Zipse. President Donald Trump has been harshly critical of German automakers and what Continue reading German automakers planning White House meeting over tariffs German automakers planning White House meeting over tariffs originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Nov 2018 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2DSNTjQ

I.D. Buzz Cargo Still Has a Chance in America

Volkswagen showed off the I.D. Buzz Cargo at the LA Auto Show yesterday, and it turns out there’s still a chance it could make it in America. Despite specifically indicating that the Buzz Cargo would be ready for Europe in a press release, VW CEO Scott Keogh said at VW’s press conference that the company is “taking a very close look at it [for the US market].” Although he didn’t detail what it would take for the I.D. Buzz Cargo to start selling it in the US, Keogh’s speech provided a hint as to what the company thinks is the Cargo’s use case. Focusing heavily on deliveries (rather than repairs, as in the European press release), Keogh outlined the advantages of an electric delivery van in a world where free two-day shipping means that delivery vehicles are becoming a bigger and bigger environmental threat. What logistics companies call the “last mile” is the crucial final step in delivering products where efficiency takes a nose dive. Whereas you can stuff a bunch of products into

VW planning new North America factory for EVs

Filed under: Green , Plants/Manufacturing , LA Auto Show , Volkswagen , Electric It's for a yet-to-be-revealed Volkswagen electric costing $30,000-$40,000 Continue reading VW planning new North America factory for EVs VW planning new North America factory for EVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Nov 2018 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2FXKwL0

Robert Downey Jr Confirms That the e-tron GT Will Appear in Avengers 4

Audi’s partnership with Marvel continues. Iron Man actor and R8 publicizer, Robert Downey Jr said in a video shown at the LA Auto Show today that the e-tron GT would appear in the fourth instalment of the Avengers series. The revelation came in a post-credits sequence at the end of Audi’s press conference (a knowing nod to Marvel’s habit of inserting easter eggs at the ends of its films), so apparently the good people of Audi kept right on working in the MCU despite (spoilers) losing half of their coworkers. An impressively German feat, indeed. The as of yet unnamed addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is scheduled for release on May 3, so a trailer is expected soon. Audi and Marvel have been inseparable since Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr) drove an original R8 in the first Iron Man film, considered the rock on which Marvel built its movie empire. Although not present at Wednesday’s press conference, Downey Jr was at a special preview event for the e-tron GT that to

RS e-tron: 590 HP, Audi Sport-Built e-tron GT Concept Finally Unveiled in LA

The wraps have finally come off, and here it is, the 590 hp, all electric e-tron GT. Better yet, the concept previews Audi’s vision for performance EVs since (like the R8 and all of its RS cars) the production car it previews will be made by Audi Sport. Performance for the concept is suitably extreme. Its 590 hp and full-time all-wheel-drive allow it to get to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, to 124 mph in just a shade over 12 seconds, and all the way up to 150 mph. Better yet, this won’t be a one-and-done EV. Thanks to its advanced liquid-cooling system, Audi says the concept is capable of accelerating hard multiple times without the need for a cool-down period. All the performance comes from a pair of motors (one between the front wheels and another between the rear wheels) and 90 kWh lithium-ion batteries. Good for a range of up to 400 km (250-ish miles), Audi claims that the range has been extended 30% by its sophisticated regenerative braking system, which can create up to 0.3 G of

Audi and Airbus Show 1:4 Scale Flying Taxi in Amsterdam

Audi, Airbus, and Italdesign are still convinced that the dream of the Jetsons is just around the corner and have successfully “tested” a “flying taxi” “concept” at Drone Week in Amsterdam. It was actually 1:4 scale model that’s a bit like a drone with a passenger compartment under it, but Audi did manage to land it on a set of wheels and had it drive away “autonomously.” Audi and its partners say that a 1:1 scale not-model could be on the roads (and in the skies!) “as soon as the coming decade” and are pitching it for busy cities and the unlicensed masses. In fact, Audi and Airbus are already testing this service (or, at least, a rough approximation of it) in Sao Paolo and Mexico. The service gives people helicopter rides to a waiting car to test roughly what a flying taxi would be like from the customer’s point of view—although the flying taxi wouldn’t require to step outside of the pod like a pleb. “Flying taxis are on the way. We at Audi are convinced of that,” says Dr. Bernd

Ratty Rescue: White GLI at a Black Friday Price

What constitutes a VWVortex Ratty Rescue ? It can be a number of things: a rare model in rough condition, a popular model in need of a top-to-bottom restoration, or in the case of this 2012 Jetta GLI, a decent car at a low price. If you like the Vader-in-training GLI we featured on Monday, here’s one you can get into for a lot less coin. Let’s start with the best feature of this car: the price. For only $6500 you can park this winter white sedan in your driveway. Speaking of winter: the car even comes with Michelin X-Ice XI3 tires mounted to aftermarket wheels.  And not to worry: the OEM “Bathurst” 18″ wheels come with the car too. [ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] The rest of the car is standard GLI stuff. There’s a sunroof, heated seats, Fender audio, power windows/locks/mirrors, and it may have Climatronic, but it’s tough to tell from the photos. This 2012 GLI also has new brakes, a new water pump, and a new battery (maybe that explains the jumper cables in the trunk).

8th-Generation 2020 Porsche 911 Debuts (with No Manual Transmissions)

The 2020 Porsche 911 has debuted at the L.A. Auto Show with upgrades, refinements, and more tech all around. The sports car is now in its 8th generation and although Porsche didn’t mess around too much with the formula that made the 911 a legend, the changes are sweeping (though it might not look like it from the outside). The new 911 gets new LED headlights, is wider in front by 1.2 inches (45 mm) and out back, and gets wider wheel arches. The hood is also more sculpted than before, with more pronounced character lines, and more of the body is made from aluminum. New door handles sit flush with the body and pop out automatically when needed. You’ll also notice the new single light bar taillight and revised badging out back — the 911 badge is now in a different font, which is kind of a throwback to older 911s. But onto the really important stuff: The Carrera S and 4S models now output 443 hp from its turbocharged rear-mounted flat-six, which is up from 420 hp. Porsche also says the

Audi Shows Off the e-tron GT, But it’s Still Under Camo

Audi is set to reveal the e-tron tomorrow, but before that, there’s some more teasing to be done. So here, for your viewing pleasure, is the e-tron GT under camouflage. Based on the same PPE electric platform as the Porsche Taycan, Audi has revealed that the e-tron GT will be capable of traveling 248 miles on a single charge. Unfortunately, they’re keeping their cards close to the chest until tomorrow’s full reveal at around noon. But until then, we can see the car’s overall shape and some of its larger body lines. [ See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com ] We do know, though, that the car’s batteries will all be under the floor but that platform’s packaging tricks allow it to remain low slung, as a sports car should be. We also know that the Taycan is supposedly capable of hitting 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, so this shouldn’t be far off. Following very much in the footsteps of the A7, the e-tron appears to be a Sportback par excellence, though its roof, if anything, slopes even mor

Volkswagen is Making a Bicycle. Seriously.

Yep. Volkswagen is doing the ol’ reverse-Peugeot and going from making cars to making bicycles as part of its green initiative. The Cargo e-Bike is making its debut at the LA Auto Show this week and VW is 100% serious. The e-Bike, as the name suggests, will be powered by both pedals and electricity and market introduction is expected as early as next year. Why? We were wondering the same thing. Volkswagen says that the bike, which is being shown alongside the I.D. Buzz CARGO—which is technically ( technically ) making its auto show debut in LA—and will be able to go places it (or other trucks) can’t go. To be fair, it’s a pretty clever use of the electric bike idea, because rather than just hauling people who lost their license for (ahem) whatever reason, it will haul up to 463 lbs or 17.7 cu-ft of stuff. Better yet, the storage platform is stabilized, so it won’t fall over in the turns. “It’s the perfect vehicle for that last mile, part of our vision of micro-mobility for the fut

VW I.D. Buzz Cargo puts on racing suit for L.A.; Cargo e-Bike coming

Filed under: LA Auto Show , Volkswagen , Minivan/Van , Autonomous , Commercial Vehicles , Concept Cars , Electric We'd love to see this in some vintage racing colors. Continue reading VW I.D. Buzz Cargo puts on racing suit for L.A.; Cargo e-Bike coming VW I.D. Buzz Cargo puts on racing suit for L.A.; Cargo e-Bike coming originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Nov 2018 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments from Autoblog Volkswagen https://ift.tt/2FJpK1Q

Testing Delays “Close to Catastrophic” for Bentley, Says CEO

The transition to Europe’s new WLTP fuel economy standard almost leads to disaster at  Bentley , according to a new report. Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark spoke with  Automotive News Europe  about the process. “We were not quick enough, unfortunately, to book capacity or prioritize our derivatives within some of the group processes to get them certified on time,” he said. What did that mean for the company? It was “close to catastrophic,” Hallmark said. The delay pushed back the introduction of the plug-in Bentayga. That push-back was so the automaker could get some of its volume models tested. Hallmark said that the testing delays hurt sales of the luxury SUV by 300-400 vehicles. With every automaker in Europe scrambling to re-test their vehicles to ensure they complied with the new and more stringent WLTP testing, the number of test cells and time to use them was quickly eclipsed by demand. That led to a delay and stop-sale for several manufacturers, including Bentley parent  Volksw

Audi Teases the e-tron’s Headlights Ahead of LA Reveal

Audi will unveil its new electric car, the e-tron GT, in just a few short days, but until then, it will do what manufacturers can’t help but do and will tease it mercilessly. The latest teaser images first appeared on Germany’s Bild , and feature some of the EV’s lighting. While the taillights look reasonably familiar, albeit on an interesting, angular surface, the headlights feature a heretofore unseen light shape. The X-shape (or maybe an R-shape, from the right angle) in the middle of the e-tron GT’s headlights set it apart from the rest of the lineup, even the e-tron SUV (whose lights look R8-ish with their angular check-shaped top line.) #Sneak Peek: the #Audi #etron GT concept – stay tuned for the big #world #premiere on November 28. pic.twitter.com/NIg0z6bIwR — AUDI AG (@Audi_Press) November 25, 2018 The long and low sedan will be based on the same platform as the Porsche Taycan, which is said to hit 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds and whose batteries will all be stowed

The 21 Best Cyber Monday Deals on Amazon: Up to 70% OFF

We’ve been on Amazon all morning to find the best Cyber Monday Deals on TVs, tools, toys, home furnishings and more. Here they all are—up to 70% OFF. [ The Wise Guide finds and recommends products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in this post. Learn more about how this works here . ] Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones for Apple devices – Black (wired, 3.5mm) SAVE $198.96 (63% OFF)   Marshall Kilburn Portable Bluetooth Speaker, Black (4091189) SAVE $150 (50% OFF)   Segway miniLITE – Smart Self Balancing Personal Transporter – Fully Integrated App Controls – up to 11 miles of range and 10 mph of top speed – 10.5 air filled tires – Certified to ANSI/CAN/UL 2272 SAVE $200 (50% OFF)   NOCO Genius Boost Plus GB40 1000 Amp 12V UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter SAVE $57 (46%) Ashley Furniture Signature Design – Haddigan Upholstered Dining Room Bench – Casual Tufted Seating – Dark Brown SAVE $133.31 (71% OFF)    

The Best Cyber Monday Deals & Big Automotive Discounts

Photo Credit: Soifer/Shutterstock If you didn’t get around to shopping on Black Friday because you were still in a food coma, there are still a ton of great deals on automotive products for Cyber Monday. Here are the best Cyber Monday deals we could find on car stuff! 30% Off NOCO Car Battery Jump Starters Just in time for winter,  NOCO Car Battery Jump Starters are 30% off . If you don’t want to be stranded in the cold while you wait for a tow truck or a friendly passerby to help you jump your car if your battery is dead, having a portable jump starter can be a lifesaver — and it costs way less than paying a tow truck to do it for you. Portable, compact, and easy to use, every driver should have one in their trunk or glovebox at all times. Not only can you use the NOCO devices to jump your battery on your own, but you can use them to charge up and of your devices via the USB chargers. A single charge can get you up to 40 jump starts and some models even have a flashlight bui