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2018 Audi Q5 | Pricing a redesigned crossover

With its redesign of the 2018 Q5, Audi introduces a host of updates and upgrades to what was already a popular formula. The platform is all-new (and almost 200 pounds lighter), the four-cylinder turbo enjoys a 32-horsepower bump, and ride is not compromised by handling that feels far more nimble. With the changes comes a $600 bump ($40,900 to $41,500) in base price. In a segment that includes the Range Rover Evoque, BMW X3 and Benz's GLC (for Autoblog's comparison tool of similar vehicles, click here), Audi's Q5 is a mature, upscale entry for grown-ups with little interest in pretense or posturing. Sitting on a 111-inch wheelbase and stretching to almost 184 inches, the Q5 is available only with quattro all-wheel drive and has an Outback-like 8.2 inches of ground clearance. And its 252 horsepower is distributed, depending on road conditions, in varying proportions front to rear, as needed, via its new quattro ultra-tech drivetrain. Available in Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige trim levels — we're opting for the midlevel Premium Plus, which supplies you — for its $4K "premium" — a standard sunroof, seat memory, Audi Side Assist and Pre Sense rear with cross traffic sensors, full LED headlights, key/keyless start and a hands-free tailgate. Base MSRP is $45,500 plus transportation, but with a judicious use of the option boxes we can keep it under $50,000. Our silver paint choice costs $575, but a light metallic color doesn't show dirt too badly during long winter stretches between car washes. And for summers, Audi offers its Warm Weather package for $1,450, with front seat ventilation, a sportier bucket profile with four-way power lumbar and sunshades (manual) on the rear windows. Finally, what we think should be standard — rear side airbags — we'll opt for, with a $350 surcharge. With destination, that brings our total to just under $49,000. With 10 percent down, plus taxes, title and license, look for 60 payments to run about $800/month. Audi also touts a 36-month lease — with $6K out of pocket — at $523/month, allowing 12,000 miles a year. Neither number is a screaming deal from a math standpoint, but both are valid approaches for a completely credible crossover. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Audi Q5: First Drive View 32 Photos Audi Car Buying Ownership Crossover Luxury

Germany to accept diesel software fix rather than retrofit millions of cars

BERLIN — The German government will not force the car industry to make costly changes to engines to cut diesel emissions but will settle for software updates for around 2 million vehicles, industry and government sources said on Tuesday. The sources were speaking before a summit of politicians and car executives scheduled for Wednesday to discuss ways to cut inner-city pollution to try to head off bans on diesel cars — a sensitive issue ahead of national elections next month. The summit must also start to restore the reputation of one of Germany's major industries which has been badly tarnished since the Volkswagen emissions scandal broke in September 2015. The auto industry has agreed to software updates for around 2 million cars that will cost around 300 million euros ($354 million), a government source said. An industry source said foreign car makers had not agreed to participate for now. The deal suggests the industry has headed off demands for hardware upgrades that would cut more pollution but would also be much more expensive — with the potential costs as high as 10 billion euros. The deal also foresees a range of other measures to reduce emissions, the sources said, such as subsidies for electric buses, taxis and other municipal vehicles, as well as a commitment to increase the number of charging stations. The sector and the government will each contribute half to a 500 million euro fund aimed at helping local governments reduce pollution, blamed for causing respiratory diseases. CITY BANS The compromise might not cut emissions enough to stop bans of diesel cars in German cities - like the one in Stuttgart confirmed by a regional court last week. DUH, the environmental lobby group that brought the Stuttgart case, has said it wants moves to go beyond voluntary software updates or it will take further legal action. Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives have come under fire from consumer and environmental groups as well as opposition lawmakers for their close links to carmakers. "The car industry can always rely on the support of the government when things get difficult," said Timo Lange, a campaigner with LobbyControl, a non-profit group. Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt rejected suggestions on Tuesday that he is too closely tied to the industry. The Environment Ministry has already made clear that software improvements can only be a first step as they reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by about 25 percent on average.

2018 Audi A5 Sportback First Drive | Cake is delicious

Have your cake and eat it, too – that's supposed to be a fallacy. And yet, the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback defies conventional global wisdom by being more practical and better looking than the A4 sedan upon which it's based. Some may even prefer the way its longer wheelbase and roofline showcase the curves shared by the two-door A5. There's certainly no arguing about not being shoehorned into a coupe's back seat. Compared to its siblings, both of which share a common platform, engines and interior design, the Sportback has virtually the same length, wheelbase and width as the A4, but has a lowered height that's an inch closer to the A5 coupe (54.6 inches versus 56.2 for A4 and 54.0 for A5). Now, you might expect a commensurate loss in headroom, but in fact the Sportback has more front headroom than the A4 (39.4 inches versus 38.9) and only 0.4 less in back. Indeed, someone 6-foot-3 can sit comfortably upright without hair being fussed, and there's still enough legroom. And then there's the trunk lurking beneath its don't-call-it-a-hatchback. With 21.8 cubic feet of space with the back seats raised, the A5 Sportback falls only 2.4 cubes shy of the Audi A4 Allroad ... you know, a don't-call-it-a-wagon. Sure, the Sportback pales in terms of maximum volume (35 cubic feet versus 58.5), but it still offers far more versatility than the 13-cu.ft. A4 or 11.6-cu.ft. A5 coupe. Right, so it's more practical. Then there's the beauty bit. The visual ties to the A5 are obvious, with the exaggerated character line following the car's voluptuous haunches and the Zeppelin-like hood strakes. According to designer Frank Lamberty, however, the difference and indeed the beauty is really in the roofline. He Photoshopped together a for-our-eyes-only image of what the Sportback would look like if they had simply added the A7's roofline and signature window graphic to the A4. "It's not sexy," he said, noting that the resulting profile is too upright and plain. It would just be a more practical A4. Or as the Tamils might say, you'd have a mustache but not be able to drink the soup. Instead, his team created an A5 where everything appears to be pulled back. Both because it literally is in terms of dimensions, but also through lines and details like the little trim piece and badge that bridge the front doors and fenders. The goal was to create a more rear-drive look, drawing attention towards the rear and away from the front overhang.

Audi reportedly will cut costs by $12B to fund electric-car push

BERLIN - Audi aims to cut costs by 10 billion euros ($12 billion) by 2022 to fund a shift to electric cars as it seeks to move on after the emissions scandal, sources close to the carmaker said. Audi, Volkswagen's main profit driver, plans to bring five new all-electric models to market in coming years, starting with the E-Tron sport-utility vehicle (SUV) to be assembled from 2018 in Brussels. Despite run-up costs for its electric-car program, the luxury automaker wants to keep its operating profit margin at 8 percent a year at least, two sources close to Audi said. Its profit margin in the first half of this year was 8.9 percent. The bulk of the $12 billion cost savings would come from cutting research and development costs, the sources said. A spokesman at Audi's headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany, declined comment. German business daily Handelsblatt reported the cost-savings target and profitability plans earlier on Sunday. Audi also aims to free up money for investments in zero-emission technology by developing a new production platform with Porsche, allowing both VW premium brands to save money by sharing components and modules. Audi is grappling with car recalls, prosecutor investigations, and persistent criticism from unions and managers over the diesel emissions scandal and its post-dieselgate strategy. Sources told Reuters on Friday that four of the brand's seven top executives are earmarked for dismissal in the near future. On Sunday, sources said the dismissals were discussed by supervisory board members last Thursday but a formal decision has yet to be taken. Reporting by Andreas CremerRelated Video: Featured Gallery Audi E-Tron Quattro View 11 Photos Image Credit: Reuters Green Plants/Manufacturing Audi Emissions Technology Emerging Technologies Diesel Vehicles Electric Luxury e-tron dieselgate diesel emissions

Ducati is not for sale according to VW supervisory board

Volkswagen's planned sale of motorcycle brand Ducati and transmission maker Renk currently has no majority backing on the carmaker's supervisory board, with opponents to asset sales feeling invigorated by the group's strong results. Europe's largest automaker has tasked banks to evaluate options for Ducati and Renk including divesting the two divisions as it aims to streamline operations to help fund a post-dieselgate strategic overhaul. Volkswagen has been reviewing its portfolio of assets and brands since announcing in June 2016 a multi-billion-euro shift to electric cars and new mobility services as part of its so-called Strategy 2025. Five bidders have been shortlisted to buy Ducati, including Italy's Benetton family, with offers received valuing the brand at 1.3 billion-1.5 billion euros ($1.76 billion), a source said on Saturday. But VW's labour leaders, occupying half the seats on the 20-member supervisory board which decides on asset sales, resist a sale of Ducati and Renk without compelling financial reasons. "The employee representatives on Volkswagen's supervisory board will neither approve a sale of Ducati, nor one of Renk or MAN Diesel & Turbo," a spokesman for VW group's works council told Reuters late on Saturday. "Everyone who can read the VW half-year results should know: We don't need money and our subsidiaries are not up for grabs by bargain hunters." Six-month operating profit at VW group jumped 19 percent to 8.9 billion euros, the carmaker said on Thursday, as cost cuts and R&D improvements at the core namesake brand earned VW a respite from the billions of euros in costs for fines, vehicle refits and compensation related to its dieselgate scandal. One source at VW said that given strong union opposition, VW is now reviewing the plan to sell Ducati as it doesn't want to risk working with labour on implementing a hard-fought turnaround plan for the VW brand, seen as crucial by investors. Though Ducati is owned by VW's luxury brand Audi, the VW group's supervisory board has to approve a possible sale. Audi declined comment. The billionaire Porsche and Piech families, controlling 52 percent of voting shares in VW and holding four supervisory board seats, do not support selling Ducati or Renk, two other sources at VW group said. A spokesman for Porsche SE, the family's holding company, declined comment.

Porsche says it found 'irregular' software as Germany recalls diesel Cayenne

BERLIN - German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt on Thursday announced a recall of Porsche Cayenne models equipped with 3-liter diesel engines after finding potentially illegal emissions controlling software in the vehicles. Dobrindt told reporters he was withdrawing certification for the vehicles, which will need to undergo a software update to regain legal status. Sports car maker Porsche AG is owned by Volkswagen, which in 2015 admitted to systematic manipulation of engine management software to cheat emissions tests. Porsche on Thursday said it had discovered "irregular" engine management software during an internal probe into emissions. Porsche also said it had agreed to recall the vehicles to fix the problem. "The producer will of course bear 100 percent of the costs," Dobrindt said. "There is no explanation why this software was in this vehicle." The minister said: "We have examined Porsche Cayenne vehicles of the 3 liter TDI Euro 6 Mark - during tests these vehicles deploy a so-called defense strategy, which isn't activated in real traffic." "In our view that is a kind of test recognition, which we regard as an impermissible deactivation strategy." "Even if there is a modern exhaust gas cleaning system in these vehicles, if this software is nonetheless there it is illegal, does not meet the legal requirements and needs to be removed," Dobrindt said. He also said that Porsche would quickly be in a position to bring the software into conformity with the law. Dobrindt also said there were some 7,500 vehicles of this type certified in Germany and some 22,000 certified in Europe. "We don't know how many are with dealers. These are the cars that fall under the certification ban." The Porsche Cayenne model shares components with a sister model, the Volkswagen Touareg. Asked about Volkswagen's Touareg model, Dobrindt said: "On the technical question, it is assumed that this vehicle has a similar parameter set but identical construction does not mean that the same software was used in it but it is assumed that the same software was used." He said the Transport Ministry was, however, checking that and a hearing with Volkswagen would show whether that was the case or not, adding: "The probability is high." Volkswagen CFO Frank Witter had no immediate comment about the Porsche recall on a VW earnings call also held on Thursday.

HERE's Real-Time Traffic pools live data from Audi, BMW Mercedes cars

Remember last week's news that German automakers were being accused of collusion? Here's a case where working together might pay off for drivers. Mapping expert HERE is launching a Real-Time Traffic service that pulls aggregated data from sensors in Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz vehicles that are actually out driving the road, making it the first commercial traffic service of its kind that collects real-time information from vehicles from competing carmakers, according to HERE. The car companies involved are actually all part-owners of HERE, however, after the mapping business was spun out of Nokia in 2015 and sold to the competing automakers as a joint venture. The HERE Real-Time Service is available to any customers across any industry, however, and boasts big improvements in features including traffic flow data, with a reach that extends to over 60 countries. In over 30 of the countries on that list, HERE also offers Traffic Safety Warning information, which will identify incidents on the road, as measured by hard-braking data. This allows real-time notifications to vehicles that could potentially prevent the worsening of these accidents. HERE is also in the process of adding more commercial vehicles as data sources for the Real-Time Traffic function, with "millions" of active vehicles in terms of consumer Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz vehicles on the road already. Clients for the service could include autonomous car technology companies, but also current Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) as well as ride-hailing companies, urban transit authorities, city planners and logistics providers, to name a few.Written by Darrell Etherington for TechCrunch.Related Video:

German automakers' stocks fall as EU investigates collusion

BERLIN/FRANKFURT - Volkswagen will hold a special supervisory board meeting on Wednesday to discuss allegations that German carmakers operated a wide-ranging cartel, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday. The European Commission said on Saturday antitrust regulators were investigating a possible German auto industry cartel following a tipoff. At stake is whether carmakers VW, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes and BMW used German auto industry committees to discuss pricing of components and technologies, and whether such talks constituted anti-competitive behavior. A VW spokesman confirmed an extraordinary supervisory board meeting would be held on Wednesday but declined to give details. German auto stocks took a hit in early trading on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over possible antitrust fines after European regulators said they were probing cartel allegations. VW shares were down 2.8 percent, with Daimler and BMW down 3.4 percent and 2.5 percent respectively, lagging the blue-chip DAX index, which was 0.7 percent lower. Exane BNP Paribas automotive analyst Stuart Pearson said little was known about the allegations, but no signs had emerged about fixing prices charged to consumers. "More ugly details could yet emerge, leaving German manufacturers - and the EU auto sector - still firmly in the sin bin for now," he added. The car industry has been hit with billion-euro fines on both sides of the Atlantic in recent years for cartels related to various parts such as lighting systems, engine coolers and bearings. The industry's record on exhaust emissions is also under close scrutiny after VW admitted in September 2015 to cheating U.S. diesel emissions tests and investigations have shown many vehicles exceeding pollution limits outside of testing labs. On Friday, German magazine Der Spiegel said VW, its Audi and Porsche brands, Mercedes-owner Daimler and BMW may have colluded to fix prices on components, including of diesel emissions treatment systems, using industry committees. Spiegel said the talks also led to the use of smaller tanks containing AdBlue, a urea-based liquid needed to help filter nitrogen oxides (NOx) from diesel emissions. Larger tanks would have been more expensive, the magazine said. Auto industry experts, however, have said the effectiveness of exhaust filtering systems does not depend on the size of an AdBlue Tank. BMW, for example, has equipped its cars with urea injection as well as a NOx-storage catalytic converter.

Automakers agree to clean up diesels to avoid ban in German cities

BERLIN -- Auto industry officials and politicians in Germany have agreed to clean up diesel vehicles through software updates as part of a rescue plan for avoiding diesel bans in cities, industry and government sources said on Friday. The costs of the rescue plan amount to under 2 billion ($2.33 billion) euros for cars in Germany, with the auto industry agreeing to shoulder the expense of about 100 euros per car, the sources said. After Volkswagen Group confessed to emissions-test cheating in 2015, the entire auto industry has come under scrutiny for producing nitrogen oxide emissions in diesel cars, which are blamed for causing respiratory disease. Audi, a division of Volkswagen Group, said it would update engine software on up to 850,000 diesel cars. The refit of six and eight cylinder engines will be free of charge for all customers, Audi said. The service will also be offered to Porsche- and Volkswagen- branded cars using the same six- and eight-cylinder engines, Audi said. Earlier this week, Porsche's CEO was quoted as saying the brand may abandon diesel engines as its electric cars go to market, and Mercedes announced a plan similar to Audi's, in which it will recall 3 million diesel cars in Germany for a $255 million engine software fix. Diesel cars from all domestic and foreign car brands that conform to the latest emissions standards, Euro-6 and Euro-5, will be updated, the sources said. The plan is set to be presented at the beginning of August. With the software updates, the auto industry is able to cut nitrogen oxide pollution by about 20 percent, the sources said. A committee will be set up to measure the impact of updating diesel cars on individual communities and cities, with a view to averting bans of diesel cars, the sources said. Auto industry executives and German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt are due to discuss diesel pollution at a summit on Aug. 2. Reporting by Arno SchuetzeRelated Video: Government/Legal Green Audi BMW Mercedes-Benz Porsche Volkswagen Diesel Vehicles dieselgate diesel emissions

VW has received several tentative bids for Ducati

Italy's Benetton family is vying with motorbike firms and buyout funds for control of Italian motorcycle brand Ducati, which is being sold by Germany's Volkswagen, sources involved in the process told Reuters. Volkswagen, whose Audi division controls Ducati, has received several tentative bids with the Benetton family's investment vehicle Edizione Holding valuing the Monster motorbike maker at $1.2 billion, one of the sources said. As well as Edizione Holding, U.S. buyout fund Bain Capital, which owns a stake in Ski-Doo snowmobiles maker BRB, and two Indian motorbike firms, Eicher Motors and Bajaj Auto, have also bid for Ducati, the sources said. Indian carmaker Eicher controls Royal Enfield, a motorcycle brand established in 1893 which ranks as one of the oldest. Strategic bidders also include U.S. automotive firm Polaris Industries, which earlier this year said it would wind down its struggling Victory Motorcycle brand. A shortlist of bidders for a second stage of the auction could be selected as soon as Saturday, two of the sources said. Volkswagen adviser Evercore has a long list of bidders including private equity funds such as Ducati's previous owner Investindustrial, CVC Capital Partners, Advent and PAI, all hoping to outbid industry players, the sources said. If it gets to the second round, Edizione Holding could seek to form a consortium with a financial investor, two of the sources said, in a bid to secure control of Ducati, whose racers have won the Superbike world championship 14 times, with Carl Fogarty and Troy Bayliss its most successful riders. Audi, Edizione Holding, Investindustrial, Advent and PAI declined to comment, while the other interested groups were not immediately available for comment. PRICING CHALLENGES For some buyout funds, Ducati's valuation of up to $1.4 billion – which sources said is based on a multiple of more than 10 times its core earnings of roughly 100 million euros – is a tall order as they lack the synergies that some motorbike makers could achieve. But Investindustrial founder Andrea Bonomi, who sold Ducati to Audi for about 860 million euros in 2012, is serious about a comeback, one of the sources said. China's Loncin Motor was among a group of industry players that initially showed interest in Ducati, alongside Harley-Davidson. The latter has, however, decided against making a bid due to Ducati's price tag, while it could not be established if Loncin Motor had carried on bidding.