2013 Audi S5 Premium Plus Coupe Manual Rear Diff, Carbon Fiber, Nappa Leather on 2040-cars

Auto blog

KBB: VW diesel prices have dropped 16%

There are a lot of post-scandal theories and metrics concerning Volkswagen's performance during the diesel emissions scandal, although none of them has created a clear picture of where things are headed. Kelley Blue Book has a few more to add to the spreadsheet, though, finding that average auction prices for VW diesels and Internet shoppers perusing them have both gone down in the past four weeks on KBB.com. Auction prices on the site are down an average of 16 percent for VW oil burners, which compares to a decline of 2.9 percent for gas-powered VWs. Shoppers are still on the lookout, though, even if the numbers are slightly reduced. Overall, "new-car shopping activity" for the small-capacity VW diesel offerings is down 2.4 percent, a number held partly in check by searches for the Jetta SportWagen being up by 3.7 percent. Shoppers are looking harder at the Audi A3 diesel, too, its activity up 1.6 percent. The Golf, though, is down 3.7 percent and the Golf SportWagen down 6.2 percent. Shoppers leaving the diesel fold aren't necessarily going for high-mileage options, either, KBB saying that the Ford Fusion and Honda Civic are quick alternatives to the Jetta TDI, while the Mercedes CLA and BMW 2 Series are getting new looks from those interested in the Audi A3 diesel. You can read the full release from KBB below. VOLKSWAGEN DIESEL VEHICLE PRICES DECLINE NEARLY 16 PERCENT, ACCORDING TO KELLEY BLUE BOOK DATA New-Car Shopping Activity Also Impacted by Recent Emissions Issue IRVINE, Calif., October 21, 2015 – Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry, today reports that average auction prices, along with new-car shopping activity on KBB.com, for Volkswagen diesel vehicles have declined four weeks after the diesel emissions issue was announced. The average auction price for Volkswagen diesel models dropped by nearly 16 percent since the news broke of the emissions crisis.[1] The average auction price for the brand's gasoline-powered vehicles declined by 2.9 percent.1 On KBB.com, Volkswagen new-car shopping activity for affected TDI models has decreased on average by 2.4 percent. "According to Kelley Blue Book Field Analysts, some auctions are still holding off on selling the affected Volkswagen inventory," said Tim Fleming, analyst for Kelley Blue Book.

Next-gen Audi A7 design to be 'radical'

The Prologue concept has our attention. In fact, it has everyone's attention. It is the preview for the coming A7, and Autocar summarized Audi design chief Marc Lichte's concerning the new A7 as, "A more radical design is promised for the next-generation." In fact, the next A7 is said to become "the most radical" of three coming designs inspired by the Prologue, the others being the new A6 and A8. Autocar also said Lichte made it clear that there would be "much greater visual differentiation between the trio and other future Audis." Yet, for at least four years Audi has been talking about a design overhaul to fight back charges that its cars look too similar. In 2011 there was a "design initiative" dubbed AQR to make sure that "the design details will be different" between its hatchbacks, Quattro offerings and R Sports cars, and make proportion changes to its sedans. That didn't really move the needle. In 2013, then-design boss Wolfgang Egger hailed the end of "scalable design," a prime culprit for the 'same sausage, different lengths' accusations. We're not sure the needle moved much then, either. And this year came news of a new "Quattro-centric" design language that would stress horizontals, perhaps the new Q7 it's first serious proponent, a crossover that we'll have to see before we can judge. Although we've heard the bells ringing about fresh design at Audi for years, we hope they mean it with products that come after the Prologue; it is a fabulous place to start. Featured Gallery Audi A7 Sportback facelift View 13 Photos News Source: Autocar Design/Style Audi Sedan marc lichte

Volkswagen Group names Paefgen head of classics program

You may remember the name Franz-Josef Paefgen. Until recently, the German engineer and executive was head of both Bentley and Bugatti. Before that he was chief executive of Audi, after working for several years at Ford. He technically "retired" earlier this year, but like the cars he helped create, an executive like Paefgen could never really retire. So it should come as little surprise that the Volkswagen Group has named Dr. Paefgen head of its Classic program.
In his new capacity, Paefgen will oversee the historic automobile activities of the entire VW Group, including those of Volkswagen, Seat, Skoda, Audi, Lamborghini, and of course Bentley and Bugatti. It strikes us as a suitable semi-retirement for the man responsible in no small part for the Bugatti Veyron and Bentley Mulsanne, to name just two, and who was decorated in 2006 by the ACO as the "Spirit of Le Mans" for his contribution to endurance racing. Read the official announcement after the break.