A Lot Of (6) Six Volkswagons on 2040-cars

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eBay Find of the Day: Unrestored Herbie Love Bug movie car

Well before Cars ever hit the screens, The Love Bug series of Disney films – starring Herbie the VW Beetle with a mind of its own – was an early introduction to cars and racing for many budding auto fans. Not the modern remake starring Lindsay Lohan mind you, but the originals from the '60s and '70s. Now, a seller in Texas claims to be offering a chance to own one of the Bugs from the films on eBay Motors. According to the auction, this Beetle didn't appear in the original film but was built for the sequel Herbie Rides Again in 1972 and also appeared in the third installment Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. This VW was prepared as the blind-drive car for the movies that attached a low-mounted chair in the back and extended controls to let Herbie look like he was driving himself. Although, some of the photos here show the Bug with regular seats fitted, too. This Herbie was reportedly found in a Florida warehouse a few years ago. It was then made operable, while trying to keep it as original as possible. The exterior underwent a slight restoration with input from former Disney special effects staff, according to the seller. The changes added new graphics and rebuilt the blind drive setup. Judging by these pictures, the rest of the interior was left mostly untouched, though. Of course, anyone interested in buying a movie car is going to want proof of its authenticity. The seller claims to have the original California title showing the buyer as Disney in 1972. The Bug also reportedly has a unique rear decklid that mixes early and later parts to help identify it in the film. As of this writing, bidding for Herbie sits at $55,100 with 82 bids and a reserve not yet met. The sale closes on Saturday, December 13.

VW going turbo-only in 3 to 4 years

This really was a matter of when, rather than if. Volkswagen will apparently be the first manufacturer to phase out naturally aspirated engines in favor of turbocharging its full slate. VW is kind of responsible for ushering in this push towards small-displacement, turbocharged engines that's taken the industry by storm. When it dropped its direct-injection, 2.0-liter turbo in the 2005 GTI it demonstrated that strapping an iron long to an engine can enhance the powertrain as a whole. VW made fuel economy gains, while also giving a linear, non-laggy turbo experience that it has replicated, model-after-model, to this day.
Speaking with The Detroit News, Volkswagen's executive Vice President of Group Quality, Marc Trahan, told the paper that, "We only have one normally aspirated gas engine, and when we go to the next generation vehicle that it's in, it will be replaced. So three, four years maximum."
Really, it's hard to get teary-eyed about either of these engines going away. VW has access to smaller powerplants that could easily match the performance of the 2.5 five-cylinder and the 3.6 V6, while gobbling up less fuel and providing a better driving experience. What we are sad about is that a similar statement about the extinction of NA engines came from the Vice President of Powertrain Engineering at Ford, Joe Bakaj. We'd certainly get teary-eyed over a world without Ford's excellent 5.0-liter V8.

11M VW diesels affected, Porsche and Audi under investigation

Volkswagen's diesel scandal is growing exponentially larger. In a new statement, the company admits that 11 million vehicles worldwide might be equipped with software capable of evading emissions testing. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency is beginning an investigation into the 3.0-liter V6 in Audi models and the Porsche Cayenne in the US, according to The Detroit News. The automaker claims that from its investigation so far, the "relevant engine management software is also installed in other Volkswagen Group vehicles with diesel engines." However, the company finds that the "noticeable deviation" in test results and real-world numbers only relates to the Type EA 189 powerplant. That still leaves 11 million vehicles potentially skirting emissions rules, though. Governments around the world have started taking a closer look into the company, too. In the US, the EPA has begun testing VW's V6 diesel because "they were certified well before we knew what we know now," Christopher Grundler, director of the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, said to The Detroit News. The agency has started checking diesels from other automakers to make sure they're meeting the rules, as well. Germany, the European Union, and South Korea have instituted similar investigations. In response, VW is setting aside 6.5 billion euros ($7.25 billion at current rates) to cover servicing all of these diesels. The company admits that the figure might have to be adjusted depending on what happens next. The money is being deducted from its third-quarter earnings. Related Video: VOLKSWAGEN AG HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: Sep 22, 2015 Volkswagen is working at full speed to clarify irregularities concerning a particular software used in diesel engines. New vehicles from the Volkswagen Group with EU 6 diesel engines currently available in the European Union comply with legal requirements and environmental standards. The software in question does not affect handling, consumption or emissions. This gives clarity to customers and dealers. Further internal investigations conducted to date have established that the relevant engine management software is also installed in other Volkswagen Group vehicles with diesel engines. For the majority of these engines the software does not have any effect. Discrepancies relate to vehicles with Type EA 189 engines, involving some eleven million vehicles worldwide.