2010 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Volkswagen debuts MkVII-based diesel Golf GTD

As Volkswagen prepares for the launch of the seventh-generation Golf, it continues to show off some of the car's different variants. With the standard Golf and the ultra-efficient BlueMotion Concept out of the way, now we're finally starting to see some of the sportier versions planned for the hatchback. Confirmed for a debut at the Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen has now given us our first glimpse at the Golf GTD.
Just think of the GTD as a diesel version of the GTI with all the handling and styling upgrades, and then add a torquey engine to the equation. (We had the chance to sample the current GTD over the summer, so click here to read more.) To go with the new body style, VW also gave the GTD a new TDI engine consisting of a similar turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter inline-four layout but with an output of 184 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque - that's an increase of 14 hp and 22 lb-ft over the current GTD. That's a pretty good oomph, but the GTD won't be setting any acceleration records with VW quoting a 0-62 mile per hour time of 7.5 seconds thanks to the car's 3,036-pound curb weight.
The styling of the MkVII Golf lends itself quite well to the more aggressive body kit found on the GTD (and likely matching the GTI). The new front fascia and blacked-out grille give the GTD a sporty look up front, while 17-inch sport wheels, rocker panel extensions and smoked LED taillights finish off the visual changes. The GTD will only be offered in three exterior colors: Tornado Red, Black and Pure White. As expected, the interior gets the plaid seat inserts and flat-bottomed sport steering wheel, but the car also gets stainless steel pedals, a black headliner, ambient cabin lighting and a specific gauge cluster readout.

Recharge Wrap-up: VW CEO mulls battery factory, voters approve $201B in transportation funding

Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Muller says that it would "make sense" for the automaker to begin producing its own batteries. As the company moves toward electrification, Muller says it would be a smart move to build a battery factory. "If more than a quarter of our cars are to be electronic vehicles in the foreseeable future then we are going to need approximately 3 million batteries a year," he says. Volkswagen has agreed to cut 30,000 jobs in its restructuring, while committing to creating 9,000 jobs in Germany through battery manufacturing and mobility services. Read more at Automotive News Europe. Election results show a desire for transportation funding. Earlier this month, voters in 22 states approved ballot measures adding up to $201 billion in funding for transportation projects, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. California passed 15 transportation measures, including one in Los Angeles worth $120 billion for roads, bridges, and transit. The state of Washington secured $54 billion for light rail and buses. Atlanta approved about $4 billion for road and transit projects. Illinois and New Jersey passed measures to prevent the diversion of transportation user fee revenue to other industries. Read more from ITS International. The US Department of Energy (DOE) must hand over confidential documents about Fisker's bankruptcy. A Delaware federal judge ordered the DOE to give the documents – which concern a presentation by Fisker to the DOE in which it falsely claimed to meet milestones set forth in a government loan – to lawyers in a case in which investors claim Fisker lied to them about financial troubles. While the DOE has given over documents already, they were incomplete and heavily redacted. "I understand that such disclosures may have a negative impact on future DOE analyses," says US District Judge Sue Robinson. "but conclude nonetheless that under the circumstances at bar – the public money at stake, the Congressional hearings, and the fact that Fisker Automotive is now a defunct company – the balance of interests favors plaintiffs." Read more at Law360. Related Gallery Volkswagen I.D.

Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes also under diesel emissions scrutiny

The controversy over Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal isn't limited to the US. In Europe, where diesel engines are far more popular, the issue is shining a harsh light on the NEDC emissions test. As already known, the evaluation does a poor job of reflecting real-world production of NOx, and it appears a significant number of automakers are affected. The Guardian in the UK has been reporting on real-world test results from a company called Emissions Analytics. After the latest round of checks, vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi were found to generate far more NOx than they should. The newspaper also published similar results for Renault, Nissan, Hyundai, Fiat, Volvo, Jeep, Citroen, VW, and Audi. On average, the figures are about four times over the limit of producing the pollutant. Unlike VW and its defeat device, these automakers aren't actually breaking the rules. The vehicles perform up to the NEDC lab test for emissions, but those results simply aren't translated to the street. "The VW issue in the US was purely the trigger which threw light on a slightly different problem in the EU - widespread legal over-emissions," Nick Molden from Emissions Analytics said to The Guardian. A big fight to decide the future of this issue appears to be on the horizon. Automakers claim that they can't meet the next round of tightening emissions regulations and are asking for compromises. Although, spokespeople for Mercedes and Honda told The Guardian that the brands would be in favor of the stricter rules. Meanwhile, some European governments began backtracking their support of diesels well before this scandal came to light. The added scrutiny certain hasn't helped the future of the oil-burner. Related Video: