1993 Volkswagen Cabriolet Karmann Collector's Edition on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Volkswagen officially grants access to UAW in Tennessee

An audit at the Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, TN has revealed that at least 45 percent of the facility's workers support unionization, leading the German company to grant access rights to the United Auto Workers. This is a tremendous step in the UAW's long-running and at times contentious pursuit of the workforce at Chattanooga. With this latest move, "local leadership is ready to move forward with additional conversations with the company," the union said in a statement obtained by The Detroit News. "As a starting point, UAW Local 42 will take advantage of the company's offer to establish bi-weekly meetings with Volkswagen Human Resources and the Volkswagen Chattanooga Executive Committee." The News reports that UAW Secretary-Treasurer Gary Casteel, shown above speaking at the Chattanooga plant last summer, claimed these meetings "will remind Human Resources and the Chattanooga Executive Committee of the mutually agreed-upon commitments that were made by Volkswagen and the UAW last spring in Germany. Among those commitments: Volkswagen will recognize the UAW as the representative of our members. We believe Volkswagen made this commitment in good faith and we believe the company will honor this commitment." It's important to note that despite Casteel's remarks, this is not a collective-bargaining agreement, Harley Shaiken, a labor professor at University of California, Berkeley, told The News. "But it is a step in the direction of recognition, which ultimately could lead to collective bargaining. This is not the end point," Shaiken said. "We don't know what's next. We're in unchartered territory."

EPA discovers defeat device in more VW TDI engines

In a sternly worded letter, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has issued a new set of allegations against Volkswagen claiming that so-called emissions defeat software has been found in the company's 3.0-liter TDI V6 diesel engines. This is a completely different engine than the 2.0 TDI that has already been identified as an emissions cheater. In addition to VW, the EPA has included Audi and Porsche in this notification, as the non-compliant engine has been used in vehicles from all three manufacturers from model years 2014 through 2016. The EPA claims that cars equipped with the 3.0 TDI engine know when they are being tested for emissions, and their on-board computers switch into a mode designed to pass the stringent requirements in the United States for diesel exhaust. Vehicles sold in the United States with this engine include the 2014 VW Touareg, 2015 Porsche Cayenne, and 2016 Audi A6, A7, A8L and Q5. The EPA says there are 10,000 vehicles currently on the road with this second defeat device, along with an unknown number of 2016 models either on dealer lots or in the driveways of consumers. According to the EPA, VW's 3.0-liter TDI, like the 2.0 TDI that was found to circumvent US regulations, has code in its computer specifically written to intentionally put the vehicle's engine into a mode that allows it to meet exhaust requirements. When the vehicle is unhooked from testing equipment, it will go back into a mode that emits nine-times higher nitrogen oxide emissions than is allowable under US law. "VW has once again failed its obligation to comply with the law that protects clean air for all Americans," said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for the Office for EPA's Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "All companies should be playing by the same rules. EPA, with our state, and federal partners, will continue to investigate these serious matters, to secure the benefits of the Clean Air Act, ensure a level playing field for responsible businesses, and to ensure consumers get the environmental performance they expect." Richard Corey, Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board, said in a statement, "Today we are requiring VW Group to address these issues. This is a very serious public health matter. ARB and EPA will continue to conduct a rigorous investigation that includes testing more vehicles until all of the facts are out in the open." This story will be updated as new information becomes available.

2018 Buick Regal TourX vs. wagon competitors: How it compares on paper

To the great joy of auto enthusiasts nationwide, wagons are back! Well, at least there's a few more of them. The latest is the 2018 Buick Regal TourX, which we just had our first drive of and found to actually be quite good with pleasant handling, solid power and plenty of space. But, how does the TourX compare to other cladded wagons? Well, let's dive into the specs and fire up the ol' spreadsheet maker for Buick Regal TourX vs Subaru Outback vs Audi A4 Allroad vs VW Alltrack vs Volvo V60 Cross Country. True, some are from mainstream brands and others are from luxury marques, but Buick straddles both realms, so it's appropriate to look at them all. Of course, there's more to these cars than just the numbers, but they're still important, and in the case of this class of crossover-aping wagons, can vary more than you'd expect. So check out the specs in the chart below, which are followed by more analysis and photos of each. Discover and compare other wagons and crossovers with our Car Finder and Compare tools. Engines and Transmissions When comparing powertrains, the Buick is far-and-away the winner as far as torque is concerned, and is in a nearly three-way tie for horsepower. Its 295 pound-feet of torque is 22 lb-ft more twist than the next-most-grunty Audi A4 Allroad. And in regards to power, the Buick's 250-horsepower engine is only down 6 hp to the most-powerful Subaru and its optional naturally aspirated flat-six, and just 2 hp less than the Audi. At the bottom of the pack is the Subaru Outback with the standard naturally aspirated flat-four, which only makes 174 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. That may not seem too bad compared with the VW Golf Alltrack, which only makes 170 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque, but the VW is much lighter by between 200 and 300 pounds. Transmission-wise, there's quite a bit of variation in the group. The Regal TourX and the Volvo V60 Cross Country rely on eight-speed automatics, all Outbacks use CVTs, and the Alltrack and Allroad have dual-clutch automated manual transmissions with six and seven gears, respectively. But for people that want to shift for themselves, the only option is the Volkswagen, which offers a traditional six-speed manual transmission on the Golf Alltrack. Cargo and Interior Space One of the main reasons to buy a wagon is for the body style's large cargo capacity. And for the most space for things and stuff, you'll want to check out the Subaru and the Buick.