1992 Volkswagen Golf Gti 16-valve Hatchback 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

BMW says its diesels are above board

BMW got yanked into the riptide of the Volkswagen diesel scandal thanks to a report in Auto Bild, which Auto Bild has now clarified. On Thursday the German magazine said that when the International Council on Clean Transportation tested the X3 xDrive 2.0d, the ICCT discovered the diesel X3's tailpipe emissions exceeded the European limit by more than 1,100 percent. The key detail, though, is that apparently at no time did the ICCT find that BMW cheated on any emissions tests. No one has explained why the X3 diesel had such high emissions and the ICCT wouldn't comment on the Auto Bild report. But the mag has issued a clarification asserting that in spite of the excessive emissions, there is no evidence BMW engaged in regulatory subterfuge. Every other BMW vehicle ICCT tested was within compliance, but the organization's report from October 2014 - that no one paid attention to - found that nitrogen oxide emissions in 15 vehicles it tested averaged seven times the European limit. The brand's stock is still suffering from the taint. It dropped almost ten percent the day the report came out before rallying to close at five percent down. But on Monday BMW stock closed at 84.01 euros, and as of writing on Friday it's still trying to fight its way back above 80 euros. With so many people still just trying to find out how widespread the the issue is, and trust rather low, it's likely BMW won't be the one dragged down, fairly or not. Related Video:

Red Bull says VW deal in F1 now 'up in smoke'

The Volkswagen diesel scandal will likely have long-term repercussions, reverberating across the industry potentially for years to come – the likes of which we're only beginning to discover. And that could include Formula One. Now if you're thinking that VW doesn't compete in F1, you're right. Even between all of its various brands, the group has little history in post-war grand prix racing. But if was getting close. As we reported last week, the German auto giant and the Red Bull Racing team were nearing an agreement that would (or would have) seen the former take over the latter. The deal was said to include VW developing a new power unit (as the combined turbo engine and electric motor are referred to in the sport) and acquiring the multiple championship-winning team, with the energy drink company that now owns it transitioning back to a more traditional sponsorship role. It remained to be seen, though, just which of its many brands VW would choose to promote through the new program. Team principal Christian Horner, however, now says that the deal has "seemed to go up in smoke." That doesn't mean that it's off the table entirely and indefinitely, but it would follow logically that between the scandal it's currently facing, the ensuing change in leadership, and drop in stock value, the board in Wolfsburg has other problems to focus on and devote its resources. While ostensibly a logical move for Volkswagen, that would leave Red Bull in a difficult position. The Renault partnership that once led to utter domination with four back-to-back world championships has since fallen dramatically off pace. Although it impressively held on last season to come second in the championship with three race wins, it hasn't won a race yet this season – and heading into this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, stood fourth in the standings... its worst position since 2008. "With the way the regulations are, unless you have a Mercedes or Ferrari power unit it is quite simply impossible to compete," said Horner. "And if we are not able to compete, then you have to question what is the validity of remaining in F1." If the Volkswagen deal does indeed fall through, the team will likely need to buy its power units from another supplier – with its chief rivals as the only likely candidates. Related Video:

Winterkorn remains CEO of Volkswagen's majority shareholder

Martin Winterkorn may have stepped down as the chief executive of Volkswagen in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal, but he's not out from under the company's large umbrella just yet. In fact, according to a report from Reuters, he still holds four top-level positions not only within the industrial giant's bureaucracy, but at the top of it. And one of those is as CEO of the company's largest shareholder. That holding company is Porsche SE, the investment arm of the Piech and Porsche families (Ferdinand Porsche's descendants) which holds over 50 percent of VW's shares. In 2008, Porsche SE acquired majority interest in the Volkswagen Group which in turn acquired Porsche the automaker – and placed VW's Winterkorn at the head of the executive board of the holding company. Though Winterkorn has resigned from his position as chairman of VW's management board, he has apparently yet to step down from running Porsche SE. That's not the only job that Winterkorn still retains in VW's senior management. He also continues to serve as chairman of Audi, as well as truck manufacturer Scania, and the new Truck & Bus GmbH into which Scania has been grouped together with Man. It remains unclear if or when Winterkorn might resign from those positions as well, or how his tenure in those posts might affect the company's effort to start over in the aftermath of the scandal in which it is currently embroiled. Also unclear, Reuters reports, is how much, exactly, Winterkorn will receive in compensation after having stepped down from his chair at the head of the VW executive board. His pension is reported at over $30 million, but he could be awarded a large severance package as well amounting to as much as two years' worth of his annual compensation, which amounted to around $18 million last year. Whether he receives the severance pay or not is expected to depend on whether his resignation is considered by the supervisory board to have been the result of his own missteps or independent of the situation that resulted in his resignation. One way or another, he's not likely to go poor anytime soon.