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CO2-neutral* Audi A3 G-Tron goes on sale in Germany

The Audi A3 Sportback G-Tron has been on our natural gas-powered radar since it was unveiled at last year's Geneva Motor Show. Just before the big show starts up again this year, Audi put the new G-Tron vehicle on sale in Germany today, starting at 25,900 euros ($35,400 US). Anyone who opts for the Audi e-gas fuel card will be able to cruise the Autobahn knowing that their emissions will be CO2-neutral. That's because Audi has built an e-gas plant in Werlte in Lower Saxony, Germany that creates a synthetic methane that is compatible with natural gas from a process that uses "green electricity" to "[bind] as much CO2 as is released when the Audi A3 g-tron is driven in gas mode." Your own A3 G-Tron doesn't burn the carbon-neutral fuel directly, but the automaker will track how much is spent using the fuel card and make sure "that exactly this amount of Audi e-gas is fed into the German natural gas network." Audi charges 14.95 euros a month to use the card. Burning that e-gas in the A3's 1.4-liter TFSI engine can put out 110 horsepower (you can also burn regular natural gas or gasoline) and offers fuel economy of between 3.2 and 3.3 kilograms of gas per 100 kilometers on natural gas Audi A3 g-tron: Advance sales get the green light Ingolstadt, 2014-02-13 Audi A3 Sportback g-tron available to order from February 13 CO2-neutral mobility with the Audi e-gas fuel card Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg: "Audi e-gas is an important pillar of our sustainability strategy" The Audi A3 g-tron is all set to hit the roads. Advance sales at dealerships in Germany will kick off on February 13. The basic price will be 25,900 euros. Using the Audi e-gas fuel card, customers can opt for Audi e-gas to power their A3 g-tron without impacting the environment if they wish. The Audi A3 g-tron forms part of a new, integrated and sustainable mobility concept from the brand with the four rings. Its 1.4-liter TFSI engine developing 81 kW (110 hp) can be operated using either natural gas, e-gas generated by Audi or gasoline. In pure e-gas mode the g-tron is entirely CO2-neutral. Audi e-gas is a synthetic methane that is produced at the Audi e-gas facility located in Werlte in Lower Saxony, Germany – the world's first industrial power-to-gas plant. An A3 Sportback g-tron fueled by Audi e-gas is currently the most environmentally friendly form of long-distance mobility.

Weekly Recap: 2016 CTS-V gives Cadillac new momentum for the new year

It's been a rough year for Cadillac. The historic luxury carmaker been in the news for all of the wrong reasons: Declining sales, ditching its advertising agency and the relocation of its headquarters from Detroit to New York. But in late December, Cadillac reminded everyone what it does best: Build some of the rawest and most compelling luxury sedans in the world, as evidenced by the 2016 CTS-V. This monster churns out 640 horsepower from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8. Sound familiar? That's the Corvette Z06 engine, and it makes this CTS the most powerful production Cadillac ever. It also puts the sporting divisions of the Germans on notice. The new CTS-V easily overpowers the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic and its 5.5-liter biturbo V8 rated at 577 hp, and the BMW M5 (with the competition pack) and its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that pushes out 575 hp. The rear-wheel drive Cadillac can sprint to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds, which is close to the 3.5-second time turned in by the 4Matic-driven E63 S, and a bit quicker than the 4.1 seconds posted by the M5. With Magnetic Ride Control, General Motors' stout eight-speed automatic transmission (also used in the Corvette), Brembo brakes and a carbon-fiber option package that pretty much builds your car out of carbon fiber – it's clear this Cadillac means business. Truth be told, we expected this CTS-V to deliver. It's been a serious sports sedan for a decade, and the recent generation and its 556-hp arrogance have been particularly memorable. But notice what we're doing here? We're talking about product. Not who makes Cadillac's ads, or if the brand's headquarters has a mailing address in NYC. Like the 2016 ATS-V that's due in the spring, the debut of the 2016 CTS-V (on sale in late summer) is a shot in the arm for Cadillac, and its arrival comes during time of transition. The brand is trying to reinvent itself as a modern luxury maker. It wants new customers, a different image and obviously more sales. Those things are going to take time, but with a 640-hp sledgehammer of a sports sedan on tap for next year, Cadillac can still maintain some of its swagger through all of the change. Other News And Views 1984 Audi Sport Quattro heads for the auction block If you're into '80s rally cars, you're really a car person. But if you're into that stuff – and we are – this 1984 Audi Sport Quattro is sure to get your blood flowing.

VW Group to split brands under four holding companies

The Volkswagen Group is planning a tremendous shift in its internal structure that will decentralize operations by splitting its 12 brands into four different holding companies. Here's the breakdown. Things will be split logically, considering the inter-sharing of parts, platforms, and engines. The Volkswagen brand, Seat, and Skoda make up a passenger vehicle division led by former BMW man Herbert Diess. Audi, which is tightly intertwined with Lamborghini and motorcycle manufacturer Ducati, will be managed by current Audi exec Rupert Stadler. Porsche and Bentley, which are already quite close, will be joined by Bugatti and run by Matthias Mueller. Finally, a commercial vehicles division will include Volkswagen Commercial, Scania, and Man. Former Daimler exec Andreas Renschler will take care of the big vehicles. The massive move, according to Automotive News Europe, is part of an internal VAG effort to move away from the structure established by ousted Chairman Ferdinand Piech, who favored a compact, but highly centralized, management structure to oversee the independent actions of the company's brands. Criticism of Piech's arrangement stemmed from the company's slow responses to changes in the market, ANE reports. The new structure should make for a more efficient, streamlined company that's better able to make crucial decisions. What are your thoughts? Should VAG decentralize, or did Piech have the right idea? Have your say in Comments.