2013 Volkswagen Passat 2.5 S on 2040-cars

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VW builds 250,000th Passat in Chattanooga in just two years

It hasn't been without incident or union organizing drive, but the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, TN has built its 250,000 Passat in just a little over two years. The Night Blue Passat TDI with black leather has come just two years and five weeks after the first customer car came off the line on April 18, 2011.
In the last year the plant operated at the 150,000-unit capacity that it was intended for, but the downturn in Passat sales and subsequent worker layoffs mean it will be a challenge to repeat the feat. The plant does have the world's largest solar park, though, and you can't take that away from them.
You'll find the official hand-clapping in the press release below.

2015 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Quick Spin [w/video]

There are two particularly great things about diesel-powered cars: torque and range. The 2015 Volkswagen Touareg TDI has both in spades. We put 190 miles on our test car, and upon return, the computer claimed we still had 490 miles to go. We weren't even averaging the EPA-estimaged 29 miles per gallon highway. Plus, that's in a sport-utility vehicle with tons of room and a whopping 406 pound-feet of torque. That said, our most recent adventure with the Touareg wasn't totally positive. This thing feels decidedly long in the tooth, despite a 2014 refresh. Driving Notes The Touareg TDI's powertrain really is the star of the show. The 3.0-liter, turbodiesel V6 has been in service since 2009, but it's still a dynamite engine. With 240 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, the latter of which can be called upon at just 2,000 rpm, there's no shortage of thrust under your right foot. Turbo lag is an issue when you get aggressive with the throttle, but don't drive like a boob and you'll be fine. ZF's critically acclaimed eight-speed automatic delivers that power to all four wheels. But where other ZF-equipped vehicles deliver a crisper, sharper character, the TDI's trans is tuned for a far more relaxed driving experience. Upshifts are leisurely; the eight-speed keeps you right in the thick of the Touareg's broad torque curve. The suspension tuning follows a similar philosophy. It's far more comfortable than dynamic, soaking up all manner of bumps and general imperfections with aplomb. That said, the Touareg does not feel floaty or disconnected – just smooth. The greasy bits of the Touareg are very desirable, but the package they're wrapped in is less so. It's not that the interior or exterior designs are necessarily bad – fans of Earth tones will love our tester's Black Oak Brown Metallic paint and Cornsilk Beige interior – they're just kind of bland, or anonymous. The switchgear and buttons come from the Volkswagen parts bin, and while they're fine on a $20,000 Golf, these pieces aren't as appropriate in a vehicle that starts at more than twice the price. The dash plastics and faux wood don't look as nice as what's inside an Acura MDX, or even a Jeep Grand Cherokee. This mid-level Touareg TDI Lux starts at $57,580.

Recall on VW diesels begins in January, Mueller claims

A recall on Volkswagen's diesel vehicles with cheating software has been inevitable since the scandal first came to light, but there has been little official word on a timeframe for the fix. The automaker's new CEO Matthias Muller has finally put a tentative date on repairs, though. "If all goes according to plan, we can start the recall in January. All the cars should be fixed by the end of 2016," Muller said to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Reuters reports. While this plan affects Europe, the timing for repairs in the US could be slightly different. The Environmental Protection Agency needs to test the fix first here to make sure that it brings the vehicles in line with emissions regulations. Before the scandal came to light publicly, VW already tried a software update, but the California Air Resources Board still found NOx levels to be too high. Some experts have speculated that whatever the automaker comes up with this time could affect performance and fuel economy. To make lemonade out of these very sour lemons, Muller is trying to position the scandal as a chance to change. "This crisis gives us an opportunity to overhaul Volkswagen's structures," the CEO said, according to Reuters. "We want to make the company slimmer, more decentralized and give the brands more responsibility." Still, the effects are definitely being felt inside the automaker. When addressing employees recently, Muller admitted the necessity of cutbacks and the likelihood of setting aside even more money to pay for international fines and settlements. "What isn't absolutely vital will be canceled or delayed," he said. Related Video: