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Car and Driver 10Best list cracked by Tesla Model S, BMW 3 Series left off

Car and Driver is keeping new blood pumping into its annual 10Best cars list with three new entries making it on for 2015 and a perennial favorite falling off. Among the biggest shocks this year is that the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series are no longer named, despite years of some portion of that lineup earning a mention. In another surprise, the Tesla Model S (specifically in S 60 trim to fit under the $80,000 cost cap) makes it to the 2015 roster and is the only electrically motivated member of the group. Despite the loss of the 3 Series, BMW isn't entirely shut out this year, because the M235i gets its name on the list. Car and Driver argues that the little coupe feels like a welcome throwback to the E46 chassis M3 of the early 2000s. In addition to the Model S, the final newbie to the annual group is the 2015 Ford Mustang GT. The inclusion of these new members knocks the Audi A6/A7 family and Ford Fiesta ST out from the 2014 rundown. The other seven models carry over from last year, including the Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Honda Accord, Mazda3, Mazda6, Porsche Boxster/Cayman and Volkswagen Golf/GTI. The 2015 10Best cars list certainly seems to have something for everyone from the hot hatch fan to the family man and even the green car driver, thanks to the addition of the Tesla. Head over to Car and Driver to read its detailed explanations for each vehicle's inclusion, but if you've got a difference of opinion or just really like the list, let us know in Comments. Featured Gallery Car and Driver 2015 10Best Cars List View 10 Photos News Source: Car and DriverImage Credit: Car and Driver, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Porsche, Tesla, Volkswagen Auto News BMW Cadillac Chevrolet Ford Honda Mazda Porsche Tesla Volkswagen Convertible Coupe Hatchback Performance Sedan 10Best

The Volkswagen Group switches official language to English

The Volkswagen Group can't be fairly thought of as entirely German anymore, so the news that the company is switching its official language to English to help attract managers and executives is a rational, if surprising, decision. While many VW Group companies are still staidly German in character and culture, consider the other companies that it controls: Bentley (British), Bugatti (French), Ducati and Lamborghini (Italian), Skoda (Czech), Scania trucks (Swedish), and SEAT (Spanish). Not to mention the large Volkswagen Group of America operation, which constructs cars in Chattanooga, TN. Volkswagen's explicit motivation is to improve management recruitment – making sure the company isn't losing out on candidates for important positions because they can't speak German – and that's inherently sensible in a globalized economy. Particularly considering, like it or lump it, that English is the lingua franca of said global economy. It also should make it inherently easier to communicate between its world-wide subsidiaries and coordinate operations. It's hard to say for sure if this will have any impact on the consumer, although it's easy to see the benefits if, say, VW Group hires some American product planners or engineers and they push for features and designs that more closely suit American needs. After all, the US is a hugely important market for any manufacturer, and so the switch to English almost certainly has something to do with the outsized influence of the US in the global economy. And there doesn't seem to be a downside from a purely rational perspective, although it could mean that the Group's corporate culture becomes less German. Whether that's a good or a bad thing depends on your perspective. Related Video: Image Credit: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Audi Bentley Bugatti Porsche Volkswagen SEAT Skoda

Auction for first US VW e-Golf raises $41,400 for Global Green charity

Would having Jay Leno on hand have changed the outcome? That's what executives at Volkswagen might be asking after the German automaker auctioned off the company's first electric car in the US for around $6,000 over MSRP. VW auctioned off the first Volkswagen e-Golf in the US to raise money for the environmental non-profit Global Green USA. Bruce Oberg, an EV enthusiast and previous VW owner, proudly cut a $41,400 check for the car, which has a 116 miles per gallon-equivalent rating and is said to be able to go about 80 miles on a single charge. At your local dealer (depending on where you live), the e-Golf starts at $35,445. Sales start later this month in 11 states: California, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Oregon, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Washington, DC. The $6,000 premium for first-dib rights for the e-Golf is nice, but it doesn't compare to what BMW worked out this summer. In August, the first i8 plug-in hybrid in the US was auctioned off at California's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance for $825,000 (to an unidentified buyer). That's about six times the car's sticker price, but this special edition came with Louis Vuitton luggage and was presented by noted car buff Leno. VW's press release below. VOLKSWAGEN E-GOLF RAISES MONEY TO BENEFIT GLOBAL GREEN USA AFTER A SUCCESSFUL CHARITY AUCTION Nov 4, 2014 Winning bidder claims first VW electric vehicle as the car begins to ship to select U.S. dealerships Herndon, VA (November 4, 2014) – Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced that the auction of the first 2015 all-electric Volkswagen e-Golf has raised $41,400, with proceeds benefitting the national environmental non-profit Global Green USA and its efforts to advance smart solutions to climate change. The winner of the auction, which ran from October 8–29 on CharityBuzz.com, became the first U.S. driver to own Volkswagen's all-new, fully-electric vehicle. "Volkswagen's commitment to e-mobility and sustainability runs deep. We could not be more proud that the e-Golf has helped raise money to benefit the efforts of Global Green USA, an organization that shares in our dedication to the environment," said Michael Horn, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.