2014 Volkswagen Jetta Tdi on 2040-cars

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Volkswagen Cross Up! aimed at rugged lifestyle folks, complete with plastic cladding

If you thought there was nothing wrong with the Volkswagen Up! that a little body cladding wouldn't fix, you're in luck. VW has officially pulled the wraps off the production version of the Cross Up!, and its wheel arches and rocker panels are full of the black plastic cladding you've been yearning for.
In addition to the "particularly rugged design and tough, lifestyle qualities" that the cladding exudes, VeeDub has also seen fit to put its Cross Up! on a new set of 16-inch alloy wheels clad in 185/50-series tires. Inside, there are new kick plates to go along with a dash pad that can be had in red, black or silver.
All that cladding must equal additional off-road readiness, right? Well, sure... just so long as you're fine with the same 75-horsepower three-cylinder engine that all other Up! models also feature, along with a five-speed manual transmission sending power to the front wheels, again, just like all other Up! models. The Cross Up! appears to have a taller ride height than other models, but we haven't been able to find out what - if any - changes have been made.

There might be a second VW software cheat

The initial flurry of news about Volkswagen's diesel scandal is just beginning to settle down, but the company is months away from actually having any of the affected vehicles fixed. A stop sale is still in effect on new examples in the US, as well. The remedy process now faces yet another hurdle because the Environmental Protection Agency is requesting more info about other previously undisclosed emissions software on the engines, Bloomberg reports. Separate from the defeat device that evades tests, this new bit of code reportedly helps warm up the engine. However, automakers are supposed to disclose to the EPA any software that can affect emissions. The tech isn't necessarily against the law, but the regulatory agency needs to know about it during evaluations. The company didn't reveal this system until applying for certification on the latest TDIs. "VW did very recently provide EPA with very preliminary information on an auxiliary emissions control device that VW said was included in one or more model years," EPA spokesperson Nick Conger told Bloomberg. In response to the disclosure, VW took back its application for the diesels until it provided more details to the EPA on the previously undisclosed code. So far, there's no evidence that this code is actually another defeat device, though. Regulators are preparing an onslaught of tests on the revised engine to make sure the German automaker isn't gaming the system again. VW has until November 20 to outline a fix for the diesels to the California Air Resources Board. In response to the scandal, the company is preparing for severe cutbacks to have enough money to pay for all of the expected fines and repairs. It also recently announced plans for a serious electrification push in the near future.

McLaren F1 poaches Jost Capito from VW WRC

The executive shuffle continues at the McLaren Formula 1 team with news that Ron Dennis has lured Jost Capito away from his position as head of Volkswagen Motorsport. Capito will become the CEO of McLaren Racing, replacing Jonathan Neale who took the position on an interim basis at the beginning of 2014 to replace Martin Whitmarsh. Whitmarsh, who had been with McLaren for 24 years and spent five of them as F1 team principal, left the company after being moved out of the CEO position. Neale, on the other hand, who has been with McLaren Racing since 2001, is moving over to the newly created position of COO of the McLaren Technology Group. Capito left the Ford SVT division in 2012 to run VW Motorsport, and has spent the past three years shepherding the brand's World Rally Championship to three consecutive driver's and manufacturer's titles. Before that, his lengthy racing resume includes developing high-performance BMW engines, winning the Dakar Rally as a co-pilot, executive positions with Sauber in the early nineties, and managing Ford's WRC team. Dennis, who first approached Capito last summer, called him, "extremely impressive, competitive, and ambitious." The Woking team has some great parts, but it hasn't been able to make the most of them comprehensively since the end 2012 season. Autosport says that Capito has the ability to make the best pieces work together, which will probably be his biggest challenge at McLaren. Capito will remain at VW until a successor is found. News Source: The GuardianImage Credit: AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau Motorsports McLaren Volkswagen Racing Vehicles F1 jost capito