Oh the irony...
[url="http://www.carscoops.com/2015/10/gm-unfazed-by-vw-dieselgate-scandal.html"]GM Unfazed By VW Dieselgate Scandal, Will Continue US Diesel Launches As Planned[/url]
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Oh the irony...
[url="http://www.carscoops.com/2015/10/gm-unfazed-by-vw-dieselgate-scandal.html"]GM Unfazed By VW Dieselgate Scandal, Will Continue US Diesel Launches As Planned[/url]
[quote=Ferrer;1013141]Oh the irony...
[url="http://www.carscoops.com/2015/10/gm-unfazed-by-vw-dieselgate-scandal.html"]GM Unfazed By VW Dieselgate Scandal, Will Continue US Diesel Launches As Planned[/url][/quote]
as long as they do not use VAG engines, there is nothing wrong with their plans...
[quote=henk4;1013142]as long as they do not use VAG engines, there is nothing wrong with their plans...[/quote]
The Americans better at diesels than the Europeans?
Surely, that's not the way it's meant to be, is it?
[quote=Ferrer;1013143]The Americans better at diesels than the Europeans?
Surely, that's not the way it's meant to be, is it?[/quote]
Americans beat VW to this whole thing by years...
[IMG]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/62/1a/bf/621abf3230d7ce9c1fa0cfaca99e4879.jpg[/IMG]
[quote=Ferrer;1013143]The Americans better at diesels than the Europeans?
Surely, that's not the way it's meant to be, is it?[/quote]
if they meet the EPA requirements...why not.
Porsche diesels are found to have VW emissions cheating software.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/03/business/some-porsche-models-found-to-have-emissions-cheating-software.html"]Log In - The New York Times[/url]
(Unless you read the NY Times a lot, everyone should get 10 free articles a month. Also, the NY Times article doesn't really say much.)
Basically, the 2014 VW Touareg, the 2015 Porsche Cayenne and the 2016 Audi A6 Quattro, A7 Quattro, A8, A8L and Q5.
I wasn't too worried about Porsche because they don't make diesel 911s when the news first broke, but I completely forgot about the Cayenne. I somehow had an automatic cognitive block on the Cayenne. :D
Audi I was suspicious about from the very beginning, as they share many direct platforms with VW. It was just a matter of time until they got around to testing Audis to find the cheating software.
It makes you wonder if everyone is cheating.
This time, VW has denied the software was installed. Fiesty.
Volkswagen has indeed denied everything.
[quote=Volkswagen][B]Statement on the announcement by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)[/B]
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) informed Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft on Monday that vehicles with V6 TDI engines had a software function which had not been adequately described in the application process. Volkswagen AG wishes to emphasize that no software has been installed in the 3-liter V6 diesel power units to alter emissions characteristics in a forbidden manner.
Volkswagen will cooperate fully with the EPA clarify this matter in its entirety.[/quote]
And Audi was already in trouble as they use the four cylinder diesels which were found to be illegal. In fact in Euroe they use them in everything from the A1 up to the A6.
What if... The puppet master Piech leaked this to screw over Winkertorn?
[IMG]http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/296/328/d64.gif[/IMG]
PS I don't believe this to be the case, but the timing is hilarious. Marty waited so long to be CEO...
Alfa Romeo being Alfa Romeo... again?
[url="http://www.carscoops.com/2015/11/oh-no-alfa-romeo-giulia-launch-delayed.html"]Oh, No! Alfa Romeo Giulia Launch Delayed By Six Months, Report Says[/url]
Guys, this doesn't bode well. Combine this info with Fislers legendary quality (Jeep and Fiat, I am looking at you...) and I am skeptical, to say the least. How nice would it be if the Giulia joined the XE and ATS to give a real alternative to the 3 series in the luxury performance sedan class though?
Also, how sad will it be that even if all 3 cars are "better" (or at least "dynamically better", whatever both terms mean), that the 3 and C will crush them in sales, profit, prestige, and the perception of the general public?
EDIT: After reading that article, both Sergio and his - highly attainable - sales projections are hilarious. It will be a shame when he retires.
It is not looking good certainly. The only difference with all the other Alfa Romeo plans is that on this occasion there's actually a car not just some power point slides.
Will this mean seriously cheap brand new cracking spoarts saloons in the future?
[url="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/11/volkswagen-emissions-kba-idUSL8N1362NQ20151111#45w3wkvjjaCGY8DB.97"]http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/11/volkswagen-emissions-kba-idUSL8N1362NQ20151111#45w3wkvjjaCGY8DB.97[/url]
I wonder that if it hadn't been Volkswagen who was caught cheating, would the German government have been [I]so interested[/I] in investigating [I]other car manufacturers[/I]?
[quote=Ferrer;1013269][url="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/11/volkswagen-emissions-kba-idUSL8N1362NQ20151111#45w3wkvjjaCGY8DB.97"]http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/11/volkswagen-emissions-kba-idUSL8N1362NQ20151111#45w3wkvjjaCGY8DB.97[/url]
I wonder that if it hadn't been Volkswagen who was caught cheating, would the German government have been [I]so interested[/I] in investigating [I]other car manufacturers[/I]?[/quote]
That's like saying Motortrend doesn't have an American marque bias.
I recall having a discussion with a user named something like f6fhellcatwtfbbq ages ago and it came out that I wasn't as concerned with the increasing mass of new cars as he was. As I recall (this could be [I]hearsay[/I]), he thought this was [I]heresy[/I] (see what I did there?) coming from a so called enthusiast.
Now, as I was sitting on the subway today reading Car and Driver and Autoblog's reviews of the aptly named 911 991.2, a few things kept running through my head. Both reviewers all praised the car; and rightly so. Great on road dynamics (despite a 100 lb increase in half a generation), the best electric steering in the biz, minimal lag, standard fare 911 excellence. No problems here then, right? Maybe all the cavepeople who still want synchromesh and watercooling in their Porsches were wrong.
Yet, at the risk of sounding like a luddite myself, I kept wondering: wouldn't this car be more fun to drive if it had all the [I]other[/I] improvements that go along with a model refresh/new design, but it still retained hydraulic steering, a naturally aspirated engine, and a either no change in weight, or a weight decrease?
The thing, is reviewers and the public can never know, as Porsche does not build this hypothetical 991.2 which we could to the actual 991.2. I'm sure the new car is fabulous. But is it a more fun to drive/enthusiast peach/"better" car than the hypothetical 991.2 that I describe? I doubt it.
The new car will probably be moderately more fuel efficient than the old one in Euro/EPA testing, and only slightly more efficient in real world driving, so the drive for efficiency while admirable, will not have a huge impact (especially considering this is a sportscar that sells a pittance compared to commuter vehicles and trucks worldwide). Is any engineer gonna say with a straight face they are adding EPAS and turbos and 100 lbs to make the car more fun to drive? This is a sports car, not a commuting car. The drive to lower emissions and cut down on global warming or climate change or whatever you want to call it is a noble goal. The proliferation of features that take the essence of driving even further away in cars that sell in very small number is slightly depressing.
Guess I can open the tab for Craigslist; maybe I'm just as bad as those cavepeople who always see the world through a tinge of rose.
We have broken him!
Well, there's a solution.
It's called Mazda MX-5.
(Except for the EPS)
Speaking of which, I realized why the X5 M is called the X5 M.
If they named it otherwise, it'd be called the BMW MX5. Which makes no sense at all.
More bad news for Fisler, as it turns out.
[url="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-02/fiat-said-to-delay-maserati-alfa-romeo-models-on-china-woes"]Fiat Said to Delay Maserati, Alfa Romeo Models on China Woes - Bloomberg Business[/url]
So, same as it ever was? Over promise, under deliver!
The more the time passes, the more I believe this will be a bargain a few years down the line.
Wait, which will be a bargain?
The whole Maserati selling a berzillion units hasn't worked so well, has it? Fiat and Chrysler still seem to be in a mess; largely left chugging along on fat Jeep profits. This will reek of hubris in years to come.
I was thinking of the Giulia.
Maseratis are too exclusive and expensive to become a bargain. The Giulia on the other hand hits the sweet sport for a brilliant car languishing in the showrooms.
Welcome amazing discounts to sell them, then.
I know... instead of addressing the latest concerns regarding the delay of the launch of key products... I'm going to hint at the preposterous idea of Alfa Romeo returning to F1. Brilliant strategy!
[url="http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-motor-racing-alfa-idUKKBN0TX27L20151214"]http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-motor-racing-alfa-idUKKBN0TX27L20151214[/url]
Well to their credit, it's very Italian to be bad with money, so that's not really their fault...
Having difficulties turning a profit is also a very Italian thing to do as well.
Seems like they're in fine company, and they've had multiple precedents!
[url="http://www.carscoops.com/2015/12/nissan-officially-kills-gt-r-lm-nismo.html"]Nissan Officially Kills GT-R LM Nismo Racing Program[/url]
What a shame. At least it was interesting, if slow.
.... [URL="http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/nissan-fired-its-lmp1-employees-three-days-before-chris-1749317387#_ga=1.261161028.87288707.1418566982"]And fired everyone involved via email[/URL]. Classy!
That's a shame and really shitty way of doing business.
On a lighter note, I've found a load of old IMSA GT races on YouTube. The races are not-quite-interesting enough to be continuously-watchable, but they do make good background noise for reading Mulsanne's Corner or W's fantastic articles on Group C/GTP cars.
[quote=pimento;1013736].... [URL="http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/nissan-fired-its-lmp1-employees-three-days-before-chris-1749317387#_ga=1.261161028.87288707.1418566982"]And fired everyone involved via email[/URL]. Classy![/quote]
Their firing technique is certainly way faster and more effective than their car, that's for sure.
[quote=Ferrer;1013741]Their firing technique is certainly way faster and more effective than their car, that's for sure.[/quote]
:-) In their defence they are not the only ones.
[IMG]https://s3-eu5.ixquick.com/cgi-bin/serveimage?url=https:%2F%2Flancegreenfield.files.wordpress.com%2F2015%2F11%2Frichard-branson-quote1.jpg%3Fw%3D380%26amp;h%3D285&sp=4cf5821216118ea26d8beae8af97595f[/IMG]
I know of plenty of organizations who say this but have yet to work for one that means it.
Renault is, as it turns out, being investigated for lying in the emissions testing figures.
Sniff's take on the subject is, as always, bang on the money.
[quote=World's orangiest motoring website]Police have raided Renault R&D centres in France as part into an investigation into allegedly fraudulent claims.
According to French newspapers, the authorities wish to know more about Renault’s insistence that the Vel Satis was a ‘legitimate rival’ for the BMW 5-series. ‘This claim brought great shame upon France,’ admitted gendarme spokesman, Jean-Darme Speuksmon. ‘Because the car was plainly, how you say, merde.’
Other allegedly misleading claims being investigated are said to include promises that the mark 2 Laguna was ‘reliable’, that the Clio 197 ‘definitely’ had enough torque, and that the interior trim of the Megane Scenic would ‘absolutely’ stay attached.
Finally, investigators will also look into a suggestion that Renault’s F1 team lied when it said Pastor Maldonado was a good driver and will not be replaced by Ken Magnussen.[/quote]
[url="http://sniffpetrol.com/2016/01/15/le-rozzeurs-raid-renault/"]Les rozzeurs raid Renault | Sniff Petrol[/url]
Welcome everyone to the four cylinder 7er (this time for real).
[url="http://www.carscoops.com/2016/01/new-bmw-730i-now-shares-minis-20l-4.html"]New BMW 730i Now Shares MINIs 2.0L 4-Cylinder In Turkey, China [/url]
[url="http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/this-ford-f-150-prototype-sure-sounds-like-a-diesel-1755817513"]This Ford F-150 Prototype Sure Sounds Like A Diesel[/url]
New diesel F150. I'm much more excited about this truck than I should be. The new generation is by far the best long-distance hauler I've driven.
[quote=Ferrer;1013852]Welcome everyone to the four cylinder 7er (this time for real).[/quote]
Sounds oddly strange, but at the right price point I'd buy it.
[quote=Ferrer;1013852]Welcome everyone to the four cylinder 7er (this time for real).
[url="http://www.carscoops.com/2016/01/new-bmw-730i-now-shares-minis-20l-4.html"]New BMW 730i Now Shares MINIs 2.0L 4-Cylinder In Turkey, China [/url][/quote]
That's not so surprising. Even Volvo has that 2L with 474747 hp now, and they stick that in everything.
[quote=Rasmus;1013855][url="http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/this-ford-f-150-prototype-sure-sounds-like-a-diesel-1755817513"]This Ford F-150 Prototype Sure Sounds Like A Diesel[/url]
New diesel F150. I'm much more excited about this truck than I should be. The new generation is by far the best long-distance hauler I've driven.
Sounds oddly strange, but at the right price point I'd buy it.[/quote]
Timing could be better. Maybe this woulda made a bigger dent in 2012ish.
I wouldn't mind the 4 cylinder BMW and I doubt you'd be disappointed with the performance. I mean, [I]it is faster than our (not so) old V8 Jag[/I].
Those 400+ bhp hybrid 4 cylinder Volvos are just on the right side of naughty too. They are indeed approved.
As much as I like watching Bill Nye, I don't agree with him here.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4PiHWxHesg"] #TuesdaysWithBill - YouTube[/ame]
People have mp3s now, it doesn't mean you stop using record players.
Just because it's new, doesn't mean it stops being appealing to you.
I think petrol heads will end up like steam enthusiasts- they'll still have their fun, but they just become a really small group of really enthusiastic people. People still run traction engines at steam conventions. I shudder at the thought that the definition of "rolling coal" ends up becoming driving a Prius down a block 100 years from now, instead of driving a Cummins diesel with no emission controls and black smoke billowing up the smokestacks.
That video makes me want to go out and buy a supercharged Challenger.
Also...
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZZRvIzIais"]Tesla Model S P85D vs Audi RS7 vs Alpina XD3 track battle - YouTube[/ame]
I'm sorry but it's not all fun and games in the electric world...
Was there a thread about Scion's death? I sort of remember discussing it, but I can't remember it.
Did we?
Anyway, in most of the rest of the world Scions were just Toyotas.
Or Mazdas.
Let's move on.
We did not.
What does that say about:
a) Scion
and
b) the activeness of the forum here at UCP?
Rest in flames Scion. Unlike many others, I saw no redeeming quality in you.