The relentless rise of Sports Utility Vehicles seems to have dominated discussions among motoring writers, drivers and the industry during 2016 but it was a more familiar family-car which impressed just before the dawn of 2017. Looking back at our testing diary for the year and also the brief opportunities for some first drives in a host of cars, we … [Read more...]
Newslines 23 December
The wraps will come off an Audi Q8 concept at the Detroit motor show in January. The very wide and long coupe styled four-seater SUV has elements from a 1980s Audi concept but this new model will go into production against the forthcoming BMW X7 and it’s thought to share components with the sister-company Bentley SUV. Honda Motor has reached the 100 … [Read more...]
Best selling Audi A3 emissions probed
The latest best selling Audi A3 released excessive toxic diesel emissions in results from lab tests run by the European Commission and seen by Reuters, raising suspicions of wrongdoing at Volkswagen Group's luxury division. The results may embroil Audi, the main contributor to VW Group profit, further in the scandal that has engulfed the company since it … [Read more...]
“Right” & “wrong” cars curb house sales
If you're browsing the Sunday papers housing pages today, you could be a victim of a little appreciated fact that over a third of Brits would be put off a property by the cars parked outside. School catchment areas and transport links often come high on the list of factors when choosing a property, but new research shows that over a third (36%) of us … [Read more...]
Newslines 18 November
Roads around Aberystwyth have been blocked by fallen trees after strong winds battered the area yesterday. Some roads in the town and surrounding villages were also affected by fallen roof tiles, power lines and masonry after what some termed a freak tornado. Car parking charges and penalties made Welsh councils a profit of £13.8m in 2015/16, says the … [Read more...]
Tradelines 16 November
Automatic transmissions used in Audi models have come under US scrutiny by investigators looking into emissions software programmes. The Audi automatic boxes may act differently and emit more pollutants in dynamic mode although they were designed to suit drivers’ performance desires for several years and this characteristic is thought to be similar in … [Read more...]
Volkswagen agree US repair programme
Volkswagen Group has reached an agreement with U.S. environmental regulators to fix or buy back around 80,000 Audi, VW and Porsche vehicles with tainted 3.0-liter diesel engines. Working with the Environmental Protection Agency and California’s Air Resources Board, Volkswagen would get the go-ahead to fix some 60,000 vehicles and offer to repurchase about … [Read more...]
Darkness spreads through Audi
Audi is promoting it darker side. Black editions of its models are proving a big hit in Britain so the concept is being extended to Q3, S6 and S7 models and are pitched above the current top verisions, with distinctive black wheels and upgraded sound systems and some have privacy glass included. … [Read more...]
Audi Q2 stretches sophistication
They have been queuing since August, but now Audi fans will be able see and touch the Q2 this weekend, writes Robin Roberts. Dealer launches for what Audi believe will become one of their best sellers are taking place from today (Saturday 5 Nov2016) for the staggering 18,000 people who registered an interest in the premium compact SUV car over the last … [Read more...]
VW & Audi braced for costs and profits dip
Volkswagen Group says third-quarter operating profit at its core VW brand plunged more than half, adding weight to management calls for cutbacks at the the automaker's biggest division. Operating profit at the VW brand dropped to 363 million euros ($396 million) from 801 million a year earlier, and subsidiary Audi is cutting its earning forecast due to … [Read more...]
