VW – Page 3668 – I wish I had more to offer

Federal Court of Justice strengthens rights of VW customers

For the first time, the Federal Court takes a position on the VW diesel affair concrete position: In the illegal defeat device one must assume a material defect. This increases the chances of customers for damages. VW with manipulated software in the workshop Friday, 22.02.2019 15:55 clock The Federal Court (BGH) has strengthened the legal… Continue reading Federal Court of Justice strengthens rights of VW customers

Ford investigates its own fuel-economy testing methods

2019 Ford Ranger
Ford announced on Thursday that it opened an investigation into the fuel economy testing it does to receive official EPA ratings and federal certification to sell its vehicles in the U.S.

The company plans to start by retesting its 2019 Ranger midsize pickup, after employees raised concerns through Ford's internal reporting channel called Speak Up.

The concerns involve how Ford measures the energy required to drive a car down the road, called “road load,” which then becomes a factor in further fuel economy measurements.

MUST READ: Ford Cuts Gas Mileage On 6 Models: What You Need To Know, And Open Questions (2014)

Under EPA fuel-economy testing regulations, automakers test road load by letting a car coast from 60 mph to a stop and measuring the time and distance required to stop. This gives an indication of how much wind and road resistance and friction a vehicle generates going down the road and various speeds.

The results of the coast-down test are then fed into a dynamometer, a kind of treadmill for cars used in emissions and horsepower testing to mimic that load as the car drives a simulated road loop in lab for emissions and fuel-economy testing. It is designed to make the engine work as if the car were actually driving on the road.

But multiple factors can affect the road load, such as exact tire pressures, ride height and various aerodynamic parameters—and can affect the resulting fuel economy and emissions numbers. (In an equivalent European test, now outdated, engineers have even been known to tape doors closed in the coast-down test to cover the gap between the door and body to improve aerodynamics and increase fuel economy ratings.)

READ MORE: EPA Wants Carmakers To Verify Gas Mileage With Road Testing Too (2014)

Automakers are required to achieve certain emissions targets to sell cars in the U.S., and can face big fines if they don't meet fuel economy targets across their whole model lineups.

As a result of the employees' reports, Ford has hired an outside investigation team to examine the specifications it uses in testing road load and retained independent technical experts in the industry as part of its investigation team. The company has also hired an outside laboratory to conduct independent coast-down tests on its vehicles, starting with the Ranger.

2019 Ford Ranger

Ford spokesman Said Deep said the company is starting by retesting the 2019 Ranger, but “if we need to expand our investigation beyond that, we will.” The Ranger is currently rated at 21 mpg city, 26 highway, and 23 combined for 2-wheel-drive models, and 20/24/22 for 4WD models.

Other automakers, such as Hyundai, have had to restate fuel economy numbers and pay consumers for extra fuel costs above what some of their cars' fuel-economy labels indicated. Subaru and Nissan have faced similar concerns in Japan, in some cases also flagged by employees.

In 2013 and 2014, Ford had to lower fuel economy labels on its Fusion and C-Max Hybrids and its Ford Fiesta and offered gas rebates to buyers to compensate for additional fuel the cars used above what their EPA ratings indicated. Deep says the current investigation involves separate issues from those instances.

CHECK OUT: Hyundai, Kia Rapped By EPA Over Misstated MPG Stickers (2012)

Since those concerns, along with the VW diesel emissions-cheating scandal, came to light, the EPA has been conducting more of its own tests and has insisted that automakers do more real-world testing on the road.

Deep said the current question over Ford's road-load testing does not involve an emissions cheat device, such as those used in Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler diesels, that restricted emissions controls to fully function only in testing, and allowed those cars to emit far more pollution when driven on the road than federal standards allow.

He said he expects the investigation to take several months.

Car maker: Volkswagen beats better than its competitors – profit and dividend rise

Volkswagen The group made a profit of 17.1 billion euros last year. (Photo: AP) WolfsburgDer Volkswagen Group has increased its profit slightly in the past year. The operating result before special items amounted to 17.1 billion euros, as the car maker announced on Friday after a meeting of the Supervisory Board. That was around 100… Continue reading Car maker: Volkswagen beats better than its competitors – profit and dividend rise

VW warns of headwinds, to redouble efforts to meet targets

The Volkswagen show floor is seen under setup at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, February 13, 2019. REUTERS/Mark Blinch FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Volkswagen warned investors about a tough year ahead as the 12-brand car and truck making group posted disappointing preliminary full-year results on Friday. “The headwinds in key markets are expected… Continue reading VW warns of headwinds, to redouble efforts to meet targets

Waddle for VW

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VW, BMW, Daimler: The random drive of the German auto industry

On the brake The German auto industry is currently fighting against world politics – and against itself. “E-tron partner” stands on a sign on the front door of the AudiCar house in the Rhineland. You can not see the “e-tron” here. “At the earliest from mid-March we will get such a car,” says the Audi-Seller.… Continue reading VW, BMW, Daimler: The random drive of the German auto industry

A new Zetsche at the Daimler sky

Press Releases – New vehicle safety rules: auto industry reacts to European Parliament vote

Brussels, 22 February 2019 – The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) takes note of the European Parliament’s vote on the revision of the General Safety Regulation, which mandates the safety technologies to be included as standard in new vehicle types. Yesterday’s vote by the lead Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee marks an important… Continue reading Press Releases – New vehicle safety rules: auto industry reacts to European Parliament vote

Piech brand to launch with electric sports car at Geneva

Piech Automotive will announce itself to the world with an electric sports car, named the Mark Zero, at next month's Geneva motor show.

The company was co-founded in 2016 by Anton Piëch, who is the son of Ferdinand Piech – the hugely successful former chairman of the Volkswagen Group – and the great-grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, the designer of the original Volkswagen Beetle and founder of the Porsche brand. His business partner is industrial designer Rea Stark Rajcic.

Piëch is a public company based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has no affiliation with the Volkswagen Group.

The two-door, two-seat Mark Zero is unusual among the myriad EVs from start-up brands in that it doesn't use a skateboard-type chassis, as popularised by Tesla. Instead, it's based on a modular platform that Piëch developed with the help of 200 'exterior staff'.

In the Mark Zero, the batteries are positioned along the central tunnel and on the rear axle, rather than packaged into the floor. It is therefore expected that the car is rear-wheel drive, although Piëch hasn't confirmed the location of the motor (or motors).

The Piëch platform is claimed to be accommodating of internal combustion engine, hybrid, battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell powertrains, and some of the hardware, such as the battery, can apparently be swapped out.

The Mark Zero's battery comes from an unnamed Sino-German joint venture “previously not active in the automotive industry”. It uses cells that are said to be highly thermoefficient, allowing them to be cooled by air, rather than water, and capable of rapid charging.

A goal of 500km (311 miles) range on the new WLTP testing cycle has been set for the coupé, which weighs “less than 1800kg”. For comparison, the Rimac C_Two electric hypercar weighs 1950kg. No performance figures have yet been suggested by Piech.

It's unclear who has engineered the Mark Zero, although design sketches appear to be signed by Porsche's Peter Varga. It also hasn't been stated where Piëch's funding originates.

Following the retro-modern coupe, Piëch would apparently like to add a saloon and an SUV to its portfolio.

More details are set to be revealed in a press conference at Geneva on 7 March.

Bentley chief eyes record recovery

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