Filed under: Etc., Europe, Government/Legal, Volkswagen, Earnings/Financials

We haven’t heard about the Volkswagen Law in a while, but that doesn’t mean the EU Commission has forgotten about it. The law gives the state of Lower Saxony, with a 20.1-percent stake in VW, veto rights on a takeover deal, which means no one’s ever going to take over VW because its home state won’t allow it. The law came in handy when Porsche was working to gobble up Volkswagen. The law was struck down by the EU Court of Justice in 2007. Germany then scrapped the old VW Law but rewrote another one that gave Lower Saxony the same rights with different legalese circumventing the spirit of the court’s decision.

The EU competition oversight body is taking Germany back to court over the law, but wants to put some pain into the judgment: it wants Germany fined €31,000 ($41,000 USD) per day for every day since the original 2007 judgment. It also wants the court to issue a second ruling, and if Germany doesn’t bring the law into line with the ruling, the EU Commission wants Germany fined €282,725 per day (nearly $375,000) until the Germans comply.

No federal German authorities have responded to the latest EU thrust, but the premier of Lower Saxony offered this: “Doesn’t Europe have better things to do?”

Germany in court again over “VW Law,” could face fines of nearly $375,000/day originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Toys/Games

A new trailer for Automation has made its way to the web. As you may recall, the game allows you to design a vehicle from the ground up with your own chassis, engine and exterior design before attempting to sell the car to the masses as part of your own car company. The game is now officially available for pre-order, which can save you $10 off of the final $30 purchase price. Camshaft Software will even throw in some exclusive content with each pre-order purchase.

Automation makes you the head of a new vehicle company in the year 1946. It’s your job to turn your startup into a brand that’s recognized the world over by producing the best vehicles possible. We couldn’t care less about the business end of the prospect, but the thought of designing our own vehicles from the platform on up is enough to get us excited. Hit the jump to check out the trailer and click over to the game’s Rocket Hub page for more information.

Continue reading New trailer for Automation, the car company tycoon video game

New trailer for Automation, the car company tycoon video game originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: SUV, Plants/Manufacturing, Volkswagen

When Volkswagen opened its new Chattanooga factory, there were lots of questions about what else it was going to build there, since Passat volume wouldn’t come close to soaking up the facility’s 150,000-unit capacity. A three-row crossover was often mentioned as another model, with Automobile reporting that a possible 180,000-unit expansion could lead to Porsche, Audi and VW CUVs being built there.

Now Car and Driver reports that a three-row Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer fighter will be built, and it will “almost definitely” be assembled in Tennessee or Mexico. It might use the Passat’s platform, the rumored engine is VW’s 3.6-liter V6, and its MSRP is expected to strongly challenge those of its competitors (in the manner of the Jetta and Passat’s newly competitive price strategies).

The same report claims that VW is working on a Tiguan more suited to American tastes, which probably means turning it into something more like a Jetta crossover than a Golf CUV. Last year, there were several reports that Volkswagen was considering moving both Golf and Tiguan production to North America, and a Stateside-leaning Tiguan might mean now is the right time to do so.

More details on three-row Volkswagen Tiguan for U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Classics, Truck, Etc., Videos, Chevrolet, GM

General Motors continues to celebrate Chevy’s 100th anniversary with a new tribute video to the company’s long truck lineage. Chevrolet started producing pickups in 1918 with the 490 Light Delivery and hasn’t stopped since. We’re a little disappointed to see that the video glosses over tasty hardware like the 1956 Chevrolet Apache and the ever-attractive 1967 Chevrolet Suburban, but beggars can’t be choosers. The clip does spend some time with the Blazer, including some fantastic vintage footage of the utility bouncing along a dusty trail with its top off.

Unfortunately, the video is served up with the dryness of a middle-school health documentary, so don’t expect too much in terms of entertainment. Fans of the brand and truck geeks will likely find plenty to salivate over, however. Click past the jump to check the video out for yourself.

Continue reading Chevrolet waxes nostalgic about a century of trucks

Chevrolet waxes nostalgic about a century of trucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

When’s the last time you watched a wreck that took nearly two minutes to conclude? Driver Eric Peterson’s XDR Firebird got out of shape almost immediately during a solo dragstrip run and crashed almost head-on into the wall.

According to people in attendance, both tires on the car’s driver’s side were torn off, and the impact ripped the master cylinder from the firewall. The throttle cable was attached to the cylinder, so when the cylinder fell, the throttle controlling a 1,500-plus-horsepower engine got stuck wide open for more than a minute. Worst of all, the initial impact knocked Peterson unconscious, so he wasn’t able to do anything to intervene.

You can see what happens after that in the video after the jump. Peterson, an experienced racer, came to after the medics cut him out of the car and is said to be at home and ok.

Continue reading The drag racing wreck that refuses to end

The drag racing wreck that refuses to end originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Wagon, Jaguar, Luxury

It was confirmed over the summer that Jaguar was working on an XF wagon, and now the spy photogs at KGP have caught it testing. We’ve been told it’s called the XF Sportbrake, and it’s hard to pin down the exact lines in back with those bulging light units, but it should make itself right at home in the handsome XF line.

This car will begin the expansion of Jaguar’s lower-end offerings as it tries to win over the buyers that have been lining up for Audi and Mercedes wagons. The last time Jaguar had an entry level load-lugger, the unlamented X-Type Estate. The XF Sportbrake, even with the swirlies and disguised taillights, already looks promising, and we know from experience that the 2012 XF sedan is a terrific driver.

Don’t get too excited about it, though, because it’s not heading Stateside. Jaguar’s U.S. VP of communications released this statement:

Today in the news from the UK, Jaguar Cars confirmed the ongoing development and testing of a new Jaguar XF derivative, the Jaguar XF Sportbrake (a sport wagon). No vehicle information is being released at this time. Please be aware, the Jaguar XF Sportbrake is not scheduled to come to North America due to significant design changes that would be required to meet U.S. federal regulations.

So there. You can admire it from afar in the attached photo gallery, at least.

Jaguar XF “Sportbrake” wagon caught in the wild originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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