TTAC News Round-up: Pumped About Porsche; GM's Going To Trial; And Diesel's Dead, Baby

Aaron Cole
by Aaron Cole

Man, people are really pumped about the cool, expensive cars they just bought.

That nugget of wisdom, Russia’s perpetual Cash for Clunkers program, VW’s appeal to Colorado and Washington buyers and GM’s knows what way the wind is blowing now … after the break!

Consumer Reports insight: People love fun cars!

Consumer Reports compiled its January list of the most and least loved and cars in the U.S. and I’ll spoil the ending — people are pretty jazzed about expensive, fun cars.

Tesla topped the list of 230,000 responses with its Model S, according to USA Today. About 97 percent of Model S owners said they’d buy the car again ( they may have to after 60,000 miles) followed by the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche Cayman, Macan and 911 to round out the top five.

On the other end, Kia’s Rio topped Consumer Reports’ futility list, followed by the Nissan Sentra and Jeep Compass and Patriot.

Who doesn’t love a Porsche?

Continental chief says VW probably killed diesel in the U.S.

Volkswagen’s diesel scandal could crush fledging diesel car sales in the U.S., Japan and China, Continental’s chief told a German newspaper Thursday, according to Reuters.

“The diesel passenger car could sooner or later disappear from these markets,” Continental CEO Elmar Degenhart told Boersen-Zeitung.

Degenhart told the paper that his company also couldn’t run away from the scandal fast enough:

“We developed and supplied the engine controllers in line with VW’s specifications. The installation and tuning of the software, the so-called calibration, was done by VW,” he said, according to Reuters.

GM won’t avoid first ignition switch trial

A judge ruled Wednesday that a trial against General Motors regarding faulty ignition switchs will go to trial, a blow for the automaker that was seeking to dismiss that claim, Reuters reported (via Automotive News).

The trial was the first GM was seeking to dismiss and is a bellwether for other pending lawsuits, Reuters reported.

The lawsuit was filed by a man who said his 2003 Saturn Ion’s airbags didn’t deploy when he hit a tree in 2014. He claims the faulty ignition switch was the cause of those airbags not deploying.

The decision “paves the way for the jury to have an unfettered and full view of GM’s behavior in covering up this defect,” the man’s lawyer told Reuters. GM lawyers said they would be prepared to argue their cases.

There are six bellwether trials related to the faulty GM ignition switches scheduled for 2016, according to the report.

Volkswagen teases more Microbus, named “BUDD.e”?

On Wednesday, Volkswagen released a teaser image and short video of a likely Microbus concept that the company will roll out next month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The image of the car’s headlights is standard fare — half covered LEDs and an interesting textured grille. The video, however, sports a quick look at the car’s tail end, which Car & Driver deduced reads “BUDD.e”.

The concept could be named as such for many reasons: “E-mobility,” “Buddy,” the van’s propensity to be popular with stoners.

Whatever it is, we won’t have to wait long. CES starts Jan. 6.

Aaron Cole
Aaron Cole

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  • Kmars2009 Kmars2009 on Jan 01, 2016

    Funny...Mercedes Benz never had any diesel dilemmas. In fact, they are standard on the E Class. Perhaps since Carl Benz invented the horseless wagon, they actually know what they're doing. I don't think BMW is on the chopping block either...but I hear there has been some questions regarding BMW SUV Diesels. I think the jury is still out on that one. Either way, German engineering on the cheap (VW) is exactly what you get...CHEAP!

  • Buckshot Buckshot on Jan 01, 2016

    A lot of talk about VW and Diesel. You must know that there are many other brands??? VW are not the only diesels!!! I have a Honda diesel that is perfect for my needs. 150 bhp and 258 lb.ft equals ca 50mpg, 0-60 8,5 sec and 135 mph. And because it´s a Honda it is bulletproof. I admit it´s not a racer for teenagers(or people whos mental age is in the teens).

    • Kmars2009 Kmars2009 on Jan 01, 2016

      What model...in what country? I think the Chevy Cruze Diesel might be pretty decent too. Although the thought of owning a GM product is out of the question for me. Anyway, I am unaware of any U.S. sold Hondas. Please fill me in.

  • Mikey My late wife loved Mustangs ..We alway rented one while travelling . GM blood vetoed me purchasing one . 3 years after retirement bought an 08 rag top, followed by a 15 EB Hard top, In 18 i bought a low low mileage 05 GT rag with a stick.. The car had not been properly stored. That led to rodent issues !! Electrical nightmare. Lots of bucks !! The stick wasn't kind to my aging knees.. The 05 went to a long term dedicated Mustang guy. He loves it .. Today my garage tenant is a sweet 19 Camaro RS rag 6yl Auto. I just might take it out of hibernation this weekend. The Mustang will always hold a place in my heart.. Kudos to Ford for keeping it alive . I refuse to refer to the fake one by that storied name .
  • Ajla On the Mach-E, I still don't like it but my understanding is that it helps allow Ford to continue offering a V8 in the Mustang and F-150. Considering Dodge and Ram jumped off a cliff into 6-cylinder land there's probably some credibility to that story.
  • Ajla If I was Ford I would just troll Stellantis at all times.
  • Ronin It's one thing to stay tried and true to loyal past customers; you'll ensure a stream of revenue from your installed base- maybe every several years or so.It's another to attract net-new customers, who are dazzled by so many other attractive offerings that have more cargo capacity than that high-floored 4-Runner bed, and are not so scrunched in scrunchy front seats.Like with the FJ Cruiser: don't bother to update it, thereby saving money while explaining customers like it that way, all the way into oblivion. Not recognizing some customers like to actually have right rear visibility in their SUVs.
  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
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