While you’re probably pretty aggravated at Volkswagen for their dumb-ass diesel scandal, just imagine how pissed you’d be if they had actually offered this for sale.
Image: AutoExpressUK
Dieselgate Bullet Dodged
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I have to admit, Diesel Gate never, ever bothered me. Volkswagen still makes some of the greatest cars around and since they lied to the EPA (Government) and did their little bit to ruin the “environment” makes me like them even more. Tired of hearing all this bullshit about Global Warming and Hybrids. Until I see other industries making the same commitment to the sky and earth as car companies have, while destroying proper cars for theses electric/hybrid shitboxes, the EPA can kiss my polluting ass.
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https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/new-nasa-images-highlight-us-air-quality-improvement/#.V32OirgrKt8
NOx concentration, and not global warming, is the driver behind diesel emissions limits. NOx restriction policies have had a significant impact on emissions and air quality.
i’m tired of hearing all this bullshit about how environmental concerns are bullshit. the science is well-established. we have evidence to show that these policies work. we are moving in the right direction. we must be patient and think long term.
the anti-science position on the environment has been on the run for years. now that nobody buys the idea of global warming not being real, the latest tropes is that climate change is real, but inevitable and unaffected by human activity. even that is giving way to “until shipping/power/’industry’ starts being regulated, restrictions on consumer goods won’t make any difference”. when do we stop running from responsibility?
besides which, cars are more powerful today than they’ve ever been, and they all meet EPA regulations except VW diesels. you can get a family sedan with 700hp. you can get a hatchback with 350hp for 35k. you can buy an electric seven-seat sedan that gets to 60 in less than three seconds. how are you complaining about “proper cars” being “destroyed”? -
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By rights, that photo should sell me on the Tesla. I love torque, and as much of it as I can get my right foot to produce and hands to control. Being an electric vehicle, it should completely and unequivocally satisfy those requirements.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t even come close.
What I disliked about the Tesla was that I felt disconnected from the car – and by that I don’t mean disconnected from its controls; it responded as I wanted it to and in ways that were generally appreciable. What I mean is that there was about as much emotional involvement with it as I would have with, say, a CD player or cellphone. It felt as though I was ultimately having a piece of consumer electronics perform its intended functions as opposed to truly driving a car.
At this point, I would expect to catch commentary to the effect of, “you’re just not used to pure electrics.” And that’s a fair point: I will readily admit to not having a great deal of experience with them. However, of the ones that I have driven, the only two that have actually engaged me as a driver are the Fiat 500e and VW e-Golf. They feel like cars that happen to be electric as opposed to iPads with wheels.
I want to like electric vehicles. They just need to make me want to drive them.-
Sadly, I haven’t driven a Tesla, but I’ve liked most of the electrics I’ve driven (the i-MiEV is a little too all-weather golf cart), but I won’t dispute the numbness (I think I’ve heard that from other people as well). But, at the very least, they’re not just ecoweeniemobiles that’re weaker than an asthmatic toddler.
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There was an episode of the Simpsons in which Bart and Homer ended up on a ride at (IIRC) the World’s Fair which purported to show the electric car of the future.
The electric car of the future introduced itself in a rather sickly and pathetic voice with something to the effect of, “I’m an electric car. I don’t go very fast, and I don’t go very far.”
That pretty much summed up the Mi-EV experience for me.
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The Tesla is an impressive car, but I didn’t like the interior and in every turn – the more so the more abrupt it is – you can feel its quite extreme heaviness in your fingertips, arms and butt. Maybe I drive modern two tonne cars a little to rarely, but that really killed it for me. My friend, the owner, was so proud of it and its Mercedes-designed steering, for me it was odd that my then 13 year old minivan had crisper steering- and response-feel (important – no measurements) than the hyped model S.
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NOx emissions relate to things like acid rain not global warming, you can’t call that BS
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I’ll just leave this chart of the progression of emissions standards in my industry (off-road diesel equipment) here and get back to figuring out where to put a sensor for EU Stage V… 🙂
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Why is this plotted as a 3D graph, when there are only two values? There is absolutely no information here that couldn’t have been communicated just as effectively and perhaps more accurately on a plain ol’ 2D chart. And get off my lawn.
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re: needless 3D plotting: [perplexed]… I don’t know that!
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There are 3 values – NOx, PM and dates or stages.
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“The car is fantastic, but the market does not give me the customers.”
Maybe because it looks a Boxster with a VW emblem on it?-
That’s WAY better looking than a Boxster. I would have bought one… then boosted it til the head studs creaked.
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and it would of been cheaper than a Boxster.
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The funny thing is that I’d’ve been a lot more inclined to have bought a VW- (or Skoda-) badged version of the TT than the Audi that I never have. Something about a modern Felicia convertible or its Karmann-Ghia equivalent is just more appealing.
On dieselgate: we have a 2012 Jetta TDi that is now officially subject to a buyback offer. However, the only way that we’re interested in a buyback is if we can immediately replace it with an equivalent 2016 Jetta TDi. The 2016 models weren’t part of the EPA action due to having a completely different drivetrain with no emissions defeat mode in the software, but VW put them on stop-sale the same as the (earlier) affected models.
The problem is that VW hasn’t released the unaffected cars from the stop-sale order, so VW is effectively missing out on the opportunity to retain us as customers – and I imagine that we’re not the only ones in this boat. The gas-engined models, while nice, don’t really fit with how we use the car or what we’re looking for in terms of capabilities.
What we do with it remains to be seen, but I’ve been bothering the local dealer every week to call me the minute the stop-sale is lifted – knowing what they have in inventory as well as at the port tells me they’d like to clear out that particular backlog as soon as they can and while customers have cash to burn from TDi trade-ins. -
I still think this would be a blast with some combination of the 1.4T all the way up to the 2.0T, but I’m not sure how many more small sports cars the market can sustain alongside the Miata/124/Toyobaru. I also doubt they’d want to cut into GTI sales, especially when those are easier amortized.
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I think the only way to succeed in that segment is to out-Miata the Miata. GVW, weight distribution, power to weight and purchase price would be my target metrics.
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Agreed, I’m annoyed they didn’t make it. The world needs more sub-elise affordable mid engined cars. There’s been what? X1/9, 3 MR2s, Fiero, MGF, maybe the Lancia Monte Carlo though that was on the pricey side. That’s your lot, the limited run silly money Alfa 4C is not even close to counting.
This car was going to get VW, Audi, and Possibly even Porsche versions and sit underneath the boxster, a smaller, lighter, cheaper car. Instead we get a 4 cylinder Boxster…grrrreaat.-
“The world needs more sub-elise affordable mid engined cars.”
This is a Correct Opinion. -
Here’s another one that didn’t make it to market: the GX3. I remember seeing this at the L.A. Auto Show, asking one of the VW employees manning the stand when we might expect to see it in showrooms, and receiving a boilerplate response to the effect of, “Volkswagen of North America does not comment on future model plans blah blah blah.”
At this point I came to the conclusion that it was never going to happen. Unfortunately, I was correct.
What’s amusing is that I’m seeing a fair number of Polaris and Can-Am trikes running around these days; bravo to Volkswagen for bungling entering that niche when it had the chance.-
Not to mention the revival of the Morgan 3 wheeler, even EV ones, imagine what as something like that would have done for VWs image even if it wasn’t massively profitable in itself. Still VWs loss is Morgan/Polaris gain
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Competition creates markets. The more is offered, the more individual lines can carve out their own niche. You can have the douchey VW eco-roadster right next to a Miata for the masses, a fresh GT/Sunfire etc. from GM and a Mitsubishi Karaoke™ that exclusively comes in pink plastic. They don’t need to compete with each other, all the while creating accept for quick, light and cheap two seaters as a segment.
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I would love to believe you’re right, and I suppose if the automakers decided that’s what they wanted to put their marketing effort behind, there could be a resurgence in them. I’m just thinking of how at least here, single-cab pickups are pretty much non-existent, the Wrangler (which was already a four-seater) has benefited from a four-door version, and the few two-seat sports cars that currently exist certainly aren’t burning up the charts (I think the only reason the Miata’s survived 27 years is because it’s a halo vehicle for Mazda).
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Yeah, the economics on halo vehicles might not be the best – but seeing how CUV’s suddenly became a fad, or sports cars were so popular when people still earned enough money to live a life, I’m in no doubt that might come back. Maybe manufacturers can create a market, and seeing how the Miata and 124 have sucked up press space, others might get inspired.
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