VW Head Quits - Chevy Cruze Only Affordable Diesel Car In US

[Gorehamj]

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
9/23/2015

Martin Winterkorn, the head of Volkswagen, the world's largest automaker by sales volume quit today. Winterkorn, an engineer known as a micromanager said “As CEO I accept responsibility for the irregularities that have been found in diesel engines and have therefore requested the Supervisory Board to agree on terminating my function as CEO of the Volkswagen Group. I am doing this in the interests of the company even though I am not aware of any wrongdoing on my part.” VW has suspended sales of its affected diesel cars in the U.S. market. Although many journalists have expressed the opinion that VW is "owning up to" the widespread emissions cheating, that is debatable. Researchers in Europe were on to the cheating as far back as 2011. In the U.S. when the EPA confronted VW about the mismatch between road observable NOx emissions and the output during emissions testing sessions, VW stonewalled. It took the threat by EPA of not approving VW's 2016 models for sale to get VW to admit it had cheated.

 

The 2015 Chevy Cruze diesel is the last affordable family car in the U.S. with a diesel powerplant. Chevy has not announced details on a 2016 and the EPA has not certified it yet. The Cruze offers good drivability, but its fuel economy rating is only average for the class at 33 MPG combined. The gasoline Cruze Diesel Eco matches that number. The Toyota Corolla LE Eco earns a 35 MPG rating, which we exceeded in our testing of the car. Most of the top sellers in the affordable compact sedan and hatchback class can match the combined EPA rating of Chevy and VW's diesel cars.

[newdude]

2017 for Cruze Diesel again. 2015 is the last year for the current body style, as for the 2016 Cruze Limited they dropped the engine. 2016 new Cruze doesn't get it at launch, but for 2017.

 

From 2016 new Cruze press release:

New for 2016

 

• Larger and lighter; all-new compact car is more agile with a dynamic driving experience
• All-new, standard 1.4L turbo engine with direct injection offers a GM-estimated 40 mpg highway; stop/start technology contributes to efficiency in stop-and-go driving
• New Chevrolet MyLink offers better performance, plus compatibility with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, for smart, simple smartphone integration
• Advanced safety features include Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Keep Assist and Forward Collision Alert
• On sale in the U.S. in early 2016; diesel model follows in 2017

 

 

 

And from the 2016 Cruze Limited order guide: http://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NASApp/domestic/newfeatures.jsp?year=2016&regionID=1&lang=1&divisionID=3&vehicleID=17843

 

Deletions:

-Diesel model (1PY69)

 

 

 

 

[SnakeEyeSS]

Yor article seems to be incorrect. I have read mutiple articles that said VW spilled thr beans fairly quickly, I think some even quoted the EPA to that point. This is 'Murica so VW will get drug through the mud no matter how much they try to make it right, I'm blow away they have gone this far so quickly. I have never owned a VW product so I couldn't care less, but am surprised (although I knew of VW speciality shop that looked like it had severely overworked mechanics, made me shy of the brand)

 

The letter you link too is dates Sept 18. VW admitted in July 2015 according to the Autoblog timeline. ( http://www.autoblog.com/2015/09/22/how-volkswagen-cheating-probe-developed/ )

 

It took the EPA two months to wind up the PR machine....yeah, it was that important to them that after VW ADMITTED the problem)

[Guest Mike]

Why is America so full of self hating people? Even when VW gets caught gaming the EPA and basically refusing to do anything about it, they're a victim and it's the EPA to fault because America wants to ruin a lying, cheating foreign company.

 

VW deserves every fine they get.

[SnakeEyeSS]

Why is America so full of self hating people? Even when VW gets caught gaming the EPA and basically refusing to do anything about it, they're a victim and it's the EPA to fault because America wants to ruin a lying, cheating foreign company.

 

VW deserves every fine they get.

Right on queue!

 

 

If it was such a big deal, the EPA should have taken action immediately. Not more than 60 days later.

 

Just like the GM thing. NHTSA dropped the ball, plently of evidence years before they did anything that mattered. Now will be a knee jerk reaction, there is already talk of investigating the entire industry to find more cheaters.

 

Gee, it's almost like they should have been doing that the whole time.....the fine is as much for cheating as it is for the EPA getting caught flat footed. It over a year ago that WV sent their findings to the EPA.

[Spurshot]

Press releases are often lower on the list of things a regulator has to do. Finding all the facts is the higher priority than going off half-baked to the press. "Taking action" doesn't mean blabbing to the press. It means investigating to get the full set of facts before they can do anything else.

[SnakeEyeSS]

Press releases are often lower on the list of things a regulator has to do. Finding all the facts is the higher priority than going off half-baked to the press. "Taking action" doesn't mean blabbing to the press. It means investigating to get the full set of facts before they can do anything else.

It takes a year to get a vehicle hooked up to different test equipment? Wow, we just expect that now? EPA could have sent someone down to WVU the to verify their claims immediately.

 

 

Euro investigators found GM may be involved in a similiar scam in Europe, along with MB and BMW.

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/09/23/german-automakers-us-diesel-emissions/

[Black02Silverado]

All I can say is my Cruze diesel is a great little car and I'm averaging 48mpg. The new body style looks good and it is 250lbs lighter. It also has a new 1.4l all aluminum engine with a nice hp increase.

 

 

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