VW showcasing new I.D. Electric concept car at NAIAS

Volkswagen will present a new I.D. family model – a multi-functional vehicle for a new era. The concept vehicle forges links between the legendary origins of the Volkswagen brand and its electrifying future. Like the I.D., this concept is also based on the Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB), and so it shows the potential and bandwidth of the MEB.

Since the presentation of the I.D. at the Paris International Motor Show in September of this year, these initials have stood for a new generation of fully connected, all-electric vehicles from Volkswagen. The I.D. also stands for purity in design language, form, and character as well as typical Volkswagen attention to detail and ideal use of interior space.

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Volkswagen to pay out $2.1 billion to Canadian customers due to emissions scandal

Volkswagen Canada is about to make reparation to the 105,000 Canadians who bought Volkswagen or Audi vehicles equipped with 2.0-litre diesel engines between 2009 and 2015.

These customers will reportedly receive $5,100 to $8,000 in compensation. Those who decide to sell their vehicles back to Volkswagen Canada Inc. will receive such a payment on top of the value of their car or crossover on Sept. 18, 2015. The payouts will come after March, 2017, when the Ontario Superior Court and the Superior Court of Quebec issue final approval of the settlement.

Source: Globe and Mail

VW to buy back 500,000 Diesel cars in the US in $10 billion deal

VW is looking to buy back affected diesel Jetta, Golf and the Audi A3 cars sold since 2009 that were covered by the Dieselgate scandal involving the 'defeat device' that gamed emissions tests. VW's vehicles had software that made their cars pass emissions tests while generating up to 40 times the legally allowable emissions.

VW will pay cash compensation to owners who either sell their vehicles back or get them fixed, one of the people briefed on the matter said. Owners selling back their vehicles will get an additional cash payment on top of receiving the estimated value of the vehicles from before the emissions scandal became public in September 2015.

U.S. Judge Charles Breyer said the settlement is expected to include a buyback offer for 482,000 2.0-litre vehicles and a possible fix if regulators agree on it, or cancel an outstanding lease.

Source: Reuters

Owners are expected to have around two years to decide whether to sell back vehicles or get them repaired. It is not clear whether VW will be allowed to resell vehicles they buy back, the source said.

VW's Phideon is a revamped Phaeton for the Chinese market

The VW Phaeton was the brand's super-luxurious sedan that shared the Bentley's platform and many of its amenities. While it was an impressive feat of engineering, the Phaeton cost too much and was hell to maintain. Some owners considered it one of the best cars VW ever built and a second hand market of collectors swore by the luxury and performance on a budget that the Phaeton offered.

Now that China is one of the most voracious consumer economies and with a growing taste (and budget) for the finer things life can offer, the Phaeton suddenly makes a lot of sense. VW is a particularly strong brand in China and has been for many years so, in a way, ushering an ultra-luxe platform under the Phideon monicker (essentially a new Phaeton).

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