VW Expands Fuel Leak Recall to Cover 44K Vehicles

VW Expands Fuel Leak Recall to Cover 44K Vehicles
GM Ignition Switch Deaths Hit 51, Expected to Continue Rising
Millennials to Make Up 25% of Car Sales in 2015
Mini Countryman Plug-In Hybrid Spied Testing
AutoGuide Now for the Week of February 2
2016 Fiat 500X Starts at $20,900

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Volkswagen is expanding a recall to cover 44,658 vehicles.

The new announcement covers the 2014-2015 VW Jetta, Passat, Golf, GTI, Beetle and Beetle Convertible. In all of these cars, a sealing cap at the fuel rail can fail, leading to a fuel leak into the engine compartment.

Dealers will replace the fuel rail with new parts to remedy the issue in the affected cars.

Discuss this story at our Volkswagen Forum

GM Ignition Switch Deaths Hit 51, Expected to Continue Rising

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The fallout from a defective ignition switch is getting worse for General Motors.

So far, 51 claims have been deemed eligible for compensation in connection with deaths that occurred because of a faulty ignition switch installed in about 2.6 million small cars. That number will "absolutely" rise from there, fund deputy administrator Camille Biros told Automotive News.

Eligible claims for catastrophic injuries sit at eight while 69 claims are eligible over less serious injuries. So far, 4,180 claims seeking compensation from GM have been received, though more may still come in.

The program stopped accepting claims on January.31, but they will accept those that are received with a time stamp from before the deadline. Processing all of these claims will likely take until the end of spring according to Biros.

In all of the affected cars, the faulty ignition switch could slip into the off position, stalling the engine and disabling the air bags. GM has set aside $400 million to $600 million to compensate those affected through a fund which is being run by Kenneth Feinberg. Feinberg has handled other high-profile victim compensation funds for the Sept.11 attacks and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

[Source: Automotive News]

Millennials to Make Up 25% of Car Sales in 2015

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Millennials are continuing to have a great impact on the automobile industry.

According to a recent report by TrueCar, millennials are expected to purchased 4.24 million cars and light trucks this year, generating $135 billion in total revenue and making up about 25 percent of the new car market. Those born from approximately 1980 through the late 1990s are seeing their level of unemployment improving as well as an improving availability of quality jobs.

Millennials are also driving more than other generations with an average of 144 miles per month according to a recent survey by MTV. TrueCar projects that the average new car purchase by millennials this year will be $31,771, which is slightly under the industry average of $32,589. In addition, it is being estimated that total new light vehicle sales will increase an estimated 2.6 percent to 17 million units.

Mini Countryman Plug-In Hybrid Spied Testing

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Mini is preparing a new plug-in hybrid version of the Countryman.

Our spy photographers confirmed as much in these shots of a Countryman prototype sporting hybrid stickers. The Countryman plug-in will use a small turbocharged three-cylinder engine to power the front wheels while the electric powertrain will take care of the rear wheels.

The gas-powered motor is expected to put out about 136 hp, which will combine with power from the plug-in hybrid set for a total of about 240 hp. This same plug-in hybrid setup is also expected to show up in the Countryman's platform mate, the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer.

Our photographers also managed to grab a photo of the interior off of the upcoming non-hybrid Countryman model, which is due in 2017.

Discuss this story at our Mini Forum

AutoGuide Now for the Week of February 2

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It's February and we're all ready to test some new cars. This week, we have a number of luxury cars in addition to a snowy adventure in an all-wheel drive crossover. Read all about it in AutoGuide Now.

2015 Subaru Outback – Mike Schlee, Road Test Editor: "On Tuesday I'll be taking a 2015 Subaru Outback on a journey through all sorts of snowy conditions to see just how well a Subaru can handle the white stuff. Follow along live as I report back my findings."

2016 Acura ILX: "Later in the week I am off to Napa Valley in California to drive the heavily revised 2016 Acura ILX. Never finding an identity of its own, with a more powerful standard engine, dual clutch gearbox and familiar family styling, is the ILX finally a legitimate premium compact contender?"

2015 Dodge Challenger – Craig Cole, Associate Editor: "No, it's not Dodge's fire-breathing Hellcat version but the Challenger SRT 392 still offers plenty of V8 rumble and 485 more-than-eager horses. I'm evaluating this sizable two-door and I can't wait to see how well it performs in the winter weather. Hopefully it's wearing snow tires, otherwise driving it will probably be like trying to climb up a twisty slide dripping with olive oil …"

2015 Acura TLX V6 AWD – Sami Haj-Assaad, Features Editor: "I'm back behind the wheel of an Acura TLX this week, where we'll match it up against another V6 powered all-wheel drive Japanese Luxury sedan. The TLX is loaded with technology and driver assistance features but how will it match up in terms of luxury and sportiness against its rival the Infiniti Q50?"

2015 Infiniti Q50 – Stephen Elmer, News Editor: "Two Japanese luxury cars are battling this week and I'll be in one of them: the Infiniti Q50. With steer-by-wire and AWD, the Q50 has a pretty sophisticated drivetrain. But how will it stack up against Acura's new TLX? Watch for updates on both of these cars throughout the week."

2016 Fiat 500X Starts at $20,900

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Fiat has announced pricing for its new 500X small crossover.

Interested parties will be able to pick up a new base 500X Pop for $20,900 including destination. Moving up, the Easy model will set you back $23,290, while the Trekking sells for $24,000 flat. The Lounge model will go for $25,750 and finally the top-end Trekking Plus sits at $28,000 even. All-wheel drive is an option on every trim but the base model and tacks on an additional $1,900.

Opting for the higher-end Trekking and Trekking Plus models not only adds more content to the interior like a 6.5-inch high-resolution touchscreen, the exterior gets a unique fascia and silver accents to make them look more aggressive.

SEE ALSO: 2016 Fiat 500X Video, First Look

Power for the 500X model comes from either a 160-hp 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired to a six-speed manual or a larger 2.4-liter four-cylinder that makes 180 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque mated to a nine-speed automatic.

The 500X shares its architecture and engines with the Jeep Renegade, which starts at $17,995. The Renegade stays cheaper than the Fiat throughout its lineup with the top-end Trailhawk model selling for $25,995.

The 500X will arrive in Fiat dealers during the second quarter of 2015.

Discuss this story at our Fiat 500 Forum

Car Reviews

Monday, 2 February 2015

VW Expands Fuel Leak Recall to Cover 44K Vehicles

VW Expands Fuel Leak Recall to Cover 44K Vehicles

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