Audi to Buy Back 25,000 3.0-Liter Diesel Models in U.S.: Report

by Steph Willems

Published: October 21st, 2016

audi to buy back 25 000 3 0 liter diesel models in u s report

A German newspaper claims that Audi will buy back 25,000 U.S. vehicles sold with a 3.0-liter diesel V6 engine.

According to a story published in Der Spiegel, the automaker has determined the vehicles cannot be fixed, Reuters reports. A total of 85,000 Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen vehicles contain the same emissions-cheating defeat device found in the automaker’s 2.0-liter TDI engines, which are already in the process of being bought back.

The brief report claims the affected vehicles are “older-generation cars” that won’t pass emissions tests, but doesn’t specify which models.

Audi USA claims the Environmental Protection Agency’s notice of violation extends to five models sold in the U.S.: the 2009-2016 Q7 and 2014-2016 model year Q5, A8L, A7 quattro and A6 quattro vehicles. Of these, the Q7 is the most plentiful.

In response to the report, the automaker released a statement from its American office:

“We are working hard with U.S. regulators to reach an agreement an approved resolution for affected 3.0-liter V-6 TDI vehicles and thank our customers for their continued patience. The Court has scheduled a status conference for November 3, 2016 to discuss the matter further.”

Until now, all of the 3.0-liter vehicles stayed were in limbo as parent company Volkswagen sought out a fix for the high-end models, hoping to avoid a costly buyback. The fines and buyout costs associated with the 2.0-liter buyback top $16.5 billion.

In August, the U.S. District Court judge overseeing Volkswagen’s American settlement issued an ultimatum demanding the automaker show regulators a fix for the 3.0-liter engine and forcing it into settlement talks. Regulators soundly rejected a previous fix proposal. Audi previously said any fix would contain software updates and modifications to the vehicles’ emissions equipment.

The question now is: how many non-Audi models will now become subject to a buyback?

[Image: Audi AG]

#Audi #Buyback #Diesel #Emissions #Volkswagen #VwDieselScandal

Steph Willems

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5 of 20 comments

Burnbomber on Oct 22, 2016

My neighbor has a 3.0 diesel A6 and just loves it. He brags it's got power to spare and gets almost 40 mpg on the road. I doubt they'll be able to pry his hands off it.

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- Von on Oct 22, 2016
  
  Then it is upon you to do the needful!
  
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- SCE to AUX on Oct 23, 2016
  
  Your neighbor may not have a choice.
  
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Tstag on Oct 23, 2016

Given that most environmental pollution happens in the manufacture of a car not in its use the American Environment agency should actually penalise VW for poltuting the environment even more when the crush the cars early.

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- HotPotato on Oct 23, 2016
  
  I wonder if they've done the analysis on that. Why not leave them on the road and fine VW an amount sufficient to pay for offsets for the expected future pollution? If a bunch of EV quick chargers make up for past pollution, wouldn't a bunch more EV quick chargers make up for future pollution? My question has nothing to do with the fact I just ordered a Chevy Bolt. No siree Bob.
  
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Theflyersfan With sedans, especially, I wonder how many of those sales are to rental fleets. With the exception of the Civic and Accord, there are still rows of sedans mixed in with the RAV4s at every airport rental lot. I doubt the breakdown in sales is publicly published, so who knows... GM isn't out of the sedan business - Cadillac exists and I can't believe I'm typing this but they are actually decent - and I think they are making a huge mistake, especially if there's an extended oil price hike (cough...Iran...cough) and people want smaller and hybrids. But if one is only tied to the quarterly shareholder reports and not trends and the big picture, bad decisions like this get made.
Wjtinfwb Not proud of what Stellantis is rolling out?
Wjtinfwb Absolutely. But not incredibly high-tech, AWD, mega performance sedans with amazing styling and outrageous price tags. GM needs a new Impala and LeSabre. 6 passenger, comfortable, conservative, dead nuts reliable and inexpensive enough for a family guy making 70k a year or less to be able to afford. Ford should bring back the Fusion, modernized, maybe a bit bigger and give us that Hybrid option again. An updated Taurus, harkening back to the Gen 1 and updated version that easily hold 6, offer a huge trunk, elevated handling and ride and modest power that offers great fuel economy. Like the GM have a version that a working mom can afford. The last decade car makers have focused on building cars that American's want, but eliminated what they need. When a Ford Escape of Chevy Blazer can be optioned up to 50k, you've lost the plot.
Willie If both nations were actually free market economies I would be totally opposed. The US is closer to being one, but China does a lot to prop up the sectors they want to dominate allowing them to sell WAY below cost, functionally dumping their goods in our market to destroy competition. I have seen this in my area recently with shrimp farmed by Chinese comglomerates being sold super cheap to push local producers (who have to live at US prices and obey US laws) out of business.China also has VERY lax safety and environmental laws which reduce costs greatly. It isn't an equal playing field, they don't play fair.
Willie ~300,000 Camrys and ~200,000 Accords say there is still a market. My wife has a Camry and we have no desire for a payment on something that has worse fuel economy.