Audi TV ad lampoons Toyota Prius, urges A3 e-tron owners to speed, 'take names'

An Audi TV ad for the A3 e-tron mocks the Toyota Prius, the world's best-selling gas-electric hybrid; people who grow their own food and use solar panels on their homes, and anyone who enjoys peace and quiet over the sound of screeching tires. 

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Speeding, screeching tires and a lurid slide are a contradiction in a plug-in hybrid car that is supposed to save gas and be easy on the environment.

But that's the theme of a new TV ad for the Audi A3 e-tron, the first plug-in hybrid from the luxury performance subsidiary of Volkswagen, the giant German automaker.

Especially puzzling is how the commercial ends:

"Plug in and take names."

The owner had just thrown the speeding red hybrid into a slide so he could back into his driveway -- the only way Audi's irresponsible advertising agency could show him plugging in the car (the socket is in the grille).

The man then looks at one of his shocked neighbors and nods his head as if to say, Take that.

Slave labor

Given Audi's dark past and the growing scandal over Volkswagen and Audi turbo-diesel engines that pollute far more than allowed, the "take names" admonition sounds ominous.

Just last year, Audi tried to come to terms with its dark dealings with the Nazis during World War II.

A report commissioned by the company found that its predecessor Auto Union is morally responsible for the deaths of 4,500 slaves who were forced to work in its factories.

And last week, the Obama administration ordered parent company Volkswagen to recall nearly 500,000 VWs and Audis with illegal diesel engines that allow the cars to pollute far more than allowed by the Clean Air Act.

On Tuesday, Volkswagen admitted 11 million diesel cars worldwide were equipped with software designed to cheat on emissions tests, and today, the company CEO resigned.

You might recall that Audi's aerodynamic 5000 sedan also was embroiled in a mid-1980s controversy over sudden unintended acceleration that depressed sales for many years.

'Sportback e-tron'

The 2016 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron, which looks like a station wagon, has an MSRP of $37,900, but other trim levels start at $42,000 and $46,800.

For another $30,000, you can get the environmentally friendly Tesla Model S, which combines blinding speed with zero emissions.

The A3 e-tron can travel about 30 miles in electric mode, but after that you'll have to rely on the dirtiest fuel around, gasoline.

And if you drive the e-tron like the moron in the TV ad, you'll waste a lot of gas and pollute far more than drivers who obey the law. See the ad:

TV commercial for Audi A3 Sportback e-tron

Diesel scandal

On Monday, The New York Times reported Volkswagen diesel owners feel betrayed by the company's deception.

"I feel totally ripped off," said John Decker, 55, a photographer who once worked for The Record when it was headquartered in Hackensack, N.J.

"It just reeks of fraud and that they intentionally misled the buyers of their vehicles into thinking they were clean diesels, environmentally good cars, that were fun to drive."

Decker, who owns a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta SportsWagen with a diesel engine, now lives in Sacramento, Calif.

Five U.S. diesel models are affected by the recall, according to the Los Angeles Times:

Jetta (2009-15), Beetle (2009-15), Audi A3 (2009-15), Golf (2009-15) and Passat (2012-15).

Volkswagen, Audi diesel-engine scandal grows to about 11 million cars worldwide

 

Volkswagen and Audi TDI models, above and below, are equipped with software the automaker installed to cheat U.S. emissions testing.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The potential recall of Volkwagens and Audis with illegal diesel engines that pollute far more than allowed has grown to 11 million worldwide.

The automaker announced today that 11 million of its deisel cars were equipped with software that was used to cheat on emissions tests, according to The New York Times.

"The overwhelming majority are probably in Europe, where the company dominates the market and accounts for more than one of every cars sold," The Times reported.

The German automaker is setting aside the equivalent of half a year's profit -- 6.5 billion euros or about $7.3 billion -- to cover the cost of fixing the cars, paying fines and defending itself against civil lawsuits "from angry customers," the paper said.

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered Volkswagen to recall almost a half-million VW and Audi vehicles with 2-liter diesel engines sold in the United States from 2009-15.

Instead of introducing more hybrid and pure-electric cars, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz promoted a new generation of so-called clean-diesel engines, which are far cheaper to produce.

Free lunch for auto writers comes with hard sell on so-called clean diesel engines

Volkswagen executive Marcel Zirwes addressing the monthly meeting of the International Motor Press Association in Manhattan. An executive from Bosch, which paid for lunch, was a no-show.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Members of the International Motor Press Association heard thousands of words praising "clean diesel" at their monthly meeting today in Manhattan.

But none of the executives who spoke claimed a new generation of diesel engines are cleaner than such gas-electric hybrids as the Toyota Prius.

Bosch paid for cocktails and a lunch of farmed salmon, oysters on the half shell, salad and fruit, but a representative was said to be unable to attend because of illness.

Executives of Diesel Technology Forum, Volkswagen and General Motors spoke to the automobile writers and public relations people.

In answer to questions, executives indicated hybrids with diesel engines would cost too much to produce.

And the appeal of diesel engines over hybrid technology is that the former is more profitable to automakers while yielding comparable mileage.