The New Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Is Nearly Here

A front end leak today. Hopefully a full reveal tomorrow.

Its debut is imminent. In fact, many expected it to happen this weekend at Le Mans. Perhaps it still could. In any case, the all-new Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is nearly here, and today we can at least show you a leaked image of the upcoming Ferrari 812 Superfast rival’s front end, courtesy of Instagram. Apparently, this photo was taken earlier this month at a private showing of the final car minus camouflage at the UK company’s Gadon headquarters for select customers.

The image clearly shows a huge front grille with mesh inserts, with large air intakes on both sides. The previous spy shots we’ve seen were actually quite revealing, showing the DBS Superleggera’s general shape and many other exterior styling details, such as aggressive side skirts and other elements heavily borrowed from both the gorgeous DB11 and new Vantage. Under the long hood will be an upgraded version of the DB11’s twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 with a projected 700 hp or so. To compare, the recently unveiled DB11 AMR has the same engine, only with 630 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.

The interior, from what we’ve heard, is said to strongly resemble that of the DB11, although with various upgrades such as carbon fiber air vent surrounds and a supposed Mercedes-Benz-sourced rotary control for the infotainment system. Along with the coupe, the DBS Superleggera Volante convertible is also in the works, though we doubt both will debut at the same time. Expect the coupe to arrive first, and that can happen at just about any time. Stay tuned.

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The New Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Is Nearly Here

A front end leak today. Hopefully a full reveal tomorrow.

Its debut is imminent. In fact, many expected it to happen this weekend at Le Mans. Perhaps it still could. In any case, the all-new Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is nearly here, and today we can at least show you a leaked image of the upcoming Ferrari 812 Superfast rival’s front end, courtesy of Instagram. Apparently, this photo was taken earlier this month at a private showing of the final car minus camouflage at the UK company’s Gadon headquarters for select customers.

The image clearly shows a huge front grille with mesh inserts, with large air intakes on both sides. The previous spy shots we’ve seen were actually quite revealing, showing the DBS Superleggera’s general shape and many other exterior styling details, such as aggressive side skirts and other elements heavily borrowed from both the gorgeous DB11 and new Vantage. Under the long hood will be an upgraded version of the DB11’s twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 with a projected 700 hp or so. To compare, the recently unveiled DB11 AMR has the same engine, only with 630 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.

The interior, from what we’ve heard, is said to strongly resemble that of the DB11, although with various upgrades such as carbon fiber air vent surrounds and a supposed Mercedes-Benz-sourced rotary control for the infotainment system. Along with the coupe, the DBS Superleggera Volante convertible is also in the works, though we doubt both will debut at the same time. Expect the coupe to arrive first, and that can happen at just about any time. Stay tuned.

2019 Audi A6 Priced At Nearly $10,000 Less Than A7 Sportback

The sedan offers far better value than the Sportback.

Earlier this month, Audi revealed its pricing structure for the 2019 A7 Sportback. The four-door-coupe starts off at $68,000, while the Premium Plus and Prestige trims start at $72,400 and $76,300. That isn't what we'd call cheap, but Audi has always charged a premium for its Sportback models and that the cheaper A6 sedan would be right on the A7's heels. The 2019 A6 sedan was revealed back in February, and we drove a European version of the car earlier this year. Still, we've had no idea how much the new A6 would cost in the US - until now.

The starting price of the new A6 is $58,900 for the Premium trim, $62,700 for the Premium Plus trim, and $67,100 for the Prestige trim. That's around a $10,000 savings over an A7 for what is essentially the same car underneath. The A7 is based on the A6's platform, so they both share a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 producing 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque going out to Quattro all-wheel-drive through a seven-speed dual-clutch.

The similarity continues inside, where there is very little to differentiate the two cars. The A7 will have more storage space in the trunk thanks to its liftback design, but apart from that, the $10,000 price difference is mainly aesthetic. If you want one of Audi's premium mid-size cars and you don't mind sacrificing the sleeker body for a more plain sedan design, just save $10,000 and get the A6. Like the A7, we expect the 2019 A6 to arrive in US dealerships sometime in the fall of 2018.

2019 Audi A6 Priced At Nearly $10,000 Less Than A7 Sportback

The sedan offers far better value than the Sportback.

Earlier this month, Audi revealed its pricing structure for the 2019 A7 Sportback. The four-door-coupe starts off at $68,000, while the Premium Plus and Prestige trims start at $72,400 and $76,300. That isn't what we'd call cheap, but Audi has always charged a premium for its Sportback models and that the cheaper A6 sedan would be right on the A7's heels. The 2019 A6 sedan was revealed back in February, and we drove a European version of the car earlier this year. Still, we've had no idea how much the new A6 would cost in the US - until now.

The starting price of the new A6 is $58,900 for the Premium trim, $62,700 for the Premium Plus trim, and $67,100 for the Prestige trim. That's around a $10,000 savings over an A7 for what is essentially the same car underneath. The A7 is based on the A6's platform, so they both share a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 producing 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque going out to Quattro all-wheel-drive through a seven-speed dual-clutch.

The similarity continues inside, where there is very little to differentiate the two cars. The A7 will have more storage space in the trunk thanks to its liftback design, but apart from that, the $10,000 price difference is mainly aesthetic. If you want one of Audi's premium mid-size cars and you don't mind sacrificing the sleeker body for a more plain sedan design, just save $10,000 and get the A6. Like the A7, we expect the 2019 A6 to arrive in US dealerships sometime in the fall of 2018.

Volkswagen CEO Claims Dieselgate Is Nearly Over And Done With Forever

Three years after being exposed, is the worst behind VW?

It’s been three years since Volkswagen admitted it cheated on diesel emissions. Just look at how much has changed since. Diesel, once a popular option, especially in Europe, carries a negative stigma and it’s unlikely to ever recover. VW paid dearly for its actions, both financially and legally. Audi’s now-former CEO was in the slammer for months until his recent release. Instead of diesel, VW has turned its full attention to electric-powertrains (though diesels will continue for light and commercial trucks). So much has changed and hopefully for the better.

That’s exactly how VW CEO Herbert Diess feels. According to Automotive News Europe, Diess believes “most” of the diesel scandal is in the past where he hopes it’ll stay.

“We basically bought back and fixed close to 90 percent of the cars” globally, Diess said recently. “I think most of the things we have overcome” he said. “We still have legal issues worldwide, in Germany - you're aware of that - and it will take years to solve everything. We just settled with Audi, with the state attorneys in Germany. There are still legal issues, but technically, we overcame most of the issues.” Diess also added the legal problems VW faced in the US were the most severe globally.

“Legally, we had here really a situation which was much more severe (compared) to the rest of the world, because our cars, when we launched the cars, would not comply with legislation.”

In Europe, by contrast, “the fix was relatively easy; it was a software update for about 10 million cars, which is also through. We have fixed 90 percent of the cars, but it was not a real severe technical issue. The situation here in America was, by far, the most critical one worldwide. And it has to do with the emission regulation here in the United States, which is much tougher than in the rest of the world.”

Above all, Diess sure sounds like he’s doing his best to make things right with global governments and the buying public. Will we still be talking about Dieselgate in, say, another three years from now? Impossible to predict, but by that time VW will have launched more than one of its all-electric I.D. models.