A3, A6 and Audi Q7 winners in auto motor und sport

Best Cars: Readers vote Audi models top
Audi has recorded a triple success in the “auto motor und sport” readers’ poll: readers of the popular car magazine voted the A3, A6 and Audi Q7 into first place in their respective classes, crowning them with “Best Cars” titles for 2007. This continues Audi’s history of success in one of the most important readers’ polls in the automotive industry.

This was the first time that the Audi Q7 has taken part in the poll, and despite fierce competition it was awarded the most votes. It represents a new standard in the SUV segment. The Audi brand’s first SUV stands out thanks to its outstanding on-road performance, good off-road characteristics, expressive design and the quality characteristic of Audi. And it is not just readers of auto motor und sport who hold these properties in high esteem; the Q7 has also enjoyed great success with customers.

The winner in the executive class, the Audi A6, has been the market leader in its segment in Germany for two years now. The elegant and sporty A6 is available as both a saloon and an Avant. In 2006, Audi added the sporty S6 and the A6 allroad quattro to this successful model line.

The Audi A3 was voted top of the compact class for the third time. Audi demonstrates with the A3 how it is possible to perfectly unite premium standards with compact dimensions in a smaller vehicle class.

[Source: Audi USA]

‎ Read more of this post!

Audi announces pricing for 2008 TT models

Audi of America, Inc. today announced pricing for its 2008 TT model line-up.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Audi of America, Inc. today announced pricing for its 2008 TT model line-up. TT Coupe models will arrive in dealerships in April, while TT Roadsters follow in May. Prices will range from $34,800 to $45,900 depending upon model and options.

TT Coupe 2.0T models start at $34,800, while 3.2 quattro® models begin at $41,500. TT Roadster 2.0T models have a base price of $36,800, and 3.2 quattro Roadsters start at $44,500. This pricing does not include a $720 destination charge. TT 3.2 models equipped with S tronic gearboxes have a base price $1,400 higher than manual transmission cars. (Coupe: $42,900, Roadster: $45,900)

Both TT model lines will be available in 2.0T or 3.2 quattro form. All 2.0T models will have a 200hp 2.0 TFSI engine mated to a six-speed S tronic gearbox. The 3.2 quattro models will have a 250hp V6 engine and quattro all-wheel drive. A six-speed manual transmission is standard (3.2 quattro only), with a six-speed S tronic gearbox optional.

Carrying on with Audi tradition, the all-new 2008 TT is equipped with class-leading technology. The newest generation of Audi Space Frame® (ASF) combines both aluminum and steel to achieve lighter weight, and better weight distribution for better driving dynamics. Audi magnetic ride (optional) employs the latest in suspension technology and allows drivers to choose between a smooth ride and aggressive handling. Audi’s famous S tronic gearbox offers the performance of a manual transmission with the convenience of an automatic, and shifts faster than and any person can at 0.2 seconds per shift.

The 2008 TT will come equipped with a long list of standard luxurious and sporty features. Standard equipment on the 2008 TT includes such items as leather and Alcantara-covered sport seats, automatic climate control, electromechanical power steering, Audi Concert audio system with in-dash CD changer with MP3 capability, 17” alloy wheels, keyless entry with alarm, cruise control, and a leather-wrapped flat-bottom sport steering wheel.

An extensive list of optional equipment allows drivers to personalize their TT model, and give it even more sporting appeal. Audi magnetic ride and 18” alloy wheels add to the TT’s sporty handling. An S line package goes one step further by adding more aggressive front and rear styling and 19” alloy wheels with performance tires, and special interior leather trim. An Enhanced Interior package includes Nappa leather covered seats and leather covered interior trip components. TT Roadster models also have an extra storage compartments with this package.

Other options include a DVD-based navigation system with two slots for SD memory cards, Bluetooth phone preparation, Bose® premium sound with Sirius® satellite radio, Bi-Xenon adaptive headlights, iPod interface, Audi parking system, and Baseball-optic leather interior (Roadster only).

[Source: Audi USA]

‎ Read more of this post!

The Precision Sports Car: The Audi R8

INGOLSTADT, Germany - Audi is entering the most discerning segment of the car market with its R8 mid-engine sports car – and immediately taking up a position among the leaders: equipped with the expertise that Audi has gathered from its involvement in motor sport and from building sporty premium-class cars, the R8 is the embodiment of superlative road behavior, pioneering technology and fascinating design. The 420 hp V8 FSI engine, quattro permanent four-wheel drive and the aluminum space-frame body endow the R8 with outstanding qualities to challenge for leadership of this segment, as do its excellent everyday suitability and Audi's typical standards of perfection in quality and finish. Deliveries will commence in the fall of 2007.

Following on from rally success with the revolutionary Audi quattro and the triumphs of its touring car, Audi has added another chapter to the history of motor sport with the R8 racing car: with five wins to its name in the Le Mans 24 Hours, the R8 is the most successful model ever to have competed on the legendary circuit at Le Mans. In a total of 79 starts at venues all over the world, this exceptional athlete has emerged victorious on a total of 62 occasions.

The genes of the winner
The repeat winner was thus the ideal role model for the new production sports car. The genes of the triumphant racing car were also passed on to the passenger car – which admittedly feels distinctly at home on the racetrack, too – in the model designation R8. The mid-engine concept is as integral to this genetic stock as the high-revving V8 engine with FSI petrol direct injection and the sequential gearbox with steering-wheel control. Whereas the use of quattro permanent four-wheel drive was prohibited on the racing version, the new R8 can of course now be equipped with it, for superior road behavior and safety in all conditions.

There are even design parallels – not just in functional terms – in how it cuts its way through the air even at very high speeds. The same design team that had previously styled the racing car was given the task of styling the R8 roadgoing sports car. The striking wing structure of the Le Mans version did, however, have to be abandoned. After all, the roadgoing version was meant to express its sports qualities through a typically Audi quality of elegant styling.
With power and elegance.

The wide, full shape of the R8 seems to hug the road. It demonstrates its potential through its imposing proportions, accentuated wheel arches and substantial air apertures. It is like no other Audi before it – with the unmistakable proportions of a mid-engine car. These proportions are dictated by the forward position of the cabin and the clearly separate engine compartment behind it. A characteristic feature of the side view of the R8 is the "sideblade", which visually accentuates the engine's position as well as acting as an air deflector.

And yet the R8 is undeniably first and foremost an Audi, not just because of the characteristic single-frame grille at its front end. For the first time, the four rings are positioned not on the grille, but on the lid above it. The sparing but always very precise use of lines is another typical Audi characteristic, as is the curved arc of the roof. And the continuous line running from the front apron across the wheel arches and flanks to the tail end, then back down the other side, is significant for the brand. This "loop" naturally encompasses the air apertures, the headlights and the rear lights.

Unmistakable face by day and night
The passion expressed through the elaborate design of the lights is another typical Audi trait. The R8 already acquires an unmistakable frontal aspect through the standard bi-xenon headlights and daytime running lights comprising twelve light-emitting diodes – day and night alike. Nor is anyone likely to overlook this Audi sports car from behind: for the very first time, LED tail lights with a three-dimensional effect have successfully been used.

But the absolute highlight will be the all-LED headlights, available for the Audi R8 as an option from the end of 2007 (not available in North America), and making their first ever appearance worldwide on a production car. With their lenses and reflectors, these innovative light sources not only look progressive; they also have an enormous functional advantage: with its color temperature of 6,000 Kelvin, LED light resembles daylight much more closely than xenon or even halogen light. Drivers will consequently suffer much less fatigue when driving at night.

The interior offers a luxurious standard of motor racing atmosphere. Its design is as sporty and exclusive as the exterior: the characteristic element here is the monoposto – an expansive arc running around the steering wheel and instruments, connecting the driver to the car. The interior consequently picks up on the dynamism of the R8 and gives it tactile expression in a form that is accessible the moment you climb in.

Exceptionally spacious
For a sports car, the exceptional everyday suitability of the R8 is highlighted by the large amount of space, due in no small measure to the generous wheelbase of 104.3 inches. Whatever the build of the driver and passenger, they will always be able to find their perfect seated position. The view is also very good for a mid-engine vehicle. Narrow A-posts optimise the field of view to the front and sides.

The luggage compartment is an important aspect of everyday suitability: approximately 3.5 cu. ft. fit beneath the front lid, and there is room for bags with a total volume of approximately 3.2 cu. ft. behind the seats. And even passionate golfers need not forgo their sport when driving the R8: two full-size golf bags can be stowed behind the seats.

The impression of quality in the interior is striking: even in the basic specification, the surfaces of the driving area and door trims are meticulously trimmed, with neatly finished decorative seams. And the scope for customisation is as diverse as the preferences of the R8's future owners could conceivably be: piano finish, carbon fiber and a wide variety of leathers are just some of the options.

Light but highly rigid body
The body of a sports car needs to be particularly light and rigid: low weight permits superior road performance, and rigidity is the crucial starting point for an agile driving feel allied to high precision. The Audi Space Frame body, made from aluminum, provides the ideal basis for this. Audi has more expertise than any other manufacturer worldwide in the designing and production of cars based on aluminum technology, and has channelled its accumulated know-how into the R8.

The entire bodyshell of the R8 weighs just 462 pounds (European spec), the pinnacle of achievement among sports cars in terms of lightweight design quality. It comprises extruded sections, aluminum panels and highly complex cast nodes, joined together by 325 feet of weld seams, 782 punch rivets and 382 self-tapping screws.

Superlative precision in the production shop
This structure is created largely by hand at the R8 production shop in Neckarsulm, but with precision measuring and machining methods keeping a watchful eye over the whole business: a laser measuring system checks 220 points on each body to within one-tenth of a millimeter, and a special computer tomograph can investigate the quality of every join with micron precision. A central processing plant cuts and drills all 52 connecting points on the running gear and steering in a single pass. This assures maximum precision in the axle geometry.

The aerodynamics experts at Audi have done their work so thoroughly on the R8 that, as an added benefit of its elegant shape, the body actually produces a downforce – unlike many other sports cars. This promotes directional stability at high speeds. It is achieved by means of the extending rear spoiler, but above all thanks to the fully clad diffuser underbody.

Enormous propulsive power across wide speed range
The heart of the sports car is of course the engine. As well as being exceptionally compact, the eight-cylinder power unit of the R8 runs lustily and effortlessly up to very high engine speeds, peaking at 8,250 rpm. The reward is 420 hp and an even buildup of torque that produces enormous propulsion across a wide range of engine speeds. The engine's dry sump lubrication, typical of a race engine, permits a particularly low installed location and assures a constant oil supply in even the toughest of driving conditions – for instance on a racetrack. The FSI direct injection underpins the very good full-load performance with a highly efficient combustion process.
The road performance is correspondingly impressive: the R8 dashes from 0 to 62 mph in just 4.6 seconds, whether with manual gearbox or with R tronic sequential gearshifting. The needle hits 125 mph after only 14.9 seconds, and the engine's propulsion is only finally held in check by rolling resistance and drag at 188 mph.

However, the captivating character of the V8 stems not just from its effortless propulsion, but equally from its ample, versatile sound characteristics. Thanks to ingenious fine-tuning measures, Audi's engineers isolated disagreeable frequencies and then orchestrated an impressive opus from the intake and exhaust sound.

Lightning start thanks to Launch Control
The R8's transmission comes with six well-spaced ratios that can be operated either manually, in conjunction with the clutch, or automatically via the R tronic. The R tronic is an entirely new development that operates faster than even the most adept of drivers and offers racing-style thrills with the shift paddles on the steering wheel. The R tronic accomplishes lightning-fast starts worthy of the racetrack thanks to Launch Control.

The quattro permanent four-wheel drive provides that decisive extra dose of traction and driving safety.

The system was adapted to the mid-engine concept, with its ideal axle load distribution of 44:56 percent, and directs between 10 and 35 percent of the engine's power to the front wheels as necessary.

Precision suspension provides safety boost
The precision suspension of the Audi R8 remains in control of the sporty performance, but is equally capable of assuring relaxed driving pleasure over long distances. The sports car obeys steering movements with spontaneous agility, always demonstrating exceptionally good driving safety. The suspension, with double wishbones at both the front and rear, is optimised for a neutral self-steering response and maximum ease of control.

A particularly innovative damping technology is available for the R8 as an option: Audi magnetic ride adapts the suspension characteristic to the profile of the road and the driver's style within milliseconds. A generously-dimensioned brake system supplies the necessary braking force. It applies a total of 24 pistons to the four studded brake discs.

Exclusive standard equipment (European spec)
The Audi R8 combines its superior performance with both a surprising measure of everyday suitability and an exclusive equipment specification. It comes ready-equipped for example with a 140 watt audio system, an alarm system, deluxe automatic air conditioning and the driver information system with integral stopwatch for taking lap times. The sports seats are trimmed in combined Alcantara/Leather and the 18-inch wheels are fitted on cast alloy wheels.

The list of optional extras nevertheless includes a couple more highlights: for example, the wide range of customisation options, the Audi parking system advanced with integral rearview camera, and the superb Bang & Olufsen sound system. Surround sound from twelve high-end speakers with a 465 watt music output delivers an exceptional music experience.

[Source: Audi USA]

‎ Read more of this post!

Road test: Audi A6 Allroad Quattro

The Audi Allroad is not as butch as it looks, says Neil Lyndon, but it's a fine car for all that

it may not be easy to understand why anybody would deliberately and knowingly choose to buy a large, luxury 4x4, but it is equally difficult to see why anybody would not want to own an Audi A6 Allroad Quattro. If Ken Livingstone is going to outlaw the Chelsea Tractor, perhaps he should make the Allroad compulsory.



The Allroad is Audi's beefcake version of the graceful A6 Avant estate car. To help it convey the message that this car is ready for a touch of the rough stuff, its wheel arches are flared and can be painted in colours that contrast with the rest of the body, its sills are extended and protected by stainless steel panels and a chunky plate is stuck under its tail just in case you should drive over anything bumpy, like a sleeping rhino.

If you really want to look as if you mean business in the bogs, you can spend some more money and fit it with purpose-made all-terrain tyres and a reinforced plate under the engine.

All these trimmings are, of course, approximately as indispensable to normal daily life as a riding hat might be for a walk around Sloane Square; and there is little doubt that, if you tried to drive it on surfaces only slightly more marshy than the gallops on Rotten Row, the Allroad would descend into a state of tractionless paralysis.

However, the Allroad, with its permanent four-wheel drive, is handy enough on a green lane to match a gargantuan 4x4 such as Audi's own Q7, with which it shares much the same four-wheel drive technology.

Its adaptive air suspension system, controlled by a knob at the driver's left hand, will lower the car's body to skim the surface of a motorway or raise it as high as 185mm for negotiating lightly rutted tracks. The electronic stability programme can be primed to intervene over rough surfaces and to adapt the supply of power to the four wheels according to need.

This set-up certainly provides enough off-road capability to conduct you safely from your suburban drive to the station carpark and would probably be sufficient, also, to drive from London to Ulan Bator without a hitch.

The Land Rovers of the 1955-6 Cambridge Overland Exploration to Singapore may have had more gear ratios, but they would not have benefited from a fraction of the Allroad's pulling power or the 177 bhp from the V6 2.7 TDI diesel engine in the version I borrowed.

Those earnestly bearded Cambridge boys would also have thought that the Allroad's top speed of almost 135 mph and 0-60 mph in about nine seconds belonged in the realm of the fastest two-seaters rather than a family car that can double as the tractor for a horse-box.

As for the Allroad's interior, its sumptuousness is not far short of a Bentley's. Audi has long set the benchmark for interior design and finish for BMW and Mercedes to aspire to equal. Neither of those companies does a better job of providing an information management system than Audi's multi-media interface. Nor can they better the A6/Allroad's load-bay capacity of 1,600 litres.

No big estate car is better to drive than a Quattro A6 Avant. Its ride, road-holding, steering and braking share a Swiss bank's depth of reassurance. We drove ours 1,000 miles in two days over New Year and were as comfortable as we might have been sitting in chairs at home.

The price of the Allroad is supposed to start at about £32,500 but, with all its extras, the car I borrowed would cost more than £43,000.

If you need a four-wheel drive estate, however, you could save a lot of money and buy the standard Quattro version of the A6 Avant. Displaying no outward hint of its capabilities, that car could not possibly annoy Ken Livingstone (although some might consider that a disadvantage).

Audi Allroad 2·7 TDI Quattro Tiptronic

Price (as tested) £43,210
Bhp 177
0-62 mph 9·3 seconds
Top speed 133 mph
Average fuel consumption 32· 4mpg
Insurance group 15E

[Source: Telegraph]

‎ Read more of this post!

2006 Audi A4 2.0T FSI Road Test (B7 2006-2007)

It has been almost a year since I leased my 2006 Audi A4 2.0T FSI car. Now having driven it just about 12,000 miles – I wanted to provide my first road test and impressions of the car.

Background:
I choose the Audi A4 on a little more than a whim. You see, almost a year ago, my Nissan dealership informed me that some major issues that were starting to happen on my 1997 Maxima. The damage was going to be around $3,000 in repairs and require cracking the transmission, clutch and some other expensive areas. And, based on my previous experience with cars – once you open them up, they are never as good as new. The Nissan Maxima had been extremely good to me, giving 175,000 miles of driving in Los Angeles without any significant repairs other than your standard brakes, tires, & constant velocity (CV) joints at about 130,000 miles. That’s right, 175,000 miles on the original clutch and it was still in great condition. The car served 9 bullet proof years. However, given the news and the expense, it was time to look for a new vehicle.

I considered a number of vehicles, the Infinity G-Series, the BMW E90 3-Series, the Lexus IS350 among a few others. I have always enjoyed German vehicles; however the recent styling on the 4-door BMW E90 3-series leaves a lot to be desired. It is perhaps, the worst model that BMW had put out in some time. At the same time, the Audi series of vehicles have come a long way, especially with the new B7 line of the A4 series that refreshed the prior body style and look. Not to mention, the desirable upgrade of the engine to a 2.0 liter turbo.

It did not take me long to decide. Within a day of seeing the A4 2.0T, I knew that was the model of car that I want. Plus, the dealership I visited – Rusnak Audi/BMW of Westlake Village had the car I wanted – a black 2006 A4 2.0T with manual 6-speed transmission. I am still a fanatic when it comes to having a manual transmission and clutch, and they are near impossible to find in the Los Angeles area due to traffic. So, I quickly made a deal with my sales person – James Hall – who made the deal easy. It was made easier by the fact that Audi had a special lease offer promotion on the A4.

Experience:
At 12,000 miles, I could not be happier with my Audi A4 2.0T FSI. In my daily driving, I average around 30 miles per gallon – split between city and highway. The car has been a problem free and extremely reliable car.

Some of the reviews I have read on the A4’s include some folks having some pretty significant problems off the lot. That was not my case, I have only taken the car back twice – once to have my windows tinted, and then again for the 5,000 mile service. The next service is not due to 15,000 miles, and is included without additional expense to me. Rusnak’s Audi service has been outstanding – anytime I call, if they are with a client

The 2.0T engine has some decent pep to it and handles well; I have not been in a situation where the performance has let me down. The car and styling is extremely comfortable inside, and is suitable for long trips.

My only regret at this point in time is that I did not get the Quattro. There have been a couple of times on canyon roads where the extra handling and distribution of wheel power would have been a help. Then again, I may have gotten myself into more trouble.

There are also a lot of tuning (upgrade) options from both APR and Neuspeed for the B7 version of the Audi A4 2.0T. These include ECU upgrades (chips), turbo enhancements, air boxes, and exhaust upgrades. With just the ECU upgrade, air box, & exhaust upgrade the horsepower on the car can be boosted from 200hp to above 260hp. That’s higher than the 3.2L version of the car, with 200lbs less weight. Based on the current performance options available and the fact that the 2.0T engine is the best that Audi makes – there is practically no reason to consider the 3.2L engine. While I currently have not made any tuning changes, I am considering both the chip and air box after the 15,000 mile service.

My overall impressions of the car:

The Good:

• Overall the Audi A4 is impressive – the car is also more responsive, has better power, and handles quite well. In fact, that is the area where I am most impressed with the extra sports suspension on the car.
• Reliable – no issues 12k miles in.
• Audi Service – excellent service and responsiveness.
• Great Fuel Economy – ~30mpg city is a great start!
• Tuning – lots of opportunity to upgrade and tune that A4

The Bad:

• Brake Dust – the amount of brake dust that is generated from basic driving it much higher than what the Maxima had. Keeping the wheels looking good and clean is a difficult proposition.
• Armrest – The armrest in the car is positioned in a pretty annoying away. If you have two passengers and plan to use both cup holders, you must have the armrest up to access the 2nd drink. In fact, the armrest has to be at an angle with even a normal size beverage.
• Audi Upgrades – to add basic Satellite radio to the car (even though it is prepared for it) costs $600-650 at the dealership which is about $400-450 more than it should cost. Especially since I am sure Audi get a commission on each.
• Cruise Control – the location of the cruise control lever is in an awkward place that cannot be easily seen and often has to be felt.
• Gas Pedal Response - occassionally there will be a slight delay in the response from pressing the gas pedal to when the engine increases power. I will be mentioning this during the 15,000 mile service. This may just be because of the throttle being electronically controlled.

Trackbacks that led to this post:
a4 audi
2007 a4 audi
2008 a4 audi
a4 audi body kit
a4 audi avant
2002 a4 audi
2003 a4 audi
a4 audi part
a4 audi cabriolet
2006 a4 audi
a4 audi quattro
a4 audi review
2004 a4 audi
2001 a4 audi
a4 audi used
1996 a4 audi
2005 a4 audi
1999 a4 audi
2000 a4 audi
a4 audi part performance
1998 a4 audi
a4 audi convertible
a4 audi line s
1996 2001 a4 audi manual service
1997 a4 audi
1.8t a4 audi
a4 audi tuning
a4 audi tdi
a4 audi wheels
a4 audi performance
a4 audi forum
2007 a4 audi review
a4 accessory audi
a4 audi new
a4 audi sale
a4 audi rim
a4 audi b5
a4 audi turbo
a4 audi engine
2008 a4 audi new
a4 audi exhaust system
audi g7
giac audi
audi a4 2.0 fsi
2006 audi a4 problems
audi 2.0tfsi engine reviews
2006 audi a4
audi 2.0t chip
audi a4 apr chip
audi b7
2.0 turbo size audi 2006 a4
2006 audi a4 2.0t
upgrade 2006 audi a4
2007 audi a4 2.0t road test
audi a4
audi 2.0 t fsi
2007 audi a4 2.0t upgrades
2007 audi a4 upgrades
apr chip audi a4 2.0t
audi 2.0 t tuning
audi b7 cup holders
audi a4 b7 satellite radio
audi a4 2.0 tfsi
neuspeed chip audi a4
audi a4 2.0t
audi apr chip
problems with audi a4 b7
audi a4 2.0 t fsi
audi a4 neuspeed chip
audi a4 engine management problem
audi a4 2.0 software upgrade
audi 2.0t problems

[Source: SomeLifeBlog.com]

‎ Read more of this post!

2006: Eleventh record year in a row for Audi

2006: Eleventh record year in a row for Audi
• Record numbers in Germany for vehicle sales and market share
• Record figures in 41 markets
• Largest export market USA with vehicle sales record

In 2006, Audi succeeded in setting a new record for vehicle sales for the eleventh year in a row: worldwide, 905,100 vehicles were delivered to customers (2005: 829,109)*, representing an increase of 9.2 percent, or almost 76.000 cars. A record number of vehicles was sold in 41 markets.

Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG remarked: "We have not only achieved our eleventh sales record in succession, but will also be announcing new record levels of revenue and earnings. Audi is the fastest-growing premium brand. This puts us well on our way to becoming the most successful premium manufacturer in the world by 2015."

In Germany the best sales result ever was achieved: 257,792 (247,125) vehicles were delivered to customers; this represents a rise of 4.3 percent. Audi has thus achieved a market share of 7.6 percent in its home market Germany, its highest market share in 26 years.

In Europe without Germany the company posted a 7.7 percent rise in sales to 400,650 (371.995) units. The highest rate of increase in the major European markets was achieved in Spain, where sales were up 10.3 percent to 54,557 (49,453) units, followed by France with 45,525 (41,498) units, equivalent to growth of 9.7 percent, and Italy with 59,002 (55,574) units. This is 6.2 percent more than in the previous year. Great Britain grew by 5.7 percent, with vehicle sales reaching 86,003 (81,374). The positive trend in Eastern Europe continued: the number of vehicles sold there rose by 31.7 percent to 27,100 (20,559) units.

The USA remains the largest export market, with a sales record of 90,116 (83,066, +8.5 percent) vehicles. The company's vehicles sold in record numbers in China (without Hong Kong), with 80,808 (58,128) units delivered. This represents an increase of 39.0 percent. Audi will be investing in India in 2007 in order to exploit potential for growth in Asia: the brand with the four rings will be establishing a subsidiary there in the first quarter, and will be opening its own local production plant in the autumn.

The key factor behind the record vehicle sales in 2006 was the spectacular array of new products: sales of the Audi A6 allroad quattro rose by 31.9 percent to 9,800 units, followed by the Audi TT, sales of which climbed by 19.9 percent to 19,500 units. 28,000 of the Audi A4 Cabriolet were delivered to their new owners (+ 18.8 percent). Audi achieved a growth rate of 9.5 percent to 235,500 vehicles for the Audi A3. Sales of the Audi A6 rose to 224,750 units (+9.1 percent). The number of Audi A8 cars sold increased by 5.5 percent to 22,600 units. In its first year on the market, 52,750 Audi Q7 were sold.

"We are proud at having more than achieved the record level of 900,000 vehicles sold. I am especially pleased that we have reached a historic sales record in Germany, our home market. With records in over 40 markets we have prepared the way for achieving our sales target of 1.4 million vehicles by 2015," commented Ralph Weyler, Member of the Board for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG.
* 2005 figures in brackets

[Source: Audi USA]

‎ Read more of this post!

Pure Power: The Audi Diesel Engines

DETROIT, Mich. - An output of 500 bhp and 738 ft.-lbs. of torque – Audi is unveiling an engine which sets new standards in the diesel sector. The majestic V12 TDI power unit with its capacity of six liters endows the high-performance Audi Q7 SUV with sports car credentials. It is the harbinger of a wide-scale model initiative, as Audi seeks to make major inroads into the US market with its diesel models – courtesy of a new emission control technology which cuts emissions drastically.
The Audi Q7 V12 TDI raises the bar in the burgeoning sports utility vehicle segment. A time of just 5.5 seconds for the dash from zero to 100 km/h and an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h give the high-performance SUV sports car calibre. Its six-litre twelve-cylinder diesel unit demonstrates the tremendous technological expertise at Audi's fingertips. 18 years after the Ingolstadt brand invented the modern-day TDI engine, it is presenting it in an all-new high-tech, range-topping guise.

Audi makes the vital breakthroughs
All of the diesel engines from Audi deserve the tag of 'sporty' on account of their impressive performance – the six and eight-cylinder 2.7 TDI, 3.0 TDI and 4.2 TDI units serve to underline this. The pioneering role that Audi assumes in the field of diesel technology stems from the peerless expertise it has amassed over recent decades. Audi engineers have been responsible for one vital breakthrough after another – the most important of these was the world's first ever TDI engine to be fitted in a passenger car, which Audi introduced in 1989.

Last year, Audi demonstrated the dynamic potential of diesel power in most memorable fashion on race tracks around the world. The V12 TDI in the R10 sports prototype unleashed in excess of 650 bhp and left its petrol-engined competitors in its wake in each of the eight races it competed in. Highlights of this winning streak included its triumph at the gruelling Le Mans 24 Hours as well as its victories in the LMP1 category of the American Le Mans Series.

The trend towards diesel engines is gathering strength all the time in the United States too. Audi is firmly convinced that the TDI engine represents the powerful and economical alternative for the future of motoring, and is therefore preparing a model drive to bolster this trend. The Q7 3.0 TDI is expected to hit showrooms in the USA in late 2008. Thanks to the exceptionally low emissions resulting from its cutting-edge Bluetec technology, this engine even complies with the US Tier II Bin 5 standard which places extremely tough demands on nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions.

SCR catalytic converter for reducing nitrogen oxide levels
At the core of the Bluetec technology is a catalytic converter known by the abbreviation of SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction). The second system component takes the form of an auxiliary tank which contains a carbonyl diamide solution. The solution is injected in small doses into the exhaust system where it decomposes into ammonia, which then breaks down the nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water. The arrival of the ultra-clean Bluetec diesel engines will see Audi hold true to its tradition of always being at the very forefront of diesel technology.

[Source: Audi USA]

‎ Read more of this post!