Showing posts with label Audi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Audi. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

ABT Sportsline Customizes New Audi A6 Avant



The latest generation of Audi's A6 Avant has received some aftermarket love from VW Group tuning specialist, ABT Sportsline, with the release of the AS6 package that includes both performance and styling upgrades.

The power gains are similar to those of the sedan model. The base 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel with 204HP gets a jump to 240HP, while the more potent version of the TDI with 245 factory ponies now makes 300-horsepower.

Read more »

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Audi Reveals New A8 Hybrid with 2.0-liter Four-Pot, Sales Start in 2012



A little over a year after the presentation of its A8 Hybrid Concept at the 2010 edition of the Geneva Salon, Audi is introducing the final production version of its frugal four-cylinder limousine, which goes on sale in 2012.

Confirming our suspicions that the concept label was misleading, Audi made very few changes to the production model such as the smaller (18" instead of 21") but same design alloy wheels and the more conventional looking engine cover.

Read more »

SCOOP: 2013 Audi A6 Allroad Quattro Snagged on the Road



Audi's solution for those searching to combine the practicality and roominess of a station wagon model with the higher ground clearance, all-wheel drive and body protection of an SUV is the Allroad Quattro series.

The urban-offroad combo treatment has been offered for a while now on Audi's palette of station wagon models, and with the introduction of the latest A6 Avant earlier this year, we knew it was only a matter of time before we heard news about an Allroad Quattro model.

Read more »

Monday, August 22, 2011

Dutch Facepalm: Mutant Opel Astra Station Wagon



Of all the excessive custom creations that we've shown you through these pages over the years, this 1999 Opel Astra Station Wagon from Holland must be one of the most bizarre –and that's an understatement- ever.

While keeping the standard model's…82HP-strong 2.0-liter diesel engine, the owner modified the late 1990s Astra estate with anything he could find including an Audi front end, a wide body kit with excessive wheel arches and more vents than a cheese grater.

Read more »

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

10 Luxury Cars of the Past You Can Afford to Buy Today



No matter what car you buy, its price will start depreciating from the moment you turn the ignition key and roll out of the showroom. Of course, not all models lose value at the same rate. But there are some cars that stand out more than others and Popular Mechanics has compiled a list with some of the most heavily depreciated vehicles in the luxury car segment.

And while this may not be the kind of news a seller wants to hear, it's music to the ears of buyers in the market for snazzy set of wheels. Just remember that regardless if the car is new or used, running costs remain the same, and when it comes to luxury models, be prepared to dig deep into your pockets.

Read more »

Audi Urban Sportback Concept to be Joined by a Spyder Version at Frankfurt Show



At next month's Frankfurt auto show, Audi will show not one, but two variants of its Urban pure-electric city car concept. Following the presentation of the Urban Sportback (that's how the Germans describe the closed-top variant in its latest release) fitted with a sliding canopy, Audi today released the first renderings of the Spyder model.

Rather than simply chopping off the rood and strengthening the front windshield frame, Audi's designers opted for a low, continuous window area while the Spyder also gains a pair of doors that open upwards diagonally.

Read more »

SPIED: Audi Begins Testing its BMW X6-Rivaling Q6 Sports Crossover



It has begun. We're talking about the development phase of the Audi Q6 which will expand the firm's Q series of crossover models and offer the Ingolstadt-based automaker a direct challenger to BMW's successful X6, as well as to the equivalent model that's being planned by Mercedes-Benz.

The prototype seen here is an early engineering test mule sporting an elongated version of the Audi Q5 platform architecture (notice the wider B-pillar on the modified Q5 body), and has been developed to evaluate the Q6's underpinnings and mechanical hardware.

Read more »

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

U-Spy: Audi Q7 Pickup Truck is the Real Deal



A little over a month ago, we showed you a photo of a two-door Audi Q7 Pickup Truck, wondering at the same time if the picture was real or the result of some handy digital manipulation.

Earlier this week, Carscoop reader "Majdo-dk" tipped us off through our comments that the Audi Q7 Pickup Truck does indeed exist in real life, and to prove it, he pointed us towards a Facebook page with four photos of the one-off model.

Read more »

Monday, August 15, 2011

Germany's Luxury Brands Unaffected by Global Economy Slump



The auto industry hasn’t escaped the drama affecting the stock markets due to the US credit rating downgrade and the problems in the Eurozone. This month has been the worst ever since November 2008 for the Euro Stoxx Automobile and Parts Index as it lost €35 billion ($50 billion) or about 19%, of its value.

However, despite the slowing global economy, it is luxury carmakers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi rather than mass-market brands, like Fiat and Renault, that can withstand its effects better.

Read more »

Senner Tuning Lays its Hands on the Audi Q5 2.0 TDI



Continuing its assault on Audi's portfolio, German aftermarket specialist has introduced a new package for the Q5 SUV fitted with the 2.0-lited TDI turbo diesel engine.

Thanks to a new performance kit that includes an ECU upgrade, sport filters and a custom exhaust system, the four-cylinder diesel engine's output is lifted from 170-horses and 350Nm to 213HP and 445Nm (328.2 lb-ft).

Read more »

Thursday, August 11, 2011

ABT Plays Around with the New Audi Q3 Crossover



ABT Sportsline, the German tuning company that has long specialized in modifying anything produced by the Volkswagen Group, has released details on its upcoming program for the new Audi Q3 small crossover.

Cosmetically, the tuning house has developed a bespoke front grille, a new front bumper with larger air inlets on both corners, rocker panels, a rear apron that makes space for the quad tail pipes, a roof spoiler and carbon fiber trim splats.

Read more »

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

SCOOP: New Audi A3 Three-Door Hatchback



Audi's sales have been pretty solid the past few years, however, the German firm is not resting on its success and is looking to add brand new models to its lineup such as the Q6 crossover as well as to replace its current portfolio with fresher products.

Following the recent introductions of the A1, A5, A6, A7, and A8, Audi is now turning its focus on its bread-and-butter A3 series which will include a three-door hatchback, the five-door Sportback, and for the first time, a four-door sedan model that was previewed though a concept study at this year's Geneva Salon.

Read more »

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Frankfurt Preview: Audi's Urban e-Tron Minicar Concept



It's showtime for Audi that just released the first sketches of its Frankfurt Motor Show-bound Urban Concept a couple of days after a camouflaged prototype made a public appearance at the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin Germany during a video shoot.

The official sketches show a lower and sleeker design with more futuristic styling elements than what we saw in the video footage of the car, but that's usually the case with all designer renderings.

Audi says the Urban Concept is an ultra-light car for congested urban spaces that is not based on any previous model. It is built around a central carbonfibre monocoque and rolls on massive wheels with a 21-inch diameter.

Read more »

Monday, August 8, 2011

Rumors: Audi Preparing Q6 Crossover to Battle BMW's X6 in 2016



As already reported, the success of Audi's Q-series has convinced company officials to expand the firm's presence in the SUV/Crossover segment. In 2010, sales of the Q7 increased by 37.1% compared to 2009 rising to 47,700 units while the Q5 recorded a 32.4% growth to 155,000 deliveries.

Add to that another 100,000 annual sales that Audi expects from the recently launched Q3 and it’s pretty clear why Ingolstadt's bosses want to double the luxury brand’s range of crossover models.

Read more »

New Audi City Car Concept Scooped on Film



Carscoop reader Marina tipped us off about an odd-looking micro car wearing Audi badges and a zebra stripe disguise that was caught filming at the Potsdamer Platz, which is a large public square located in the center of the city of Berlin in Germany.

The poster of the Youtube videos said that Audi was shooting a commercial for the car. While we've yet to hear something official from the German company, chances are the tiny model is a new Audi concept vehicle that will be revealed at the rapidly approaching 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in the second week of September.

Read more »

Audi Reboots its 1.8-liter TFSI Engine



Last month, Audi divulged the facelifted versions of its A5 range, which include the Coupe, Convertible and Sportback models.

While the cosmetic changes were minor, the Ingolstadt-based company introduced a new 1.8-liter TFSI 4-cylinder engine that will power the entry-level A5 models. Now, Audi decided to share the full details of its new, more powerful and at the same time more frugal gasoline unit.

Read more »

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Hacking your Car through a Smart Phone: An Emerging Security Risk


Security consulting firm iSec Partners warns drivers that thieves could exploit smart phone apps that allow the unlocking and starting of cars remotely.

Researchers Don Bailey and Mathew Solnik have hacked the protocols some of these apps use and demonstrated how they can take advantage of them using a laptop.

According to Mr. Bailey, the whole process of hacking and improvising the signals these apps send – what he dubs “war texting” – can take as little as two hours.

Read more »

Monday, August 1, 2011

MTM Drops Some Power Upgrades to Audi A7 Sportback TDI


After Senner Tuning's recent take on the Audi A7 Sportback TDI, MTM is next in line to offer its services to the diesel-powered model.

In regular factory trim, the A7's 3.0-liter V6 turbocharged diesel engine churns out 245-horses and 500Nm (369 lb-ft) of peak torque. The German tuning firm offers buyers two different options, the first pushing output to 285HP and peak torque to 580Nm (427.8 lb-ft), and the second to 300-horsepower and 600Nm (442.5 lb-ft) respectively.

Read more »

Mercedes-Benz Wants to Take Top Spot from BMW in the Premium Segment


If Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche's dream comes true, Mercedes-Benz is on course to become the world’s leading premium car maker both in sales as well as in profits. As Automotive News reports, Zetsche sent a letter to the firm's employees admitting that chief competitors Audi and BMW are growing faster than Mercedes.

"Some of our competitors are now growing faster and more profitably than we are. Granted, those are just snapshots in time and should not be overestimated. After all, many of our best new products are yet to come" Zetsche wrote in the letter.

Read more »

Audi's New A6 Hybrid Reportedly Confirmed for the U.S. Market


When Audi pulled the wraps off the newest iteration of the A6 in November, 2010, the Ingolstadt-based automaker made no word about the availability of the hybrid variant in the North American market. And officially, the Germans are still refusing to confirm the A6 Hybrid.

However, Car&Driver magazine is now reporting that it has received confirmation from "several reliable sources within Audi" that the new A6 Hybrid will be sold in the USA starting from next year with a price "somewhere north of $55,000".

Read more »