A new convertible A5 will be ready for the road come 2009. CEO Frank Dreves, speaking in the pages of “A.m.u.s”, gave details that the facilities at Neckarsulm will produce the new Audi cabriolet. There are no technical indiscretions either, regarding a possible hard-top roof (as seen in the latest generation BMW Series 3 cabrio, principle competitor); therefore it seems that the A5 for the moment will remain faithful to the fabric roof, to the advantage of weight and charm. More precise details are available for sales prospects though, at about 28,000 units each year.

This also thanks to a range of both petrol and diesel engines, diversified such as to satisfy every need, including the more sporty S and RS versions. Dreves also focused on how the company of four rings in 2008 is counting on a 6-10% growth and expansion in markets outside the EU. What remains less clear however is whether the A5 Cabrio will replace the current soft-top model of the A4, or whether the proposal (as confermed by the A5 Sportback compared to the A4 Avant) is a step-up in price, sporty style and prestige.

Via | Automobilwoche

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Audi will be showing the new R8 TDI Le Mans in Geneva: it’s another study with the 6.0 V12 TDI engine (500 ps/1,000 Nm), but this time it seems ready for production and this seems to be the assumption underlying the press release.

The red color is a much bolder choice compared to the silvers and arctic whites seen up to now on R8 show cars, almost as bold a statement as the Le Mans name, there to underline the victories in Le Mans of the R10 TDI in 2006 and 2007.

Below you can find the full text of the press release, with all available details on the “diesel supercar” from Ingolstadt (4.2 s from 0-100 km/h, more than 300 km/h the top speed).

Continue reading: Geneva 2008 - Audi R8 TDI Le Mans

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The ever-jovial and knowledgeable Chris Harris puts the 572 bhp Audi RS6 Station Wagon to the test. During the test-drive Mr. Harris admits that the immense weight of 2025 kg does somewhat compromise the agility and the driving-experience despite the awesome performance figures of the twin-turbocharged V10.

For the most part, it is an easy car to drive in all driving conditions, provided that you do not violently over steer, a problem also
seen in the Audi’s adversary, the BMW M5 Touring.

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Rumours about a diesel TT from Audi have been doing the rounds for a while, but now it’s official: the 2008 Geneva Auto Show will see the debut of the Audi TT TDI Quattro.

The small coupe from Ingolstadt will get the 2.0 common rail TDI engine, a turbodiesel engine that produces 170 ps and has a torque of 170 Nm between 1,750 and 3,500 rpm.

Performance data is nothing to crow about, with a top speed of 226 km/h (223 km/h for the roadster) and a sprint from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 7.5 seconds (7,3 s for the roadster). Fuel consumption, on the other hand, is something to crow about, with an average of just 5,3 liters/100 km (44.4 mpg) on the combined EU cycle (5.5 liters for the roadster). CO2 emissions are just 140 g/km.

Continue reading: It's official: Audi TT TDI Quattro

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World Car Fans publishes some spy-shots of an Audi A4 being tested in the snows of northern Sweden. If the quadruple exhaus tubes and the big alloy rims don’t lie, it should be the new Audi S4, which should be coming out later this year.

The biggest unkown of the new S4 is the engine: will it be the same 4.2 litre V8 FSI of the S5, with 354 ps ? Or will it get un upgraded version of this same V8, with up to 390 ps ? Or, again, it could get the new V6 3.0 Turbo-FSI that everyone expects to come out soon, which should output 333 ps.

Continue reading: The new Audi S4 in the snows of Sweden

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Audi has a new batch of photos of the new A4 Avant: 28 hi-res pictures in all. Enjoy (see our previous post for all available information about the new A4 Avant).

Continue reading: New images of the Audi A4 Avant 2009

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Audi presents the new Audi A4 Avant. Compared to its predecessor, the new estate from Ingolstadt is quite a bit longer, at 4.70 cm. The external dimensions are the same as the saloon, with its shorter front overhang and a body that is both more rigid and lighter.

The A4 Avant has a luggage capacity of 490 liters with the rear seat up and 1,430 liters with the rear seat folded.

The engine range will be the same as the saloon: at the start there will be two gasoline engines, the 1.8 TFSI (160 ps, 250 Nm) and the 3.2 FSI (265 ps, 330 Nm), and two diesel engines, the 2.0 common-rail TDI (143 ps, 320 Nm) and the 3.0 V6 TDI (240 ps, 500 Nm). The 2.0 TDI engine will also come in a 170 ps version, with a torque of 350 Nm.

Continue reading: Audi A4 Avant 2008

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In an interview with Automotive News, Joel Weinberger, head of Audi’s dealer council, revealed some interesting information about the next Audi Q5. When questioned about the position of the market in the USA he replied, “The Q7 is a really big vehicle. Just size-wise you have to look at the (Lexus) RX 330 as your target. The Q5 will fit into that niche and it should not
cannibalize the Q7. It will be bigger than the (BMW) X3 and (Acura) RDX. Smaller SUVs tend to be more female-oriented.”

Other interesting news on the engine front: in the American market the hybrid variant will arrive first and only afterwards will the diesel version be released, “The Q5 will go hybrid first and not diesel. Audi has told me the unit cost of a diesel is $4,000 more but they realize they cannot sell it for $4,000 more - the premium will be half of that. We’ll sell them if they can keep pricing in line.”

Continue reading: Audi Q5 - first a hybrid version then a diesel for the US

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Recently, both Audi and BMW have shown their interest to produce small cars, even though their model range is made of luxury sedans, big SUVs and fast supercars.

Audi showed last week the Metroproject quattro at the Tokyo Motor Show, a concept car that foreshadows the looks of the next Audi A1. It will arrive on the market in late 2009 and its rivals will be cars such as the Mini Cooper or the future BMW supermini. The three-door variant is likely going to be followed by a five-door version and a convertible one.

Motor Authority published these two renderings in which the cabrio and 5-door variants keep many of the concept’s details, such as the aluminium arches and the LED headlights. The 18″ alloy wheels are unlikely to be kept for the production version.

Continue reading: Audi A1 cabriolet and five-door: first renderings

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Finally, the official announcement of the Audi RS6 Avant has come. The new “monster” from Ingolstadt is really a super-car in all but appeareance: the engine is a 5.2-liter V10 twin-turbo with 580 bhp and a torque of 650 Nm (100 hp more than a Porsche Turbo!). The acceleration from 0-100 km/h takes only 4.6 seconds.

The new Audi RS6 is the most powerful road-going Audi ever, but the exterior is, as ever, quite understated. The fenders have a bit more bulge, the twin oval exhaust tubes are quite imposing, there is a discreet rear diffuser, but everything is discreet, no extraneous air intakes, no aerodinamic appendages added almost as an afterthought. Even the led daylights are less flashy than those of the Audi S6.

All in all, the new Audi RS6 Avant appears to be the ultimate family sports car, with 1,660 liters of space in the cockpit, tons of power, the Quattro 4WD system to handle it and a price (in Germany) of 101,000 € which seems pretty reasonable, given the substance of this car. The full text of the Audi press release, with all details follows below the fold.

Continue reading: Audi RS6 Avant- official images and specs

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