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.
Sources from within Audi have hinted at the development of three new production models. The first one to be launched in 2014 or 2015, will be the sporty Q4 based on the revised version of the Q5 that will rival the likes of the Range Rover Evoque. In addition, a Q2 model build on a smaller platform is also under consideration.
However, as CAR magazine reveals, it is the Q6 that could be the most interesting of Audi’s new crop of SUVs. The British publication says the Q6 will also be loosely based on the Q5, and while Audi could launch it as soon as 2013, the report claims the Germans will most likely wait for the unveiling of the second generation Q5 to use an extended version of its updated platform architecture.
What prompted Audi to develop the Q6 is the same thing that made Mercedes-Benz plan a new, sporty SUV for 2015: the success of BMW’s X6, which last year alone sold 44,000 units. Car says Audi intends to outperform its rivals by offering a more spacious and practical interior. And although platform sharing with other SUVs in VW Group’s empire sets certain restraints, Audi’s designers have opted for an aggressive stance with a low roofline and raked windshield and rear window.
The Q6 is said to be offered with a wide range of engines from Audi’s more than ample portfolio. The base version will likely be powered by an updated version of the 2.0-liter four-cylinder TFSI with an output of around 220HP.
Further up the range there will be a new 3.0-liter petrol V6 similar to the one found in the S5, but with a turbocharger replacing the supercharger and a maximum output of 300HP.
Consumption-conscious buyers who don't want to sacrifice performance will be able to opt for Audi's 3.0-litre TDI V6 diesel with 250HP and 550 Nm (406 lb/ft) of torque or the plug-in hybrid version that will combine the 2.0-liter TFSI with a 100HP electric motor.

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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.
The new 1.8 TFSI has a displacement of 1,798 cc. It produces 170HP at a rather low 3,800 rpm and, more importantly, 320 Nm (236 lb/ft) of peak torque from 1,400 rpm until 3,700 rpm. When equipped with a manual-gearbox, the A5 Coupe 1.8 TFSI accelerates from 0-100 km (0-62 mph) in 7.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 230 km/h (143 mph).
Audi says the four-cylinder engine is much more fuel efficient than its predecessor as average consumption has been reduced by 21% to just 5.7 lt/100 km (41.27 mpg), while CO2 emissions are the lowest in its class, with 134 g/km.
Naturally, the force-fed 1.8-liter unit meets the Euro 6 standards which will be implemented in 2015.
Audi has achieved this by paying particular attention to the combustion behavior of the engine. For example, the new unit features direct fuel injection (FSI) but with rail pressure increased from 150 to 200 bar. At the same time, it also uses indirect injection where fuel is sprayed at the end of the intake manifold when the engine operates at part-load. The direct injection system operates at start up and at higher engine loads. In addition, the variable valve system operates on the exhaust side and adjusts the camshafts in 2 angles, 30 or 60 degrees.
The new 1.8 TFSI is lighter by 3.5 kg (to 131.5 kg) than the previous unit and features an all-new turbocharger with a maximum boost pressure of 1.3 bar. The turbine wheel is manufactured by a new alloy that can withstands temperatures up to 980 degrees Celsius and the electronic boost pressure controller adjusts pressure immediately in order to reduce fuel consumption.
It also has a fully electronically regulated cooling system that aims to bring the oil to operating temperature as fast as possible. This is done by operating the main radiator only at the last possible moment and by keeping the coolant in the crankcase for a long time. The exhaust manifold is integrated into the water-cooled cylinder head, reducing exhaust gas temperature and thus doing away with the need to use a rich fuel mixture at full engine load, further reducing consumption.

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2012 Audi A3 E-Tron Concept Quality Performance

The Audi A3 e-tron concept design represents the typical Audi language of sporty elegance. The single-frame grille is integrated into the front end, giving it a sculptured look. Its frame is made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), and the transversely mounted, three-dimensional aluminum louvers create a visual effect that emphasizes the showcar’s width. The headlights merge with the beveled upper corners of the single-frame, forming a transition that marks the starting point of the prominently accentuated lines of the engine hood.

The A3 E-Tron Concept headlights represent a new stage of evolution in LED technology, a groundbreaking innovation from Audi. They become broader as they extend outward, and a line underneath makes them seem to float on air. Above the front spoiler is a full-length air intake, also made of CFRP, framed by a metal clasp. The spoiler features a splitter that increases the downforce on the front wheels. The intelligent interplay between surfaces and lines also defines the tail end of the A3 e-tron concept. The broad, flat tail lights are sculptured and culminate in a point on the inside, and the tailgate bears an elegant spoiler edge.

2012 Audi A3 E-Tron Concept

2012 Audi A3 E-Tron Concept

The rear apron includes a diffuser insert of CFRP and metal, which in turn surrounds the two large tailpipes for the exhaust system. Working together, the gasoline engine and electric motor accelerate the notchback to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 6.8 seconds, then on to 231 km/h (143.54 mph). A regulated oil pump, the intelligent Audi thermal management system, a start-stop system and an energy recovery system  technologies from the brand’s modular efficiency platform all contribute to this high efficiency.

2012 Audi A3 E-Tron Concept

2012 Audi A3 E-Tron Concept

At the heart of the A3 e-tron concept are the lithium-ion batteries located behind the rear seats. A3 E-Tron Concept With a charge capacity of 12 kWh, they give the notchback a range of up to 54 km (34 miles) on electric power alone. The batteries are charged by the standard energy recovery system when the car is in motion or directly from a household power socket when it is parked. This means that in most cases, the car is entirely emission-free in city driving. The front suspension a MacPherson construction with a separate axle support has a track measuring a full 1,572 millimeters (61.89 in). The rack-and-pinion steering is extremely efficient because its electromechanical drive system requires no energy when driving straight ahead.

2012 Audi A3 E-Tron Concept

The audi A3 E-Tron Concept four-link rear suspension with its 1,542-millimeter (60.71-in) track is likewise fixed to a subframe. Its control arms made of high-strength steel enable the suspension to absorb longitudinal and lateral forces separately. The shock absorbers and coil springs are mounted separately from each other.

Audi Urban Concept (2011)[Reviews]

This ... is a draft. But it is part of a series of sketches of Concept Audi Urban, a small two-seater electric car in the city of Ingolstadt, which reveals the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2011.

There is room for two seats on the Urban Concept Audi? Or even a space for an electric motor?

There are actually two "E-tron electric motors to provide power, while a number of lithium-ion batteries should provide enough charge to buzz around the major cities throughout the day. There is no word yet if they are in-wheel motors, but probably there is a turn on each axle, and unless these pages as admission override the function, the R8 supercar-alike gills provide the necessary cooling.

Instead of something as trivial as the number of ports, the Urban Concept has a sliding roof that slides back to access and exit the house. The seats are staggered 1 +1 agreement, like the Caparo T1 in which the passenger sits in the driver's right shoulder to right. They are two of the thin-padded seats, and only a skeletal house, with a screen installed in the beam, which is the end.

What do we know?

Audi, a lot of luxury, says that the concept of "messes up the categories of traditional cars - Audi Urban Concept combines elements of a race car, roadster, a fun car and the car one of the city in a radically new concept."

More importantly, it shows that Audi is considering the future of urban mobility - the i3 BMW, Mini and Smart have shown both electric scooter concepts and establishing the Twizy Renault EV tandem seating in sales in 2012.

Urban Concept is not based on an existing car, but Audi uses Ultra lightweight new philosophy to cut all superfluous kilograms - which means a carbon-reinforced plastic (CFRP), the cockpit that integrates into the lower seats. These wheels will add a few pounds of unsprung mass is, however, they are great articles 21In Audi said shroud Tape "flashes" the feature wheel LED lights.

The urban concept of Audi will be released in full at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2011.

Audi Urban Concept - Auto Shows

Audi is to be commended for avoiding the use of the word “mobility” in describing the Frankfurt-bound Urban concept. That oft-employed term has a way of reducing motoring to a means of getting from place to place, something with which the final portion of this publication’s title conflicts. Audi’s latest future-car vision promises to continue to involve the driver in the process, but do it in a smaller, lighter, more maneuverable way. And it’s electric, of course.Audi bills the Urban concept as “a completely new kind of concept car,” but it brings to mind other hyper-efficient VW pods from the recent past, namely the Up!, as well as the L1 and XL1 “1-Liter” cars. Those and the Messerschmitt KR200.
In this Audi, two passengers sit in a fighter-jet-looking cockpit, complete with a rollback canopy in place of doors. The chassis is made of carbon fiber, into which the seat buckets are molded; the steering wheel and pedals adjust to the driver. The seats are staggered, as in the XL1, to afford a little more shoulder room in the narrow vehicle. Twenty-one inch wheels stick out from the body and are covered by cycle fenders with built-in LEDs.

Unlike the turbo-diesel 1-Liter concepts, the Urban deals in Audi’s not-yet-realized electric promise. The vehicle itself isn’t billed as an e-tron (it doesn’t quite have the stun factor of the early e-tron concepts), but it does employ two electric motors that carry that branding. A lithium-ion battery pack serves as the power supply.

While we like what we hear so far, we haven’t been told too much about this concept. Audi will wait until the Frankfurt show in September to fully unveil the car and share more details. Here’s hoping the “M-word” doesn’t come up at the press conference. Source : Caranddriver.com

Hacking your Car through a Smart Phone

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.
Mr. Bailey will discuss the research at Black Hat Technical Security Conference in Las Vegas this week. Of course, he won’t name the products or provide full technical details of Mr. Solnik and his work until the software makers can patch them. GM, Mercedes-Benz and BMW all use the technology in one form or another.
Bailey and his cohort intercepted messages sent between the server and the target vehicle over standard mobile networks. He explains:
"We reverse-engineer the protocol and then we build our own tools to use that protocol to contact that system.”
Researchers at iSec think this is indicative of a more widespread problem created by the proliferation of “cheap and easy” mobile networking technology.
Bailey suspects that security considerations are often minimally addressed, thereby making devices using the technology susceptible to exploitation and misuse.

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Audi S4 Tuning

2011 Audi A5 luxury coupe

Audi A5 coupe There are eight engines to choose from and a range of trim options. The most popular engines are the diesels, which offer an appealing blend of performance and economy. S line models get even sportier bodywork and bigger wheels, although the latter spoils comfort.

Petrol and diesel engines are smooth and powerful. Range-topping Audi S5 and Audi RS5 models deliver incredible acceleration and feel as butch and brawny as an American muscle car.

With a focus on high performance, Sport and S line versions feature stiffened suspension and bigger wheels as standard, and are not as comfortable as rivals like the BMW 3 Series Coupe. The Audi A5 is a premium car that commands premium prices. However, entry-level models are cheaper than both the BMW 3 Series Coupe and Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe. Choose a popular engine and trim - a diesel version in S line specification, for example - and you’ll enjoy solid resale values, which also keeps lease prices affordable.

Any one of the three TDI diesels - 2.0, 2.7 and 3.0-litre - will return manageable fuel economy with varying degrees of performance.

The 2011 Audi A5 coupe delivers sleek, European-influenced styling with a fuel-efficient turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The two-door Audi A5 luxury coupe also incorporates advanced safety features including four-wheel anti-lock brakes, emergency braking assistance and electronic brake force distribution, traction and stability control and front, rear and side airbags to protect driver and passengers in the event of an accident.

Available options on the Audi A5 coupe include heated front seats, a navigation system with rearview parking and backing camera, Bluetooth interface and an upgraded Bang & Olufsen sound system.

The style does matters this is what Audi A5 Coupe speaks about itself. The transmission is either 6-speed manual or 8-speed mutitronic somewhere whereas there is optional 6-speed tiptronic or 7-speed Stronic transmission too.

It’s long elegantly styled V-shaped bonnet, blends smoothly too its low arc shaped roof seamlessly. It is composed of amenities like 6-speakers audio system, climate control A/C, adjustable steering column, Driver Information System with fuel saving tips, Multi-function steering wheel (SE and above trims), Sports Seats ( Sports trim) and Bang and Olufsen Audio system with Bluetooth (Black Edition).

The Black Edition model of "Audi A5 Coupe" in 3.0 TDI QUATTRO engine is priced competitively at £40,810.

MTM Adds 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.
Whichever tune you choose, top speed is set at 263 km/h (163 mph). MTM said both systems are available for 1,392 Euros (US$2,000) including fitting.
For those with deeper pockets, MTM offers a sports exhaust system with quad tail pipes for 2,600 Euros (US$3,750) and 20-inch Bimoto alloy wheels, while the tuner is also working on a new sports suspension for the A7 V6 TDI.

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Mercedes-Benz Wants to Take Top Spot from BMW

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.
But he didn’t stop there: “We can’t be content to be in a solid second or even third place. We are Daimler – we should be far ahead of the pack! And if it requires something we don’t have, we’ll identify and develop it”.
Currently the premium car market is enjoying great success mostly due to the boom in China and the rebound of the US market. However, Mercedes-Benz global sales, despite increasing by 9.7% to 610,531 units in the first half of the year, still trail those of BMW (689,861 deliveries) and Audi (652,970 units).

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2012 Audi A6 Hybrid - First Drive Review

Does driving a hybrid change a person? We’d rather leave that question unanswered, but driving a hybrid does change your driving style. All of a sudden, even the leadfeet around here shift their attention to the energy flow charts blinking in the instrument cluster, we don’t plot to pass every car in sight, and we make real attempts to maximize fuel economy and battery recharging. Well, at least for a few minutes.

So it was with this A6, with which Audi is returning to the world of hybridized cars. This writer remembers the presentation of the A4 Avant–based Duo in Berlin some 15 years ago. The diesel/electric A4 Duo hybrid worked well enough, but it lagged far behind Audi’s nonhybrid offerings in overall goodness, and that conspired with a high price to kill it off rather quickly. Expect Audi hybrids to stick around much longer now, though, as the company developed its current gasoline/electric system to work across several vehicle lines. What’s in the A6 is the same powertrain that is offered in the European Q5 hybrid—we’ll get a diesel version of the crossover in lieu of that one—and the forthcoming A8 hybrid’s version of the system won’t vary by much.
Improvements Rather than Breakthroughs
The A6 hybrid comes as a sedan only, since markets that favor hybrids and those that favor station wagons seem to be mutually exclusive. The car we drove was European spec, but the hybrid will indeed be offered in the U.S. It will differ only slightly once it goes on sale here in 2012. The powertrain is the same on either continent: a 211-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder mated with a 54-hp electric motor. The combined system output is 245 hp. Compared with other hybrid models on the market, the A6 hybrid doesn’t provide major breakthroughs. Its all-electric range is a minimal 1.9 miles at city speeds, but the car can get to 62 mph on battery power alone before the internal-combustion engine kicks in if you treat the accelerator (very) gently. The A6 hybrid feels neither quick nor particularly slow. Audi predicts a run to 60 mph in just over seven seconds, and we figure that’s about right. Audi claims a top speed of 148 mph.


Power is routed exclusively to the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic. The automatic’s torque converter is replaced by an electric motor, however, and coupling and decoupling of the engine from the drivetrain are mostly—but not always—smooth affairs. The four-banger is audible, but effective sound insulation keeps the noise down. There is no tachometer; it’s been replaced by a "power meter" that shows how much precious electricity you’re discharging (or recouping). As with other hybrids, the batteries—a lithium-ion pack with a capacity of 1.3 kilowatt-hours and a weight of 81 pounds—recharge when you lift off the accelerator and when you lightly apply the brakes, at which point the car uses the electric motor as a generator and to slow the car. The hydraulic braking system is activated only during heavy braking. We found the feel of the regenerative braking to be highly artificial and difficult to modulate. Even when you touch the brake pedal gently, the braking force is relatively strong and appears suddenly, a characteristic we thought had finally been banished from hybriddom.
Of course, efficiency is the point of this car, and the Audi A6 hybrid is rated to return 37 mpg combined in the optimistic European test cycle. We even managed to get very close to that figure—according to the car’s readout—in real-world conditions, which, we will admit, made us feel like a better person. For a little while, anyway. Then we decided to flog the car like we would a regular A6, at which point we managed to almost halve the car’s indicated mileage.
The A6 hybrid is considerably heavier than the regular A6—about 200 pounds beefier by our estimation. That weight does make it clumsier than a nonhybrid four-cylinder A6. Although the steering is light and precise, the damping is rather soft, and the tires begin to squeal early. It doesn’t take that much to reach the limits of adhesion in this A6, and the contrast between the A6 hybrid and, say, a conventionally powered A6 with Quattro all-wheel drive is severe. In true hybrid fashion, this Audi doesn’t like to dance. We do, and no matter how many hybrids we drive, that’s never going to change.

Source : Caranddriver.com

Audi A6 Hybrid At 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".
It is believed that the U.S.-spec model will be similar to the European version that also goes on sale in 2012.
The European model employs a parallel hybrid concept combining a 2.0-liter TFSI gasoline engine delivering 211-horses and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) with an electric motor that produces an output of 33 kW (45 hp) and 211 Nm (155.63 lb-ft) of torque.
Directly mounted behind one another, the four-cylinder gasoline engine and the electric motor have a brief combined system output of 245HP (180kW) and 480 Nm (354.03 lb-ft). A modified 8-speed tiptronic transmission transfers power to the front wheels.
The electric motor draws energy from a lithium-ion battery system, which weighs in at 36.7 kg (80.91 lb) and is located in the collision-protected area under the luggage compartment. Audi says the luggage capacity is 375 liters (13.24 cu. ft), which is significantly less than the regular model's 530 liters (18.7 cu.ft).
What you get in return is a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 238 km/h (148mph), but more importantly, a combined fuel economy in the European cycle of less than 6.4 liters per 100 km (36.75 US mpg) with CO2 emissions of less than 146 grams per km (234.96 g/mile).
In addition, Audi says that the A6 Hybrid can be driven up to 100 km/h (62mph) under electric power alone.

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2011 Audi Q7