WORLD LATEST CAR MODELS: Audi

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2013 Audi Q5

These are the first official images of the ever so lightly facelifted Audi Q5 that will go on sale later this year. The 2013 model bundles some minor styling tweaks on the outside and new interior appointments with changes to the chassis and engine lineup.

Visually, the 2013 Q5 sports Audi’s new six-point front grille accompanied by revised headlamp fixtures and a slightly redesigned front bumper, while at the back we find tweaked tail lamp graphics and a modified rear apron.

The changes on the inside are even more discrete and concern the more premium trim and the new steering wheel designs.

From what we know, under the skin, the Q5 will benefit from a refined chassis with changes to the suspension and a renewed and more fuel-efficient engine lineup that will include Audi’s supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI which is offered in various states of tune.

It won’t be long before Audi comes out with all the official details on the updated Q5, so stay with us as we will pass on any information we get.

Audi R8 Spyder

It’s hard to improve on greatness, so when Stasis Engineering offered us a short drive of its modified Audi R8 Spyder, we were excited and skittish. The last time we debarked from a stock Audi R8 5.2 FSI, we concluded that Audi had improved upon near-perfection. Could Stasis improve the R8 even further, or would its upgrades actually set the car back? We intend to find out.

So now I’m sitting in Stasis’ impeccable show car with Henry Hsu, the company’s director of engineering. When traffic clears, Hsu unhesitatingly double-slaps the R Tronic’s left paddle until a bright “2″ appears on the dash. Revs erupt as the twin oval pipes’ bark turns into a menacing roar. Eaton’s biggest automotive supercharger whines and churns at a maximum 7.5 PSI. Everything blurs. My eyes water. WHOA.

“Your turn,” the engineer says, grinning widely as he checks the car’s digitized vitals.

With 710 supercharged horsepower on tap, this 5.2 FSI Spyder is Stasis’ most powerful 50-state-legal creation, topping the brand’s two factory dealer-installed upgrades. (A milder 552-horsepower Touring Edition is the other.) Tacking on the aptly titled Challenge Extreme Edition badge gives a roots-type TVS 2300 blower with bespoke cooling system, ECU tuning, and a less restrictive, hand-welded 3-inch T-305 stainless steel exhaust. Our tester also sports revised suspension, forged aluminum wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires, and Alcon brakes with braided stainless steel lines and stickier pads.

At a crawl, the blown 5.2-liter V-10 corrals a herd of pent-up thrust — 523 pound-feet of torque support the buffed-out equines, much of them available below 5500 rpm. The TIG-welded exhaust grumbles and pops, but doesn’t have an ear-piercing drone. If a Dodge Viper SRT-10 and Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 Super Veloce ever made mechanical love, the result would sound like this. With 185 horsepower and 132 pound-feet over Neckarsulm’s base, this Spyder packs a very poisonous bite.

A bright yellow “Curves Next 2 Miles” sign appears once we’re outside suburbia. As if preparing for a Homeric battle, I nudge the left paddle three times to engage second gear, sit up, and align my sights.

Not surprisingly, turning into a corner remains a beautifully engineered, fluid, and responsive act bearing loads of grip the perennial R8 way. Now with wider 265/30-20 PS2 rubber (on 20 x 9.5-inch alloys), front end bite is near magnetic. At mid-corner, the gigantic 20 x 12-inch forged rear wheels (wrapped in astounding 325/25-20 tires) secure the R8′s footing even further than stock limits, allowing for all 710 sets of hooves to pummel the tarmac. The R8 adheres to every road nuance as though preprogrammed, and with such copious supercharged power available at a mere 2000 rpm, it devours them.

Much of this prowess comes from the upgraded suspension, which rides 1 inch lower via higher rate springs. Hsu’s team didn’t alter the electromagnetic suspension’s Drive Select settings, so users can still change from Normal to Sport while on the fly (customers desiring the highest level of adjustability can opt for the full Öhlins coilovers).

New anti-roll bars replace Audi’s renditions to improve overall rigidity, and with everything set, there is no jouncing, knocking, or tire-rubbing — only a slightly stiffer ride, better grip, and one badass look.

We come to a short straightaway. With my right foot to the floor, a hefty dose of raw shove rockets us into triple-digit speeds in a few hundred feet. Hsu reckons the R8 can hit 60 mph from a standstill in 3.1 seconds. Install this package on the lighter R8 V-10 Coupe (which takes 3.4 seconds to get to 60 mph in stock form) and there’s potential for even greater performance. Just as my vision tunnels, the bigger two-piece Alcons (15.35-inch front, 14.0-inch rear) halt our forward progress. And so the story goes for the next couple miles.

Though built by Stasis HQ in West Virginia, the Challenge Extreme doles its power as smoothly, collectedly, and reliably as anything created by quattro. Every horse and associated pound-foot gradually flexes, growing more forceful as subsequent shifts and additional throttle are summoned. (If you’re wondering why Hsu and Co. didn’t turn up the Eaton’s PSI, it’s for reliability and street worthiness. Every car built by Stasis is covered by a four year/50,000 mile warranty that runs concurrently with the factory warranty — think Dinan and BMW). If it weren’t for the blower’s delicious whine, the Stasis R8 could be mistaken for naturally aspirated. It’s that smooth and well orchestrated.

The R8 has one major flaw, and it isn’t a result of Stasis’ touch. As we’ve noted in stock variants, the R Tronic’s mid-shift delay produces a vehicle lurch that soon becomes annoying during spirited runs. Although stout enough to handle loads of power and hours of abuse, the single-clutch unit shifts considerably slower than today’s top dual-clutch systems.

Nonetheless, after the short drive it is clear that Stasis quality is second to none in the aftermarket game. We’ve driven many an Audi R8 in recent years — including highly modified versions like the 620-horsepower ABT-Sportline R8 GTR, $430,000 PPI Razor GTR10, and Audi’s own limited edition weekend racer, the 2012 R8 GT– but no other R8 has given us a ride like the Challenge Extreme Edition.

At around $221,000 (about $172,000 for the R8 plus $49,000 in upgrades, or $39,000 for the engine package alone), the Stasis R8 is no small buy. But considering it can easily be labeled the ultimate R8, it is worth every penny.

2012 Audi A6

The new Audi A6, going on sale in Germany in early 2011, has no need to adopt the fashionable coupe-like look, because that job is done by the A7. Instead it emphasizes its role as a traditional executive sedan, and its silhouette is little changed from the outgoing car — or indeed, the one before that. But the detailing is far richer.

The A6′s beautiful — and beautifully made — interior shares much with the Audi A7. The dashboard uses wood reminiscent of a 1960s luxury speedboat, with a wrapping element around the driver and passenger, running away from the dash and into the doors. The MMI unit has an optional handwriting-recognition pad, like the Audi A8 and A7. A head-up display also appears on the Audi A6 options list for the first time. The center dash screen, 6.5 or 8 inches depending on the level of MMI, deploys electrically from a recess in the dash.

Although a high proportion of the understructure is shared with the Audi A7, none of the major external panels is the same. The A6 has deeper feature lines and fuller surfacing. At 194 inches long, it is slightly shorter than the A7, but both have the same 115-inch wheelbase. The A6 actually is a fraction shorter than the outgoing car, but lower and longer in the wheelbase.

Some 20 percent of the bodywork is aluminum, including the strut towers in the engine bay, the crossmember behind the front and rear bumpers, and the engine bulkhead and rear crossmember. Aluminum also is used for the front fenders, engine hood, trunklid, and all the doors. Audi says this cuts 15 percent from the body mass, compared with conventional steel.

The new car shares its drivetrains with the A7 above it and the A4/A5/Q5 below it. At launch the base version will be a naturally aspirated 2.8 V-6, with Multitronic CVT, delivering 204 horsepower and a claimed 0-62-mph time of 7.7 seconds. Above it is the 3.0 TFSI V-6 with supercharger, which develops 300 horsepower and comes with quattro drive and seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission. It does the 0-62 sprint in 5.5 seconds.

There will be a hybrid model using a 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 211 horsepower and a 33kW 45-horsepower electric motor. The electric motor sits in the space normally occupied by a torque converter, ahead of the eight-speed auto transmission. Its trunk-mounted lithium ion battery is claimed to be good for 2 miles running solely on gentle electric from a full charge. This version is front-wheel drive.

All models feature aluminum suspension control arms. Adaptive air suspension is optional, and wheel sizes go up to 20 inches.

The power steering system is now electromechanical, which saves fuel and enables the option of fully automated parking assist. At highway speed, the car can also guide itself back between the white lines if the forward-facing camera detects that the driver is straying out of the lane. The optional front crash-sensing system uses data from radar sensors, a video camera, and ultrasonic sensors, as well as the navigation system, to analyze the possibility of a front crash and brake the car accordingly. This is one of the high-end systems borrowed from the A8.

Depending on the market, there are no less than four headlamp designs for the A6. The one in the pictures is all-LED, but there are also adaptive Xenon, normal Xenon, and regular halogen.

In the U.S., cars like this are premium machines with high prices. But back in Germany, the A6 has a wider range of jobs to do, acting as a large family car and especially as a taxi, so lots of them are sold as four-cylinder diesel versions with manual transmission and cloth seats. Thus its home-market base price will be [euro]38,500, equivalent to $50,100.

Audi Quattro Concept

“Please, slow down,” Peter says calmly as we cut through the curvaceous Pacific Coast Highway. The central screen on the high-definition LCD instrument cluster of the Audi quattro Concept shows 48 kmh, or just over 29 mph.

Is he serious?!

“Okay, sounds good,” I reply.

A quick downshift into second gear and a dab of the touchy 15-inch carbon ceramics turns our slow pace into a near crawl. The wrist slap lasts only seconds, though. A short uphill straight resides ahead, and my urge to go faster can’t be ignored.

My right foot lowers to send the 408-horsepower turbocharged inline-five cylinder heart past 4000 rpm, and the mill immediately responds with the deep, offbeat rumble only a healthy straight-five can make. Every sound echoes through the barren carbon-fiber cocoon. With each lull between gear changes comes a delicious WRC-like WHOOOOOSH!!!! from the wastegate. Upshifting shoves us back into the carbon-fiber buckets as torque and speed increase.

“Please! Please! Again, slow down,” my German-born passenger says, now annoyed at my blistering 42-mph run.

Peter isn’t afraid of speed. As one of the lead creators of the last two RS 6 models (the ones packing around 500 hp), he knows speed well. He is, however, afraid that I’ll turn his latest pride and joy into another inanimate object. It’s completely understandable — the car is unofficially valued at more than $5.2 million.

But the quattro Concept represents much more than an ueber-hefty price tag. Its existence is a celebration of the original Sport Quattro’s 30th birthday. If you missed class, the Sport Quattro was a limited production, stripped-out, purpose-built, barely-streetable road car that demonstrated the cunningness of all-wheel drive outside of the era’s usual SUV or truck applications. If it wasn’t for the Sport Quattro and the tedious research and development behind it, many road cars, not to mention racecars (hence the WRC-esque wastegate), would be quite different today.

Like its forefather, the quattro Concept is a rolling showcase of cutting-edge design and technology destined to trickle down into upcoming Audi models. That includes technology like the bespoke Audi Space Frame made entirely of lightweight aluminum. Yes, ASFs are nothing new. Audi has been underpinning its cars with them for years, but this particular edition is a carbon copy of the RS 5′s steel frame, the model on which the concept is based.

Carbon-fiber panels take the place of the RS 5′s many steel and aluminum facades as well. The switch from steel to aluminum (and metal to composites) saves weight, improves performance, and will likely be a widespread practice among all Audi vehicles in the next few years. The end result of the Concept’s diet: a slim 2866-pound curb weight, nearly the same as the 2838-pound elder Quattro. (That’s no coincidence — designers aimed to get as close as possible.)

Dimensionally, the concept is smaller than the RS 5. Rear overhang was cut by 7.9 inches and the wheelbase shortened nearly 6 inches to102.4 inches, while the roofline was trimmed by 1.6 inches. Overall, the concept loses just over a foot (14.5 inches) in length compared to the RS 5.

The deep, sharp lines and classic Quattro traits (hood vent, rear spoiler, cat-like all-LED headlamps, bulging shoulders, stamped four rings logos, chiseled front and rear bumpers) coalesce to form a very attractive, muscular, “Tron”-like physique. (Expect coming Audis to shrink slightly and exhibit certain styling elements in as early as one year, one engineer said).

On the serpentine hills above Malibu I get my first taste of Ingolstadt’s latest quattro all-wheel drive system. Essentially the same setup used by the RS 5, it employs a crown-gear center differential that, under normal driving conditions, sends 40 percent of available torque to the front wheels, and the rest to the rear. Go into a corner with gusto and the diff can revise the torque split to send up to 70 percent to the front axle, or conversely, 85 percent out back.

Designers also included the brand’s sport rear differential that varies torque between rear wheels (side to side) and replaced all significant suspension components with aluminum iterations.

Unfortunately, between my co-pilot biting his nails and the two-way radio yelling what likely are expletive-filled German commands, any chance of testing the sophisticated quattro’s limits is next to nil.

But I have an idea: Keep Peter talking.

“So is this your first time in Los Angeles? How do you like the weather so far? I bet you’re not used to the potholed roads, right?” I ask.

As I Gatling-gun my questions, we encounter a sweeping left decreasing radius bend. Perfect timing. One upshift later and the LCD reads 70 kmh, or around 44 mph. The lightly weighted steering (remember, Peter points out, it is a prototype) confirms what I originally surmised: This car grips absurdly well. To understand the prototype’s swagger, imagine the weight of a Mitsubishi Evolution X combined with the compactness of an Audi A3 2.0T. Then mix in the gluey grip of 20-inch Dunlop rubber at each corner and over 100 more horsepower.

“Yes, it is. Right now it is snowing back home, so I love this weather! My wife would, too. I leave on Saturday. Then back to the cold.” Peter says.”And the roads here are horrible. This is how they all are?”

Feeling the engine tap its 354 pound-foot reserve, I fire another complicated question his way. “Yes, unfortunately in L.A., they mostly are. So how did you end up with the five-cylinder?”

“Ah yes. When picking the engine, there were three options: the V-8 from the RS 5, the S4′s supercharged V-6, or the TT-RS’s inline-five cylinder,” Peter says over the burbling exhaust. “We chose the five-cylinder because it is light, little, and because of the Sport Quattro, which had a five-cylinder.”

With the 403-pound 2.5-liter on board, next came the transmission. “You know, the RS 5 has the S Tronic double clutch, but we put in the six-speed manual. It is a few kilos lighter than the S Tronic and is very sporty.”

Audi A1

German tuner MTM has released a set of photos previewing its upcoming tuning packages for the entire A1 range.

MTM promises performance upgrades on all available engines for the A1 and has released details for two of its offerings.

For the 1.6 TDI diesel with 105 PS (77 kW/), MTM will provide an output upgrade to 121 PS (89 kW) while boosting torque to 282 Nm from the series’ 250 Nm. Price for the power increase is €1,199.

For the same price an output boost can be had on the 1.4 TFSI with 122 PS (90 kW) to 152 PS (112 kW). For an extra €600 MTM will increase the top speed limiter to 220 km/h from the series’ 203 km/h.

The MTM bimoto 8 x 18 ET 35 LK 5×100 rims in a diamond cut design are priced at €1,500. Fitted with 215/35R18 Conti Sport Contact 2 tires the complete wheel package costs €2,349.

More details on all upgrade offers are to come soon.

Audi Q7 V12 Diesel

Tuning specialist Anderson Germany has got its hands on the most insane version of Audi‘s Q7 SUV, the flagship V12 TDI model. In stock form, the 12-cylinder oil-burner generates an output of 500 horsepower and a ludicrous 1,000 Nm (757.56 lb-ft) of torque from six liters of displacement, enough to get the all-wheel drive model to 100km/h (62mph) in 5.5 seconds. A new air filter and software optimizations from Anderson Germany help increase output by 10 per cent to 550-horsepower.

The tuning firm also fitted the Q7 V12 TDI with new brakes featuring eye-popping red-calipers and a lowering module for the suspension.

Next up on Anderson Germany‘s list is the exterior enhancements, which come in the form of a carbon fiber package for the front grille surround, mirror caps, rear diffuser and roof rails, while all logos, the air-vents, the twin tail pipes and the grille are finished in a shiny black color. The smoked lights at the back and a new set of 22-inch alloy wheels with black spokes shod in 295/30 22 tires all around, are also part of the package.

For the interior, the tuning company proposes white carbon-applications on the dashboard, steering wheel and doors, while the seating surfaces and door panels are upholstered in leather and quilted black Alcantara with contrasting white seems. Optionally, Anderson Germany also offers a matching child seat. The new LED lights round off the interior upgrades.

The German tuner has not given pricing yet on the new Q7 V12 TDI package.

Audi R8 Spyder

If the factory ready Audi R8 Spyder isn’t quite to your liking, perhaps the tuning folks over at Sport Wheels can help you build the roadster of your dreams, albeit at a very, very steep price. If our calculations are correct, the full treatment will cost you around €62,000 (US$85,000 at the current exchange rates) or about half the price of an all-new R8 Spyder in Germany.

The tuning house begins from the outside with numerous carbon fiber parts including the front bumper (€7,799), brake cooling ducts (€1,259), front spoiler (€1,799), rear bumper (€4,799), rear diffuser (€3,799) and fixed wing (€1,999).

Next up are the engine and exhaust system upgrades (€6,048), which help boost output to 600HP and 580Nm of peak torque. Stopping power can be further improved with MOV´IT-CER ceramics brake calipers, but at a ludicrous cost of €21,990.

Those sexy looking alloy wheels sized 20-inch up front and 21-inch at the back with Dunlop Sport Maxx tires are priced at €4,599, while the tune is completed with an aluminum coil-over suspension for €7,349.

MTM Geneva Audi R8

Among the many tuning firms making their way to the Geneva Motor Show is VW Group specialist MTM. The German company will display two heavily modified Audi models, based on the R8 V10 and the TT RS. The most impressive proposal is the one-off MTM R8 Biturbo that comes with a polished chrome body that took over 700 working hours to complete. A large fixed spoiler at the back along with 20-inch forged rims and carbon fiber parts round off the exterior changes.

However, the most striking aspect of the tune is hidden underneath the shiny body as MTM has modified the V10 engine to produce a whopping 777-horses and 888 Nm (655 lb-ft) of peak torque for a 0 to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 3.0 seconds. The R8 BiTurbo also accelerates from naught to 200km/h (124mph) in 9.37 seconds and to 300 km/h (186mph) in 19.42 seconds, en route to a top speed 350km/h (218mph).

The conversion also includes an adjustable sports suspension and massive MTM brakes with 8-piston calipers at the front and rear axle. Currently a one-off model, the MTM R8 Biturbo is said to cost over €400,000 or about US$550,500.

MTM’s second tuned vehicle is the TT RS that sports a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five producing 472-horsepower that was recently tested at Nardo achieving a top speed of 312km/h (194mph).

MTM TT RS
Power output (max.): 472 hp (347 kW) at 7000 rpmTorque (max.): 600 Nm at 4400 rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 3,9 s
Top speed: 312 km/h
Brakes: MTM brake VA 380 x 34mm, dimpled, 8-piston calipers
Wheels: 20” MTM Schmiederad im BIMOTO Design
Price: 84.166 Euro (incl. tax and installation)

ABT 2012 Audi A6

ABT Sportsline has released details on its first tuning operation performed on the latest generation Audi A6. The German aftermarket specialist proposes a series of power upgrades and a fairly cosmetic make up with various aero parts and new alloy wheel options.

Starting with the diesel tunes, the ABT Power package adds 37 ponies to the standard 245 horsepower developed by the 3.0-liter TDI engine, for a total of 282HP. The ABT Power S package lifts performance even further, to 310 horsepower, thanks to the mounting of an additional turbocharger. In the Power S version, peak torque reaches 610 Nm (450 lb-ft), up 100 Nm (74 lb-ft) from standard specification.

ABT Sportsline engineers are also working on an upgrade for the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 gasoline engine, which will develop 410 horsepower when it’s ready, up from the standard model’s 300HP.

The tuning company also offers a body kit that brings subtle modifications to the standard Audi A6, such as revised front and rear bumpers, discreet side skirts, new wheel types and a wraparound boot lid spoiler. ABT’s trademark four tailpipes integrated in the rear bumper are also part of the package.

“For us the A6 is an extravagant, straight-forward car, which doesn’t show off yet also doesn’t hide away. It is just the perfect choice for our demanding customers,” states Hans-Jürgen Abt, CEO of ABT Sportsline.

The light alloy wheels proposed for the Audi A6 vary between 19 and 21 inches in size and are especially designed for the large sedan. ABT Sportsline didn’t offer any details about top speed or acceleration data on its upgraded A6 versions.

Audi A3 e-tron

Audi is ready to take its e-tron vehicle strategy on the road, and one of its first all-electric offerings will come in the form of the A3.

Based on Audi’s entry-level hatchback, the A3 e-tron packs an electric motor under the hood which sends power from the rear- and mid-mounted battery packs to the front wheels. Output is rated at 100 kW (just over 130 horsepower) and 199 pound-feet of torque, with the 26.5 kWh lithium-ion batteries providing a range of around 90 miles. The electric A3′s performance figures to be far from enthralling, requiring 11 seconds to hit 60 mph and topping out at just 90 mph, but with a 400-volt rapid charger, getting juiced up can take as little as four hours – or as long as nine with a standard 110-volt outlet.

Other modifications include a new gauge cluster, a low consumption HVAC system and a heated windshield, but when the A3 e-tron is set to hit the market is still up in the air. The R8-based flaghip will supposedly go on sale sometime in 2013, but if Audi wants to get in on the EV action sooner – much like BMW is doing with its ActiveE 1 Series – the A3 could be a worthy stop-gap until in the interim.

2012 Audi A6 Saloon

It’s only been five months since Audi pulled the wraps off the four-door saloon version of its fourth generation A6 executive model at the 2011 Detroit Motor Show, but the brand with the four rings has already prepared a more practical station wagon body style with the Avant moniker.

Today, Audi announced that it will reveal the spanking new 2012 A6 Avant next week on Wednesday, May 18, during a special event at the Humboldt Box in Berlin, which will also be broadcasted online. Don’t expect any surprises under the hood, with the Avant model gaining the same range of diesel and gasoline engines (depending on the market, of course) with the option of the firm’s Quattro all-wheel drive system.

Talking about all-wheel drive, aside from the standard Avant model, Audi is also believed to be readying a replacement for its high-riding soft crossover, the A6 Allroad Quattro.