Thursday 8 September 2011

Audi R8 to Make U.S. Racing Debut at 24 Hours of Daytona

Audi R8 to Make U.S. Racing Debut
Having recently reached his 100th win in international motorsport, Audi R8 eventually seek to add to that figure on American soil. Audi has announced that the 2012 season racing R8 LMS is certified to comply with the Grand am race series resistance, with all the R8 to make its debut on the 50th anniversary of the race of 24 Hours of Daytona January 28.

Audi will not run an official factory team, but new cars are offered to client computers. These teams, however, received significant support with Audi Sport team to send a check for the entire 2012 season.
Audi R8 to Make U.S. Racing Debut

In response to the Grand Am rules R8 LMS-roll bars more often, a new front splitter, rear diffuser, rear spoiler and a custom set specific Grand Am Engine power is limited (between the 450-HP 470-hp) , with changes in the fuel tank. Drivers used to compete in Europe, will certainly have his hands full of a new car because the car Euro-spec traction control is not allowed in the Grand-Am.
Audi R8 to Make U.S. Racing Debut

"We believe we are a very attractive offer for our customers in the United States will meet with great response," said Romulo Liebchen, race director of quattro GmbH customers. "The anniversary of the 24 Hours of Daytona is a perfect opportunity for the start of the American version of the new Audi R8 LMS."

In addition to the Grand Am series, Audi also announced that it plans to R8 for use in another American series of endurance (American Le Mans Series). Look for it, but with a factory team support.

2012 Audi A6 - Review

2012 Audi A6

2012 Audi A6
As Audi continues its inexorable march on German territory occupied by exalted performance BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the A6 sedan in front of the E-Class from Daimler and BMW 5 Series - and perform with credit.
2012 Audi A6

For 2012, Audi A6 sedan style is clear who can provide good fuel economy if properly specced out. But prices for higher grades of fuel economy will be sustainable, the continuously variable transmission from Audi (CVT).

We have not driven a new 2012 A6 equipped with a CVT yet, but it's the same drive for the installation of the previous generation, where the hum of the engine noise could not mask a performance little 'slow. We can only hope we are wrong, and this transmission that Audi is polished in the same way they have been shaped by other A6 series.


2012 Audi A6 Base is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder CVT and front-wheel drive.

The EPA rates the 2012 Audi A6 25 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined with a high when it is equipped with a 2.0-liter four. This applies to the transmission, CVT, or a more traditional automatic transmission. And it is extraordinarily high, only a few numbers over the cheaper medium sedans like the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata.

Exciting Green car enthusiasts is that the Audi A6 has promised to receive as well as clean diesel and hybrid models in North America, but, unfortunately, did not arrive this year


The second option A6 engine is a 310-hp direct injection turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, mounted on an eight-speed automatic transmission and quattro drive system.

Subscribe to this larger engine (the only way to get a four-wheel drive), and the gas mileage drops to 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, 23 mpg combined assessment. It's not bad, but four is much better if you can not live without the four.

The style is crisp as usual Audi, but with softer, more distinctive tourism A7 photo for not much more expensive - and share many of the same materials and the interior - the A6 is released as the simplest and least visible Audi of all.

We wondered if this will hurt the sales of silver, or a conservative German sedan is just what the doctor (or dentist, or lawyer or banker, broker, or), ordered in these uncertain times.

Inside, the position of "fifth" rear seat is really only a token, adults do not want to ride there for a long time. But it has the advantage of technological capacity reduced from more expensive A8 and A7, including Google Earth map navigation.

There is also an optional wireless Internet access (but you can get in a Subaru), a rear view camera and blind spot detection, and Bluetooth connectivity, of course. The best music, the model with a Bang & Olufsen 15-speaker full model only comes in high-end prestige.

2012 Audi S8 Drive Test

2012 Audi S8
Audi and Bentley have developed a new V-8, compact twin-turbo 4.0-liter, which can automatically switch to the fuel economy four-cylinder mode. The only visual difference between the 2012 Audi S8s an engine with a new and old car models have four small microphones Active Noise Control System and a horizontal bar graph tach and speedometer between the driver indicates when a large sedan is running Mode V-4 or V-8.
2012 Audi S8

I drove the Bentley Mulsanne its cylinder deactivation system last year, so I was intrigued to see how Audi simplified. Bentley does not bother with a chart that shows the driver is in eco mode, and frankly, I think Audi little distracting.

After a while, I guess you either get used or just ignore the green bar flashes on the left and right as the engine of dips in and out of state V-4/V-8. But a short 12 - Mile Drive through the suburb of Ingolstadt, I realized looking for a place of transition between V-8 and V-4 and found it difficult and frustrating to maintain a green V-4 mode. Going by my experience of Bentley, I believe, on the highway at high speed would be to find easily slip into the V-4-State, as the miles passed.

In the Bentley, I could not tell if its 6.75 liters V-8 running on all eight cylinders to four only. The same is not entirely true for the S8 4.-liter, there is a subtle change in the cylinders of the engine exhaust hole exceeding eight to four, it was perhaps more aware of it because I kept looking for that tipping point. To ensure the smooth running as a V-4, switchable active electronic engine mounts are used in an Audi for the first time, all the active noise control in the cab of the costumes are not intrusive engine noise.

2012 Audi A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro Sedan

2012 Audi A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro Sedan

2012 Audi A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro Sedan

You may not notice the Audi A6 in 2012 at first. Although the lines of class, seem tense faces, the overall look is a bit understated. While most of the A7 and A8 have chrome front grille, the A6 has a shiny black beak, even lowering the flash factor. There is no denying that the car still has the appeal and turn some heads and drawing praise from friends surprised.
2012 Audi A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro Sedan

Audi A6 said to represent a comprehensive approach to improve efficiency, achieved mainly by reducing fat and reduce drag. Much of the suspension and the body is aluminum, and even the exhaust is 2.5 kilos lighter than before, making the A6 in 2012 about 80 pounds lighter than the equivalent of 2011. Underbody trays traps missile wind and turbulence means that the A6 is more aerodynamic than a Chevrolet Volt.

Because of the attention to detail, the Audi A6 is almost perfect on the road. The supercharged engine is built on a gentle wake-up eighth, which floats on almost inaudible. Bumps and road imperfections are diluted before reaching the cabin, wind noise is minimal, although speeding. The engine of the abundance of torque which drives the merger and without effort. Around the city of A6 also offers a driving experience worthy of a distinguished luxury machine.

A 3G T-Mobile offers a drive Wi-Fi network that allows up to eight devices can be connected, a PR rep told me Audi on a recent trip he made to his wife drive it can surf the Internet from the passenger seat. I found the fast enough connection to watch YouTube videos on an Apple iPad, even outside the urban connection speed seems slower. This service is free for the first six months of ownership, and costs about $ 30 per month for unlimited data plan. Thank you to an exclusive agreement between Google and Audi, the car navigation system displays satellite images from Google Maps, you can zoom in close for an aerial view of your environment.

The Audi A2 concept

Audi A2 concept frankfurt 2011

Audi A2 concept frankfurt 2011

Audi A2 concept frankfurt 2011

Audi A2 concept is just 3.80 meters long, 1.69 meters wide and 1.49 meters high, even so, it made an impression elegant, powerful and sporty street. His own appearance focuses on the essentials, every detail is subtle, but fit for a visual effect. The dark glass roof painted white show car switches to transparency at the touch of a button.

With its flagship, the Audi has the next phase of LED technology, known as the beam width. LED and a packet of microreflectors generate high resolution and non-blinding beam. Delicate fibers run under lights on the LED module light very effective at small radius. Intelligent lighting to adjust the lighting for better visibility. The rear fog produced by the laser diodes is considered a ray of light in the fog and projects a red triangle on the road as a warning.

The dynamics of the light passes below the edge of the window to the front to the back of the A2 concept - a band of light that contains a variety of innovative features, dynamic light. Integrated sensors to detect the owner and open the doors for the control action. While driving, the dynamic functions of light as a side marker lamp continually. If the car is on, the light pulses traverse the entire band of light. In addition, a red bar of light forward of the rear lights flows during braking and demonstrates the strength of the brakes in an intuitive way to other users.

The interior also reflects the philosophy behind the concept Audi A2. It is light, clean, open and spacious with intuitive controls. When the driver presses the button to activate the electric drive Audi dynamic light along the edges of the two arcs separated by the cabin doors and welcomes the passengers in a manner similar to the band of light abroad. Two touchpads curve to the right of the steering wheel. The console between the seats includes a retractable touch pad to enter letters and numbers and additional secondary functions - the development of MMI touch today.

The driver supports many important functions through the touch control areas on the wheel. The two large horns pointing inside have tactile surfaces to control the main functions, only the turn signal and wiper stalks still controlled by traditional steering column. If the two keyboards are affected at the same time, the concept A2 changes to a semi-autonomous behavior. With added comfort for the driver maintains full control of the vehicle at all times, like today with a Stop & Go ACC on the basis of which the new technology.

The architecture of the single benefit from the opportunities offered by the electric drive system. There is no center console, the console between the front seats can be lowered to allow free passage of the vehicle. Folding the rear seats forward reveals a light at the fork of a bicycle city in particular.

Audi A2, the concept of a pure electric car. Ion battery is installed in a roll on the floor in stores 31 kWh of energy, of which 24 kWh used. The electric motor is mounted transversely in front of the vehicle. It produces 85 kW (116 hp) and peak power (60 kW continuous) and 270 Nm of torque (160 Nm), and the front wheels through a single speed.

The study of Audi technology has a range of 200 km in the European driving cycle. It takes about 1.5 hours to fully charge the battery 400 volt three phase and about four hours with 230 volt house. The concept Audi A2 is designed not to contact the burden of technology news (wireless Audi recharge). Accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 9.3 seconds, top speed is limited to 150 km / h in the range of interest. Management and are purely electric braking (Steer-by-wire and brake cable), without mechanical or hydraulic connection to the steering wheel or pedals, respectively.

Given the car weighs less than 1150 pounds with Audi's most advanced ultra-light design. Concept A2 is the first time, when the ASF is connected to a hybrid multi-material construction. In this case, the superstructure is composed mostly of aluminum and complete add-on parts of carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP).

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Audi A2 Concept at Frankfurt 2011

Audi A2 Concept at frankfurt 2011
Audi A2 Concept at frankfurt 2011

Unlike the low position concept Audi e-tron, the idea of ​​the concept of pure-A2 electric mobility, and falls into a body that is just below 150 cm long, 66 cm long and only 58 inches height. Despite the compact space is still claims Audi A2 will comfortably sleep four, while operating on electrons.

The front of the electric motor produces 116 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque instantly. Power is transmitted to the front wheels through a transmission speed. While these figures could be more banal, the economy and the charging time of the A2 is not. You can travel 125 miles per charge on the European cycle, and once emptied, will only take 90 minutes to recharge a power of 400 volts (the most common 230-volt outlet takes four hours to charge). Awesome, the A2 also can be loaded wirelessly, through the burden of a creative name Audi Wireless. In terms of performance, the A2 should hit 62 mph in 9.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 93 miles per hour.

We'll have more on the concept Audi A2 when it debuted at the Auto Show in Frankfurt on September 13.