“Downsizing” has emerged as one of the motor industry’s buzzwords. It’s not so much about going from a large car to a small one, but refers to what’s under the bonnet.

With fuel prices continuously rising and emissions regulations getting ever tighter, as well as the increasingly vociferous green lobby blaming everything from melting ice caps to the virtual disappearance of the Chinese Tylototriton shanjing crocodile newt on the dastardly internal combustion engine, it’s little wonder that car manufacturers are looking at solutions to reduce fuel consumption and, therefore, emissions whilst still maintaining the power and performance we’ve got used to.

The first impression you get is that there’s nothing spectacularly different about either car. At low, commuting speeds they feel the same as others within each model portfolio. The engines are quiet and refined with only a hint of supercharger whine to give the story away. If you weren’t told there was only a 1.4-litre under the bonnet you’d be none the wiser.

It’s only when you start to accelerate that the picture starts to change, especially when the impressive torque delivery starts to come in. The mid-range punch from both engines but, especially, the bigger one is more like the torque a diesel delivers rather than a petrol engine. Those used to pedalling turbos will be mightily impressed by the lack of lag and the instant response from any throttle input, especially at lower engine speeds.

Labels: VW

Labels: Lamborghini

The RS4 is a patch of blazing gold, nudging into my top-three fast saloons. But others among the power-Audis have failed to light the blue touch-paper. Even the current S8, a car that against all the odds brings the words 'somehow a bit uninvolving' and 'Lamborghini V10' into the same sentence.

Well, the same engine shows up here in the S6. And in a car the size of an M5. Hmm, with the same number of cylinders too. Rivals? Probably not, because the Audi is £8,000 or so lighter at £56,000; although heavier in kilos, partly because it's got four-wheel drive and an auto 'box. It also has 70 fewer horses, but more torque.

It's a more relaxed car, less hard-edged, less frantic. And the Avant estate is as fine to drive as the saloon; in fact, it's a mastercar, able to handle most loads, in most weathers.

Audi is right to be proud of the wonderful V10. It's actually different from the Lambo unit. Bore and stroke, direct injection, bore centres, manifolds, and more, are all altered.

It's bigger at 5.2 litres, and torquier, but less revvy so the torque converter won't turn to shrapnel by your left knee. Less of a supercar engine, but in the context of a big estate that's only right. It's definitely something to boast of: hence the tacky V10 badges on the flanks and 10 LED running lights in the front bumper.

On the hoof, the wonderful engine is somewhere between the bombast of the AMG supercharged V8 in an E55, and the rev-crazy hysteria of an M5's V10. It's a rare and mighty thing you've got wired to your right toe.

And if you worry that this might not be the fastest-accelerating estate out there, I'll pretty well guarantee it'll get there sooner than Herr AMG's E-Wagen.

You see, it can apply its power to the road without any pauses, while the Merc's yellow light in the speedo does its frustrating little flicker. Power is only any use when you can apply it, and the Quattro set-up is quite some appliance - especially with the subtle, new, rear-biased torque distribution that helps keep the car poised as it rockets through a maximum-effort bend.

Labels: Audi

Volkswagen definitely has a hit on its hands with the 2007 Passat Wagon. We really liked the updated styling, which was redone for 2006. The front grille and headlights both have a particularly modern appearance, and things look just as good from the inside, with a fairly simple but nicely styled interior. VW has made excellent use of the space in this car, giving both front- and backseat occupants ample room. The rear seats split 60/40 for transporting large loads, and there is a small center pass-thorough that can accommodate skis without giving up significant seating capacity.

Labels: VW

It’s hard not to be struck by the design of the Q7. It is wide - very wide - and hunkered down on its twenty-inch split-spoke wheels, which seemingly roll into the sidewalls of the tires. The tail lamps and lift gate are faired into the sides of the body to eliminate visible seams from the rear of the car. A slickly integrated rear deflector keeps dirt and snow from accumulating on the rear window. Discreet LED turn signals trace the lower half of the side-view mirrors and the lower fascias. The headlamps are canted inwards towards the waterfall grille, and its face is set in a perpetual, menacing scowl. As Keith Bradsher notes in his book High and Mighty, great pains are taken to give SUVs evocative styling which projects aggression. While GMC recently misstepped with its smiling-bucktooth grille on the new Tahoe, the Audi Q7 gives the distinct impression that it is about to go for the throat. Yes, the Q7 is still a traditional passenger-compartment box stuck to a hood-and-fenders box, but as two-box designs go, it is inscrutably clever.

There are few things that make an automotive journalist’s reprobate heart pump maliciously more than being handed the keys to someone else’s new vehicle to abuse, but the key to the Q7 is handed to me with a caveat. Stick it in your pocket, I am told, and get in the car. The Q7 will detect the key when it is in its perimeter, and unlock the doors when the handles are touched. Once in the car, pressing the “Start Engine” button will bring up the dash lights and turn on the navigation system, then fire the engine up in a smooth ballet of technology.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

This V8 is a damn fine engine - over 90% of the torque is available under your right foot from just 2250rpm to 7600rpm, and the RS4 will surge forward with amazing velocity. Before you know it, you're bouncing off the 8250rpm rev limiter. It sounds pretty good too, especially with the top down in the Cabriolet - tunnel hunting becomes a popular pastime for savouring that amazing exhaust note in all its tuneful glory.

It goes without saying that the RS4 Cabrio features Audi's quattro four-wheel-drive system. This splits torque 40:60 between the front and rear axles with the bias to the rear, although it can adjust the distribution anywhere between a 65:35 or 15:85 front/rear ratio depending on the driving conditions. This gives the RS4 Cabrio simply astonishing traction, without a hint of wheelspin unless you really go over the top in the tomfoolery stakes.

Audi's quattro 4WD system splits power 40:60
Not that you'd want to really go mad with the RS4 Cabrio: it costs a rather colossal £59,625, which means it'll be pretty expensive to fix if you bend it. It's also £9600 more than the 'regular' RS4 saloon - a lot to pay for a folding fabric roof. However, as rag tops go, the RS4's is one of the best.

Most cars - even performance cars with stiffened suspension - will pitch forward and roll back under harsh speed changes, but the RS4 doesn't. It remains resolutely flat, no matter how hard you try to ruffle its feathers - even when tackling the tight slalom course Audi laid on to showcase the RS4's ability, the damn thing felt solid as a rock.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Bentley

It's as Italian as pasta, a lot more exotic than Gina Lollobrigida and commands respect higher than Don Corleone.

Start the engine and it sounds less like a V12 motor growling and more like a thermonuclear device going at full blast.

This sensational soundtrack is even more pronounced with the top down (if you've bought the roadster) and adds to the pleasure of driving the car. All this power must travel to the road in a somewhat controlled fashion, and in order to keep all this Mafiosi machismo under strict control, Lamborghini gave the Murcielago a four-wheel drive system, traction control and a limited slip differential. Even then, it takes a skilled hand to keep all the horses under rein, and if it helps, the brakes are hugely powerful, allowing you to brake deep into corners.

Labels: Lamborghini

To put the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 into perspective -- hey, who am I kidding? How can you put a 1,001-horsepower, $1.3 million supercar into perspective?

To call it gorgeous, fast, outrageous simply isn't adequate.

To suggest you can buy 139 Chevrolet Aveos, a subcompact built in South Korea, or one Bugatti Veyron, a two-door monster-on-wheels built in France, somehow cheapens the whole experience of driving one.

Last week, parked outside Silicon Valley Auto Group in Los Gatos, was a cream and silver-blue Veyron. Holding the keys was Butch Leitzinger, a 37-year-old race-car driver who has won the 24-hour race at Daytona three times. Here, he said, his role is ``car protector.'' He drives the car for potential buyers, and then switches to the passenger seat to assure that nothing untoward happens to it.

And this is a car that needs protecting. It's unbelievably rare, and much regarded. So far, 30 orders have been placed for it in the United States, and nine have been delivered here.

Mostly hand-built, the Veyron is part rocket ship and part Concours classic car. It has a long, sloping hood. Two air inlets sit aside its massive rear engine. The cabin is cozy, with cocoon-like leather seats. It has a classy analog clock, and a finely patterned metallic console.

Labels: Bugatti

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Labels: VW

Volkswagen of America will lose hot-selling diesel models of several of its most popular cars as the automaker catches up to new federal emissions standards that take effect this fall.

VW will drop the diesel versions of its Jetta, Golf and Beetle models for the 2007 model year, which begins this fall. The new U.S. limits for nitrogen oxide emissions are among the most stringent in the world.

VW has promoted its fuel-efficient diesel engines heavily this year as a way to beat high gasoline prices. The frugal engines can boost a car or truck's mileage as much as 35% compared with a similar gasoline engine.

VW's diesel sales have boomed in 2006, helping propel the German brand to a 20.4% increase in U.S. sales. Diesels accounted for 22.7% of VW's U.S. sales for the first four months of 2006, nearly twice their traditional 12%, VW spokesman Steve Keyes said.

"They are becoming a significant part of our business, so it's disappointing," Keyes said. "If diesels continue to contribute 20%-22% of our sales, this has some significant impact on us."

VW will offer a diesel version of its Touareg SUV in '07, and the company plans to build extra '06 diesel Jettas, which it hopes to sell well into next year.

A new diesel Jetta that meets emissions standards in all 50 states should be available for the 2008 model year.

Labels: VW

Labels: Audi

Bam Margera just picked up his new Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster with custom rims. He will be selling his purple Gallardo (with the famous sunroof) in a few weeks. Probably he will be asking around the US $160.000 for it.

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Volkswagen

Labels: Audi

Labels: Bentley, Bugatti, VW

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Audi

The Q is getting smaller at Audi's dealerships, but salesmen have nothing to worry about. The German maker has officially confirmed it will build a small SUV, badged the Q5 - more than a year after Auto Express first broke the news that was its intention.

Following in the tracks of the recently launched Q7, the smaller model will take on Land Rover's next-generation Freelander, as well as BMW's soon-to-be-revised X3. Expect similar looks to the full-sized off-roader, but with a more aggressive edge. Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the Audi board of management, told Auto Express: "The Q5 will be an overtly sporty vehicle that will add an important product to the Audi model range."

Five is set to become the magic number for the company, with the Q5 being joined by an A5 coupé. Top brass have also now confirmed that the BMW 6-Series rival will go on sale here in the first half of 2007.

Next to arrive will be the Q5, which will hit UK roads in 2008. The new 4x4 will be built at the firm's Ingolstadt factory in Germany. A total of 1,700 workers are being lined up to produce the new model, with an investment of around £2million to be made in the plant over the next few years.

Labels: Audi

Which automakers are building vehicles with the best interiors? And which OEMs and suppliers are providing the best design and convenience features such as navigation or sound systems, seats, and instrument clusters?

The votes are in and the winners of the 7th annual automotive "Interior of the Year" awards competition will be announced at a special awards program during the Automotive Interiors Show which runs June 7-8 at Detroit's Cobo Center. The awards program will be attended by OEM and supplier executives and will take place on the show floor June 7 starting at 4 p.m. It will feature at least 30 of the 53 finalist vehicles.

This year, eight automakers have won 24 awards between them, and one OEM will take home six awards.

Labels: Audi

Alfa Romeo 6 C 2500 SS, Aston Martin DB 4, Auto Union 1000 Sp, Alvis Speed 20 Spezial, Austin Healey, Auto Union DKW F 5, BMW 501, Daimler Dart Sp 250, Ferrari Daytona, Ferrari 288 GTO, Horch 853 A, Horch 930 V, Jaguar E-Type, Porsche 953, Wanderer W 25 K, BMW 327, Chevrolet Six und Corvette, Jaguar XK 150 S, Mercedes 300 SL Flügeltürer, Porsche 356 Speedster, Maserati quattroporte, Riley Big Four Spezial, Riley 12/70, Triumph Italia 2000 GT, Audi Sport quattro, Honda S 800 Coupe, Lancia Montecarlo, Bentley, Glas 1300 GT, Ford GT 40, Austin Twelve /4 Windsor and many more

Labels: Audi

Enter the latest performance Golf's little brother - the Polo GTI. Volkswagen doesn't hand out its hallowed three-letter tag without good reason, and the firm says it has moulded the Polo into a genuine thrill-seeker. Auto Express put it to the test in the UK to see if the conservative supermini has a wild side.

The new Polo flagship certainly looks the part. Wearing the family's recently revised nose, the hot model resembles a leaner, slimmer version of its big brother. The black honeycomb grille and 16-inch alloy wheels give a classy finish.

But at £14,810, the hot Polo is more than £5,000 cheaper than the Golf GTI. The newcomer is a feisty little hatch that won't fail to raise a smile.

Labels: VW

Labels: Audi

Occasionally, you have to step back and consider the total package. And when you do so with the A4 Avant, you name it wagon of the year.

Just slip behind the wheel, and you'll wonder why zillions of buyers shifted away from wagons because the full-bore German driving experience is here in spades.

As a total package, however, the A4 Avant's a thrill to drive and it's made extremely well. In addition, it's one car that you probably won't see coming and going on every block.

Best wagon? No doubt!

Labels: Audi

Audi's 340-hp S4 sedan is one of the most desirable luxury sports cars--an impeccable design teamed with V-8 firepower.

Until now, the S4 has been the hot-rod version of Audi's A4 sedan line--one of the most popular and attractive entry-level luxury-sedan ranges on the market. All the A4 models--A4, S4 and RS 4--have tasteful, straightforward exterior styling marked by big grilles and graceful proportions. But when it goes on sale in June with a base price of $66,000, the super-exclusive RS 4 will set new standards for souped-up midsize sedans.

While the S4 is for people seeking a hotter version of the A4, the RS 4 will be more of a limited-edition model designed for Audi enthusiasts, collectors of fine automobiles and people for whom exclusivity is a top priority.

Labels: Audi

Italian super sports car manufacturer Lamborghini will double its UK representation with the opening of two new dealerships in Birmingham and Edinburgh. Both operated by Sytner Group Ltd., Lamborghini Birmingham and Lamborghini Edinburgh will join existing dealerships in London and Manchester managed by H.R. Owen plc. A further service centre is based in High Wycombe.

The two new businesses will both operate from interim facilities until purpose-built showrooms open later in the year. Lamborghini Birmingham will be based alongside Sytner’s existing Bentley franchise in the north of Birmingham until Sytner’s multi-million pound showroom development is completed at Fort Dunlop in the autumn, which will include a dedicated Lamborghini facility. Lamborghini Edinburgh will operate from the multi-franchise Fort Kinnaird location where a new Lamborghini showroom is planned.

"The UK market is extremely important to Lamborghini," commented Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini President and CEO. "It is one of our five most significant world-wide markets. The opening of two new dealerships is a result of our strategy to ensure our growing customer base is served geographically, in terms of both sales and aftersales outlets. We have appointed Sytner as our second key UK partner in recognition of the group’s expertise in the prestige and performance car markets, and its commitment to investing in and upholding the principles of the Lamborghini brand and retailing strategies."

"We are extremely pleased to develop Lamborghini’s representation in the UK with operations in Birmingham and Scotland," said Gerard Nieuwenhuys, Sytner’s Group Managing Director. "The Birmingham location provides Lamborghini with its planned vantage point for the Midlands and West Country, whilst Lamborghini Edinburgh will serve the extremely important Scottish market."

Labels: Lamborghini

So far only prototype mules of the so-called fourth Porsche model range have been sighted. They come hidden under the body of BMW’s M5, the company’s own Cayenne, or an Audi.

Last week, at Nürburgring – engineers were doing high speed testing with truly smoking tires – one of the Panamera mules under an M5 body gave a first impression of the Panamera’s future top performance. It will be a front-engined four seater, has rear- and all wheel drive and power comes from V8’s and V10’s delivering between 340 and 600 HP. The car is supposed to cost 70,000 to 100,000 Euros.

Labels: Porsche

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Labels: Audi

This spring, Lamborghini amps up its most extreme machine, the raging Murciélago supercar — named after a legendary fighting bull — with added power and meaner looks.

An updated 2007 model called the Murciélago LP640 replaces the 2006 Murciélago coupe. The "LP" stands for "longitudinale posteriore," which is Italian for "longitudinal rear" and indicates the position of the vehicle's massive V12 engine behind the cockpit.

The number 640 in the new moniker denotes the total hp rating of the tweaked V12 engine, up 60 hp from the outgoing Murciélago coupe's V12 thanks to a bump in displacement from 6.2 liters to 6.5 liters. Lamborghini says the added power shaves 0.4 seconds from the zero-to-62 mph sprint, bringing it down to a scant 3.4 seconds.

Owners can show off the heart of their beast with a new optional glass engine cover. Archrival Ferrari has offered similar transparent paneling as standard equipment on its mid-engine models for more than two decades, starting with the 1987 F40.

The LP640 has an extra intake just ahead of the driver’s-side rear wheel that pipes cool air to the oil radiator. The 18-inch titanium wheels are new and lighter, wrapped in performance Pirelli rubber. Racing tires are optional.

Labels: Lamborghini

What happens when you put Horch, DKW, Audi and Wanderer together, let Ferdinand Porsche design a crazy 32-valve, V16 pushrod motor that cranks out 520hp at five grand, and build one of the most aesthetically-badass bodies and chassis ever seen to put the thing in? You get the Auto-Union Type C. Put Bernd Rosemeyer in the cockpit, and you also walk away with the European Championship for 1936.

Labels: Audi

If there's a more entertaining, satisfying, easy-to-drive small car than the 2006 Volkswagen Jetta, one that also can match Jetta's high-class feel inside ... well, there isn't one in the same price range.

Labels: VW

Labels: VW

Quatt a beauty! Audi's mean machine, exclusively pictured in this week's mag, is the forthcoming Audi TT RS - and it promises to give BMW's Z4 Coupé and the Porsche Cayman a real scare.

The spiritual successor to the legendary Quattro is powered by a bored-out 350bhp version of the 3.2-litre V6 which appears in the current range-topping TT. The performance model will feature uprated brakes, stiffened suspension and four-wheel drive.

In the same vein as the RS4 saloon and forthcoming R8 supercar, the new TT RS has been designed to raise Audi's image with enthusiasts and capitalise on the famous quattro badge - something that previous high-performance models have failed to do.

The TT RS will be one of the most aggressive looking Audis ever, with flared wheelarches, bold alloys and a front end complete with a ground-hugging splitter and honeycomb mesh air intakes. Our main image - which is based on exclusive insider information - shows how the production model will look. The regular TT's steel doors and tailgate will be replaced with aluminium items to save weight, and the 3.6-litre engine should propel the RS to a 0-60mph sprint time of less than five seconds, and a limited top speed of 155mph. A choice of six-speed manual and DSG sequential gearboxes will be available.

The newcomer is set to arrive towards the end of next year, with a price tag in the region of £40,000.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

We have driven from New Jersey, just outside Manhattan, to a mountaintop at the Skytop Lodge and Resort in the Pocono Mountains. We have splashed through water, pushed through mud, and crawled with confidence over rocky projections along the sometimes steep trail. The booming of blasting shotguns echoes around us, from a nearby shooting range.

We got up here tucked into the elegant if subtle luxury of Audi's late entry into the big-SUV market, the 2007 Q7.

Audi aficionados who also want big, burly, powerful, elegant, and still distinctively Audi will love the Q7.

And it is powered, in the model hitting showrooms next month, by a 4.2-liter V-8 that produces 350 horsepower and transfers its torque -- using Audi's nifty constant all-wheel-drive quattro system -- through a six-speed Tiptronic transmission.

That's a lot of horsepower and, frankly, it felt like more as we climbed, darted, cornered, and plodded.

And to the most excellent burble of its purposely tuned exhaust system (think and hear American muscle car), I was able to use the manual mode of the transmission to forgo brakes in controlling the SUV down winding, steep roads and to upshift nimbly.

Labels: Audi

Labels: VW

Fleet World magazine recently awarded automaker Volkswagen three of its Fleet World Honours for 2006: Fleet Manufacturer of the Year, Technology, and Best Diesel Range. The judges had selected VW for Fleet Manufacturer because of its model range and high level of service even with increasing industry costs. The automaker's work in diesel engines and the Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) secured its Honour in Technology while its breath and depth of diesel technology earned the third award.

Fleet World bestows the Honours on automotive and service companies who have reached the highest level of excellence according to the judges.

Labels: VW

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Labels: VW

Like music and love the roof down? Buyers of convertible Audis will be able to enjoy both this summer with a new Apple iPod connection.

The console, which costs £175 to fit in the glovebox, is directly connected to the audio system and plays back through the speakers. A4, S4 and RS4 cabriolets are all available with the option.

Labels: Audi

The highly acclaimed all-new Volkswagen GTI has been named the top sporty car under $25,000 by Consumer Reports. The car received the top scores in its class, and the magazine acknowledged its powerful engine, sporty performance, well-crafted interior and impressive list of standard safety features.

The fifth generation Volkswagen GTI comes standard with a high-tech turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that creates 200 horsepower at 5100 revolutions per minute and an adrenaline-pumping 207 pound-feet of torque at just 1800 rpm. Other significant technical updates include standard traction control with Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP), an electro-mechanical power rack-and-pinion steering system, and for the first time, an advanced multi-link fully independent sports-tuned rear suspension.

Base-priced at $21,990, the all-new GTI continues the Volkswagen tradition of a value-priced, fun-to-drive, German engineered driving experience. The 2006 GTI comes equipped with 17-inch wheels and tires, blacked-out trim, and larger brakes. Inside, the redesign features sport-bolstered seating and a flat-bottomed Formula One (F1) inspired steering wheel adding to the sporty appeal.

Labels: VW

Labels: Bentley

Labels: Audi

Rimowa cases have been around for just as long as cars. With more than 100 years of experience in the design of high-quality luggage, Rimowa is now offering made to measure car luggage sets especially for BMW (5 series and 7 series), Audi (A6 and A8) as well as for Mercedes (E and S class).

Each of the exclusive sets is perfectly tailored to the standard empty car boot of these models. Just like a jigsaw puzzle, the famous aluminium cases with the grooves can be stowed in such a way that the volume of the car boot is used and filled out ideally.

Labels: Audi

Volkswagen will offer the Eos with two engines: an award-winning 2.0 liter turbo, 200 horsepower, four cylinder starting at $27,990 and a 3.2 liter, 250 horsepower version of Volkswagen's narrow angle V6 starting at $36,850.

Like all new Volkswagen models, the Eos comes with 24-hour Roadside Assistance for four years with unlimited mileage, and new vehicle warranties including:

* Five-year/60,000 mile (whichever occurs first) Powertrain Limited
Warranty.
* Four-year/50,000 mile (whichever occurs first) New Vehicle Limited Warranty with wear and tear items and adjustments excluded after the initial 12 months/12,000 miles.
* 12-year unlimited distance Limited Warranty against corrosion
perforation.

Labels: VW

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Qualitative Growth

“Growth and high volume are not everything: we will increase productivity per vehicle in order to increase our profits,” commented Winterkorn, confirming the direction in which AUDI AG is headed. “We expect the key financial performance indicators including profit to be just as good this year as last year. We are optimistic that we will achieve a return on investment of at least 10 percent this year,” added Winterkorn.

Audi’s goal is to achieve a rate of return of six percent by 2008. “The year has got off to a very good start for Audi. We will continue to keep up this pace and expect to achieve new record figures again in 2006. We are aiming to sell around six percent or up to 50,000 more cars this year than in 2005,” stated Winterkorn to the shareholders. In the first four months of this year the company´s revenue increased by 17.3 percent to Euro 10,052 million compared to last year´s revenue.


Record deliveries in the first four months, Audi A6 worldwide market leader in its class

With its best April and best four months ever, the Audi brand achieved a new company record for vehicle sales. In the first four months of this year, Audi delivered 304,414 vehicles to customers worldwide, an increase of 12.1 percent on last year (2005: 271,615). Audi handed over 77,619 vehicles in April, 4.5 percent more than in the same month last year.

The company achieved its highest rates of growth for the first four months in the C-segment. With a total of 79,414 units delivered, the Audi A6 recorded an increase of 42 percent. This makes the Audi A6 the worldwide market leader in the premium C segment. Audi achieved a sales increase of 19.1 percent for the A8.

“What’s even more gratifying to note is that the rise in revenue is disproportionately high compared with vehicle sales,” remarked Winterkorn.

Upward trend in China and USA

“In its course of expansion, the Audi Group is becoming increasingly less dependent on German domestic demand. This is because we are developing more and more into a globally active company,” said Winterkorn at the Annual General Meeting. “The proportion of our sales in the USA and Asia alone has increased from 13 to over 22 percent in the last ten years.”

In the first four months of this year, Audi recorded a growth rate of 5.2 percent in the USA and increased vehicle sales to 25,296 units. In order to ensure that lasting growth is achieved, Audi is investing in particular in the dealer network and brand development.

Audi further extended its long-standing lead in the premium segment in China, doubling sales to 26,636 vehicles and recording its highest growth rate yet for the first four months. The company’s standing in terms of reliability and customer satisfaction also confirms its strong position: Audi came out on top once again in the J.D. Power rankings for China. Sales in Asia, excluding China, went up in the same period by 29.8 percent to 8,169 units. With an increase of 195% (2,003 vehicles), South Korea is reaping the benefits of the new sales structure.

“It is important to exhaust the potential of existing markets. But it is equally important to open up new markets,” said Winterkorn. A good example of this is Eastern Europe including Russia: Audi sold around 2,497 models in Russia in the first four months of this year. In the same period, Audi increased vehicle sales in Eastern Europe by 31 percent to 9,088 units.

In the first four months of this year, Audi recorded a growth rate of 6.5 percent in Europe by selling almost 227,466 cars. The strongest growth markets here include Belgium (12,690, up 21.3 percent), Sweden (4,540, up 13.5 percent), France (16,437, up 13.2 percent) and the Netherlands (6,371, up 10 percent).

In the first four months of this year, Audi increased its sales in its home market of Germany by 5.1 percent to 81,964 vehicles. Audi sold 136,400 models in Western Europe excluding Germany, 6 percent more than in the same period last year.

Record figures for production, vehicle sales, revenue and profit in 2005

Rupert Stadler, Member of the Board of AUDI AG for Finance and Organisation, explained the key company figures for the 2005 financial year. With more than 829,000 units sold worldwide, the Audi Group increased vehicle sales by 6.4 percent compared with the previous year and achieved a new sales record – its tenth in succession. Record figures were attained in 39 markets. In spite of exchange rates remaining adverse, the Audi Group was able to boost its revenue to EUR 26.6 billion – a new record level. This is equivalent to an increase of 8.5 percent on the previous year, a disproportionately high rise compared with sales. The company upped its profit before tax to EUR 1.3 billion, 14.6 percent more than the previous year. Profit after tax amounted to EUR 824 million.

“We have thus yet again achieved our objective of qualitative growth,” stated Stadler at today’s Annual General Meeting. He attributed this in particular to the improved model and equipment mix. “At the same time, the ongoing process and cost improvement measures helped to bring about a steady improvement in the quality of our earnings.” On the one hand, the quantitative growth of Audi in the past financial year is reflected by the upward trend of sales figures; on the other, the disproportionate development in the key financial performance indicators shows that Audi has also improved above all in qualitative terms.

In our company agreement “Audi’s Future”, the decision was made to introduce an additional performance-related bonus for employees when the operating result reaches a certain level. If we look at the past financial year, we see that the requirement for this extended profit share for employees has been fulfilled. A total of EUR 21.7 million will be paid out to the workforce in May 2006. “This means that we will be giving our employees a greater share in our company’s profits than was previously the case,” said Winterkorn. Audi provides around 45,000 secure jobs in Germany alone.

Labels: Audi

This Audi hasn't been on the market for long but its reputation precedes it. I lost count of the number of times I was asked: "Gosh! Is that the new RS4?"

You just can't buy word-of-mouth buzz like that; the product has to be very good, and in this case, it is.

But the most obvious throwback is the presence of a manual transmission, complete with clutch pedal. These days most cars with serious sporting pretensions have some sort of fancy, complicated gearbox.

Sometimes it's an automatic that can be used a bit like a manual. Sometimes it's a clever mechanical gearbox that can be used like an automatic. Usually, it involves operating fiddly paddles or buttons if you want to change gear yourself. Clutch pedals do not figure.

Audi itself produces the DSG transmission, the only one of these trick gearboxes that everyone likes, so it's perhaps all the more unusual that the company has chosen to go manual in this case.

Whatever the reasons for the choice, they're good; the RS4 is a supercar that's as easy to drive as a Nissan Micra. The engine has a typical V8 throb but it isn't rumbly or lazy like the American variety.

This one really zings, as the claimed 0-100km/h acceleration figure of 4.8sec shows. And the RS4 adds excitement and agility to the safety and stability that generations of quattro drivers have been able to take for granted.

Labels: Audi

n this alternate universe, a geeky white guy named “Peter” is the subject of intense team-recruitment among inner-city playground ballers. Na, wer bekommt Peter? (who gets Peter?), they argue. Who knew the 6 train crossed over into Boogie-Down Berlin?

Labels: VW

Some small changes for the VW Golf M.Y. 2007. The new 1.4 TSI twin-charger will be available also in its 140 hp version, with 220 Nm of torque. Performance data is pretty interesting: it goes from 0-100 km/h in 8.8 seconds while average consumption is 7.0 liters per 100 km.

Prices in Germany start from 20.375 € in the Comfortline version. This price is slightly lower than the price for the Golf 2.0 FSI. The naturally aspirated 2.0 FSI engine has 150 hp, but it's slower than the 1.4 TSI with 140 hp, it has an higher average fuel consumption and it costs more. I wonder if it will remain long in the model range.

Another change: the "base" 1.4 naturally aspirated engine gains some power (from 75 to 80 hp) but it remains woefully under-powered. At least the price goes up only 100 €. These new engines will also be available on the Golf Plus.

Labels: VW

Lamborghini Boston is the nation’s first single-point Lamborghini sales and service showroom. It officially opens tonight with a party in the new building on 215 Andover St. in Peabody. Some 200 people have been invited.

“Anyone who likes performance, be it sailing or speed boats, will feel awfully good just sitting in it,” said Warren Waugh Jr., managing partner of the Lyon-Waugh Auto Group, who has been selling Lamborghinis from a makeshift adjacent showroom for the past year.

“It gets better when you’re on the road,” he said.
I depress the accelerator and the “vroom effect” takes hold.

Lamborghini is an Italian legend. But since 1998 it has been a division of Audi.
The brand’s two models, Gallardo and Murcielago benefit from the best of both worlds, Italian beauty and German engineering.

Labels: Lamborghini

With such avoirdupois, the Flying Spur has none of the mallet-in-the-back-of-the-head suddenness of a Porsche Carrera; the Spur's acceleration is majestic. Visualize a mile-long freight train powered by a Saturn 5 moon rocket. Your progress is unexpected, forceful and, for once, the word awesome applies. If you're on an unrestricted autobahn and you keep your foot down, you'll achieve 318.6kph, neck and neck with the latest Porsche 911 Turbo.

Accordingly, Bentley has taken certain measures. Lurking behind my test Spur's seven-spoke 50cm sport wheels (a US$3,440 option, but what the heck), are the world's largest brakes on a production car -- 40.3cm discs in front, 33.5cm at the rear. Tromp on these at speed and the monsters have enough force to stand the Santa Fe Super Chief on its nose. Nothing succeeds like excess.

Speaking of excess, the Flying Spur's twin front seats offer not six, not eight, but 24 adjustments and features. These include four-way lumbar support, heating, cooling and, when you choose, a lumbar massage that sends magical mechanical hands rolling up and down your back as you drive. Imagine pressing your lower back against the blob in a lava lamp from the Grateful Dead era and you have the gist of it. Groovy.

Labels: Bentley

Labels: Porsche

The German giant has dropped the cars to simplify its range. The firm had more than 10,000 different build combinations available within its line-up - a situation that VW admits was 'too complicated'. Now bosses have taken action and axed unpopular colours and trims.

Entire spec levels are set to be withdrawn from sale as well. "The move only affects cars where there is an extremely low take-up," said a company spokeswoman.

Models that have bitten the bullet include some 1.4-litre petrol and diesel Polos, three-door Golf SEs and 2.0-litre 150bhp Tourans. Trims and colours will be dropped from the Phaeton, Beetle, Passat and Sharan lines.

Existing owners looking for repairs to these models won't be affected by the cuts, promises the firm. "The supply and availability of parts for these cars won't change," said the spokeswoman. New or updated vehicles, such as the Fox, Eos, Jetta and Touareg, are not included in the cull.

Meanwhile, cost cutting at Daihatsu has halved the average price of 15,000 genuine parts. Spark plugs, oil pumps, door handles and front wings are all included in the new deals. Owners of the firm's older Fourtrak, Cuore, Charade, Move or Applause models will benefit most.

VW's fallen fleet: Polo: 1.2 petrol SE, 1.4 petrol S, SE and Sport, 1.4 TDI E, S, SE and Sport, 1.9 TDI 130 Sport. Golf: 1.4 petrol S, 1.4 FSI S, 1.6 petrol Sport, 2.0 FSI GT (plus 4MOTION), 1.9 TDI 105 Sport DSG, all 3dr SE models. Golf Plus: 1.4 petrol S, 1.6 and 1.9 petrol Sport, 2.0 FSI GT, 2.0 TDI GT. Touran: 2.0 FSI 150 SE and Sport trims. Passat saloon and estate: 1.6 petrol S and SE trims, 2.0 and 3.2 petrol Sport trim, 2.0 petrol SEL.

Phaeton: 4.2 V8 petrol SWB, 6.0 W12 petrol SWB, V10 TDI SWB, luxury four-seater option deleted on all models.

Labels: VW

It seems that the rumours about a small Bugatti sportscar (with 300hp) are not true. But there will be another Bugatti, probably already within 4 years. Bugatti chief Thomas Bscher says it will be a four door saloon with 950 hp! Estimated price of this car is (again) around the 1 million.
Although there isn't anything known about the possible design of this Bugatti super saloon, Dutch Designer Michiel van den Brink (who also designed the Spyker D12!) made an impression of the car. And it looks hot!

Labels: Bugatti

The ancient chinese art of living "Feng Shui" can be adopted to life in the streets - according to a british study.
Here you can read that it can help to calm down the driver by creating a harmonic environment in his car.

This effect is not limited to large luxury limousines. The Nissan Micra for instance is very good according to the Feng Shui rules.
But best to this - related to several criteria - are nominated Porsche Boxster and VW Passat. The test drivers of these cars have come to the traffic jungle much more relaxed...

Labels: Porsche, VW

Labels: Audi, Porsche, VW

Coupe Over $45,000: Porsche 911

Porsche 911, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways. With a list of attributes that includes out-of-this-world handling and jaw-dropping good looks, the coupe's continued domination of this category makes perfect sense, despite the presence of some very stiff competition. The 911 garnered 26 percent of the votes this year, with the BMW 6 Series earning runner-up status once again with 24 percent of the tally. The Porsche Cayman S came 3rd (19 percent), followed by the Lotus Exige (11 percent); both cars are new to this category. The Jaguar XK-Series earned 10 percent; next were the Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class and CL-Class with 7 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

Convertible Under $45,000: Porsche Boxster

Returning to the winner's circle is the Teutonic thoroughbred known as the Porsche Boxster. With 20 percent of the votes, the Boxster kept the Lotus Elise (15 percent) at bay. Third place went to the BMW 3 Series (13 percent), while the next two drop tops, the Chevrolet SSR (12 percent) and Mercedes-Benz SLK (11 percent), crowded the BMW. The next five were virtually tied, as the Volvo C70, Audi A4 and Saab 9-3 all had 6 percent, while the Ford Thunderbird and Audi TT each had 5 percent.

Labels: Porsche

Volkswagen will not build a plant outside Moscow and is instead considering a half-dozen other locations, a senior Economic Development and Trade Ministry official said Tuesday.

Europe's largest carmaker declined to confirm the statement, but such a decision would deal a blow to the Moscow region administration, which has been courting Volkswagen for the $500 million project for three years.

"To my great sorrow, Volkswagen did not choose to build a plant in Stupino," Yury Zhdanov, head of the ministry's Federal Agency for Economic Zones, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference on special economic zones.

Zhdanov speculated that Volkswagen might have changed its mind about Stupino because the Moscow region lost a tender to become a special economic zone for manufacturing in November. The winners -- Yelabuga, in Tatarstan, and the Lipetsk region -- will be able to provide manufacturers with tax breaks and other benefits. Zhdanov said Volkswagen would announce its decision to look elsewhere soon and it was studying five or six other locations.

Volkswagen spokesman Hartwig von Sass would not say whether the Moscow region had been ruled out. "We have checked 70 locations from St. Petersburg to the Urals, and we are currently looking closer at five," he said by telephone from Wolfsburg, Germany.

Labels: Volkswagen

Labels: Lamborghini

-Front fender wider by 30mm
-Racing fenders do replace original parts, no modifications, no drilling
-Side Rocker carbon fiber
-Carbon rear wing incl. mounting
-Rear wing replaces original wing (no modifications to body)
-Exhaust system stainless steel incl. stainless steel mesh
-Power gain 10 to 12 hp, original catalyst still in use.
-Exhaust system stainless steel incl. stainless steel mesh
-Rim front 10 x 19 Aloe/Rim rear 11 x 19 Aloe
-Tire front: Michelin Pilot II Size: 265 / 30 / Size 285 / 30 - 19
-Race car steering wheel ALCANTARA, lower part CARBON
-Racing Seats in leather
-Special design for tall drivers (up to 200cm)

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: VW

Labels: VW

nter the Audi RS4, Ingolstadt 's take on the uber-sedan concept, smaller and less complicated than the M5 with old-fashioned enhancements like mechanical differentials and a manual gearbox (that's a stick that pokes up between the seats that has to be moved around some to make the car go faster).

Although you might suspect its all-aluminum 4.2-liter V-8 is shared with the S4, other than the engine block it's basically an all-new motor. There are new pistons and connecting rods; a new crankshaft together with its bearings; new cylinder heads; a free-flow twin exhaust system and the latest direct-injection technology to help it achieve its stratospheric 8250-rpm redline. Power peaks at an astonishing 414 hp at 7800 rpm and maximum torque is 317 lb-ft at 6000 rpm, although 90 percent of its twisty impulse is available between 2250 rpm and 7600 rpm so there are no real flat spots anywhere in its delivery.

As a driving tool, the RS4 is simply staggering, offering the intimate feel and razor sharp responses lacking in the rather serious S4 sedan. Turn-in is phenomenal, with every minute steering input causing an immediate change in the RS4's trajectory and because there's almost no roll from the car's trick suspension, cornering forces are simply ferocious. The steering is perfectly weighted and full of communication but it's also a very refined set up that is completely devoid of kickback and artificiality. Whereas the S4 reminds you every second that there's a massive V-8 hanging out over the front axle the RS4 feels perfectly balanced and poised, communicating and playing along with you by letting you know exactly what each wheel is up to. That's not to say it's not bombarding you with every piddly little detail of the road surface beneath - it gives you just enough info to make it fun and filters the rest out so as not to wear you out. That not only makes the RS4 a reasonably comfortable cruiser, it's also very, very easy to drive hard for long periods of time.

I'm utterly and completely smitten by the RS4. Not only is the best looking supersedan on the market, it's also one of the fastest and most faithful point-to-point cars in the world. The driving experience is simply phenomenal, the V-8's cultured howl is simply addictive and yet it's as comfortable and well equipped as you could want, without resorting to the technological overkill that plagues the M5. To me, the Audi RS4 is like an Evo in Armani: Intimate, pure, fast and fun, but oozing style and class as well.

Labels: Audi

We’d have bet our little sister that by now VW would have brought the Polo GTI to the US to challenge the Scion’s dominance among young, sport-minded buyers (and by “little sister” we mean half a sawbuck). After all, the top-line Polo’s got a 1.8-liter, 20 valve turbocharged four banger that produces in the neighborhood of 150 hp, leading toward a 0-to-62 mph time of 8.2 seconds and a top speed of 134 mph. (That’s in range of a loaded Scion tC.) in the UK, it’s hitting showrooms at a base price of £14,810, which (notwithstanding an exact exchange in currency value) would suggest a selling price in the US of around $15,000 to $16,000. Maybe next generation the business case will match the head case, or something like that.

Labels: VW

The way the 911 range unfolds with each generation has become as predictable as Mission: Impossible III. First comes the "base" Carrera and Carrera S; then the AWD Carrera 4; Cabriolet versions of those; followed by the hard-core GT3; then the Turbo; maybe a Targa; and finally the loony GT2. It's all completed just in time to start the cycle all over again with the next-generation 911.

Not that we're complaining. Every new iteration of the 911, including this Guards Red 2006 911 Carrera 4 Coupe, is like your favorite shirt fresh from the dryer — familiar, comfortable and a joy to wear.

What you get
The Carrera 4 (C4) and Carrera 4S (C4S) pick up where the already excellent rear-drive "997" Carrera models leave off. Simply put, the C4 and C4S are all-wheel-drive versions of the Carrera and Carrera S, respectively. As in the previous C4, a viscous center differential varies the torque split to the front wheels from 5-40 percent.

Besides the all-wheel-drive hardware, the C4 and C4S have 44mm-wider bodies (it's all in the rear fender flares) covering wider 18-inch rear rubber, and 3 quarts more fuel capacity than their rear-wheel-drive brethren.

The same 325-horsepower, 3.6-liter flat six from the Carrera sits in the C4's tail and S models share the 355-hp, 3.8-liter mill...

Labels: Porsche

Porsche today announced pricing for Canada on the
2007 911 Turbo. The new model will carry a suggested price of $170,700. The
destination charge on all Porsche sports cars in Canada is $1,085.

Labels: Porsche

Labels: VW

Audi executives have confirmed that the go-ahead has been given for a new large coupe, positioned between the TT and the R8.

This car, a four-seat grand tourer called A5, is based on the Nuvolari concept car shown at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show. With A4 running gear, it'll go on sale next year.

Audi's just-launched Q7 SUV and forthcoming R8 supercar will spearhead a major new product initiative from VW's upscale division over the next few years. And it'll be followed by more new niche models that are possible because of new modular manufacturing techniques. According to Audi sources these include:

A7: a "four-door coupe" to rival the Mercedes-Benz CLS. U.K. magazine Car carried artists' impressions of this vehicle. Based on the A6 platform, it features concealed rear doors without visible door handles and a low-profile roof, also similar to the Nuvolari. Expect to see it around 2008.

A2: a new, more conventional replacement for the all-aluminum A2 that looks like a TT hatch and contains strong design links to the Shooting Brake concept of last year. It's aimed to win sales from Mini owners who are starting to be sick of retro styling.

Q5: a low-riding SUV crossover similar to the Roadjet concept, based on the A4's running gear. Due in 2008.

Q3: a small Golf-based SUV, a sister model to the forthcoming Volkswagen Beduin/Marrakesh.

Small sports car: a stripped-out roadster being developed jointly with Austrian motorcycle maker KTM. Due in 2008.

Large wagon: still under consideration, but it looks more likely since BMW announced plans to launch a Mercedes R-Class fighter. This will look like a big Roadjet. Your guess is as good as ours as to its name, though. Seems like Audi is running out of combinations of numbers that go with A and Q. Maybe they'll name it the AQ or the QA.

Labels: Audi

Travel season is quickly approaching – a time when millions of people will take to their cars for the annual family vacation and trips to the beach. This summer, however, recent spikes in fuel prices have many people canceling their plans and keeping the car in the garage. Volkswagen, the leading manufacturer of diesel passenger cars in the United States offers much-needed relief for those planning to hit the open road, by offering up to a 35 percent increase in fuel efficiency – a fact recently recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Diesel versions of the New Beetle and Golf are the highest fuel economy models in their respective vehicle classes, according to the EPA and DOE’s 2006 Fuel Economy Guide. Additionally, the Volkswagen New Beetle, Golf and Jetta hold four of the top ten positions for best fuel economy, according to the EPA.

In the 2006 Fuel Economy Guide, the New Beetle TDI leads the subcompact car class for both manual and automatic transmission, with 37/44 (city/highway) mpg for the manual and 35/42 mpg for the automatic. The Golf TDI leads the compact car class for manual transmission, with 37/44 mpg.

Labels: VW

Although sleeker, stretched and more streamlined than its predecessor, the all-new Audi TT doesnt seem as proportionally balanced as the first-generation model that dates back to 1998. The rear deck has been minimized so significantly that it all but disappears from view when looking at the car from the front three-quarter angle.

The sense of symmetry in the first-generation TT has been replaced with a forward-crouching stance, though the roofline on the new model is familiar. The new TT is 137 mm longer and 78 mm wider than its predecessor.

The broad, gentle curve of the hood is perhaps one of the most attractive and alluring surfaces on the car. The larger front grille and restyled headlights are consistent with the latest Audi design language.

Interior styling evolves circle motifs of the previous model with brushed aluminum trim and nicely stitched leather as before. The center stack is more squat and wide with three vents instead of two. The controls for the HVAC appear more intuitive than the fussy buttons of the old model.

Labels: Audi

What’s it like?
Very good and very large. The V6 diesel is a splendidly grunty engine, but it struggles to shift the Q7’s massive bulk with real conviction – the petrol version is noticeably brisker. Still, the Q7 offers the commanding seating position 4x4 buyers love and a fabulously appointed interior.

Labels: Audi

So this beautiful, sleek, sexy, luxurious Audi rolled up to my gate and immediately my ratings went up in the neighbourhood.

And in the school parking.

As a basic comparison, therefore, climbing into the A4 3.2 was like entering Buckingham Palace after living in an informal settlement.

This magnificent car has come so far since its earlier models, and evolved so much in looks, it’s like chalk and cheese.

It lacks nothing. But before you even delve into all the extras and special touches it offers you as a driver – or passenger – your socks are knocked off by its magnificent drive. Smooth, refined, quiet... and it’s no slouch in the performance stakes, either.

With my daughter urging me to go ever faster, and with the iys quick acceleration, it was hard at times to resist the temptation to loose the horses beneath that beautiful bonnet.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Audi

On Friday, a five-man crew hung the 1,000-pound engineless vehicle from a steel-reinforced wall with loops of half-inch-thick steel cable.

Explaining the unusual placement for the car, Moriarty said, “I have a Lamborghini and I've got a big wall.”

The car's engine was removed and transformed into a “200-mph coffee table,” he said.

This isn't the first time Moriarty, an heir to the family that developed South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, has installed offbeat elements in his home. Previous innovations include an indoor rifle range and a 28-foot-high interior waterfall, architect Fleetwood Joiner said.

Moriarty's irreverent tastes don't stop at home decor.

The 58-year-old organized exotic parties in the 1980s, and more recently he planted a vineyard on his 3.5-acre estate and began bottling wines under such labels as “Wretched Excess” and “The Idle Rich.”

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Bentley

Australians love a bent-eight engine with its brutal power and guttural exhaust note. Now those clever Germans have taken things a step further by fitting a family sedan with an advanced V8 that can spin all the way to an extraordinary 8250 revs.

It has incredible performance, but the RS4 can also be used as an everyday driver, with four doors, a sizeable boot, and room for five people.

The 4.2-litre engine is a worked version of the five-valve a cylinder V8 used in the S4.

The RS4 engine has four-valves a cylinder, with an injector that takes the place of the fifth valve at the top of each cylinder. It runs direct fuel injection, Audi calls it FSI, for more efficient combustion.

The high-revving engine uses new forged pistons, modified conrods and a revised crank and cylinder heads.

All this mechanical goodness means the RS4 can charge from 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds.

I stop watching the speedo after it passes 220km/h. I need to look at other things — such as the corner looming at an alarming speed.

I wait as long as possible, then jump on the brake pedal. The eight-pot calipers squeeze the large pizza-size front brake discs and the RS4 squirms as it washes off some of the speed.

It's still not clear if they have slowed this rocket-ship enough for it to enter turn one at Calder Park Raceway with any chance of staying on the tarmac.

The brake pads must be hurting as they pull up 1730kg of car and driver in a hurry.

After changing down to second gear, it's time to throw the super Audi into the turn.

If I could, I would cross my fingers, but both hands are busy on the steering wheel.

The RS4 turns in, all four wheels scrabbling for grip, desperately clinging to the road.

Halfway through the turn it's time to start feeding on the tremendous power on tap to sling the car out of the bend.

The braking and cornering abilities of the RS4 are impressive, but let's not forget what this car is all about — the engine.

The pumped-out guards, meaty 19-inch wheels, wicked seats and spoiler are only window-dressing.

The power and torque figures will impress your mates at the pub, but it's the 8250 rev limit that is the true wonder.

Labels: Audi

Q: Audis are critically acclaimed and sought after by sophisticated car buyers. Relative to some of your competitors, why don't your sales figures reflect this?

A: Everybody in Germany knows what the Audi brand stands for. But not everyone in North America knows this. We have made a lot of changes in the past few years. Business is growing, the market is changing, and competitors are also doing a tremendous job. If we can make it in North America, we can make it anywhere.

Q: How do you plan to do this?

A: I think every success from Audi is based on product. In regards to design, in several

respects, we are the benchmark. In other respects, such as quality, we have improved very, very much. Now we want to expand our product portfolio. For instance, we've never had an SUV. This was a big hole for us, especially in the U.S. where 50 per cent of the market is SUVs. We not only need a big one, like the Q7, but we are in the decision process for the smaller Q5.

Q: What else is missing? A sports car?

A: We now have the LeMans-type (R8) that will not only add additional volume figures but, from a sporty image point of view, we think this car will add something special. Then we will have a coupe. At the moment, we haven't, but the 3 Series has one, so this is another niche that we will be going into.

Q: Last month, the new Audi R10 TDI race car wrote motorsports history by winning the 12-hour race at Sebring - the first victory of a diesel-powered sports car. Is the R10 the Trojan horse to selling diesel Audis here?

A: First, we see that diesels have up to an 80 per cent sales penetration in some European markets. Yet distribution for diesel passenger cars for North America is nearly zero. Second, oil prices will increase in the coming years. So the problem is how to overcome this.

There are a lot of hybrids in the market, but people think that when I buy a hybrid, I have better fuel economy (than a diesel). But we think that to really save energy, you need to make a bigger step. And one of those steps is diesel. There's fuel cell and hydrogen, but that won't happen for another 20 or 30 years. But diesel could be the solution immediately; the technology is there. But now we have to overcome certain negative perceptions from our U.S. customers. To them, diesels were stinky, they were not dynamic, they were all those things. We want to go into the (North American) market, but there are some prerequisites. We are waiting for sulphur-free diesel (fuel). We are working now on diesel technology that meets the tough California regulations, so we could be ready to introduce an Audi diesel in 2008. So this is why we are doing the racing. We are saying diesel is very reliable and it is very dynamic. It's really astonishing, when you hear the R10's engine, it is so quiet.

Q: Eighteen months from today, when you ask someone what they think about Audi, how do you want him or her to respond?

A: The cars are great. I love them. Not everyone can afford them, but the design is classy and the quality is perfect. This is a brand that is really trendy. A brand that shows a very good price and residual value. And, at the moment, we are lacking all of those points.

The further we are away from Germany, the harder it is to make the message clear.

Compared to BMW, we are now in a situation where the youngsters feel a certain something for the Audi brand.

Labels: Audi

One of our forum members has informed us that Porsche is in the process of converting its Carrera GT production line at its Leipzig factory to be able to start production on the Panamera sedan in time for a possible launch early next year. Porsche recently built the last of its Carrera GT supercars earlier this month. The Panamera’s name is derived from the Carrera Panamericana race like the Porsche Carrera.

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Bugatti

Built in VW's ``transparent factory'' -- a glass-walled industrial Oz in Dresden, Germany -- the Phaeton is as grand a piece of engineering decadence as you'll find anywhere. Much of the Phaeton's bone and sinew -- such as the optional 6.0-liter W-configured 12-banger, four-way adjustable pneumatic suspension, steering, brakes and electronic systems -- are shared with its VW Group cousins the Bentley Continental GT and Flying Spur and the Audi A8L W12, supercars all.

But it's not the heavy hardware that makes the Phaeton so beguiling. It's the grace notes: The ghostly smooth motorized action of the walnut panels that open and close over the dashboard climate vents; the corporate jet interior, with chrome pin-striping and Italian leather upholstery; the sunroof spoiler that adjusts to prevent high-speed buffeting and wind noise; the dual-magnification vanity mirrors; the 18-way power adjustable driver seat with heating and air-conditioning, massage function, power lumbar support and headrests. This car does everything but make waffles.

Labels: VW

Unlike its mainstream competitors, the Eos isn't based on a single existing model, allowing designers to give it a unique look. While it uses a combination of Golf and Passat underpinnings, it's 20cm longer than the firm's compact family hatchback, and more than 3cm wider. The now-familiar VW grille dominates the front end, but smart headlights and Porsche Cayman-style foglamps help distinguish the model from its more practical siblings.

A gently rising waistline and subtly flared wheelarches lend a purposeful stance, while the clean lines of the rear end make for handsome viewing from most angles, especially with the roof down. And dropping the hard-top couldn't be simpler, thanks to the slick, fully automated mechanism, which takes only 25 seconds to open or close.

Rather than bill its newcomer as a CC-style car, Volkswagen describes it as a CSC. That stands for Convertible, Sliding and Coupé, and it's the middle attribute that sets this model apart.

Not only does it offer open-top and coupé motoring, but the front half of the centre section also slides back to form a huge sunroof with the hood in place. In common with traditional CC models, though, boot space is compromised, dropping from 380 litres in the hatchback to only 205 here.

Labels: VW

The third-generation A4 should be similarly transformative when it debuts in early 2008. Revised powertrain packaging will allow the A4's longitudinally mounted engines to move four inches rearward, thanks to a more compact clutch and differential. The engine lineup will remain the same (with a bit more power): a 210-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four; a 265-hp, 3.2-liter V-6; and, in the S4, a 4.2-liter V-8 making 350 hp. Each will come with a choice of a six-speed manual or a seven-speed version of Audi's DSG transmission. The next A4 also gets a new four-link front suspension, a revised rear setup, and a 60 percent rear-biased torque split for the all-wheel-drive system. These changes, together with more equally balanced weight distribution, should make for markedly sportier handling.

Another benefit is that the designers can trim the front overhang, vastly improving the proportions. Inside, the A4 will take many cues from the Roadjet concept seen at the Detroit show. Look for all manner of technogimmickry, including MMI, seats that self-adjust based on the occupant's height and weight, and an MP3 player integrated into the ignition key. The car will be built on a new platform that also will be used for the A5 coupe/convertible and the next A6 and A8.

Labels: Audi

ere's the proof that Audi's RS3 is a racing certainty! Underneath the touring car-style bodywork of this sporty-looking model sits the running gear of the hottest A3 ever produced.

Caught testing close to the manufacturer's headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany, with virtually no camouflage, the prototype follows recent Audi form by being disguised as a racer.

However, the distinctive single windscreen wiper, quick-release bonnet pins and adjustable front spoiler won't make it on to the production version. These racy additions are simply Audi's attempt to give spy photographers the slip.

As our exclusive picture shows, the much anticipated newcomer will feature a wider track than the standard A3 and has enlarged wheelarches to accommodate the beefier alloys.

The car is being developed by Audi's Sport division - the team responsible for the barnstorming S4 and RS4 - and is scheduled to make its debut in show-rooms late next year.

But while the car's existence is not in doubt, secrecy surrounds the RS3's engine. One option is an uprated version of the Golf R32's V6, which could easily be tuned to give 350bhp. The other alternative Audi has is to modify the 420bhp V8 found in the new RS4. This first glimpse of the RS3 comes just weeks after the maker confirmed that its less powerful stablemate, the S3, will appear before the end of the year.

It will feature a 240bhp version of the firm's 2.0-litre T-FSI turbo engine, and be fitted with quattro four-wheel-drive transmission. Prices for the S3 are set to be around the £30,000 mark; the RS3 will have a £38,000 price tag.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

It was a warm and sunny Los Angeles Sunday afternoon. The sky was almost blue, muted only by the few dozen metric tons of carbon monoxide in the air. The setting was perfect for a rare offering from an automobile company: an open house test drive event featuring its entire lineup of cars. It was called `Streets of Tomorrow', presented by Audi.

The location was the fittingly high-tech Pacific Design Center, located in West Hollywood. The actual event concentrated on the sprawling glass and metal landmark's back parking lot and entrance. To the right side of the large doors were a fleet of 4.2 Q7's queued in a single-file line ready for test-driving. The large SUV's looked very handsome, if not a bit imposing, with their military-like positioning making them appear ready to invade a small country. The Q7 is indeed a very impressive looking vehicle, and is downright gorgeous when standing next to its rather frumpy and relatively out-dated looking competing vehicles (a BMW and Volvo) that Audi willingly brought in for the guests to compare.

Every couple of minutes the crowd would quiet down and stare in synchronized awe as a North American spec RS4 would roll in to unload its latest posse of passengers. The car has a downright erotic sound to its exhaust; moaning a seductive mix of large-displacement burbling and jet engine wheezing. Amazing. The RS4 was the only car that could not be driven by a guest. Instead Audi offered passenger-only experiences of the supercar. Even with that limitation the waiting list averaged almost 2 hours.

Labels: Audi

Here's a car that takes some of the doom out of one doomsday scenario. If oil prices rise to heretofore unseen heights, the Volkswagen EcoRacer shows that sports cars can still be fun-even if they're powered by a diesel engine that gets 80 mpg.

The EcoRacer uses a carbon-fiber monocoque worthy of a Formula 1 machine. The engine, mounted amidships, is an early version of a new common rail diesel due in 2007. The result is a two-seater that pushes the sports-car envelope one full step beyond the likes of Lotus, Westfield, Caterham, and Ariel. Not only does it accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and top out at 143 mph, according to VW, it also averages a miserly 80 mpg. The only reason to sniff at the EcoRacer is the scent of diesel exhaust, which adds pungence to the open-air driving experience.

Although the EcoRacer is a handmade prototype, it drives as well as a preproduction car. The steering is light and eager and full of feedback. The brakes have bite and balance. The chassis bypasses the typical understeer intro and dives straight into a long, neutral dialogue with the road. Even with the stability control system switched on, there is never any doubt about which end of the car will come unstuck first. Like the Lotus Elise, this VW can play the games of turn-in and lift-off or power-on and unwind with as many variations as the driver wishes to induce. Like the Porsche Boxster, it squats and hugs the tarmac with rare tenacity when you accelerate out of a third-gear bend. And like the Renault Sport Spider, it pushes dimples into your cheeks above 60 mph. Responsive and balanced, firmly planted and light-footed, intuitive and totally pragmatic, this VW leaves a lasting impression.

Labels: VW

The actual space that the facility occupies is approximately only 20% of a comparable facility with the traditional design that is used primarily in the US. Not only is the German structure less expensive to build, but vehicles are also "retrieved" in less time and without the potential of being damaged by an attendant. Collecting your new car is an event in itself. "In a fully automated procedure, your new car is brought down to you from one of the 20-story Car Towers. Large signboards in the Customer Center show you when your turn has come. Then, you're handed the keys, your picture is taken, the glass doors open and your brand-new car appears. You're all set to go".

Labels: Volkswagen

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Audi

Audi is busy developing the next A8, which is scheduled to be released at the end of 2009.

The first prototype mules have been sighted near the Nürburgring. Photos show the test car is about three inches longer than the current A8. Power will come from a new V-12 diesel and a new V-10 gasoline engine.

Labels: Audi