Audi is set on making a name for itself in the American market and will be eliminating its image of a poor excuse for a vehicle.

The sad reality hit Audi in the 1980s when drivers raised the issue of confusing the accelerator for the brakes. Although, road safety investigators later said that it was a driver error, the Audi’s image became tainted.

Audi’s sales were most affected especially in 1994 when it reached a low of 12,500. It was during this time that the company thought of pulling out the US market completely. Today, Audi is experiencing some growth of 95,000 and plans to increase that number to 200,000 by 2015. Audi is fully geared on that plan and regain the confidence of the US market.

To succeed in their plan, Audi will take on the notable BMW, Toyota, Honda, Lexus, Acura and Infiniti.
Audi’s plans are part of Volkswagen’s commitment on improving their business into overseas markets and vehicle niches.

According to the Volkswagen’s chief executive, Martin Winterkorn, Volkswagen will increase the production of large vehicles like pick-up trucks and sport utility vehicles, along with focusing on the markets where their rivals are underperforming.

Audi is looking good in Europe and China but loses their touch in the US. Some say that BMW is Audi’s biggest competitor in the US. “There’s a bit of a perception gap between BMW and Audi and Mercedes,” said Dave Zoia, editorial director of wardsauto.com.

“BMW is pretty much at the top of the pyramid - it’s an iconic brand here.”

Another factor is that Audi also need to consider the increasing euro-to-dollar exchange rate. Mercedes and BMW, on the other, have fewer worries since they have manufacturing plants in the US.

Volkswagen is also thinking on building a plant in the US, where Audi vehicles can be later on be produce but there are still no final word regarding the matter.

This story is based on the reports of gulfnews.com

Audi’s team in the 2007 DTM withdraws all seven Audi A4 DTM cars that were still in the race, due to a rough race.  One Audi driver after the other was bumped off the track by Mercedes drivers, among them all four drivers of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline including the two candidates for the title, Mattias Ekström and Martin Tomczyk.  42,000 spectators at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona witnessed the event, but the title decision will be made in the finale at Hockenheim on 14 October.

Martin Tomczyk has been leading since the start of the race until he was bumped off the track on lap seven by the two-time Formula World Champion Mika Häkkinen. The incident caused Tomczyk to retire after getting in the eleventh place because the radiator of his Audi A4 DTM was damaged in the collision.

Mattias Ekström also had a good start as he advanced from tenth to sixth place.. While overtaking Daniel la Rosa, who had not pitted yet, he was hit hard by the Mercedes driver, which also caused him to retire.

Tom Kristensen had also been turned around by Mercedes driver Gary Paffett on the starting lap. It was when Timo Scheider and Mike Rockenfeller, who was running in third position, were pushed off the track by Mercedes drivers that Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich decided to withdraw all seven Audi cars remaining in the race to send a clear message in favor of fair racing. The decision was made after consulting the Chairman of the Board of AUDI AG, Rupert Stadler

“What happened on the race track today was simply unacceptable,” stated Rupert Stadler, who witnessed the race live at the team garage of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline. “We’re proceeding from the assumption that emotions will cool down again before the Hockenheim race and that spectators will see a finale with fair sport. It’s also clear that we continue to be committed to the DTM. But a few things will probably have to change.”

Dr Wolfgang Ullrich, Head of Audi Motorsport said, “We wanted to see a tough, but fair touring car race today. But we had to get the impression that the Mercedes drivers used every opportunity to eliminate our cars. This is not the style in which we want to conduct motorsport. We want to see tough and fair duels but nothing of the kind we had today. That’s why we took the decision to withdraw all of our vehicles. That was not an easy decision, and it cost us points, and maybe even the title. But we wanted to send a clear message for fair motorsport.”

Competition runs aplenty in the automotive scene. There will always be new ways on how one car manufacturer will outdo the others. Setting the goals pursuing it is very important, just as what the executive vice president of Audi of America, Johan de Nysschen intends to do. He said that aside from achieving shoots for a long-term sales goal of 200,000 vehicles a year in the United States by 2015, he also wants to turn Audi into a sophisticated, edgy luxury brand for the U.S. market in the process.

As a unit of the German automaker Volkswagen AG, this will not be an easy task for Audi. But it seems that Audi of America is on the right track as U.S. sales raised to 90,116, about triple the number of 10 years ago.

But there will still be more work to be done, for Audi still lags behind the top-selling luxury brands. Lexus, BMW, Acura, Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz all topped 200,000 in sales last year.

“What we want to do is to actually turn the fact that we are smaller than say a Mercedes-Benz or BMW to our advantage,” de Nysschen said last week. “We want to be the exclusive among the exclusive brands — really sophisticated, really edgy.”
An automotive industry expert said that the reason on why Audi did not get the many U.S. customers is because the company’s late action to have a strong image and its late entry in the luxury SUV market.

I n fact, it was only last year when Audi offered its first SUV, the Q7. Also, the company’s compact luxury SUV, Q5, will be out in 2009.

Reshaping Audi in the American market comes as Audi of America and Volkswagen of America moves its headquarters from Auburn Hills to Herndon, Va. It is said that 400 jobs will move to Virginia by the end of next year, with 600 positions remaining in Auburn Hills.

“Audi already had been restructuring its U.S. business to be more competitive with the likes of BMW and Mercedes,” de Nysschen said. “Audi has placed a strong emphasis on upgrading its dealer network,” he said.

“Audi has a history of sharing a facility or even floor space with other brands, but the company is pushing for more exclusive Audi dealerships,” de Nysschen said.
Presently, Audi has 270 U.S. dealerships. By year’s end 110 are to sell Audi exclusively, doubling the figures five years before.

“We find that when the personnel in a dealership on the after-sales or the sales side is now focused and dedicated to the Audi brand they understand the product better, they understand the customer expectations better and the whole environment is somewhat more conducive to customer satisfaction,” de Nysschen said.

Car enthusiasts, especially Audi fans will have to wait awhile until Audi launch three new SUVs due to marketing reasons. These SUVs are known under one model, the compact Q5, it just so happened that a diesel and hybrid versions of it will also be introduced at the end of the decade.

The delay is because Audi want to avoid its newest entrants from getting lost in the ether of year-end sales drives, by marketing all three vehicles as 2010 models. The Q5 was originally set to be available in the third quarter of 2008.

The Q5 is said to compete BMW’s X3 and Mercedes’ upcoming GLK. The new compact SUV has actually been under development for some time and finding a home atop the VW Tiguan platform. By the time of the launching of Q5, the diesel variant of the Q7 will also be offered. It is said that the diesel variant will be equipped with a three-liter turbo-diesel V6, producing 230 HP and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. Since the new engine will be 50-state compliant, it’s “just a matter of formality,” according to Audi’s U.S. head Johan de Nysschen, that the oilburner will find its way into the A4, A6 and A8 models of the future.

Reports say that all three vehicles, along with the 280 HP V6 hybrid-equipped Q7 will be launched in Detroit in 2009.

Audi’s flashiest sports coupe is now back to please a bigger crowd as it comes side by side Marvel’s hero, Iron Man. Hollywood’s film adaptation of the well-appreciated Stan Lee brainchild is now hot with the buzzwire and the automotive industry as they chose to tie up with Audi. Hence, this explains how Tony Stark ends up driving the very classy and high-performing Audi R8. With a plate that says “STARK”, Hollywood definitely got this thing right this time as Audi may just be the right ride for the iron crime-fighter’s alter ego. The smart move made by the German carmaker will all the more heighten their stand in the market, concretizing the R8’s iron stand in the sports coupe category.

Other Audi cars will also make a cameo in the film, such as the upcoming S5 sports coupe, which will be driven by another lead character. At the same time, the A6 sedan and the Q7 SUV will grace the screen too to leave the audience in awe. Hmm…the film features Gyneth Paltrow, so that will be for the lads…Robert Downey and Samuel L. Jackson for the ladies…and the Audis for the car enthusiasts. Sounds like a good movie, so wait for its release in 2008. *wink

Here is what enthusiasts out there can expect when Audi releases the new Audi A1 by 2010:

• Hatch, coupe and cabrio variants expected

• 1.4-liter petrol and 1.6-liter diesel engines

• Likely to cost from £11,000

Audi finally launched their own fleet in the arena of small cars, and that is the Audi A1 supermini, which is fast on its way to following the successful path that the BMW Mini went through. Hopefully, Audi will keep its promise in releasing it by 2010, so just check out these computer-generated photos on how the Audi A1 will look like.

According to the company’s statement, Audi is planning four A1 variants: a three-door hatch, a five-door hatch, a two-door coupe and an open-top model. Reports also suggest that Audi plans to produce “five variations of the same 1.4-liter petrol engine. They will be turbo and non-turbo units, giving 65bhp, 85bhp, 105bhp, 140bhp and 170bhp. The diesel range will be based around a 1.6-liter unit, giving 75bhp, 90bhp, 105bhp and 130bhp.”

Already dubbed as the challenger to BMW’s very glorious Mini, the A1 boasts of an optimized chassis, together with “higher specification models” which, according to reports, have been tipped as Audi’s all-wheel-drive system. the German carmaker is said to be targeting about 100,000 units sold during the A1’s first year in the market.

Hence, Audi aims to price the A1 for only £11,000, which is notably about 10% less than the Mini. Top-end A1 models, however, complete with safety features such as the much awaited for all-wheel drive, will be priced close to £24,000.

Audi has unveiled its hottest fleet of luxury coupé yet, which is bound to fascinate the automotive market. Introducing, the 2008 Audi A5—the most dynamic in performance with an intelligent design of an optimized combination of car parts—the Audi A5 is surely the coupé that enthusiasts are waiting for. With the Audi A5’s “progressive design that gives the new coupé an appearance that is both elegant and dynamic”, its state-of-the-art FSI and TDI engines together with the highly accurate running gear is paired with a very innovative, luxury-class equipment features—Audi has succeeded in making the A5 a grand  tourer in its fleet of coupés.

According to a release by Audi, “the Nuvolari quattro concept car of 2003 gave a first taste of Audi’s vision for a powerful and expertly styled coupé with a high performance potential and a progressive, sophisticated design. This was a bold step into the future. Many elements from the Nuvolari have been adopted in the Audi A5. The new coupé is a clear and unique statement of sportiness and elegance. At the same time, the A5 offers a driving experience characterized by exhilarating dynamic performance and excellent comfort over long distances,” the statement read.

4.63 m in length, the Audi A5 shows all distinct characteristics that it should be a part of a superior class of coupé. With its capacity to hold four people with its comfortable seats, plus a load volume weighing 455 liters—this car is the ideal long-distance tourer for anyone who wants to achieve this. The car’s excellent performance is being powered by FSI and TDI engines, with a power that ranges from 125 to 195 kW (170 to 265 bhp). All A5 engines notably share the same eco-friendly and efficient characteristics. With Audi’s trademark quattro technology, you now have a choice on whether to transmit the horsepower through the front-wheel drive, or the quattro four-wheel drive and a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox. The transmission bow that is developed for the A5, will be new for it combines an easy driveability with the definite safety that a car must possess.

The edge of the new Audi models is basically the elegance and dynamism that they exude. The Audi A5 bears all trademarks of what appears to be the Audi “genetic code”. The smooth design of the exteriors are clearly impeccable. With its flowing structure and seamless design, it is clear that the coupé will reign as Audi’s new flagship of luxury sportscars—from its bumpers, to the tail end.

The new Audi RS 6 was unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, and it came in the form of the an Avant. Spectators welcomed another breed of power car from renowned German automaker Audi, lauding its ingenuity to combine smooth design with impressive excellence. Audi’s newly developed V10 engine with FSI direct injection and twin turbochargers, permanent quattro four-wheel drive and sports suspension with Dynamic Ride Control DRC are all a part of the standard package for their new fleet of high-performance vehicles in the luxury class—which is how the RS 6 rocked the show.

According to Audi, “the new Audi RS 6 will only be available as an Avant to start with, with the unparalleled combination of 580 bhp and a maximum 1,660 liters of luggage space. True enough, the Audi RS 6 is a new leader in the performance category.”

The Audi RS 6 sets the parameters for the ideal car in the business class by redefining the term “high performance”. Its 580 bhp, makes it the ideal choice for Audi’s most powerful car model spot—this of course, Audi has admittedly said, is “with the exception of pure racing cars like the Le Mans-winning Audi R10 TDI”—which was said to be the most potent Audi in all its history. It may be up to you to judge if it also bests the other cars in its category, but we think that you’ll make the right decisions.

The RS 6’s powerful ten-cylinder V-configuration engine is said to be based on the V10 machines of the Audi S6 and Audi S8, but it has been enhanced fully to meet a higher level of performance from the RS 6. Its twin turbochargers make it possible to ensure a very impressive and consistent flow of power from the entire engine speed range. In fact, its capability to attain a torque of 480 lb-ft will be available across the entire range of engines, from 1,500 to 6,250 rpm. Its maximum output can be seen between 6,250 and 6,700 rpm.

With the technology of Audi in incorporating a very powerful machine, the Audi RS 6 Avant is sure to achieve the expected road performance from a sports car like this. What is more, is that with only 4.4 seconds after stepping onto the accelerator, your speedometer will hit the 60 mph, and for a mere 14.9 seconds, it will go for the 124 mph mark! Impressive indeed. the engine’s “propulsive power” will be electronically governed when the speed reaches 155 mph, causing it to bear an all-out performance.

The Audi’s trademark six-speed tiptronic deems to be the perfect complement to the RS 6’s “self-confident, powerful character”. The hydraulics of this car have been fully optimized by Audi to achieve an infinitely shorter shift times, and their ratios have all been adapted accordingly, says Audi in a statement. Forty percent of the power will basically be distributed to the front wheels, while 60 percent will go to the rear wheels. Since it is more geared towards the rear wheels, it is promised to produce a “particularly dynamic handling characteristics”.

All in all, the RS 6 is definitely one unforgettable Audi to date.

Canadian icon Bryan Adams graced the launch of Audi’s newest killer weapon—the new Audi A4. The launch was held at the Frankfurt Motor Show, making car lovers and music fans alike a little taste of Audi’s sweet melody of success.

Adams is one of the worlds most highly regarded Canadian singers, with a career that’s spanned 3 decades. Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, said “Bryan Adams is an excellent match for Audi and the new A4. Just like Audi, he has remained on the road to success for decades.”

Adams was caught saying that “with this new car, Audi and the four rings prove that they belong in the top segment in the automotive industry”.

The new A4 will come to market with a drastically more sporty and dynamic look, backed up by hardware upgrades including a new aluminum-intensive suspension setup and improved Quattro system. Engine choices remain the same, though slightly more power is available. A seven-speed DSG gearbox is said to be fitted, alongside the standard six-speed manual.

Audi promises superior responsiveness and balance from the best A4 yet. Even the drivetrain has been repackaged, allowing the engine to move further back in the vehicle enabling a more desirable weight balance. The entire package has grown, and is now slightly larger than its usual contemporaries, the Mercedes C-Class and the BMW 3-series.

The all-new Audi A4 is here, and it comes in $2,000 more than the previous model. The said new breed of A4 is scheduled to reach our shores in early 2008. Audi’s new runner was unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show, set to arrive at the UK in two petrol engines, a 158bhp 1.8-liter TFSI and a 261bhp 3.2-liter V6. It will also be available in three diesel engines, a 141bhp 2.0-liter, 187bhp 2.7 and a 237bhp 3.0 engine. All A4 come in six-speed manual transmission aside form the 2.7, which gets to have a CVT.

The new A4 is based on many of the same underpinnings as the A5 coupe, which means it should be every bit as sharp to drive, although only the 3.2 and 3.0 will come with quattro four-wheel-drive as standard. As in the A5, this has a 60:40 rear bias.

The A4 also ought to ride well. On standard suspension the A5 is easily the best-riding Audi we’ve driven, even on 19-inch wheels. No doubt Audi’s recent policy of testing in the UK must take some of the credit.

All of the UK launch models will start in SE trim, which means they get 17-inch alloys, three-zone climate control, a 180-watt CD audio system with a 6.5-inch color display, rear parking sensors, automatic headlights and wipers and aluminum interior trim. The new A4’s available to order now, so you must go to your nearest Audi shop and check out if people are actually that eager to cash out.