The Los Angeles Auto Show saw the unveiling of the Audi Convertible – the Cross Cabriolet Quattro Concept. This Audi concept vehicle sports an engine capable of low emissions with its 3.0-liter TDI Diesel engine but gives out 240 maximum horsepower.

The Cross Cabriolet Quattro is a two-door vehicle that can seat four people, is presented in a copper sunset finish, and is 4.62 meters long. But what’s remarkable about this concept car is that it has the qualities of sports utility vehicle even though it just looks like you regular convertible top. Its top is made with fabric and retracts behind the rear seats in 17 seconds. This fabric hood also has no roll-over bars or B-pillars that will only spoil the view of the passengers.

A look at the Cross Cabriolet Quattro and you’ll notice the single-frame radiator grill that has been polished with aluminum longitudinal struts, highlighting a vertical orientation. The concept sports the most recent full LED headlight technology as well.

The recorded fuel economy of the engine is 7.3 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers covered. This means that the model has met the  strict emission standard set forth by the EU 6. This emission standard is scheduled to be introduced in 2014 so the Cross Cabriolet is already advanced with regards to the emission standard.

The SUV feature in the model is the electric ride height adjustment. This varies the ground clearance by 40 millimeters by just pressing a button. What makes the raising or lowering of the vehicle body are the electric motors under each of the wheel’s spring plate.

Three configurations for the engine and gear-change characteristics are available to be selected by drivers. It also has adaptive shock absorbers that have three modes namely dynamic, efficiency, and sport modes.

Read more about this news here.

Audi has proven itself to be a producer of safe vehicles as the recent tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that the lineup of the cars sold by Audi in United States are some of the safest cars. The two companies had the Audi vehicles undergo crash tests and the automaker’s vehicles scored high in both passenger safety and vehicle crash worthiness.

In the Midsize category, IIHS has included the Audi A3 as “Top Safety Pick.” The 2007 winners of “Top Safety Pick” awards were the Audi A4 and the Audi A6. these two models also continued to be the “Top Safety Pick” winners in the Midsize and Large vehicle categories.

These vehicles were able to win this award because they received a “Good” rating for their passenger protection in off-set frontal, rear, and side crashes. The vehicles were also tested by IIHS in terms of crash prevention and occupant safety measures. Also, to be rated “good” in these terms, vehicles must be equipped with electronic stability program which Audi made standard on every vehicle it produces.

The NHTSA tested the Audi Q7 SUV for crash worthiness this year and scored high so NHTSA awards the Audi sports utility vehicle with a “five star rating” for front and rear passengers in a side collision, and driver and passenger in a frontal collision. This five-star rating indicates that there is only a 5 percent chance that the passengers will have serious injuries in the event of a collision.

The frontal crash tests measure the force of the collision brought to the neck, chest, head, and pelvis of the passengers in the front. On the other hand, the side tests measure the gravity of injuries to side and rear passengers in the event of a collision.

The safety equipment and measures that Audi has incorporated in its vehicles include the four-wheel disc brakes complete with anti-lock braking system (ABS). Audi has also made this a standard in its vehicles. also included are daytime running lights (DRL) and electronic stability program (ESP) which are standard as well. For its 2008 model year range, Audi added a standard ire pressure monitoring system to its vehicles. All these contribute to reducing the chances of collision.

With regards to driving convenience, Audi has decided to have optional convenience features in its vehicles for 2008. For instance, an Audi lane assist feature is one option on the Audi A6/S6, A8/S8, and the Audi Q7. It could be remembered that Audi was also the one which started the blind spot protection in 2006, making it the pioneering automaker of the blind spot assist system.

With all these safety features and equipment installed in Audi vehicles, there is no doubt that Audi deserves the awards it has received from IIHS and NHTSA.

Autospectator has more information regarding this news.

Audi in Ireland will have quite a busy year in 2008 as there are a lot of introductions of vehicles happening. Fist of, the arrival of the new Audi A4 Saloon will happen in January. The powertrain options for this model are 1 2.0-liter TDI engine and a 1.8T turbo powered petrol engines.

Another model to be launched in January is the new and improved Audi A8 which was initially launched during the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new Audi A5 equipped with a 1.8-liter turbo charged version will be introduced in January as well. Audi is expecting that the Audi 5 will provide it with some 80 percent of all the total sales of the A5 range in Ireland.

In May, the Audi A3 Cabriolet will also be introduced in the country together with other three models – the RS6 Saloon and Avant. An in Summer, the Audi A4 Avant will have its arrival. And during Autumn, Audi Ireland will introduce its new Audi Q5 SUV.

To read more on this Audi news, click here.

Audi has once agin proves itself to be a well-respected automaker as during the 2007 Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) Awards, Audi Australia has bagged the silver and bronze medals.

The campaign ‘Not for Everyone’ of Audi S3 was the one which bagged the silver medal for the category of “Effectiveness.” It also won the bronze medal in both the categories of “Creative – standard direct mail” and “Creative – websites.” Because of these two awards that Audi Australia has received, Audi has become more than proud of itself. It is also because it is the only automaker to receive an award from the prestigious 2007 ADMA Awards.

Mr. Joerg Hofmann, the Managing Director of Audi Australia, has commented regarding the awards. He said that these awards serve as recognition to Audi’s innovation that is not only evident to the models it produces but can also be seen in other areas of business as well.  He said, “The Audi S3 direct mail campaign was targeted and successful as evidenced not only by vehicle sales, but also by the Award for Effectiveness from ADMA.”

The campaign that won Audi Australia the awards has given the automaker impressive results that include response rates that are nine times more than the target rates of the campaign. The criteria for judgment in the categories of creativity and effectiveness are strategy, craft, tracking analysis, creativity, reporting, and idea and measurement.

For more news on this, read from Autoweb

Customization of Audi vehicles seem to be the trend of the automaker nowadays. After the Audi R8 has been customized and it aerodynamics enhanced by PPI, German tuning firm MTM has decided to work its magic of Vorsprung durch Technik on Audi’s new A5 coupe. With that, MTM was able to bring the 3.0-liter V6 diesel into the range-topping ranks like that of the S5 model.

The design may be understated but it was able to give more than just justice to the advanced engineering that can be found beneath its bonnet. The front grill has been redesigned and now comes close to its rival, the S5. The Audi A5 coupe has also been provided with new lower bumper surround and the exhaust at its rear are four-piped coated in chrome.

The redesigned version of the Audi A5 has been named MTM A5 “Thunderbolt.” The power has been increased from 240 horsepower on the standard 3.0-liter TDI model to 300 horsepower an the torque has also been increased from 500 Nm to 550 Nm on the MTM A5 Thunderbolt. The top speed of the MTM A5 is 265 km per hour. The standard production model’s top speed is 250 km per hour, thus, there’s an increase of 15 km/h. the acceleration speed from 0-100km  is just 5.9 seconds.

The suspension system have been improved as well on the MTM A5 Thunderbolt, thus it has now become more ideal for the winding roads of Europe. MTM has provided the A5 with ‘perfectly tuned’ coilover suspension system. MTM has insisted that with this kind of suspension installed in he A5, car owners will be seeking out the backroads just to they can experience the thrill. But that’s not all that’s impressive about the MTM A5 Thunderbolt. MTM also equipped this vehicle with high-performance brakes, as ‘races are won on brakes.” For better grip and feel, MTM has equipped the 5 Thunderbolt with custom-designed semi-perforated brake discs. these discs avoid the cracks that come with fully-perforated discs after long time of usage. Safety is important above everything else so MTM designed the Audi A5 Thunderbolt to be able to stop from 100km/h in just 35 meters.

Read more about the Audi A5 V6 TDI here.

Audi has launched its flagship sports car, the Audi R8, and which also brought the automaker to rival against the likes of Bentley, Porsche, and Ferrari. Thus, in order to stand out amongst the competition, the Audi R8 had gone through customization under the guidance of the Swabian, German tuners PPI Automotive Design GmbH. This company decided on customizing the Audi’s flagship sports car. It has provided the Audi R8 with improved driving dynamics and vehicle performance and also clothed the sports car in an enhanced look. What the company put in was a wind tunnel-tested aerodynamic kit of carbon fiber combined with an enhancement in performance. The Audi R8 has also been given a special lightweight magnesium wheels in 19-inch dimensions which makes the Audi have an improved appearance on both race track or as one of the elite sports cars.

The Audi R8 now sports a more optimized performance for better resilience and also provides drivers with increased driving pleasure through the kits that have been installed in the sports car. The stage 1 kit has provided the sports car an increased horsepower and torque – from 420 horsepower it has now become 460 horsepower; and from 317 pound-feet of torque the Audi R8 has now 343 pound-feet torque. PPI designed a performance kit which the company also used on the Audi R8. this performance kit contains durable components such as corrosion-resistant stainless steel sport rear muffler with throttle system. A sport air filter has also been installed, providing the Audi sports car with extra breathing abilities. With all these installed in the R8, the sports car could only be more fun to drive as it is now capable of a top speed of 305km/h and acceleration speed from 0-100 km/h in only 4.4 seconds.

PPI’s plan for the Audi R8 is just to improve the sports car while retaining the standard series design. The company decided on developing aerdoynamics of the sports car and so decided on aerodynamic materials made of carbon fiber. This is because carbon fiber decreases the vehicle’s general weight but at the same time increases its sturdiness, thus it is usually used in motor sports. Carbon fiber has already been applied in the Audi base model so PPI just took a further step in using the carbon fiber with the highest quality as the main material for the entire car body. Furthermore, the aerodynamics of PPI has a lift reducing front lip spoiler, an aggressive air dam designed to channel air to the front brakes and cut through the air. PPI also designed front bumper air intake “cartridges” which were created for OEM fitting. It was designed to enhance the air ventilation of the radiator in front and has a different air passageway for the brake cooling. Its side appearance has also been enhanced with the installation of the side blades in carbon fiber matte finish. An adjustable rear wing spoiler has been installed, thus downforce  is increased on the rear axle and provided the R8 with an enhanced elegant but sporty appearance.

The 19-inch wheel lightweight magnesium wheels are the new PPI wheels design. These wheels fuse sporty elegance to high technical demands. The wheels have nine spokes and their rims are of carbon fiber. The dimensionsof the PPI MAG9 wheels are 9×19 front and 11×19 rear.

The interior of the Audi R8 has also been given attention by PPI in order to complete the look of sporty elegance. The handbrake, middle instrument panel, and door entry threshold plates are in carbon fiber.

For more information, visit Autoblog

The Los Angeles Motor Show had just recently concluded and so automakers were able to showcase their concept vehicles and new models. Audi was included in the long list of automakers which presented their vehicles. One of the things Audi showcased during the event is its 5.2L V10 FSI engine, a powertrain capable of 450 horsepower and connected to a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. This engine powers the Audi S6 and S8 sedans.

What makes this Audi engine different from its lot is that it has been incorporated with the FSI technology. FSI is what Audi calls its direct injection fuel delivery system and because this is the first time that the FSI technology has been mated to a ten-cylinder engine, Audi has become the pioneering automaker for that technology.  When the engine is seen up-close one would see that the injector extends up to the left side of the combustion chamber. This way, the fuel is directly injected to the combustion chamber. It injects the fuel under extreme high temperature, making the fuel escape the injector nozzle as gas vapor. This setup makes the mixture of fuel and air in the chamber increased, thus there is a complete burn. Fuel economy will then improve, allowing the car to run at maximum power output.

The materials used for the production of the 5.2L V10 FSI engine are of premium quality, as this guarantees longer engine life and service. The engine’s crank-case is made with die-casted hypereutic aluminum alloy. This material also has reduced rates of the unwanted thermal expansion. Grey iron bearing bridges have also been cast into the crankcase to help in decreasing the thermal expansion. These also aid in keeping the crucial crankshaft bearing clearances as they decrease deflection under stress. Forged steel connecting rods and oil cooled aluminum pistons are also connected to the crankshaft . The exhaust valves have been made with sodium and the intake manifold with magnesium.

This Audi engine is packed with so much power, making it a race-proven package. It is also equipped with most of the modern and efficient technologies for internal combustion engines.

Info taken from Autoblog

Audi introduces the “Cross Cabriolet Quattro” at the 2007 Los Angeles Motor Show. The Cross Cabriolet Quattro is said to be a crossover between a convertible and an SUV. The vehicle is said to have a similar construction as the 2008 Audi Q5. According to Audi spokesman Christian Bokich, the Cross Cabriolet Quattro is an example of what the Q5 will look like, but it will not be the production car.

The Cross Cabriolet Quattro is a two-door four-seater car with 21 inch wheels. It has a fabric hood that folds behind the rear seat when the car is in convertible “mode” and a rear glass window that hinges to the fabric hood when the hood is up. The vehicle has a longitudinal six-cylinder 3.0-liter TDI engine with a 240 horsepower, 369 pound-feet of torque and an eight-speed automatic transmission. It runs on diesel fuel at 7.3 liters per 100 km. It has an electric ride height adjustment, which lifts the vehicle 1.6 inches above the ground with the touch of the button.

The Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro has a smart navigation system that is linked with Google Earth. One only needs click the place of destination on the Google Earth map in order to get directions to the place. The car is also equipped with an intercom that allows the car’s occupants to be able to hear each other even if the fabric hood is open.

Source: 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show: It’s Audi Gone Wild With Cross Cabriolet Quattro

Luxurious – one of the adjectives to best describe with the Audi brand. The Audi R8 surely has luxury written all over it. One look will be all you’ll need to see that the Audi R8 has a smooth, sleek and elegant form, swift aerodynamic feel and smooth, shiny polish.

The Audi R8 has surely been making waves in its “exotic supercar” category. The Audi R8 is proof indeed that Audi has built something “very, very special”. Built on the Lamborghini Gallardo platform, the Audi R8 takes its inspiration from the Audi Le Mans Quattro concept car. It was officially launched at the Paris Auto Show in 2006. The biggest competitor of the Audi R8 is the Porsche Carrera. But the Audi R8 seems to have a particular edge over the Porsche Carrera, Evo magazine even goes as far to say that, “Audi humbles Porsche. A new dawn starts today.”

The Audi R8 is a two-door coupe equipped with a 4.2 L engine and  aV8 6-speed manual or
6-speed semi-automatic transmission. Its length measures 4431 mm (174.4 in) while its width is at 1904 mm (74.9 in) and its height is at 1249 mm (49.2 in). The Audi R8 has a curb weight1560 kg (3439 lb). Its top speed measures a swift 187 mph (301km/h)

The impressive coupe will go on sale by 2008 with a base price of $109,000.

Sources: AudiUSA.com, Evo Magazine, Edmunds.com, PaulTan.org

The 2008 Audi A4 has been awarded the “Golden Steering Wheel Award” by the esteemed newspaper Bild Am Sonntag. The Golden Steering Wheel award is a prestigious award that is given to German cars that have distinguished themselves as excellent, high performance innovators in their vehicle category. Awarding of the Golden Steering Wheel award has been a practice since 1975. The “Golden Steering Wheel Award” jury is composed of “VIPs, technical experts and professional racing and rally drivers, [who] had the chance to test out the nominees on a specially cordoned-off circuit.”

This is the 16^th win for the automotive manufacturer with the four –ring badge (Audi). Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG was present to receive the esteemed award. Stadler said in his acceptance speech that, “This is a great success for the new A4 and the Audi brand, backed by a motivated and committed team.”

What makes the win even more remarkable is that the 2008 Audi A4 won a Golden Steering Wheel Award even if it still is a concept car. The new Audi A4 will begin production and be put on sale towards the end of this year (December 2007). The 2008 Audi A4 is different from its 2007 predecessor. The new A4 has a different gearbox and a different frontal layout. The front axle centerline is almost four inches longer than the old Audi A4. It also has a longitudinal – engine platform with a more sophisticated AWD system. Audi boasts of a compact 4.2 liter FSI engine that fits snugly under the car hood. The car is said to be the only competitor of the BMW X3 in the V8 engine category. The 2008 Audi A4 is priced at $28,900 - $47,900. The 2008 Audi A4 is a perfect vehicle for those who want, power, precision and seamless aerodynamics in a luxury vehicle.

Sources: Golden Steering Wheel for new Audi A4, Audi A4: Winner of the Golden Steering Wheel 2007 , Spycam: 2008 Audi A4 , 2008 Audi A4 Wins Golden Steering Wheel Award, 2008 Audi A4