Audi A9 to Enter Production in 2016 Audi Car

the Audi A9 concept slated to premiere at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show which opens to the media on November 18.  The A9 concept previews the VW-owned premium brand’s future design direction in addition to serving as a harbinger for the brand’s range-topping model 

Audi will showcase a new design study at the Los Angeles(USA) Auto Show next month, which is reported to be called the Audi A9 Concept. Apart from previewing Audi’s new design language

New Sport 2015 Audi A3 - New Audi A3 2015 is price $29,900

New Audi A3 2015 is pric $29,900

All new sport 2015 Audi A3 is a sedan that equates to yachts, luxury cars, limousines................. This is the smallest car lined up for US market............. The transformation from the wagon body to a sedan took almost a year for the process. 

New Sports Car:Audi race preps the R8 with new GT3 model

As fast as Audi's R8 is, there will always be someone who wants to go faster. According to Audi, the company has been inundated with requests for a race-prepped version of its halo car. Come fall 2009, Audi will deliver in the form of an Audi Sport-developed racing sports car specifically developed for customer use: the GT3 version of the Audi R8.

The GT3 R8 eschews Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system in favor of a GT regulation rear-wheel drive transmission. The R8's 500-plus horsepower is delivered via a newly developed six-speed, sequential, sports gearbox. A modified front end and an extra large GT-style rear-wing keep the race model glued to the track.
Notably, Audi claims that the suspension almost exclusively uses components from the production line. As amazing as this sounds, consider that the standard R8 is in fact a supercar, already based on race technology.

Audi hasn't published a price, but for what we assume will be a limited-quantity GT3 level full-race car, you can expect to pay handsomely over the R8's already lofty $109,000 MSRP.

The Audi R8 :German luxury automaker's first attempt sports car

The Audi R8 is the German luxury automaker's first attempt at producing that most rarefied of motoring beasts, a super-sports car--a high-priced combination of verve and vroom. As I drive down the main drag of this English coastal town, the road narrows and I stop to let an oncoming car through. It turns out to be a vintage Mercedes SL sports car. As the R8 idles, its 420-h.p. V8 engine purrs with a low growl, and I can't resist revving it. As the Merc passes, its driver slows to a pause, nods at the sinuous, sleek lines of the pearly dark blue R8, then smiles approvingly and says, "Simply lovely." His is a typical reaction.

By definition, a super-sports car combines a powerful engine with superb performance, agile handling and drop-dead looks to such an ultrabuffed level that it turns heads, inspires envy and justifies a stratospheric price. In this case $112,500. And clearly, the R8 seals the deal. Notes Jay Nagley, managing director of car consultancy Spyder Automotive: "Italian styling with German quality and engineering. What's not to like? It's a great brand builder."

And that's the point. As the R8 races into its second year, Audi's still building just 4,500. In 2009, it hopes to release between 800 and 1,000 of them in the U.S. And they'll go quickly. Audi says those few cars, coupled with a deft marketing campaign, will raise the company's profile in the competitive U.S. premium-car segment, where it hopes to double sales of all models by 2015 to around 200,000. "I would almost describe every one of those R8s as a mobile billboard for the Audi brand," says Johan de Nysschen, head of Audi's U.S. operations.

And its message: This is a rare automobile that few can afford, but the top-notch engineering and technology needed to design and build such a beautiful machine are evident in every model.

BMW is the world's leading premium carmaker, closely followed by Mercedes, and Audi's overarching goal is to overtake them--which won't happen without the boost in U.S. sales it's striving for. And given the shape of the U.S. economy, that task isn't getting any easier. Worldwide, however, Audi had a strong 2007. It sold 964,151 cars, 6.5% more than in 2006, and its revenue jumped almost 8% to $52.9 billion. This year, Audi has sold 516,211 cars as of June 30--a half-year sales record and a 1.4% increase over midyear 2007 sales.

While the R8 is the designated head turner, Audi's momentum is being led by its lesser beasts, such as the $32,700 A4 and the $42,950 A6. Like its German counterparts, Audi benefits from an accurate perception that its cars are expertly engineered and well made. But in recent years, Audi's been winning the style wars, turning out models, like the TT sports car, with eye-catching designs that are hugely influential and popular with buyers.

In the next year, Audi will introduce several new models aimed at consumers it categorizes as "sporty" and "progressive." Look for the Q5, a junior sibling of the full-sized Q7 SUV, as well as the Q7 TDI, which boasts a 221-h.p. diesel engine.

Still, catching BMW won't be easy. The Bavarian stalwart sold 1.5 million cars last year, nearly 336,000 of them in the States, and it is building cars at a plant in Spartanburg, S.C. That gives BMW a healthy cost advantage with the euro so strong--which is why Audi hasn't ruled out opening its own U.S. plant.

Another potential hurdle: Audi is pushing its superb diesel technology as the best way to cut emissions and lower fuel consumption. But diesels remain a hard sell in the U.S., where memories of dirty, noisy, sluggish diesels of an earlier era linger like smog. Nonetheless, Audi expects that 10% to 15% of its cars sold in the U.S. by 2015 will be diesel.

Puny greenbacks and diesel issues aside, Garel Rhys, an emeritus professor of automotive economics at Cardiff Business School, says, "Audi's closing the gap quickly." Five years ago, Audi wasn't competitive, but now it outsells BMW in several European markets. Nagley's not sure there's much that BMW can do to halt that design-driven momentum. "It's not been able to stop Audi in Germany, the U.K. and the rest of the world, so why should it be able to stop it in America?"

Audi's been a consistent winner of the 24-hour race at Le Mans, and the R8's bloodlines flow directly from those victories. The low-slung, squat R8 grips the road with comforting authority. Likewise, it navigates twisty country roads with commanding agility. Such performance doesn't come cheap. The $112,500 price is more than for most Mercedes and BMW roadsters, but less than what you'd pay for, say, a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

Designing a car to be priced higher than its German rivals was an exercise in brand positioning, says De Nysschen. "We think we found a sweet spot in the market." Bentley--which, like Audi, is part of the Volkswagen Group--successfully exploited a similar luxury-market niche when it positioned itself between supercostly Rolls-Royce and the sedans and coupes of BMW and Mercedes.

Of course, the R8 is also more expensive than most Porsches, and Porsche recently became Volkswagen's biggest shareholder. But, says John Wormald, managing partner of consultants Autopolis, because Porsches and the R8 occupy different niches, "they don't cannibalize each other."

In the near future, expect to see a convertible version of the R8. What you won't see is huge numbers of R8s on the road. Ever. Rhys thinks Audi will keep global production at 4,500 for the time being, though it could eventually push it to 6,000. Even so, that's still not many cars. Which is the idea. De Nysschen insists Audi will ensure that demand for the R8 always outstrips supply--to keep its aura of exclusiveness intact. "In that market segment," he says, "the difference between too many and too few cars is one."

New Audi TTS Spanks Competition on the Road, at the Gas Pump

HERNDON, Virginia — Arguments about whether the latest-generation Audi TT is a full-blooded sports car are about to be put to rest when the high-test 2009 TTS hits the U.S. in November.
Audi says the TTS, whose heart is a scorching, 265-horsepower variant of Audi's newly revised turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, will not only have best-in-class 0-60-mph times, that bombastic 2.0-liter engine will deliver best-in-class fuel economy. Audi tells Inside Line the Environmental Protection Agency figures just came in: 19 mpg in the city and the same 29 mpg highway — a tasty 24 mpg combined. Serious fuel-sipping for an engine that generates 133 hp per liter.

An Audi spokesperson says the all-wheel-drive TTS, which now is the new top-of-the-line TT, rips off the 0-60 run in 4.9 seconds in coupe form, with the roadster running a 5.1-second 0-60. The coupe will match the V8-packing Mercedes SLK55 AMG and beat the six-cylinder BMW Z4 M Coupe, says Audi.

The extra bonus comes at the high-octane nozzle, where the four-cylinder TTS positively thumps the 15 mpg city/23 mpg highway/18 mpg combined of the Z4 M Coupe and the 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway/16 mpg combined for the SLK55 AMG.

Audi confirms the TTS coupe and roadster will come to the U.S. with only the six-speed S tronic dual-clutch automated manual transmission, and not the three-pedal manual shifter.

No detail yet from Audi about TTS pricing, but expect the TTS to begin well north of the $41,500 for the 2008 manual-transmission V6 TT coupe and $44,500 for the manual V6 TT roadster.

What this means to you: An all-wheel-drive sport coupe/roadster with the performance to beat a V8 and the economy of a four-cylinder is the kind of combination that will help keep performance cars viable in the face of increasing environmental concerns.

Audi silently fashions the most elegant autos

I was sitting in this exquisite, sophisticated cabin with my eyes shut. My senses were being stimulated by classical music streaming through top notch speakers.

I stretched out my hand searching for the button that would push me to the climax. Good music gives me goose pimples and right then I was helpless inside the Audi A8.

Before I could do anything else, the gentleman explaining the new features in the car tapped my shoulder and asked if I was fine. Clearly I wasn’t, I was smitten, besotted, in love, enchanted by this classic work of automotive art.

When I opened my eyes and looked around, I shook my head in utter amazement. I was overwhelmed and almost teary eyed. I looked out through the large window, still speechless, and for a moment there, the music literary stopped.

I was staring at the R8. This is Audi’s first real super car. It was protected by a barrier that seemed to say, ‘you have no business touching this car if you do not have three eight-bedroom houses in leafy suburbs and a bank balance so healthy the bank manager has your doctor’s cellphone numbers’.

I am not easily intimidated by expensive super cars, but this one had something special about it. Something that said it will find its way onto Kenyan roads before the Ferrari 550 or Mercedes SLR McLaren.

When I saw it last December, it seemed to glide on the tarmac, its 20 inch tyres almost invisible under that svelte and muscular body.

To the ladies it is LL Cool J, six-pack and all and to the guys its Beyonce, she carries the full package. As the first Audi mid-engined sports car, the R8 combines Audi’s experience gained from numerous motor sport triumphs with ground-breaking design and the acknowledged technological expertise of the brand.

Optimistic outlook
Why am I going on about a car so expensive so unattainable and extremely impractical for Kenya? Because I have adopted a very optimistic outlook to life. 
The Mercedes SLR McLarenWith our top two politicians talking in one voice I pray they do so long enough for all the roads to get done. Smooth and wide is what I prefer, then they can work on our petroleum industry so that we have high octane fuel and ultra low sulphur diesel.

This way we can import any vehicle in the developed world without having to suffer the price of failed engines and a busted suspension.

Speaking of super cars on our roads, the R8 has been compared to the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and the BMW M6. The Porsche and the BMW M6 are already on our roads, that leaves the Aston and R8. Seeing the way Kenyans love their cars, do not be surprised by my optimism.

Standing amidst nine gleaming, gorgeous works of art at the last South African Motor Expo was like being on the front row of a fashion show in Milan. As I walked up to the stand I had counted 9 vehicles on the Audi stand. All Subtle, elegant, superior and sublimely discreet, except the R8 ofcourse.

The competition amongst European premium automobiles is as fierce as ever. While BMW have being joking around as seen with the 3 Series design, they have redeemed themselves with the new 7 series, It looks like a gem.

Mercedes dumped the Jeep and the Chrysler bunch that were dragging them down and released very impressive models like the new C-class and flagship S-Class.

Turf war
They have now gone crazy with the GLK crossover vehicle that goes on sale in October.

While these two models have been focusing on each other, Audi has been slowly sneaking up on their turf and by the look of the cars on this page, things are heating up pretty fast.

A look at the performance models and you will see what I mean. The RS4 and S6 leave no doubt and when you take a closer look at the Q7 and the recently launched Q5, you can be sure that Kenya’s Audi aficionados will be smiling when the new models finally reach here.

While that’s what makes last year sad for me you can understand why I am smiling, 2008 can only be better. 
The BMW M6Audi have refreshed the design of the basic A4 and its siblings with modern lighting technologies as well as more efficient engines. They have stretched things a bit and given us the handsome and capable 2008 A5 Coupe as well.

Although most of the 2007 models you see on this page have evolved little in design and power, with no dealer here, this is what you can get off the grey market. 

Sports car performance by new Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro: Masterful Technology

INGOLSTADT, Germany - September 8, 2008: For two decades Audi has driven forward the advancement of diesel technology – from the very top. Now the brand with the four rings is presenting another world first: the first V12 TDI in a passenger vehicle. The diesel, which generates an output of 368 kW (500 hp) and 1,000 Nm of torque (737.56 lb-ft) from a capacity of six liters, gives the new Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro the performance of a sports car. It catapults from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in only 5.5 seconds and has an electronically capped top speed of 250 km/h (155.34 mph). 
The V12 diesel is opening up entirely new horizons in the diesel sector. The big-performance SUV from Audi completes all intermediate sprints with fascinating ease; in every driving situation it boasts superior reserves of power. The engine captivates its drivers not only with its sheer inexhaustible power but also with its highly cultivated manner of operation – the subtle engine sound takes on a voluminous, strong note when the throttle is open. In terms of fuel consumption the six-liter TDI, which features a completely redeveloped common rail injection system, requires an average of only 11.3 liters/100 km (20.82 US mpg), substantially less than the gasoline units produced by the competition. No competitor is able to match this achievement.

Audi is taking TDI technology to new heights: the Q7 V12 TDI quattro is the world’s most powerful diesel-engined SUV, its powerplant another technical milestone. With a completely redeveloped common rail injection system the twelve-cylinder delivers a mighty 368 kW (500 hp) and 1,000 Nm (737.56 lb-ft) of torque from a capacity of six liters – giving the big SUV the performance of a sports car.

In everyday use the twelve-cylinder diesel impresses with another highlight – its astounding efficiency. Thanks to a package of innovative technologies it requires an average of just 11.3 liters of fuel per 100 km (20.82 US mpg) – astonishingly little, considering the power of the engine. The six-liter TDI therefore clearly undercuts all of its gasoline-engined competitors in the field of high-performance SUVs.

The world’s first V12 diesel engine in a series-production vehicle moves this ultimate, high-performance SUV with supreme confidence and composure. On demand, the six-liter engine catapults the Audi Q7 from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 5.5 seconds like a top-class sports car. Speed is electronically capped at 250 km/h (155.34 mph).

The agile chassis of the Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro, developed and produced by Audi subsidiary quattro GmbH, is another indication of the vehicle’s dynamic potential. Striking modifications to the design and the range of luxurious standard equipment underline its status as the exclusive top model of the series. The world’s most powerful diesel-engined SUV will make its way to dealers towards the end of 2008.
The design
The visual styling of the Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro gives the vehicle an unmistakable look. Daytime running lights consisting of twelve white LEDs per headlight announce the vehicle’s presence even at a distance. They are located on the upper edge of the air intake slots, replacing the turn signals that were moved to the bi-xenon headlights. Further honing the vehicle’s profile are vertical chromed bars in the grid of the single-frame radiator grill and an underbody protector made of stainless steel. The newly designed bumper groups the highly polished side air intake slots into large units.

When viewed from the side, both the 20-inch wheels and the matt aluminum caps on the exterior mirrors catch the eye. The wheel arches have been widened a total of 26 millimeters (1.02 inches) at the front and 30 millimeters (1.18 inches) at the rear; the lower edges of the doors flaunt striking new moldings. The windows are framed by matt aluminum cover strips; the roof rails sport the same look. The taillights are set in a dark-colored background, while the newly designed bumper incorporates two large, oval exhaust tailpipes. At the rear, the underbody protector is also made from stainless steel. A metallic or pearl effect finish comes as standard.

The Q7 V12 TDI quattro impresses with its elegant and dynamic styling. The ultimate performance SUV from Audi has a powerful and elongated look; with a length of 5,063 millimeters (199.33 inches), a width of 2,000 millimeters (78.74 inches) and a height of 1,737 millimeters (68.39 inches) it boasts the sportiest dimensions in its class.

High side panels lend the vehicle body a muscular appearance, particularly in contrast with the flat, sporty window area. The dynamic line above the wheel arches, the powerful shoulder section and the flowing roof line together with the standard roof rails underline the vehicle’s athletic looks. The pronounced tapering of the front section and the rear end with its sharply sloping D-posts fashion a coupe-like silhouette.

The interior and the cockpit area create a sense of light and airy spaciousness, perfect ergonomics and excellent quality. Audi offers customers a choice of four, five, six or seven highly versatile seats. Depending on seating capacity, the cargo area can hold up to 2,035 liters (71.87 cubic feet).

Aluminum inlays shine in the door sill trims and the carpet is made of velour. Carbon fiber covers and the aluminum-look selector lever give the center tunnel a high-tech ambience, exclusive wood trim is available as an option. The buttons of the MMI operating system, which has proven a superior concept in numerous independent tests, gleam in silver, the air vents in aluminum, the pedals and footrest in stainless steel.

Verano leather covers the electrically adjustable sport seats; the deluxe center armrest and the armrests in the doors are upholstered with leather as well. The front and rear seats can be heated; a special lighting package softly illuminates the interior.

The equipment, specifications, and prices stated herein refer to the model line offered for sale in Germany. Subject to change without notice; errors and omissions excepted.

Spectacular Audi A4 takes On BMW, Mercedes

models, some filling niches only centimeters deep. (The S5 coupe and Q5 crossover, we're talking about you.) You've seen them blowing marketing dollars on that weird Super Bowl commercial.

Yet you might have overlooked something: Audi's updated A4, the company's baseline sedan, going on sale this month. The company spent $1 billion developing the A4's new, sturdier platform, and the car is good. It's even good enough to lure away some once-loyal BMW 3 Series customers.

Part of this had to do with money. The all-wheel-drive A4 with the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine starts at just below $33,000, and the 3.2-liter six-cylinder about $40,000.

Comparably equipped BMW 3 Series sedans with all-wheel-drive cost several thousand more, $35,300 for the 328i xDrive and $42,000 for the 335i xDrive. Another competitor, the Mercedes- Benz C300 4Matic, has an MSRP of $36,525.

Putting aside the measure of price, though, the A4 suddenly looks more attractive because almost everything on the 2009 model is improved over the previous version.

The A4 has always been a meat-and-potatoes kind of sedan -- it'll get you where you're going efficiently and without a lot of speed or flash. Fair enough. If you're looking for added excitement, there was always the S4 model or even the more outrageous RS4.

Out on the road, as soon as I encounter a tank-sized Ford F- 350 pickup veering erratically in the lane next to me, I feel the difference. I downshift the six-speed automatic transmission using the small behind-the-wheel paddle shifters and sweep by him, clearing the area before he swings heedlessly into my lane.

More Assured

It's not that I would mistake the A4 for a sports car, but it's more assured and maneuverable than before. Easy and mild- mannered in traffic, it transforms into a slick and smooth machine when you need it to. Meat and potatoes with a kick of cayenne in the recipe.

Much of this newfound confidence comes from improvements you may not actually see -- new proportions and better body rigidity. Audi used a lot of lightweight steel, which translates to greater safety and better handling. The sedan is also longer and wider than its predecessor and competitors, gaining 4.6 and 2.3 inches, respectively. Those new proportions also include a shortened front overhang and a wheelbase that's been stretched 6 inches. These changes give a better ride.

Not Too Radical

Nor did Audi get too radical in the exterior redesign. Most A4 buyers aren't looking for a ``stare at me'' automobile. The most obvious change in the new model is the revamped front, with a wider and lower grill, and halogen or LED running lights inside the headlights. Just like the R8 sports car, the lights form a swooping shape, and the effect is akin to a glare. Love it or hate it, they add personality.

Both engine choices are direct-injected, and Audi says that even with the added power, they use 10 percent less fuel than the previous model. The V-6 generates 265 horsepower and gets 20 miles per gallon combined, while the smaller four-cylinder has 211 horses and 23 mpg combined.

I only got the chance to test the bigger engine, which is dynamic yet not particularly fast or impressive off the line. The 243 pound-feet of torque is available at 3,000 rpm, and it takes ample time to get the engine up there. (BMW's twin-turbo six- cylinder, with 300 pound-feet at 1,400 rpm, is a breakaway winner.)

Powerful Four-Cylinder

I suspect that many consumers will actually prefer the turbocharged four-cylinder, which is not only lighter but has 258 pound-feet of torque between 1,500 and 4,200 rpm.

Either way, I'd counsel prospective buyers to test drive both engine types.

Inside the car there's additional room, especially for rear passengers, who now have more space than their C-Class or 3 Series backseat buddies. The A4 will seat five in a pinch, and also gets a much bigger trunk, with about 17 cubic feet.

Up front, the A4 feels like an A8 luxury sedan writ small. Leather and heated seats are standard in most configurations, as is the Multi-Media Interface system, which controls most of the electronic gadgetry and is easier to use than BMW's still annoying iDrive.

If you want to go hog wild, you can also add assorted gizmos such as side assist (it lets you know if another car is in a blind spot), iPod integration, Bluetooth and a Bang & Olufsen stereo system.

What is most appealing in the end, though, is that the A4 is still content to fly under the radar. It's less about perceived prestige or extroverted design than simply serving as a comfortable and surefooted daily driver. It just handles a lot better than before.

The 2009 Audi A4 3.2 FSI at a Glance

Engine: 3.2-liter six-cylinder with 265 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque.

Transmission: Six-speed automatic.

Speed: 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds.

Gas mileage per gallon: 17 city; 26 highway.

Price as tested: $43,300.

Best features: Overall usability, comfort and handling.

Worst feature: The off-the-line power is lacking, even in the bigger engine.

Target buyer: The driver who wants to fly under the radar while keeping up on the highway.

Audi R3 Special Scoop

Audi is readying this stunning new R3 sports car, a mid-engined little brother to the R8 supercar. Developed in conjunction with parent firm Volkswagen, the Audi R3 could arrive in five years' time, with four-cylinder power to take on the Mazda MX-5 but not enough grunt to tread on the toes of Porsche’s Boxster (now an inhouse family rival, don't forget). The Audi R3 is a replacement for the stillborn R4.

It will be co-developed with a Volkswagen sports car; we’ll see a concept of VW's version in just a few months' time, before development starts in full for launch in 2013.
So just what is this Audi R3?
Plans are still at an early stage, but sister brand VW will test the waters with a mid-engined sports car concept at the November 2008 LA Auto Show (see the current October 2008 issue of CAR Magazine for the full scoop on the sporty VW).

The Audi R3 would – in effect – replace today's TT. ‘At the moment, both programmes run alongside each other, but as soon as production engineering begins, we must decide between the competing front- and mid-engine layouts for the TT,’ explains a source from Ingolstadt. ‘To keep the Audi a safe distance from the Boxster and Cayman, we are concentrating exclusively on four-cylinder engines.'

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I thought Audi had already been down this route with the R4?
The proposed mid-engined Audi R4 went nowhere – mainly because Porsche wanted to protect the Boxster and Cayman. Audi and VW have since learned their lesson. The new sports car concept thus aims at a wide but relatively conservative €25,000 to €45,000 (£20,000 to £35,000) price range.

The Audi R3's launch timing also carefully avoids the Boxster, which will be facelifted one last time late in 2008 before its replacement arrives in 2010. While the new Mk3 Boxster has practically cleared all R&D hurdles, the smaller mid-engined sports car concept by VW and Audi won´t be ready for production before 2013.
So why are VW at it again?
Former brand chief Wolfgang Bernhard gave a green light to the quirky looking Eco-Racer, which was duly shot down by the bean counters who could not see a market for the high-tech, high-price halo version nor for the low-cost, big-volume all-steel alternative.

Now Volkswagen Group chairman Martin Winterkorn is on the case, and one can safely assume that he enjoys the support of Ferdinand Piech, the powerful chairman of the supervisory board.

The proposal we are going to see at the 2008 LA show pursues three different strategic goals. It's flexible enough to provide VW and Audi with different variants, yet it's also cheap enough to take on the Mazda MX-5 which dominates the market segment.

The VW-Audi sports car will be mid-engined, so critics cannot accuse the car of being a tarted-up VW Golf, while Audi will also finally get the dynamic TT it has always wanted.
So the next Audi TT will be mid-engined? 
The TT replacement is due to appear in 2013 – and it sounds like it's going to become the sports car it always should have been. At last. ‘Going mid-engined would instantly silence critics who accuse the TT of being a reskinned overpriced Golf,’ comments our friend from Bavaria. ‘It would also work wonders in terms of price positioning and brand image, and it would complement the R8.’
What engines would power the Audi R3?
Audi would install the 180bhp 1.8-litre TFSI motor, a 2.0-litre version rated at 220bhp and a brawny S-line model good for some 280bhp, our sources suggest. Diesel TDI engines would also likely get the nod, with a frugal 125bhp variant of the latest 1.6-litre common-rail derv, plus 170 and 204bhp versions of the 2.0-litre.

While quattro four-wheel drive may be a useful marketing instrument, it does add weight and incur friction losses, and it is not an absolute necessity in terms of vehicle dynamics.

Although certain versions of the new TT would again challenge Boxster and Cayman in bhp and mph, price and prestige will remain key differentiators. Here's hoping Winterkorn and Piech get their wish.

Introducing the All-New 2009 Audi A4

In the early 90’s, Audi couldn’t sell a car in the United States to save their life. Then along came the A4, reviving sales, and ultimately Audi’s foothold in the luxury car segment in the U.S. The A4 is to Audi what the iPod was to Apple. This allowed Audi to live on, letting them develop some of the best new cars on the road, including the Audi S5, the popular TT, and everyone’s favorite everyday supercar, the R8.

No longer needing to revive the brand, Audi’s new A4 sedan and Avant (wagon) sets it’s sights on the Mercedes C Class and BMW 3 Series, working hard to make it the ultimate choice for an affordable luxury car. And it does exactly that. Starting at $32,700, the new A4 offers some excellent features and a great ride for under $40,000. 
The first thing you notice about the new A4 is that it’s bigger than the previous model. The width has increased by 2.1″, the length by 4.6″, the track by 1.8″, and the wheelbase by 6.6″. The difference is noticeable, and gives the A4 an overall size advantage against the other German competitors.

For 2009, Audi introduces an all-new 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder, which offers an impressive 211 horsepower and 258 lb/ft of torque, while still getting 30 MPG on the highway. The revised 3.2-liter V6 engine pushes out 265 horsepower and gets 26 MPG on the highway. The 2.0T will be available with either a FWD or Quattro drivetrain offering a 6-speed Tiptronic, 6-speed manual, or multitronic (CVT) transmissions (CVT only on FWD,) while the 3.2L V6 will only be available with the Tiptronic transmission and Quattro system.

Audi pulls another Starbucks-type move with the trim levels, calling the base model “Premium” then going up from there (much like Starbucks calls their small cup a “Tall.”) The “Premium” trim gets you standard sunroof, leather, 17″ alloy wheels, standard climate control, 1CD stereo system, and a standard auxiliary jack for plugging your MP3 player into the stereo. Looks like Audi finally realized that there are more MP3 players than just iPods.

Most people will go with the “Premium Plus” trim, which adds HID headlights, LED daytime running lamps, 10-spoke 17″ alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity, 3-zone climate control, heated seats, driver memory settings, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, chrome trim, Audi music interface, and a few other features. Unfortunately, the Audi music interface standard on this trim takes away the auxiliary jack, and leaves only the iPod connector. While the iPod integration into the system is cool (kind of like Ford SYNC, just no voice activation,) this still leaves us non-iPod users without a way to listen to our music. These standard auxiliary jacks are easy to integrate, and should be included on every stereo on a new car today.

The top-of-the-line “Prestige” trim adds 18″ alloys, Audi rear parking system, Advanced Keyless start/stop, the side assist lane change system, and the unbelievably great sounding Bang & Olufsen 14-speaker sound system.

Stand-alone options include adaptive cruise control, navigation, and various sport packages (which include different wheels, paddle shifters for Tiptronic transmissions, sport tires, sport suspension and sport seats.)

Also available is the Audi Drive Select system, which allows the driver to choose between comfort, dynamic, and auto settings. This system doesn’t just adjust suspension settings, it provides a luxury cruiser for the daily commute, and a true sports sedan for winding roads by adjusting multiple settings including throttle response, steering, shift points, and more. Don’t like the presets? You can change settings individually through the Audi MMI system. Unfortunately, the Drive Select system is only available on the “Prestige” trim level. So if you want Drive Select, you have to have the premium sound system, Advanced Key, bigger wheels, and lane change system. I wish they would have made it available on the “Premium Plus” trim as well.

Audi really went all out on the new A4 to make sure it was thought about every time the words “BMW 3-series” were uttered. The design is excellent with the new LED daytime running lights, increased size, and modern interior. They’ve lowered the wind resistance, made the parts lighter and stronger, made it more comfortable, and gave it more interior room. They’ve even made the air conditioner 20% lighter and consume 10% less fuel. With a few option and trim changes, the 2009 Audi A4 really could be the perfect sports sedan.

Expect to see the A4 sedan and Avant in showrooms next month. The sedan will start at $32,700, and the Avant at $34,500.

Star Cars that Shines Paris Motor Show

AUDI
The A1 Sportback concept goes into production in 2010 as the plain old A1, and what you see above in our picture gallery is roughly what you’ll get, minus the vertically split glass tailgate, the jazzy lights and possibly the carbon-fibre and plastic body panels. Audi aims to emphasise the sporty nature of this five-door, four-seat hatch, however, so the magnetic ride suspension might stay. Under the bonnet, the show car was powered by a hybrid engine emitting 92g/km of carbon dioxide, but at launch the A1 will come with a range of conventional diesel and petrol engines, including the 1.4 TFSI petrol unit.

At the other end of the fuel-supping spectrum, Audi showcased the new S4 saloon and its Avant estate version. No high-performance saloon is worth its salt these days without a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, so the new 330bhp V6 replaces the old V8 and emits 30 per cent less carbon than its predecessor while having “the potential” for a fuel consumption figure of 29mpg. Hmm... The S4 goes on sale in November, priced from £36,000.
BMW
The X1 might have been unveiled as a concept, but it’s basically the car that will appear in showrooms in 2010. Roughly the same length as an X3 but significantly lower, the X1 will be BMW’s entry-level SUV. Despite having four-wheel drive and an elevated ride height, the emphasis will be on the X1’s on-road ride and handling qualities. To make room for the new model in BMW’s existing range, the new X3 will be specified to a higher standard, with prices to match.

Also on the BMW stand were the new 7-series (full driving impressions will appear in these pages next week) and the facelifted 3-series, with an updated 330d diesel engine developing 245bhp.
CITROEN
Christian Streiff, President of the PSA Group, which owns both Citroen and Peugeot, declared the group’s ambitious vision that by 2010 - just two years away - every model range will have “stop and start” technology, and furthermore that the PSA hybrid diesel engine, called “Hymotion4” in conjunction with four-wheel drive, will go into production. “This group is the champion of the ecological car,” he said. Fifty per cent of all PSA Group car sales in Europe are models that emit under 140g/km of CO2.

There was also a nod to the current global economic meltdown: “ We are maintaining our market share in Europe in a little more difficult economic context than we had thought,” said Streiff. Wry smiles all round. None the less, by 2010 PSA plans 50 different body styles in order to cover 90 per cent of the global car market.

On the Citroen stand, the C3 Picasso is the latest addition to Citroen’s MPV family, styled as a magic box, “magic” as in 500 litres of storage, and “box” as in, er, not pretty. Due on sale next summer, its main competitor will be the Vauxhall Meriva, so expect a starting price of about 11,000 pounds.

The Hypnos is Citroen’s high-end, luxury green concept. The SUV/coupe crossover (this autumn’s must-have accessory for any self-respecting car company) houses the “Hymotion4” system. Will we see the Hypnos in production? Bits of it. Which bits? Wait and see. Very useful.

Also on show is the dramatic GT Concept, a fantasy creation destined to appear in the Gran Turismo video game.
FERRARI
The California is a 4.3-litre, 460bhp, 357lb ft, front-engined V8 Ferrari for women. No, we’re not sure what that last bit means either, but we’re driving it in a fortnight so we’ll let you know then. We sat in it on the stand and can report no sign of a special box for shoes or holes in the headrests for ponytails. So pretty unisex, really, apart from the slightly girly silver “California” badge in twirly script above the glove compartment. Still, it’s good of Ferrari to acknowledge that women can handle more than 100bhp. And then some - the California has a top speed of 192mph and reaches 62mph in four seconds. Cue the Beach Boys: “I wish they all could be California girls...” The car has a price tag of 179,000 euros (£140,909); the order book is open, with deliveries next summer. 

continued....

FORD
A phantasmagoria of marketing zeroed in on the launch of the second-generation Ford Ka, with weird lighting, a woman saxophone player, a “rawk” band, DJs, beautiful people, a real-life Bond girl (Olga Kurylenko, who plays Camille in the forthcoming Quantum Of Solace) plus Ford of Europe’s chief executive John Fleming, all bundled into a chi-chi night club on the right bank of the Seine. This was to usher in the tiny hatchback that wil be built at Fiat’s plant in Tychy, Poland and is based on the same chassis/floorpan as the Fiat 500 and Panda. My daughter Scarlett (16) has already sternly warned the company about “too much getting down with the kids”, but at least John Fleming manfully resisted the urge to do some dad-dancing with Olga, even if his hips did sway rather alarmingly.

Truth is, however, that the average age of a Ka buyer is far higher than Ford would care to admit. In fact the new Ka poses problems for Ford that it didn’t think it would face 12 years ago at the launch of the original. For a start it is a cooperative effort with Fiat, so factory gate prices are fixed, which means there is only limited room to sell the Ka at a loss if Ford thinks it can gain an advantage by doing so. The other thing is that Ka boosted production of Fiesta parts (on which it was based) at a time when the sales of the mainstay hatchback were sloping down at the end of its life. “Ka was too damn successful,” a Ford exec once told me. Ford thinks it still has room for manoeuvre on pricing and it will spin other models off the current Fiesta platform to maintain sales volumes. It might need to: Ford UK sales this year are down 21 per cent on 2007, although it is hardly an exception in that respect. Ka has in a cameo role in the forthcoming Bondathon, and you might want to wait until our driving impressions later this month before signing the cheque.

LAMBORGHINI
Gadzooks — a Lamborghini four-door, four-seat saloon. Strictly a concept at present, the Estoque (no, we don’t know how to pronounce it either) sports a detuned, 500bhp V10 engine from the Gallardo, with longer inlet tracts to reduce the engine’s height and to extend the torque curve further down the rev range. “It could take an FSi V8 engine, also a turbodiesel,” says chief engineer Maurizio Reggiani, which are words you will never have heard before from a Lamborghini engineer. With the engine completely behind the front axle line, it is officially classed a mid-front-engined and has a weight distribution of 55 per cent front, 45 per cent rear. The transmission is a seven-speed, twin-clutch DSG unit from the parent VW Group, driving all four wheels.

Will it be built? “It is a concept for our third model, but now we have to investigate whether the possibility exists,” says Reggiani. With Porsche’s forthcoming Panamerica and Aston Martin’s Rapide reintroducing the idea of four-seat coupé/saloons to the market, perhaps Lamborghini is on to something. “Even if the answer is yes, it will take four years to make it,” says Reggiani, although he admits he would feel happier about the future when the financial masters of the universe start earning their bonuses again.

LEXUS
More green stuff from a manufacturer of powerful, heavy, gas-guzzling cars. Next year’s RX SUV will be available with a hybrid powertrain only, like the current RX400h. No more petrol versions, ever. Lexus expects higher sales of the RX now it’s an acceptable SUV... even if a small diesel-engined Fiat Panda 4x4 would be a more environmentally friendly choice.

Also strutting its stuff was the IS 250C, the convertible IS with three-piece folding hard top. Power comes from a 2.5-litre V6 mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox with steering-wheel-mounted paddles. It will be on sale in the UK next summer and Lexus expects sales of 1,000 next year. Expect prices comparable with its nearest competitor, the BMW 3-series.

MAZDA
Kiyora apparently means “pure and proper” in Japanese, although most people associate it with a disgusting orange drink you used to dunk Wagon Wheels into at the cinema. Up to now these Mazda design studies have been based on supercar flights of fancy, although this hatchback is more serious. Well a bit. The engine is a 1.3-litre, direct-injection petrol unit that Mazda doesn’t actually make yet, ditto the transmission. It is undoubtedly a city car, but is it the new Mazda 1?


MERCEDES-BENZ
As if more evidence were needed that the downturn is affecting more than just city traders, consider Merc’s year-to-date UK sales drop of just over four per cent against Ford’s 21. The three-pointed star is concerned, though, that we don’t talk ourselves into a crisis. “We are not excluded from these changes in the market,” says sales and marketing vice president Klaus Maier.

He thinks that the Fascination concept could point the way to the future in more ways than one. It certainly debuts the face of next year’s E-class coupe, which will replace the CLK coupe, but could it become a model in its own right? These sleek coupe estates concepts have been tried in the past by Chevrolet and Saab. They don’t play well in the US, though, where the term “wagon” is derogative, but Maier thinks the Fascination could be built for European and Chinese markets if there is sufficient demand. “We could make it work without US sales,” he says, “but it is only a test of reaction at present.”

In the meantime a host of new Blue Efficiency model variants will be arriving on our shores in the next few months, including stop/start versions of the 150 and 170bhp A-class and B-class. These will simply replace the standard cars, which proves M-B is serious about the technology. The fully armoured S600 Guard model, however, will not be coming to the UK. “The company doesn’t think Britain is violent enough for it,” said a spokesman, who’s obviously never been to Portsmouth on a Saturday night.

MINI
The main story was the frankly pig-ugly Crossover Concept. In an effort to deflect attention from its looks, MINI has come up with a devilishly clever marketing strategy: the number four. As in fourth variant in the range, four doors, four-wheel drive, four single seats and four metres long. See what they’ve done there? Neat. It still looks weird though. We reported on this car in last month’s What’s New pages. Suffice to say it will appear on a road near you in the near future.

PEUGEOT
We reported on the stunning RC grand tourer concept last month; some of its styling will appear on the next 408, albeit toned down. Shame, although one Peugeot insider did hint that what we were looking at might be “a dress rehearsal” for something exciting at the 2010 Paris show. Ooooh. The full name for the concept is the RC Hymotion4, because under the bonnet is PSA’s hybrid system (see Citroen), although this time a 1.6-litre petrol engine joins the electric motor. The combined powertrain develops 313bhp and emissions of 109g/km.

Of more real-world significance was the Prologue concept, which in all but name is the new 3008 MPV. Sitting on a new platform, the Prologue/3008 will go on sale next year with a range of engines taken from the 308, which was at the show in CC convertible form and very fine it looked, too. Under the show car bonnet was yet another form of the Hymotion4 system, using a 2.0-litre diesel engine combined with an electric motor for 218bhp and 109g/km of CO2.

RENAULT
We’ve already seen (if not driven) the new Renault Mégane in five-door guise, but Paris marked the first appearance of the three-door coupé version. In the UK the five-door will go on sale in mid November, with the three-door coupé in the showrooms early in 2009. Prices are expected to start at about £13,000. After the previous model’s distinctive bustle, the five-door looks strangely staid, but the coupe is a real looker. It lacks the vertically hinged doors of the Geneva concept, but otherwise the coachwork of the production car follows that of the concept fairly closely. Renault design chief Patrick Le Quement was quoted as saying that if the production car wasn’t 80 per cent of the concept, “then I will eat it.” His knife and fork (and his digestion) can rest easy.

Also on show was the Ondelios, a strangely grey concept that some are speculating might form a bridge between Espace MPV and the compellingly weird Vel Satis and provide the basis for Renault’s future big car. Will Le Quement and his team be allowed off the leash again by Carlos Ghosn? We doubt it; far more likely is that a big car would share a conventional base with an existing Nissan floorpan.

VENTURI
Milk-float lookalike the Eclectic debuted as a concept two years ago, but this is the production version, which goes on sale next year at 15,000 euros (£11,808) for the basic lead-acid battery version and 18,500 (£14,563) for the lithium-ion version. A 31-mile range is common to both, the difference lies in the life of the battery packs; 2.5 years for the lead acid, eight years for the lithium ion. The roof-mounted solar panels are mainly there for effect as they develop only tiny amounts of electricity.

The dinky windmill, however, is said to generate about 10 miles worth of range after six hours spinning – as long as it is windy. For the most part the vehicles will be recharged via mains electricity, which in France is largely nuclear-generated. The vehicles will be built at a new factory near Le Mans.

In the meantime there are plans for a limited run of Fetish models; 25 only, price on application. Powered with lithium-ion batteries, this 112mph sports car will accelerate from 0-62mph in less than 4sec. Venturi also debuted a design study based on Michelin’s advanced electric wheel motors called the Volage. A pretty little Lotus Elise-style sport coupe, this running prototype will be on display at next year’s Michelin Bibendum Challenge for alternative propulsion vehicles.


VOLKSWAGEN
Big announcements for VW: plans are in action to get the emissions of the Golf BlueMotion (the most economical variant) down to just 99g/km of CO2 from its 1.6-litre diesel engine, and the same engine in next winter’s Passat will produce 109g/km. Meanwhile, for those who think “green” is simply a bad colour choice for cars, the new GTI was on display. Power comes from a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder TSI unit developing 208bhp; that’s a gain of 9bhp over the MkV but emissions, naturally, are down, to 178g/km. Sales will start early next summer with prices announced nearer the time.

VOLVO
Not a thirsty XC90 SUV in sight. Instead, the stand was full of Volvo’s DRIVe, sub-120g/km range, which is available in C30, S40 and V50 guise. A new 1.6-litre diesel engine pushes all three models into VED band B, with CO2 figures of 115g/km for the C30 and 118g/km for the S40 and V50. A subtle DRIVe emblem adorns the bodywork. First deliveries will be in January; prices start at £15,410 for the C30 and rise to £21,660 for the V50 in SE Lux trim.

Meanwhile, three days into the job, Volvo’s new chief executive Stephen Odell was anxious to tell the world that he is not in the job to sell the company for owners, Ford. “No one at Ford said, ‘Get the bride ready’,” said the former chief operating officer for Ford of Europe. “My job is to get Volvo back to sustained profitability.”

Odell is Volvo’s first non-Swedish CEO and he is anxious to respect the company’s traditions even if he needs to make some hard decisions in the next few weeks, including a likely round of job losses, which will follow the 3,000 redundancies made already this year.

“The market is tough to predict,” he said, “but we need to match our cost base to where we think we will be. I am reviewing fixed costs at the moment and we need to move very quickly. I am more than aware that every piece of paper we look at means people and families.”

Odell is planning to announce a round of cost reductions at the end of the month, but claims that will be it for the foreseeable future. The company is at least 200,000 short of its Ford-imposed target of 600,000 annual sales, but Odell says he is pretty happy with Volvo’s business and model plans even if the market contracts sharply. “I am not looking at target sales,” he said, “I just want Volvo’s unfair [sic] share of whatever business is out there.” 

New Audi A1 Sportback Concept

Audi has released the official details on its new A1 Sportback concept that debuts at the Paris Motor Show. At 13.09 ft long, the A1 is a couple of inches longer than a MINI Clubman and features a hybrid drivetrain. Power comes from a 150 hp TFSI four cylinder with turbocharging and direct injection. The engine's output is blended with the output of a 20 kW, 111 lb-ft electric motor and sent through a 6-speed dual clutch S Tronic transmission. The electric motor is sandwiched between the engine and transmission and can provide electric boost as well as electric only drive at low speeds. The lithium ion battery pack has plug-in capability and is claimed to be able to propel the car for 62 miles in electric only mode. The car can acclerate from 0-100 kph in 7.9 seconds and still get 60.3 mpg (U.S.). Carbon dioxide emissions are a mere 92 g/km.
Compact five-door model with hybrid drive
Audi A1 Sportback concept 
At the Paris Motor Show (October 2-10, 2008), Audi is unveiling the
A1 Sportback concept study: following on from the Audi A1 project quattro,
the three-door show car presented in 2007, this is a concept for a five-door
four-seater for the sub-compact class – once again exhibiting all the
characteristics of a genuine Audi. The 3.99-meter long (13.09 ft) and
1.75-meter wide (5.74 ft) vehicle combines cutting-edge, dynamic styling with
optimum economy of space and supreme quality. At the same time, a series of
visionary technical solutions take efficiency, dynamism and motoring
pleasure into new territory as only Audi knows how.

Audi is presenting another version of the innovative hybrid technology in the
drive unit for the A1 Sportback concept. At work under the hood is a 1.4-litre
TFSI engine developing 110 kW (150 hp), whose power is directed to the front
wheels by means of the S tronic dual-clutch transmission. A 20 kW (27 hp)
electric motor integrated in the drive train is able to deliver up to an additional
150 Nm of torque (110.63 lb-ft) when the vehicle is accelerating. During the
boosting phase, i.e. when the TFSI engine and electric motor operate
simultaneously to enable a sporty driving style, the two power packs deliver
impressive propulsion. The tried-and-tested front-wheel drive – supplemented by
the newly developed, ESP-controlled active front differential lock – ensures
optimum transfer of power to the road.

The electric motor is furthermore capable of powering the vehicle alone for zero-
emission driving in residential areas, for instance. The capacity of the lithium-ion
batteries gives the vehicle a range of up to 100 km (62.14 miles) in pure electric
mode; the motor can be recharged from any power socket. The automatic
start/stop facility, energy regeneration and phases of purely electrical operation
reduce the fuel consumption and emissions of the Audi A1 Sportback concept by
almost 30 percent compared to when it is running on the combustion engine
alone. Despite its sporty performance, with acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h
(62.14 mph) in 7.9 seconds and a top speed of 200 km/h (124.27 mph), the Audi
A1 Sportback concept requires only 3.9 liters of premium fuel per 100 km
(60.31 US mpg); CO2 emissions are an efficient 92 g/km (148.06 g/mile)
source:autobloggreen

Audi Mull Low-Cost, Mid-Engine Sports Cars

At the Los Angeles auto show in November, Volkswagen will unwrap a new mid-engine sports car concept. This marks the third iteration of a theme that started in 2003 with the Concept R and continued in 2005 with the EcoRacer.

The main force behind an affordable mid-engine sports car was Bernd Pischetsrieder. The ousted Volkswagen Group boss wanted to create a lightweight, budget-priced roadster along the lines of the Lotus Elise. There was even talk of Lotus building the car for VW, but in the end, no decision was made. Former VW brand chief Wolfgang Bernhard picked up the idea and green-lighted the quirky-looking EcoRacer, which was duly shot down by the bean counters. Now Martin Winterkorn, the current VW Group chairman, is on the case, and one can safely assume that he enjoys the support of Ferdinand Piëch, the powerful chairman of the supervisory board. The proposal we'll see in L.A. pursues three different strategic goals:

For Volkswagen, it provides an attractive product in a niche that has long been defined by the Mazda Miata.
For Audi, it offers the opportunity to switch the next-generation TT from the current FWD/AWD platform to a much more prestigious and more dynamically rewarding mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout.
For Porsche (which recently cleared another legal hurdle in its quest to take control of VW), there's a chance to join the fray with a modern successor to the rear-engine 356.

It's a fascinating scenario, but it's completely unclear whether VW and Audi can pull off the idea. The problem is Porsche and its desire to protect the Boxster/Cayman, which is what killed the Audi R4, the proposed little brother to the R8.

Audi and VW have since learned the lesson. Thus, the new sports car concept aims at a relatively inexpensive, $25,000-to-$45,000 price range. Its launch timing - 2013 at the earliest - also carefully avoids competing with the Boxster, which undergoes a redesign in 2010.
Masterminded by Ulrich Hackenberg (R&D) and Marc Lichte (design), the sporty concept is compact, minimalist, and light. Since custom multilink axles are very expensive, we're likely to see a strut-based suspension; steering, brakes, dual-clutch transmission, and electronic systems would be sourced from the corporate parts bin. To steer clear of the Boxster, only four-cylinder engines would be used. VW would probably offer turbocharged 1.2- and 1.4-liter units good for between 105 hp and 160 hp. Audi would obviously go more upmarket and install a 180-hp, 1.8-liter turbocharged engine, a 2.0-liter version rated at 220 hp, and a 280-hp unit for an S-line model. Diesels are also a possibility. While Quattro four-wheel drive may be a useful marketing tool, it adds weight and incurs friction losses, and in this case, it's hardly a necessity in terms of vehicle dynamics.

"Sometimes, Porsche is too stupid to recognize an opportunity when we see one," states a critical voice from Stuttgart. "The Cayenne and the pending diesel/hybrid engine deals prove the value of cooperation. So why shouldn't Porsche use this opportunity to revive the 356? The most frequently voiced argument cites high production volumes, which would allegedly devalue the brand and overstretch our sales network. But who says that high volumes are a must? Isn't it time to create a car that is by definition in short supply, that is so desirable it will automatically build up its own hype, and that follows an innovative boutique approach in appearance and configuration?" A new 356 could almost revolutionize the segment below the Boxster by realizing a new level of performance, handling, style, and, yes, social acceptance - after all, we're not talking about a new 914 or a 924 here. But to make it work, the generals in charge must move from confrontation to cooperation. Says a senior manager from Porsche headquarters: "From now on, the sole deciders are pride, prejudice, and politics." 

2008 Audi S5 Coupe Quattro MT6

2008 AUDI S5 COUPE QUATTRO MT6

Base Price: $50,500

As Tested: $58,490

Type: Front-engine, all-wheel drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe.

Engine: 4.2-liter V-8

Power: 354 hp, 325 lb-ft torque

Transmission: 6-speed manual

MPG: 14 city/21 hwy

source:foxnews

When a company paints a car "meteor gray" with a "magma red" interior, certain expectations are raised. They could just as easily call the colors "cloud and rose" or "dolphin and lipstick."

Clearly Audi has something else in mind.

The 2008 S5 is the company's first foray into the compact sport coupe segment since it stopped selling the legendary Quattro nearly two decades ago. Since then Audi has been taking on BMW's vaunted M3 with a lineup of sedans, wagons and even convertibles, avoiding a direct confrontation with the two-door king of the hill.

Let the battle begin.

The S5 comes loaded for bear with a 354-horsepower version of Audi's 4.2-liter V-8 and a brand new all-wheel drive chassis that also underpins the more pedestrian A5 on which it is based.

This being the sport model, it has an angrier-looking face, rubber-band-thin high-performance tires mounted on 19-inch rims and an interior dressed up with lots of go-fast bits. A pair of the kind of sports seats you dream about having every time you see one of those beautiful winding road signs with the S-curve painted on it give you a place to enjoy it all from.

Sitting there you'll find a six-speed manual transmission close at hand (an automatic is also available) and a black, leather-covered steering wheel dressed up with some spicy red stitching. The materials are of the high quality we've come to expect from Audi, and the dashboard takes on a much more driver-oriented demeanor than past efforts.

The shapes of the instruments are modern, but chrome accents add a touch of old-school sports car. With a single cowl taking in the instrument panel and center stack, the S5 has a serious cockpit feel to it, though the driving experience is more B-2 bomber than F-22.