Audi Archives

New Audi A6 To Be Unveiled In Geneva [+Video]

In 1968, almost a half-century ago, the first Audi 100 was unveiled in Ingolstadt, Germany. As Audi’s first entry into the line of full-size business sedans, the Audi 100 was a successful model and the flagship of the brand at that time, providing a solid foundation for Audi’s premium positioning. Over the years, the Audi 100 would evolve into the Audi A6 (since midway through the fourth-generation), becoming one of the most successful Audi vehicle models and the leading character of the business class. Here’s a look at the new car, while paying homage to the original!

Now in its eighth-generation, the all-new Audi A6 continues to push and redefine the limits of what is possibly the most competitive segment; the Business Class.

With a stunning arsenal of modern technology set to revolutionise every aspect of the vehicle, whether it’s the dynamic all-wheel steering with mild-hybrid engine, all-digital MMI touch response system with Audi connect and a wider array of driver assistance systems, this is the future of business mobility.

For more intricate and full details on the new 2018 Audi A6, click this: Press Release – The All-New Audi A6, Upgrade in the Business Class

The new Audi A6 is due to roll-off the assembly line at the Audi Neckarsulm site and will launch on the German market in June 2018. The basic price as the Audi A6 Sedan 50 TDI Quattro is 58,050 Euros (approx RM280,000 before taxes).

2018 Audi A6 Photo Gallery…

Audi Q5 and Q7 earns top marks in crash tests

This may not be much of a surprise to many, but the Audi Q5 and Q7 have been awarded the 5-Star safety rating, the highest possible score for crash safety. The US’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the rating for it’s new car assessment programme. This figure is based on an overall score of frontal and side crash tests.

“Having the Q5 and Q7 earn the highest safety rating from NHTSA shows our commitment to make overall crash worthiness and superior driver assistance systems a top priority for our customers,” said Scott Keogh, president, Audi of America.

Both vehicles come equipped with Audi’s pre-sense safety systems that offer a slew of safety features. For instance, when an impact is imminent, the system shuts the windows and panoramic roof, then tightens the front seat belts to keep occupants in a secured position.

Adding to that, the system can apply braking pressure when it senses an impending collision. Sensors on the sides monitor the blind spots and warn drivers of the presence of other vehicles there. Working together, these systems ensure that both the Q5 and Q7 minimize the risk of collisions.

Like other German automakers, occupant safety is one of the highest priorities for Audi. Its current product line offer some of the best levels of safety. And the introduction of autonomous tech should improve safety standards even further and help reduce the severity of vehicle collisions.

Top 10 list of appreciating classics

Ever thought of buying a car for investment purposes? Most naysayers will have you believe that purchasing a vehicle with the sole intention of selling it on for a profit, is a waste of time. But in actual fact, not only is that possible, but certain enthusiasts have managed to turn the idea into a profitable business.

The key is to purchase a vehicle that has a certain value, the same value that may appreciate overtime. This depends on certain factors that include rarity, desirability and driving enjoyment. This is what hpi, a UK based automotive data company plans on accomplishing. They have listed 10 classic cars that may increase in value in the not so distant future.

Motoring expert Clive Owen has shortlisted these cars based on the following criteria: cheap to acquire, are holding their values and could potentially become future collectors’ items. The list of said vehicles are:

Vauxhall VX 220
Peugeot 205 GTi
Audi TT MKI 3.2
BMW Z3
Citroen C6
Rover Mini
Alfa Romeo GTV
Nissan Cube
Mazda RX8

Regarding the topic, Owen said, “Classic cars have shot up in value over the last few years and in many cases represent a great investment opportunity. Classics in particular are snapped up by collectors and enthusiasts, so prices are constantly on the rise.”

He added, “The trick is how best to spot trends before they take place and maybe even try to redefine what is actually recognized as a classic. Future classics don’t necessarily have to be decades old, luxurious or expensive to begin with.”

Apart from vehicular investment advice, hpi also offers online vehicle evaluations services allowing consumers the ability to buy and sell cars with confidence. Adding to that, it also provides potential buyers with ownership costs over a vehicle’s lifespan and precise depreciation figures.

Bugatti and Bentley get new CEOs, Winkelmann to head the former

Some changes are a foot at the Volkswagen Group according to an article by Top Gear UK. Bentley and Bugatti, two of its high performance sub-brands will each receive a new CEO. This news comes after Wolfgang Dürheimer who is currently the CEO of both brands, announced his retirement.

Instead of replacing Dürheimer with a single employee, VW has opted to separate both roles by picking Adrian Hallmark as the head honcho of Bentley and Stefan Winkelmann as the head of hypercar maker, Bugatti.

Hallmark previously held various top executive sales positions at Bentley, VW, Porsche and Saab. His appointment as CEO of Bentley is one of several major decisions that will take place over the course of the next few years. This is due to four Bentley board members, including Dürheimer, who are about to reach the retirement age at about the same time.

Stefan Winkelmann, who was elected to lead Audi Sport last year, will now be in charge of ensuring that Bugatti continues to dominate the high end market of luxury supercars. Prior to his appointment at Audi, Winkelmann was at the helm of Lamborghini for about 11 years.

During his tenure at the Italian manufacturer, Winkelmann helped to turn the company’s fortunes around from an ailing automaker into one that has a strong product portfolio and decent cash flow. He also saw the introduction of the Gallardo, Lamborghini’s most successful vehicle to date.

The car was also partly responsible for the Italian automaker’s financial health and relatively steady recovery. It shared quite a bit with Audi’s R8 supercar but was still unique enough to ensure that the essence of Lamborghini was not diluted in anyway.

Now, with the appointment of Winkelmann at Bugatti, the same magic that played a part in Lamborghini’s recovery, could work for the French automaker as well. If true, this would be the best time for it as the company looks to stave off attacks from Koenigsegg who seem hell bent on stealing the hypercar crown.

Source: Top Gear UK

Audi A7 Sportback comes loaded with AI technology

Audi’s new A7 Sportback sports improved looks, performance and is brimming with technology. It is said to combine the practicality of a station wagon with the svelte curves of a sedan. Featuring Audi’s new design language, the car has been fitted with the latest drivertrain and mild hybrid technologies.

At the front, the single-frame grille, narrower headlights and contoured air inlets provide the car, which is wider and lower than the A8, with a more elegant and more classy look. The design and arrangement of the 12 adjacent lighting segments that are separated by narrow spaces mimic that of the binary digits, 0 and 1.

The car’s long and sleek bonnet, short overhangs and muscular stance makes the A7 Sportback a very good looking car. As for its dimensions, the car is 4,969 millimeters long, has a wheelbase of 2,926 millimeters and is 1,908 millimeters wide, but is only 1,422 millimeters high.

https://youtu.be/rwbYr6Mzb7Y

Audi’s tapered rear design is retained for the new car with its larger rear harch terminating with a curved lip and an integrated rear spoiler that rises at high speeds. The animated rear lights turn on when locking and unlocking the car – its a sight to behold as are the turn signals.

Inside, Audi’s meticulous attention to detail has allowed for a neat layout of the array of switchgear. The 10.1-inch upper display that is titled toward the driver features black panel optics and a graphite grey aluminium clasp. It is operated by the MMI touch interface system that replaces the older rotary push button setup.

At the bottom of that, there’s a second 8.6-inch display that is used to access the climate control system, comfort functions and text input. Available as optional extras are a head-up display system and a more sophisticated 12.3-inch display that offers virtual switch gear instead of physical ones.

This MMI package will be made available with a choice of two sound system upgrades with the noteworthy onr being the Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System capable of delivering advanced 3D sound.

AI or artifical intelligence is at the heart of the A7 Sportback, and by pushing the AI button, drivers will be able to active the remote parking pilot and remote garage pilot systems. They allow the vehicle to maneuver in and out of parking spaces autonomously.The driver can even get out of the car and activate the system via the MyAudi app and allow the car to do the rest.

Monitoring the car’s autonomous activity is the central driver assistance controller (zFAS) that merges the data from a sophisticated set of sensors to continually compute an image of the surroundings. Depending the upgrades that are chosen, the A7 Sportback can come with as many as five radar sensors, five cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a laser scanner.

This generation of the car is equipped with a new mild hybrid system that consises of a V6 engine and a 48-volt primary electrical system. A belt alternator starter (BAS) recuperates energy under braking, which can be up to 12kW of power, and stores it within a lithium-ion battery.

The V6 engine is a 3.0-litre TFSI turbo engine that produces close to 340bhp and 500Nm of torque. Coupled with a 7-speed S tronic dual clutch gearbox, it allows the car to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 5.3 seconds. The quattro drivetrain which consists of a clever all-wheel drive and steering systems allow for better maneuverability and stability.

At cruising speeds, the A7 Sportback is able to coast in freewheeling mode with the engine shut off but then restarts it via the BAS, once more power is required. Adding to that, the new start-stop function uses a front mounted camera that can anticipate when the vehicle in front is about to move, and activates or shuts off the engine accordingly.

Audi says that the new A7 Sportback will be in showrooms in places like the UK as early as the beginning of next year. Built in Neckarsulm, Germany, the car should hit markets worldwide sometime next year, though the exact details haven’t been revealed yet.

Audi unveils new electric racer that will compete in the 2017/18 Formula E championship

Audi will be fielding its first ever factory-backed Formula E racer this coming season. The car adorns a livery that has a white, metallic green and black paint scheme. Due to the restrictive nature of the sport, there’s very little that teams can do with regards to the design.

Teams and manufacturers are only allowed to develop the motor, transmission, parts of the suspension and their respective software. Audi claims its motor-generator unit, that is the heart of its e-tron FE04 racer, has been engineered to deliver greater efficiency. Transmitting power to the wheels is a high-efficiency transmission with only one gear that should lower power loses.

This year’s Formula E championship winner, Lucas di Grassi, will be piloting the new Audi e-tron FE04 and his teammate for the upcoming season will be a youngster named Daniel Abt. Lucas di Grassi will be driving the car with a number ‘1’ badge while his teammate gets ’66’ on his with additional red colored markings to enable spectators to differentiate between both cars.

“After nearly 40 years of being successfully active in Motorsport on the highest level, Audi now becomes the first German automobile manufacturer to compete in Formula E in order to test and advance the development of new technologies for production,” says Peter Mertens, Member of the Board of Management, Technical Development, AUDI AG.

“Following quattro, TFSI, TDI, hybrid drive and many other innovations, our first single-seater race car is a portent of our product offensive in the field of electric mobility that we are ringing in with the Audi e-tron in 2018,” he later added.

Called Team Audi Sport ABT Schaeffle, the factory-backed Formula E team will be lead by team principle, Allan McNish. It’s a name that needs no introduction, McNish is veteran when it comes to Motorsports and was involved in number of racing disciplines that included Formula 1.

He has been an Audi factory driver for many years and is a celebrated three-time Le Mans winner. McNish, brings a significant amount of knowledge of racing to the team, which should give it a considerable advantage during the new season.

The Audi e-tron FE04 will make its racing debut at the Formula E season opener in Hong Kong on December 2, 2017. That said, Audi will be readying the car for test sessions within the coming days. First, the car’s abilities will be put on display by Daniel Abt during the E-Mobility Play Days at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Then, the team heads to Valencia, Spain, which is the official venue of the Formula E pre-season tests. Audi will be putting both cars and drivers through their paces as they gear up for the upcoming 2017/2018 Formula E season.

Princess Diana’s Audi to be sold at auction

Princess Diana ‘s 1994 Audi Cabriolet will go under the hammer at Coys auction at Blenheim Palace on the 15th of July. This is only fitting considering that the location was also the birthplace of Winston Churchill and is also considered a World Heritage site.

This particular Audi is expected to sell between RM 193,288 to RM 220,900 due to the fact that the car was previously driven by, arguably, one of the most influential female figures of the 1990s. It was loaned to Princess Diana for personal use by Dovercourt Audi of St Johns Wood and is now up for sale just a few days after another Audi, also used by her, went under the hammer.

The car is still registered as L541 GJD and has been storage for many years. In 2004, the car was purchased by the current owner and used as a daily driver to ferry the family around until 2009. Once he discovered the importance and significance of the Audi, the car was promptly kept away in storage, to preserve it until it was put up for sale.

It was been featured in several media images showing the Princess stepping in and out of the car with the number plate clearly visible. Despite the Audi’s relative importance, it will probably be overshadowed by the likes of the 1926 Bugatti Type 37 that will also go under the hammer during the auction. It is said that the car might fetch RM 2,209,000 to RM 3,313,500 because it is considered as one of three Type 37s supplied in 1926 to Bugatti agent and world speed record holder Malcolm Campbell.

How well both cars do remains to be seen. So, stay tuned and we will let you know later on, how much these cherished vehicles are sold for at the auction.

Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus is the most powerful convertible in company history

Audi has announced its fastest series-production convertible – the R8 Spyder V10 Plus. Like the Coupe, it will have a naturally aspirared 5.2-litre FSI V10 engine that produces nearly 610bhp and 560Nm of torque. It has nearly a 70bhp power advantage over the standard R8 Spyder V10, giving it that little bit of an edge.

A seven-speed S tronic dual clutch transmission is tasked with sending the engine’s power to the all-wheel-drive quattro drive system. This level of performance will allow the R8 Spyder to accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 3.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 327km/h.

It takes just 20 seconds to open or close the hood at speeds of up to 50km/h, which is on par with that offered by competitor supercars in the same category.

The car will also be fitted with an array of equipment which include an infotainment system, Audi Drive Select, sophisticated suspension setup, ceramic brakes, R8 bucket seats, Audi virtual cockpit, exclusive micrommata green paint finish and carbon trim panels both inside and out.

Like its Coupe brethern, the Audi drive select system alters the vehicle’s accelerator pedal feel, gearchanges, steering sensitivity, flaps, exhaust sytem and mangetic ride damper control based on the individual drive mode that is selected.

The body is made from the Multimaterial Audi Space Frame (ASF) and incorporates aluminum and CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer) in its construction. In total, the R8 Spyder body, weighs just 208kg and is said to have exceptional structural rigidity. It is about 25kg lighter than that of the R8 V10 thanks to the various different materials used and other weight saving measures.

This is the first time in the German automaker’s history that the Plus version has been made available as a Spyder. And as a whole, Audi says that the car will deliver exceptional levels of performance thanks to a powerful engine, lightning quick DCT gearbox and an intelligent quattro system. The car should go on sale by the end of this month in Europe.

Audi to be first to test autonomous car in New York

Audi has become the first automaker to test its autonomous vehicles in New York. It intends to demonstrate and test the abilities of its self driving cars in the Big Apple with Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) Level 3 automation. SAE’s Level 3 is a classification for vehicles that are capable of automated driving at posted highway speeds when specific conditions are met.

Testing will begin in mid-June where two trained engineers will be present in each of these Audi vehicles while the autonomous tests are conducted. One will be seated in front and the other in the back seat to monitor the vehicle’s systems and ensure that they are working as intended.

According to the automaker, Audi’s autonomous demonstration vehicle has already covered thousands of kilometers on limited access highways across the US safely and without incident. This is a testament to the reliability of the automaker’s self-driving systems that allow the vehicles to navigate through public roads and traffic safely.

Unlike certain other US states, New York is more open to idea of allowing self driving vehicles on its city streets. Last month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New York was accepting applications from companies interested in testing or demonstrating autonomous vehicles on public roads. New legislation was included in New York’s 2018 financial year budget to allows for testing autonomous technology through a year-long pilot programme.

Regarding this, Scott Keogh, president of Audi of America said, “We have been leading the way in the development of piloted driving technology for more than a decade now, and testing in real-world environments is a key step in our pursuit of safer roads. We applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership and stand ready to assist in defining how this future will unfold in the Empire State now and for years to come.”

The routes that will be used for Audi’s tests have been pre-approved by the New York Sate Police its application was approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The Police department will review the routes that will be taken and supervise the test demonstrations.

Audi adds Rimau Internationl to dealer network

Audi Malaysia has announced that Japanese based Rimau International is the latest addition to its authorised dealer network, making it the 9th exclusive Audi retailer in the country. The company began operations in the fourth quarter of 2016 at a temporary facility in Setia Alam, which is equipped with a showroom and two service bays that are manned by 15 sales and after sales consultants.

Regarding the latest addition, Sridheevan Sivanantham, Director of Sales at Audi Malaysia, said, “We at Audi Malaysia are truly delighted to welcome Rimau International into the fold as our newest dealer partner. They bring with them a wealth of experience from Japan, where they also operate a number of Audi dealerships in Kyoto.”

Yasuhiko Osada, Managing Director of Rimau International mentions, “Back in Japan, we have represented the Audi brand for over 25 years. We have seen the brand with the four rings take on a leading position in the premium automotive segment, and I am very happy that our partnership has been able to bear fruit outside of our home market.”

Eventually, Rimau International will be moving into its 4-story 4S facility in the first quarter of 2018. Once the 100,000 sq. ft facility is completed, it will be the largest Audi dealership in Malaysia. And will have a reception and lounge area to tend to customers and allow them to rest while they wait for the delivery of their vehicles. It’s showroom area will be able to accommodate 12 new cars and an additional space for 8 pre-owned ones that are from Audi’s approved plus section. The service area is equipped with 20 service bays to ensure that the company will be able to accomodate a high volume of vehicles.

According to Audi, investments will also be made in other areas to ensure that the facility is fully equipped with the latest equipment, tools and and is able to offer technical training to its designated staff members.

Audi will be commemorating the launch the Setia Alam dealership by organising the Audi Setia Alam Bonanza Weekend from 12 – 14 May 2017. Audi’s current line-up of vehicles will be on display for the general public to view and experience. There will also be enticing promotions and gifts to be won. If you would like to know more about this bonanza weekend, you can contact Audi personnel at the dealership at 03-3362 6224.

Piston.my

Audi

New Audi A6 To Be Unveiled In Geneva [+Video]

Audi Q5 and Q7 earns top marks in crash tests

Top 10 list of appreciating classics

Bugatti and Bentley get new CEOs, Winkelmann to head the former

Audi A7 Sportback comes loaded with AI technology

Audi unveils new electric racer that will compete in the 2017/18 Formula E championship

Princess Diana’s Audi to be sold at auction

Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus is the most powerful convertible in company history

Audi to be first to test autonomous car in New York

Audi adds Rimau Internationl to dealer network

Audi E-tron GT Ditetapkan untuk 2025 Facelift

Audi E-tron GT Set for Mid-Lifecycle Update

Audi S3 Menerima Peningkatan Ketara untuk Model Tahun 2025

The Audi S3 Receives Significant Upgrades for 2025 Model Year

Audi Memperkenalkan Q6 E-Tron 2025 – 483hp, 0-100km/j Dalam 4.2 Saat

Audi’s Electric Vision: The 2025 Q6 E-Tron Unleashed

Audi A3 2025 Datang Dengan Perkhidmatan Langganan

2025 Audi A3: Enhanced Design, Advanced Tech, and Subscription Services

Audi S3 Baharu Menjanjikan Kuasa dan Kepantasan yang Luar Biasa

Audi Teases Revamped S3 Before Official Debut

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