VW Group plan puts Porsche in charge of a 'super-premium' division
It will coordinate efforts at Audi, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini
An Automobile report looks into what's happening on the organizational and technical sides of the Volkswagen Group, and what those changes could mean for the premium brands. The wide-angle view is that Porsche appears to have been anointed to "coordinate the future activities" at Audi, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini. Audi would cede Lamborghini guardianship to Stuttgart, and Ducati — via a new concern called Ducati Enterprises — would become the shepherd for VW's other Italian investments. Executives target Jan. 1, 2019, to complete the reshuffle.
VW wants to save a boodle by tying up four of its five top-tier brands, and putting the one with the highest ROI in charge. Porsche,
within its own house, wants to reduce expenditures by $2.3 billion per
year over for four years, the savings already earmarked for improving
internal processes like R&D and production. Having Porsche share
those gains as well as lead development of platforms, components and
future-tech strategies for the sister sports car brands could benefit everyone.
(AutoBlog.com)
Showing posts with label audi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label audi. Show all posts
Monday, July 23, 2018
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
I'm Saddened By This
Audi Drops Remaining Manuals In U.S. A4 and A5 Models
[B]ecause the sales rate is so low—Audi says only 5 percent of A4 buyers worldwide chose a no-cost manual transmission option—the company is dropping the shifting stick from the A4 and A5 model line for the 2019 model year. This leaves Audi’s U.S. lineup devoid of any manual transmission options.
(Jalopnik.com)
[B]ecause the sales rate is so low—Audi says only 5 percent of A4 buyers worldwide chose a no-cost manual transmission option—the company is dropping the shifting stick from the A4 and A5 model line for the 2019 model year. This leaves Audi’s U.S. lineup devoid of any manual transmission options.
(Jalopnik.com)
Friday, July 6, 2018
Smart Move Audi, Very Smart Financially Savy Move
Audi Bails on 'Traffic Jam Pilot' Driver Assist for Us Americans
Last year, Audi announced it would be bringing a suite of driver assist technologies, “Traffic Jam Pilot,” to the United States, but it would be difficult to get that approved through U.S. auto regulations. it turns out, it was too much for Audi, which has bailed.
(Jalopnik.com)
Last year, Audi announced it would be bringing a suite of driver assist technologies, “Traffic Jam Pilot,” to the United States, but it would be difficult to get that approved through U.S. auto regulations. it turns out, it was too much for Audi, which has bailed.
(Jalopnik.com)
Friday, January 5, 2018
Did You Know - Audi S4 B7 Edition
9 Things You Need To Know Before Buying A V8 Audi S4
It's horribly expensive to change the timing chain tensioners
When it comes to buying one of these cars, Awesome GTI’s Hassan Fazel has two main pieces of advice: make sure it’s been serviced at the proper intervals, and check carefully for excessive timing chain rattling on a cold start.
“If oil servicing has not been done, oil galleys can get blocked and this can cause issues to the timing chains,” he said. Once the tensioners start to slack, you could end up with a misfire and a check engine light for your troubles.
If the chain and tensioners do have to be changed, you’re in for a world of financial pain. The parts themselves are only “a few hundred pounds,” but for everything to be fitted, the engine has to come out, giving you a bill that will run into the thousands.
It’s something to bear in mind if you’re looking at an S4 that’s done over 100,000 miles. Want to prolong the life of the chain? Keep up with the oil changes, and make sure it’s the right oil ( 0w40 or 5w40). Waiting until it’s warm before you thrash it is going to help too, but hopefully you already know that.
There are other things to look out for
While a good service record and a healthy chain are the main things you need to be wary of, there are other things to keep in mind. If you’re buying an automatic, it’s worth getting the gearbox oil changed immediately as “the chances are it hasn’t been done,” Hassan says. “Trying to source a second-hand ‘box for one of these is very, very difficult,” he warns. It’s a good idea to get the rear differential oil changed, too.
Finally, make sure the air conditioning of your prospective S4 is working, as broken condensers are a common complaint and aren’t cheap to fix.
Complete list (CarThrottle.com)
It's horribly expensive to change the timing chain tensioners
When it comes to buying one of these cars, Awesome GTI’s Hassan Fazel has two main pieces of advice: make sure it’s been serviced at the proper intervals, and check carefully for excessive timing chain rattling on a cold start.
“If oil servicing has not been done, oil galleys can get blocked and this can cause issues to the timing chains,” he said. Once the tensioners start to slack, you could end up with a misfire and a check engine light for your troubles.
If the chain and tensioners do have to be changed, you’re in for a world of financial pain. The parts themselves are only “a few hundred pounds,” but for everything to be fitted, the engine has to come out, giving you a bill that will run into the thousands.
It’s something to bear in mind if you’re looking at an S4 that’s done over 100,000 miles. Want to prolong the life of the chain? Keep up with the oil changes, and make sure it’s the right oil ( 0w40 or 5w40). Waiting until it’s warm before you thrash it is going to help too, but hopefully you already know that.
There are other things to look out for
While a good service record and a healthy chain are the main things you need to be wary of, there are other things to keep in mind. If you’re buying an automatic, it’s worth getting the gearbox oil changed immediately as “the chances are it hasn’t been done,” Hassan says. “Trying to source a second-hand ‘box for one of these is very, very difficult,” he warns. It’s a good idea to get the rear differential oil changed, too.
Finally, make sure the air conditioning of your prospective S4 is working, as broken condensers are a common complaint and aren’t cheap to fix.
Complete list (CarThrottle.com)
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
The Story Isn't All That Suprising
The Story Behind Audi's Four-Ring Logo
It's all about the Auto Union.
The four rings represent four different automakers that merged in 1932 to create what was then called the Auto Union. The oldest of these automakers, Horch, was founded in 1899 by German engineer August Horch. Soon after, Mr. Horch left his namesake company to form a new automaker, Audi, which also got a ring in the logo. Side note: "Horch" is very close to the German word for "listen;" "Audi" is the Latin translation of the verb.
(Road&Track.com)
It's all about the Auto Union.
The four rings represent four different automakers that merged in 1932 to create what was then called the Auto Union. The oldest of these automakers, Horch, was founded in 1899 by German engineer August Horch. Soon after, Mr. Horch left his namesake company to form a new automaker, Audi, which also got a ring in the logo. Side note: "Horch" is very close to the German word for "listen;" "Audi" is the Latin translation of the verb.
(Road&Track.com)
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
WTF Audi?
Audi will completely change its naming convention – but also keeps the old one
According to the company, “the new designations stand for the specific power output and apply both to cars with combustion engines and to E-Tron models with hybrid and electric drives.” But wait – there’s an interesting tidbit: “A special place in the line-up is occupied by the high-end, high-performance S and RS models and the Audi R8. … They will retain their classic names in reference to their top position in the model range.” Now let’s get confused. First off, we all know Audi traditionally uses a single letter, followed by a digit to reference the class and type of vehicle – the A1 is the smallest and the Q7 is the biggest SUV, with the A8 representing the flagship passenger car.
The company has now decided to add an additional marker – “a standardized nomenclature for the power output designations of its worldwide range of automobiles” with an additional introduction of two numbers. The A8 is the first to use the new standard. The range is between 30 and 70 – all standing for a certain level of power expressed in kilowatts. For example, the “30” will appear on every model with a power output of between 109 and 128 horsepower (81 and 96 kilowatts). The number “45,” meanwhile, goes from 226 and 248 hp (169 and 195 kW) and so on. At the top, the number “70,” is Audi’s performance class, with models delivering more than 536 hp (400 kW) – all numbers will be linked to the TFSI, TDI, G-tron, or E-tron badges that already appear on production models. “As alternative drive technologies become increasingly relevant, engine displacement as a performance attribute is becoming less important to our customers,” says Dietmar Voggenreiter, Board of Management Member for Sales and Marketing Audi. “The clarity and logic of structuring the designations according to power output makes it possible to distinguish between the various performance levels.”
(InAutoNews.com)
According to the company, “the new designations stand for the specific power output and apply both to cars with combustion engines and to E-Tron models with hybrid and electric drives.” But wait – there’s an interesting tidbit: “A special place in the line-up is occupied by the high-end, high-performance S and RS models and the Audi R8. … They will retain their classic names in reference to their top position in the model range.” Now let’s get confused. First off, we all know Audi traditionally uses a single letter, followed by a digit to reference the class and type of vehicle – the A1 is the smallest and the Q7 is the biggest SUV, with the A8 representing the flagship passenger car.
The company has now decided to add an additional marker – “a standardized nomenclature for the power output designations of its worldwide range of automobiles” with an additional introduction of two numbers. The A8 is the first to use the new standard. The range is between 30 and 70 – all standing for a certain level of power expressed in kilowatts. For example, the “30” will appear on every model with a power output of between 109 and 128 horsepower (81 and 96 kilowatts). The number “45,” meanwhile, goes from 226 and 248 hp (169 and 195 kW) and so on. At the top, the number “70,” is Audi’s performance class, with models delivering more than 536 hp (400 kW) – all numbers will be linked to the TFSI, TDI, G-tron, or E-tron badges that already appear on production models. “As alternative drive technologies become increasingly relevant, engine displacement as a performance attribute is becoming less important to our customers,” says Dietmar Voggenreiter, Board of Management Member for Sales and Marketing Audi. “The clarity and logic of structuring the designations according to power output makes it possible to distinguish between the various performance levels.”
(InAutoNews.com)
Friday, July 7, 2017
Audi AG Has Lost Their Damn Minds!
Audi RS models could go rear-wheel drive
The boss of Audi Sport has hinted at the potential for future rear-wheel drive models designed to take on the most focused models from BMW M and Mercedes-AMG.
Since rebranding itself from Quattro GmbH to Audi Sport, CEO Stephan Winklemann has been looking at where the company could go in the future.
Speaking at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Winklemann told Auto Express: “When looking at the name, we decided Quattro could be misleading. Quattro is the four-wheel-drive system and is one of the things that made Audi great – but in our opinion was not the right name for the company.
“I can imagine we can also have cars with rear-wheel drive or two-wheel drive in the future.”
While he wouldn’t expand on his comments, it’s a clear indication that Audi Sport is hatching plans to close the gap on BMW's M division and Mercedes-AMG by developing more involving RS models without Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive setup. It's likely quattro would still be offered on many models, while remaining a standard feature on the most powerful variants.
Winklemann added: “Quattro can be a company, but it can also be an option. We wanted this to be clarified. We looked for something that was immediately recognisable – something that could be more than just the name of a company.
“Our cars will remain distinguished, but never pimped. We’ll always offer high performance, but at the same time our cars must be comfortable – and give you a feeling that you are better than you expect.”
(AutoExpress.co.uk)
The boss of Audi Sport has hinted at the potential for future rear-wheel drive models designed to take on the most focused models from BMW M and Mercedes-AMG.
Since rebranding itself from Quattro GmbH to Audi Sport, CEO Stephan Winklemann has been looking at where the company could go in the future.
Speaking at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Winklemann told Auto Express: “When looking at the name, we decided Quattro could be misleading. Quattro is the four-wheel-drive system and is one of the things that made Audi great – but in our opinion was not the right name for the company.
“I can imagine we can also have cars with rear-wheel drive or two-wheel drive in the future.”
While he wouldn’t expand on his comments, it’s a clear indication that Audi Sport is hatching plans to close the gap on BMW's M division and Mercedes-AMG by developing more involving RS models without Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive setup. It's likely quattro would still be offered on many models, while remaining a standard feature on the most powerful variants.
Winklemann added: “Quattro can be a company, but it can also be an option. We wanted this to be clarified. We looked for something that was immediately recognisable – something that could be more than just the name of a company.
“Our cars will remain distinguished, but never pimped. We’ll always offer high performance, but at the same time our cars must be comfortable – and give you a feeling that you are better than you expect.”
(AutoExpress.co.uk)
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
I Like Their Thinking
Audi's fastest cars won't catch your drift
Audi Sport boss says popular drift modes waste time and tires.
Drift modes are popping up in sports cars all over the world, but Audi Sport development boss Stephan Reil refuses to have anything to do with them, insisting they're a waste of time and tires. So if you want to show off with a wild-looking, tire-smoking, perfectly controlled drift in an Audi Sport model, you will have to brush up on your car control, not your button pushing.
"No drift mode. Not in the R8, not in the RS3, not in the RS6, not in the RS4," Reil said. "I don't like them. I do not see the reason for them. We do not see the sense in sitting there burning the back tires. It's not fast."
(AutoBlog.com)
Audi Sport boss says popular drift modes waste time and tires.
Drift modes are popping up in sports cars all over the world, but Audi Sport development boss Stephan Reil refuses to have anything to do with them, insisting they're a waste of time and tires. So if you want to show off with a wild-looking, tire-smoking, perfectly controlled drift in an Audi Sport model, you will have to brush up on your car control, not your button pushing.
"No drift mode. Not in the R8, not in the RS3, not in the RS6, not in the RS4," Reil said. "I don't like them. I do not see the reason for them. We do not see the sense in sitting there burning the back tires. It's not fast."
(AutoBlog.com)
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Monday, January 30, 2017
This Car Has A Lot Of Potential
Junkyard Gem: 1998 Audi A4 1.8T
Turbocharging, 5-speed manual, and all-wheel-drive. Discarded.
(AutoBlog.com)
Turbocharging, 5-speed manual, and all-wheel-drive. Discarded.
(AutoBlog.com)
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
I Need To Start Saving Up For This
Leak reveals Audi RS4 Avant and RS5 Coupe have even more power than Porsche Panamera 4S
On the new Audi RS4 Avant and the RS5 Coupe, meanwhile, this V6 engine will be tuned to provide more power, specifically generating up to 450 hp (335 kW) of output and 600 Nm (442 lb.-ft.) of peak torque. As revealed by the leaked slideshow, the V6-powered Audi RS4 Avant and the RS5 Coupe would be able to dash from nil to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than four seconds and achieve an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
This means that while the RS4 Avant and the RS5 Coupe are quicker on the sprint, the Porsche Panamera 4S would be able to catch up and outrun both Audi RS models. Speed demons could avail of the optional dynamic package to hike the speed cap to 280 km/h (174 mph).
Meanwhile, the slideshow also revealed when Audi Sport is planning to commence production of these new RS models. According to this presentation, Audi will start building the RS5 Coupe in June 2017 and the RS4 Avant in December 2017. Motor1’s source disclosed that the RS5 Coupe is now production-ready and the RS4 Avant is now at the last phase of development.
(4WheelNews.com)
On the new Audi RS4 Avant and the RS5 Coupe, meanwhile, this V6 engine will be tuned to provide more power, specifically generating up to 450 hp (335 kW) of output and 600 Nm (442 lb.-ft.) of peak torque. As revealed by the leaked slideshow, the V6-powered Audi RS4 Avant and the RS5 Coupe would be able to dash from nil to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than four seconds and achieve an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
This means that while the RS4 Avant and the RS5 Coupe are quicker on the sprint, the Porsche Panamera 4S would be able to catch up and outrun both Audi RS models. Speed demons could avail of the optional dynamic package to hike the speed cap to 280 km/h (174 mph).
Meanwhile, the slideshow also revealed when Audi Sport is planning to commence production of these new RS models. According to this presentation, Audi will start building the RS5 Coupe in June 2017 and the RS4 Avant in December 2017. Motor1’s source disclosed that the RS5 Coupe is now production-ready and the RS4 Avant is now at the last phase of development.
(4WheelNews.com)
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Rebranding Done Right, Audi Edition
Audi's Quattro division is now Audi Sport, and it has 8 new models on the way
Audi announced today that its Quattro GmbH performance and technology division will officially be renamed Audi Sport GmbH. The name change is the first since the division's introduction in 1983, and it should more clearly describe its function within the company and remove confusion with the Quattro all-wheel-drive system offered on all Audis, sporty or not.
With its new name, Audi Sport will continue to handle the brand's RS models, the R8, customer race cars, customized road cars, and Audi Sport lifestyle products. While the clearer new name is good news, we're more interested in the division's announcement that it will release eight new cars in the next 18 months.
(AutoBlog.com)
Audi announced today that its Quattro GmbH performance and technology division will officially be renamed Audi Sport GmbH. The name change is the first since the division's introduction in 1983, and it should more clearly describe its function within the company and remove confusion with the Quattro all-wheel-drive system offered on all Audis, sporty or not.
With its new name, Audi Sport will continue to handle the brand's RS models, the R8, customer race cars, customized road cars, and Audi Sport lifestyle products. While the clearer new name is good news, we're more interested in the division's announcement that it will release eight new cars in the next 18 months.
(AutoBlog.com)
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Audi's RS Program Has Finally 'Jumped The Shark'
Audi Will RS All The Cars
The German automaker plans to launch eight—eight!—more RS models by early 2018, reports Autocar, citing Audi’s Quattro head honcho and ex-Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann.
Currently, there are seven RS Audis, including the RS 3, Q3 RS, TT RS, RS 6 and RS 7. Winkelmann wouldn’t say which other cars Audi would RS in the coming months, nor did he say which of them would come stateside. Autocar thinks that an R8 RS could be a possibility.
This is starting to smell a lot like Mercedes-AMG, where AMGing a model is now applied to even the near beer AMGs rather than just the most hardcore models. There are now so many AMG models that it’s very hard to keep track of them all.
(Jalopnik.com)
The German automaker plans to launch eight—eight!—more RS models by early 2018, reports Autocar, citing Audi’s Quattro head honcho and ex-Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann.
Currently, there are seven RS Audis, including the RS 3, Q3 RS, TT RS, RS 6 and RS 7. Winkelmann wouldn’t say which other cars Audi would RS in the coming months, nor did he say which of them would come stateside. Autocar thinks that an R8 RS could be a possibility.
This is starting to smell a lot like Mercedes-AMG, where AMGing a model is now applied to even the near beer AMGs rather than just the most hardcore models. There are now so many AMG models that it’s very hard to keep track of them all.
(Jalopnik.com)
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Hopefully This Brings A Much Needed Boost To The Series
Mercedes Joins BMW And Audi In The Formula E Racing Championship Series
Mercedes-Benz is set to join the list of growing manufacturers in Formula E come 2018, the fifth season of the all-electric racing championship.
This comes days after BMW announced its return to Le Mans as well
as a Formula E debut in 2018. The latter is currently working with
Andretti Autosport to familiarize themselves with the series before
2018.
Audi has been part of Formula E as ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport Formula E Team, but the team will now receive full factory backing starting in 2017, the fourth season. Other key manufacturers include Jaguar, Renault, Mahindra and PSA’s DS brand.
(AutoSpies.com)
Mercedes-Benz is set to join the list of growing manufacturers in Formula E come 2018, the fifth season of the all-electric racing championship.
Audi has been part of Formula E as ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport Formula E Team, but the team will now receive full factory backing starting in 2017, the fourth season. Other key manufacturers include Jaguar, Renault, Mahindra and PSA’s DS brand.
(AutoSpies.com)
Monday, September 26, 2016
You Were Never Given A Chance
Audi kills off its 420-hp four-cylinder engine project
Germans dump their giant-killing 2.0-liter concept motor
Audi's supercar-slapping, fire-breathing four-cylinder concept engine will remain just that, with Autoblog confirming that it has been internally killed off. Speaking at the launch of the TT RS, the engineering boss of Audi's Quattro GmbH division, Stephan Reil, said the Volkswagen Group had stopped all development of the 420-horsepower, 2.0-liter four it showed in the 2014 TT Quattro Sport Concept car (above).
Despite previous assurances that Quattro had roles for both the EA888-based engine and Audi's wildly charismatic 2.5-liter, five-cylinder motor, post-Dieselgate reality has killed the smaller engine. "The 400-horsepower EA888 engine is dead," Reil said.
(AutoBlog.com)
Germans dump their giant-killing 2.0-liter concept motor
Audi's supercar-slapping, fire-breathing four-cylinder concept engine will remain just that, with Autoblog confirming that it has been internally killed off. Speaking at the launch of the TT RS, the engineering boss of Audi's Quattro GmbH division, Stephan Reil, said the Volkswagen Group had stopped all development of the 420-horsepower, 2.0-liter four it showed in the 2014 TT Quattro Sport Concept car (above).
Despite previous assurances that Quattro had roles for both the EA888-based engine and Audi's wildly charismatic 2.5-liter, five-cylinder motor, post-Dieselgate reality has killed the smaller engine. "The 400-horsepower EA888 engine is dead," Reil said.
(AutoBlog.com)
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Long Live The Manual, Again, For Now
The 2017 Audi A4 Quattro Has A Manual Now; You Should Buy It Equipped Thusly
The 2017 Audi A4 is thoroughly updated from the previous-generation A4, even if it doesn’t look like much has changed. There is, however, one bright and shining ray of hope for all involved: this fall its all-wheel drive Quattro version will go on sale with a manual gearbox. You should buy it that way.
The A4 Quattro manual will start at $39,400 for the base Premium
trim, and it’s one of the only luxury sedans you can get with all-wheel
drive and a stick shift. (Update: Originally I said “only,” but I forgot the BMW 340xi can be had with a stick.)
(Jalopnik.com)
The 2017 Audi A4 is thoroughly updated from the previous-generation A4, even if it doesn’t look like much has changed. There is, however, one bright and shining ray of hope for all involved: this fall its all-wheel drive Quattro version will go on sale with a manual gearbox. You should buy it that way.
(Jalopnik.com)
Monday, August 29, 2016
Thursday, June 9, 2016
I Agree
Audi Got Lazy
[T]he worst offender, by far, is the new A4. Under the skin, the new A4 is totally changed: new features, new interior, updated engine, blah blah blah. I saw a “new” 2017 A4 in my parking garage the other day, and do you know how I could be absolutely sure it was the latest model? Because I looked inside and I saw the gear lever. This is a problem.
Not only am I a professional automotive journalist who has been pantslessly reporting on the car industry for five years now, but I am also a former Audi A4 owner! And I had to check the gear lever to figure out whether I was looking at last year’s A4 or the “all-new,” “totally redesigned,” “completely revamped,” “fully reengineered” 2017 model.
(Jalopnik.com)
[T]he worst offender, by far, is the new A4. Under the skin, the new A4 is totally changed: new features, new interior, updated engine, blah blah blah. I saw a “new” 2017 A4 in my parking garage the other day, and do you know how I could be absolutely sure it was the latest model? Because I looked inside and I saw the gear lever. This is a problem.
Not only am I a professional automotive journalist who has been pantslessly reporting on the car industry for five years now, but I am also a former Audi A4 owner! And I had to check the gear lever to figure out whether I was looking at last year’s A4 or the “all-new,” “totally redesigned,” “completely revamped,” “fully reengineered” 2017 model.
(Jalopnik.com)
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