Open wheeled EV city car? Yes, these sketches are of the Audi Urban Concept that will be unveiled in Frankfurt next month. It’s a 1+1-seat, ultra-light machine for congested cities. Audi says that they’ve combined elements of a racing car, a roadster, a fun car and an urban car into the Urban Concept, conceived under the strict principles of lightweight construction, efficiency and reduction.

The Urban Concept’s 21-inch wheels are free-standing, and the surrounding protective plates feature blinking strips of LED lights. The cockpit consists of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), which integrates the undercarriage of both seats.

Classified as a 1+1, there’s room for two people on board, but with their position slightly staggered. It looks easy to just step in the car when the roof slides to the rear, single seater style, but Audi says that “entry to the car is through the tailgate”, which we don’t quite get.

Anyway, the Urban Concept is an EV, and two e-tron electric motors provide the propulsion. A lithium-ion battery supplies the energy. More pics after the jump.
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The Audi A5 range has been given a refresh, four years after the four rings impressed us with a graceful, beautifully proportioned Walter de’ Silva coupe. Audi has since added soft top Cabriolet and four-door Sportback variants to the family. Besides some minor exterior upgrades, the facelifted A5 comes with changes under the skin as well.

As you can see from our combi image, the signature Audi grille of the new car (on the left) has a different shape – the top edges have been sawed off to make it a six point box.

The new bumper features pronounced air inlets with big struts, revamped grilles and flat fog lights. The engine hood has been give some sharply chiseled edges for a “3D look” and the front end now appears lower and wider.

The headlights are also new. Their lower edge forms a wave and the LED daytime running lights runs a ring around the main projector, a more distinctive layout than the underline of the pre-facelift A5. The rear lights have also been redesigned and are optionally available with continuous LED light strips. The bumper has been reprofiled, too.

Audi’s benchmark cabin gets some updates as well. There are new steering wheels, including an option for a flattened ring, and new steering column stalks. A button is used to directly adjust the optional seat heating/ventilation in three stages. Also updated were the ignition key, the automatic gear selector lever and controls for the air con and Audi drive select.

Displays are now illuminated in white. There’s also a new selection of upholstery and inlays. Additionally, the originally four-seat Sportback can now be ordered as a five-seater.

The engine lineup consists of three petrol engines and four TDI units, all with forced induction and direct injection. Start-stop and brake energy recuperation is standard across the board.

Audi highlights the redesigned 1.8 TFSI that features new innovations in the control of the valves and their lift, thermal management concept, injection system, turbocharger and the integration of the exhaust manifold. This 170 hp/320 Nm engine consumes just 5.7 litres of fuel per 100 km and spews 21% less CO2 than before.

Models with quattro AWD and S tronic transmission also feature a crown-gear center differential with torque vectoring. In normal driving, this mechanical component sends power primarily to the rear wheels. It redistributes drive if necessary, up to 70% to the front and 85% to the rear. Torque vectoring uses targeted, minor braking interventions to improve handling.

Another new feature in the A5 series is the electromechanical power steering, which reduces fuel consumption by up to 0.3 litres per 100 km and up to 7g CO2/km because it consumes zero energy while driving straight.

All S5 models are now equipped with a 3.0 TFSI producing 333 hp. Compared to the older 4.2-litre V8, the supercharged V6 consumes on average 20% less fuel per 100 km. Accelerations remains impressive with a 0-100 km/h dash time of 4.9 seconds. Top speed is of course limited to 250 km/h.

Visual cues to distinguish it from the old S5 include new lights, modified body details and new crystal-effect paint finishes. Like the rest of the range, the S5 also gets the crown-gear center differential and electromechanical power steering.

The A5 is sold in Malaysia as a 2.0 TFSI Quattro for RM399,900. Hi res gallery after the jump.
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You knew it was coming when Audi won its tenth Le Mans title earlier this month, and here it its, the Audi R8 V8 Limited Edition. Created in honour of the four rings’ achievements in the most famous endurance race, this Limited Edition is based on the V8 engined R8 coupe, not the V10 powered model, which is quite surprising. It will be reserved solely for 100 customers in the UK.

Setting it apart are titanium finish 19-inch double-spoke Y design alloys inspired by the R8 GT Coupe, and red brake callipers – not much. All normally optional metallic and pearl effect paint options are included in the Limited Edition price (from £93,935), but the striking Titanium Metallic paint finish that’s exclusive to this model incurs extra cost.

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Above the standard kit, the LE includes satellite navigation, Audi Music Interface (AMI), an interior light package and a premium Bang & Olufsen sound system, as well as mobile phone preparation via Bluetooth with integrated seatbelt microphones. There’s plenty of red accents in the cabin, from stitching on the seats, steering wheel and instrument cowl to the monoposto and floor mats.

The R8 LE is also available with an optional Carbon Package, which adds carbon sigma sideblades, door mirrors, monoposto, inlays and door sill trims. The same material also frames the illuminated engine bay to impress all and sundry, when one’s not using the full 430 PS from the 4.2-litre V8 FSI engine. Audi’s magnetic ride adaptive suspension is also standard here.

Production for the new Audi Q3 has begun at SEAT’s factory in Martorell, Spain. The small SUV, which will do battle with BMW’s X1, had its world debut at the recent Shanghai show. Market launch is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year.

Around 100,000 Q3s are slated to roll off the three-shift assembly line annually. Audi and SEAT together have invested around €330 million in infrastructure and facilities at the 18-year old plant. A new body shop featuring 450 robots was specially set up for the Q3 on a 322,917 sq.ft site. It features the “roof bell,” an innovative development from the Audi Toolmaking Shop in Ingolstadt. A robot grabs the roof and aligns it precisely while a second robot has the roof bell ready for the following roof of the next body.

By building the Q3 at Marotell, Audi will provide about 1,500 jobs at the plant, including 700 newly created positions. This comes at a time when Spain’s economy is in dire straits and unemployment is high, so it can be viewed as social responsibility on VW Group’s part. All staff have completed a 180-hour program designed specifically for the Q3.

In a future second phase, Audi plans to build the Q3 in China for local consumption. Read all about the Q3 and view the gallery here.

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Another day, another topless star. No, we’re not referring to a certain Gossip Girl but the equally hot Audi R8 GT Spyder. How hot? This Spyder is a open-top version of the R8 GT unveiled last year, so it has 560 hp and 540 Nm of torque, as opposed to the “standard” R8 V10′s 525 hp/530 Nm. 0-100 km/h is done in 3.8 seconds on its way to a 317 km/h top speed.

It’s not just more power, though. At 1,640 kg, the R8 GT Spyder is 85 kg lighter than its base car, the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro and just 15 kg heavier than the R8 GT. The Audi Space Frame (ASF) body, consisting of cast nodes, extruded sections and aluminum panels, accounts for just 214 kg of the total weight.

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The engine frame is made of magnesium and the long cover over the soft-top compartment and the large side panels at the rear are made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. CFRP is also used for the modified front spoiler, the fixed rear spoiler and the new rear bumper. Together, all these saved 5.5 kg.

Inside, the bucket seats alone, with their chassis of glass fiber-reinforced polymer, saved 31.5 kg. As to not waste their efforts, I’d skip that banana leaf lunch if I was driving one of these!

The fabric soft top with its electrohydraulic drive transforms the car in 19 seconds, at speeds of up to 50 km/h. The extendible glass rear window is nestled in the bulkhead, separate from the soft top. Integrated in the bulkhead is a rollover protection system comprising two pretensioned plates.

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The quattro permanent AWD has a strong rear-wheel bias, granted by the axle load distribution. If the situation calls for it, the system sends additional torque to the front axle. The gearbox is an automated six-speed R tronic transmission.

The interior is black and can be had with titanium gray or crimson stitching. Alcantara is found on the sport steering wheel and windshield frame. Unique details to look out for include white dials and R8 GT logos. The distinctive R8 “monoposto,” a large arch encircling the driver’s cockpit, is made of matt CFRP.

Not just hot, but exclusive as well – the R8 GT Spyder is limited to just 333 units.

The annual Wörtherseetour meeting for fans of VW Group models is celebrating it’s 30th birthday this year, and Audi is bringing a hot gift to the party. Meet the one-off A1 clubsport quattro powered by a heavily-modified version of the RS 3 Sportback’s turbocharged engine. This scary little car does 0-100 kph in 3.7 seconds and 0-200 kph in just 10.9 seconds!

The heart of the A1 clubsport quattro is a five-cylinder unit displacing 2.5 litres with turbocharging and direct fuel injection. Compared with the version used in the TT RS and RS 3 Sportback on which it is based, output has been increased dramatically to 503 PS (available between 2,500 and 5,300 rpm) and 660 Nm of torque, thanks to tweaks on the turbocharger, intercooler, induction tract and exhaust line. As on the Audi A4 DTM, the tailpipe is located on the left flank, just in front of the rear wheel.

A six-speed manual transmission and quattro permanent AWD, both taken from the TT RS and enhanced, deliver the power to all four wheels. Audi did not reveal this monster baby’s true top speed without the 250 km/h limiter.

The Wörthersee showstar rolls on 255/30 low-profile rubber mounted on 19-inch alloys with a unique turbine design. Sitting behind those are large, internally ventilated disc brakes. Up front, six-piston callipers grab perforated carbon fibre-ceramic discs. Large steel discs are mounted on the rear axle. The coilover suspension of the A1 clubsport quattro features adjustable compression and rebound damping.

The front wings, the doors and the rear side panels of the A1 clubsport quattro have been widened by a 60 mm. They form horizontal “blister” edges, like those found on the Audi Ur-quattro. Air outlets are integrated into the rear ends of the wings, and the newly designed trim strips on the sills are made of exposed CFRP, as with the roof.

The cabin still looks good, but is stripped out and has no rear seats. In its place is a large crossbar to further stiffen the body and storage for helmets. A weight-optimised starter battery used in racing is mounted in the rear below the two storage compartments. The lightweight bucket seats are taken from the R8 GT and feature a carbon reinforced polymer chassis.

They’ve gone mad! Gallery after the jump.
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