Archive for Audi

Audi has added start-stop technology to its automatic transmission cars. Normally other than in a hybrid paired to some kind of CVT or e-CVT, auto start-stop systems have traditionally only been available with manuals, as they are so far with cars from manufacturers like BMW.

It’s abit of a grey area here as the A3’s auto start-stop system is technically not mated to an automatic transmission in the traditional sense. It’s not a proper slushbox but is instead an S-Tronic (DSG) twin clutch transmission, which is sort of like a manual but with two computer controlled clutches.

The auto start-stop system helps the 105 horsepower 1.6 liter TDI engine deliver a fuel consumption of just 4.2 liters per 100km. With the 1.4 TSI with 125 horsepower, consumption is rated at just 5.3 liters per 100km.

These figures also include a brake energy recovery system that is used to assist the alternator. Mind you, these are real figures on a combined driving cycle, not some highway-only kind of mileage! Impressive stuff!

Audi will be using the Playstation Home “gaming social media” service as part of its Audi e-tron concept’s marketing campaign. I’m not sure if motoring and gaming go together so I think some explanation on what exactly Playstation Home must come first. Essentially its a community that you can access on your PS3, and membership is free.

Users can travel throughout the Home world within their region, and the world is constantly updated by Sony and partners. Each part of the world is known as a space. Public spaces can just be for display, fun, or for meeting people.

Audi has set up its own space, quite generically but aptly called the Audi Space. Basically you can head onto the Audi Space to check out the e-tron concept. The Playstation Home world also includes free minigames within the world, so Audi has also come up with a game called Vertical Run. It will only be launched in December though.

The goal of Vertical Run is to beat the competition in a multiplayer challenge by collecting enough electrical energy and avoiding driving errors in the e-tron, in order to reach the highest possible speed. The best drivers in the Vertical Run game will be able to access special spaces around the world called “Audi apartments”, though I’m not sure what exactly are in the apartments.

Four motors – two on each axle – take the Audi e-tron from 0 to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. Collectively, the motors put out 313 horsepower but check out the torque figures – 4,500Nm! That looks like a seriously insane number but remember that the concept of gearing for an electric car is totally different (most only have one gear) so you don’t exactly have multipliers like the first few low gears on a regular stepped transmission.

The torque that each electric motor produces can vary as required to create a torque vectoring effect. Perhaps you can call this e-quattro or something, but Audi doesn’t have a name for it. The car’s water-cooled lithium ion battery pack will allow a maximum range of about 248km but don’t expect that kind of range if you’re really gunning it on the B-roads. The rated range is for the NECD driving cycle.

Yes, it’s an electric R8 and all, that is very interesting. But I feel the most interesting part about this e-tron concept is the car-to-x communications system. It’s basically a wireless communication system where the Audi and various other data feed providers (traffic lights, other cars, etc) around the car are able to help the car make intelligent decisions on various systems. For this to really work, such a system really needs a standardised protocol but it’s very very interesting to hear what can be achieved.

For example – a car has spun out on a slippery road in a blind curve. Other vehicles are approaching quickly. The stuck vehicle uses car-to-x to send out a warning signal reporting the precise location of the hazard (itself). A corresponding warning then appears on the navigation system display of the approaching cars.

Look after the jump for a full press release with full details on the e-tron as well as some very hi-res images which you can use as wallpapers etc.

Click here to read the rest of Audi e-tron previews future electric sportscar?

Official details and photos of the new Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro have been released. The R8 Spyder will only come with the top of the line 525 horsepower 530Nm V10 engine and uses a cloth top instead of one of those new hard tops. The roof folds into a Z-shape and is stored in a compartment over the V10 engine.

The soft top opens and closes in 19 seconds and weighs just 30kg, but don’t think that’s the only weight penalty the Spyder body will pay as there has to be extra chassis reinforcements to make up for not having a roof. But even then, the extra reinforcements to the body have been remarkably light. According to Audi, the reinforcements n the area of the sills, the center tunnel, the rear wall, the floor pan and the A- and B-pillars result in the body (not the whole car) weighing a total of 216kg – that’s just 6kg heavier than the version with the roof.

Lighting for the R8 is all about LED technology. Both the daytime running lights and the headlamps are LED-powered. The lights have a 6000K temperature which means it’s going to be more of a whitish hue instead of the whitish-yellow colour that most factory Xenon headlamps have.

Look after the jump for a very hi-res gallery of the R8 Spyder.

Click here to read the rest of Audi R8 Spyder unveiled with hi-res gallery!

Remember those Electricity Untamed (what’s with German carmakers and the word untamed for their Frankfurt exhibits) teaser videos that Audi released earlier this month? Still don’t know anything about what kind of electric motor(s) will power the Frankfurt car but an initial set of photos of the Audi e-Tron concept have surfaced.

It’s quite clearly an R8 (though without “side blades”, making it end up looking like a large TT) but likely in the interest of aerodynamics most of the intake openings have been closed off. Perhaps electric motors run much cooler than a regular combustion engine. And check out those radical wheels!

It’s interesting how all three premium German manufacturers are exhibiting very powerful sports cars with alternative combustion engines at the Frankfurt show. Mercedes-Benz will showcase its electric-powered version of the SLS AMG while BMW has its Vision EfficientDynamics concept car.

Look after the jump for the rest of the e-Tron photos.

Click here to read the rest of Leaked: All-electric Audi R8 e-Tron Concept

Here are an initial four photos of the drop top version of the Audi R8, a new reason for our rich southern neighbours to start taking their checkbooks out – the hard top version is already all over their roads and becoming a common sight.

It’s said that Tony Stark will also be upgrading to this baby in the sequel to the Iron Man movie. More details will only be unveiled later on what engine options the R8 Spider will come with, but its expected to at least have the flagship 5.2 V10.

Is Frankfurt 2009 the motorshow of the alternative energy sports car? We already have BMW’s Vision EfficientDynamics concept with its diesel-electric all-wheel drive system and Mercedes-Benz’s electric SLS AMG, but now Audi looks like they’re set to bring in an electric version of the R8 to the tables, rumoured to be called the Audi R8 ePerformance Concept. I think after watching the total of four teaser video that Audi’s just released (find it after the jump), you’ll find that this is most likely true.

Click here to read the rest of 4 teaser videos for Audi’s new electric R8?

The Volkswagen Group’s new 1.2 liter TFSI engine from the Polo and the Ibiza will be installed into their C-segment Audi A3 and A3 Sportback hatches.

The 1.2 liter TSI SOHC engine produces 175Nm of torque between 1,500 to 3,500rpm and makes 105 PS. The engine is constructed with an aluminum crankcase and uses 2 valves per cylinder for a total of 8 valves. A water-cooled intercooler is integrated into the intake manifold, cooling down the air coming from the 1.6 bar turbocharger.

It’s an engine designed to be both wallet-friendly and environmentally-friendly (rated at 51.3mpg – 18.16km per liter and 127g/km of CO2) so acceleration times are very very far from blistering – 11.1 seconds for the 3-door and 11.3 seconds for the 5-door Sportback.

The new 1.2 liter A3 will make its debut at the Frankfurt show alongside two other models – the S5 Sportback powered by the company’s 333 PS 3.0 liter supercharged V6, and a 3.0 liter TDI clean diesel (with AdBlue injection) quattro Audi A4 using the engine from the Audi Q7.

Apparently the next generation MMI set for debut in the next generation Audi A8 will feature a system to use handwriting to input addresses for the GPS navigation function.

Currently most manufacturers implement text entry via either spinning a knob to choose letters from an on-screen alphabet list, or for those with touch screen interfaces, just touching the letters from an on-screen virtual keyboard.

One problem pops into my mind – while turning a knob is quite simple for both our hands to do, I would think that if the handwriting pad is located on the center console area that runs through the two front seats, a right-handed person writing in a right hand drive car would be a challenge as he would have to use his left hand, since the pad would be on his left. The same problem goes for left handed people writing in a left hand drive car.

After officially unveiling the Audi A5 Sportback a couple of days ago, the German auto maker has now released a 5 minute-long driving footage of the new 5-door coupe, that is also spiced up with some beauty shots. The Sportback is offered with three engines from the diesel family and a further three units from the petrol family. The former is topped out with the 240 horsepower 3.0 liter TDI V6 while the latter has the 265 horsepower 3.2 liter FSI V6 on top of its list. Continue reading to watch the video.

Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: New Audi A5 Sportback