The new Audi S3 saloon

Published by in Audi A3 Servicing, Audi Models on April 2nd, 2013 | No Comments »

s3The new Audi S3 saloon will sit right at the top of the new A3 saloon range. The high performance model has already received plenty of rave reviews already from many car magazines.

It sits at 25mm lower than the original A3 saloon. This gives the vehicle a sportier look and with a lower gravity the car is a lot more agile. There are greater air intakes, which is essential to provide extra cooling to the engine.

The power of the S3 saloon

Being the most powerful vehicle in the range, the S3 saloon will come with an outstanding turbocharged 2.0 litre four cylinder engine, producing 296 BHP and 280lb ft of torque. All four wheels will be driven using a Haldex system through the famous Quattro system. The car will hit 0 – 62 MPH in just 4.9 seconds with the S-tronic gearbox or 5.3 seconds via the six speed manual.

This nearly now brings Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW on par within this specific category of vehicle. Mercedes will release the CLA whereas BMW will eventually release what could be known as the 2 Series. It will be hard to beat the S3 saloon in terms of high performance of each variation.

Three Engine Choices

Three engines will come with the vehicle, all being four cylinder engines and all turbocharged. The entry level engine is a 1.4 litre TFSI petrol which is capable of hitting 138 BHP and 184 lb/ft of torque. Next up is the 1.8 litre TFSI litre which is able to produce 178 BHP and hit 184lb ft of torque. This is able to reach 0 – 62 MPH in 7.3 seconds. The diesel vehicle, a 2.0 litre TDI hits 148 BHP and 236lb ft of torque. The best thing about this specific engine is that it hit 67.3 MPG.

You’ll get a choice of either a six speed manual gearbox or a twin clutch S-tronic. Sport mode on the vehicle brings out the best in it. With a sport mode on the S3 saloon can reach higher revs.

Altogether the kerb weight of the car is 1205kg,. The engine and bonnet combined weight approximately just over 100kg according to Audi.

Again is looks very similar to the Audi A4, only slightly smaller. Audi has been insisting that the S3 Saloon is completely independent from the A4.

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The new Audi A3 Saloon

Published by in Audi A3 Servicing, Audi Models on March 28th, 2013 | No Comments »

a3 saloonThe new Audi A3 has been made into a saloon for the first time in it’s history. The four door vehicle looks like a typical A4. Will it appeal to the UK market?

The price of the new saloon has not yet been revealed. They are likely to be the same price as the A3 Sportback some sources claim. Heiko Pabst von Ohain, the lead for product marketing stated that the company’s aim to completely distance the car from the A4. That may be easier said than done however.

Audi is hoping that the vehicle will directly rival the Mercedes CLA. It has some slight design changes from previous generations including wider wheel arches and a shapelier curve to the exterior body.

The main difference between the saloon and the hatchback is the practicality of the vehicle. Boot space measures at a brilliant 425 litres. Room for rear passengers is good, with plenty of head and leg room. One downside is that the seats do not unfortunately fold fully flat.

Efficiency is also a main target for Audi. They have made the car to look sporty but at the same time have made it economical too.

A 1.4 litre TFSI petrol and a 2.0 litre TDI diesel is available with the A3. The top of the range S3 will be made available at the beginning of 2014. This will come with a superb 2.0 litre TFSI engine which is able to power all the way up to 296 BHP.

It is set to make it’s debut at the New York Motor Show this weekend. This piece of news was quite unexpected as A3 saloon was not previously announced to be one of the showcase vehicles.

Although some may think that the car is aimed at families, Audi want the A3 saloon to be aimed at the younger generation. They want to target young professionals.

The A3 cabriolet will also naturally be aimed at the younger market. We’ll get to see this at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this year. An Avant model has been considered to rival the CLA shooting brake, but the green light has not been given just yet.

We first originally saw the Audi A3 Saloon at the Geneva Motor Show in 2011. Back then it received a tremendous amount of praise with many greatly anticipating the release. Will it live up to the hype?

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5 million of the Quattro model

Published by in Audi Models on March 26th, 2013 | No Comments »

audi-quattroAudi has made 5 million of their famous Quattro model. The all wheel drive model is a specification that is highly desired by all Audi fans.

The model to come from the factory as the famous 5 millionth model was the A6 Allroad Avant. This model comes with an all-weather grip enhancer. At first this specific piece of technology was on rally cars but now they have made their way to road vehicles.

Pioneering technology

Rupert Stadler, the Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi was on hand to state just how crucial the Quattro specification has been to the brand. It was a piece of pioneering technology when it was released. Audi is focused on continuing such feats in the future.

Audi Quattro

The technology was first seen at the Geneva Motor Show in 1980 inside the Audi Quattro. This particular vehicle was able to reach an outstanding 200 BHP. At first it started off with being a 4 wheel drive model. Eventually it evolved into an all wheel drive model. To begin with this particular model was destined for low production volumes. The first ever TDI Quattro with all wheel drive was seen in 1993. In 1997 the technology reached the compact segment of the market.

What’s so special about today’s model is that the Quattro technology can withstand all different weather types and has superb control on the road.

It’s also becoming a more and more popular model too. Last year Audi said that 43 per cent of their customers opted for the Quattro model. The Neckarsulm plant in Germany saw one in every two vehicles on the production line installed with the technology.

Motorsport

Quattro technology is heavily incorporated into Audi’s Motorsport teams too. The excellent grip and handling that the technology brings to the vehicle’s is quite invaluable.

The Audi R8 e-tron Quattro, the hybrid racer has recently made history by becoming the first hybrid vehicle to claim victory in the American Le Mans Series in Sebring. This innovative vehicle has been described as a dawn of a new era on Audi’s official website. It took just 18 months from the conceptual model to be developed into a production version. It’s a magnificent vehicle which has done a great deal in helping to revolutionise the sport.

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Audi A3 TFSI Sportback

Published by in Audi A3 Servicing, Audi Models on March 25th, 2013 | No Comments »

a3-tfsiThe Audi A3 TFSI SE Sportback will start at £19,825 when released. It has style, great economy and a strong performance.

This may be one of the rare occasions where a petrol version is a lot more beneficial to run when compared to a diesel. The TFSI is around £2,000 cheaper than the diesel. It is much cheaper to insure too along with being cheaper with tax. Why not go for the petrol version instead?

Being a five door you automatically get more practicality. There is more space for passengers and also more boot space compared to the three doors. In terms of its whole category, the A3 falls at the bottom end in its category however.

Although it’s an Audi, the A3 has not been praised very highly in terms of its driving comfort.  The Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus have received higher praise for it’s sharpness on the road. Compared to the diesel the TFSI certainly provides a crisper drive, response time is a lot better. It provides more fun too, with the car wanting revs.

The Audi A3 has a great balance to it compared to the other models in the range. The handling within this model is better than that in others.

For those who travel long distances daily on commutes would be better off with the TDI A3. For those who are travelling shorter distances, the TFSI makes a better case for purchase. Although rivals such as the Focus Ecoboost and the Golf TFSI, the A3 TFSI is certainly worth looking at.

A3 1.2 TFSI

Audi has released a new A3 1.2 TFSI to offer a cheaper model to the public. This offers 104 BHP which is the same as the 1.6 TDI. It is able to hit 0 – 62 MPH in just 10.3 seconds. The car comes as standard with a six speed manual transmission. As an optional extra the vehicle will come with a seven speed S tronic semi automatic gearbox.

It offers 57.6 MPG and 114g/km of C02, fantastic economy readings. The car will be made available in three trims, the SE, Sport and S line.

Standard equipment on the car include Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, alloy wheels and air conditioning.

Worldwide 2.7 million Audi A3’s have been sold since its launch, becoming one of the brand’s most successful vehicles.

 

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New engines for the Audi A3 and A1 CoD

Published by in Audi A3 Servicing, Audi Models on March 19th, 2013 | No Comments »

audi_a1 The Audi A3 and A1 are set to receive some brand new engines. With economy in mind, both cars will get a magnificent 60 MPG petrol engine.

The engine will come with cylinder deactivation technology which shuts down cylinders when they are not being used. This will help to save energy and fuel. Two cylinders will be shut when the car is not being pushed so hard. That’s the same technology as within the Volkswagen Golf.

The Audi A1

For the A1, the 1.4 litre engine will contain TFSI technology with maximum power of 138 BHP. From not 0 – 62 MPH the car will record a time of 7.9 seconds. C02 emissions will be recorded at just 109g/km. Both the Sportback and the three door versions will boast the same figures. The Black Edition models will hit a total of 57.6 MPG with C02 emissions hitting 113g/km.

The Audi A1 models will come with both a seven speed dual clutch gearbox. For those who want a six speed manual, that will come later on in the year.

The Audi A3

The Audi A3 will cost £20,055. The current model holding the 1.4 TFSI costs £19,205 which is able to power up to a maximum of 120 BHP. The three door version will hit 0 – 62 MPH in just 8.3 seconds whereas the Sportback does it in just 8.4 seconds. When compared to the current 1.4 TFSI, the newer variant will beat it hands down. This produces a maximum MPG of just 54.3 whilst hitting 0 – 62 MPH in 9.3 seconds.

Prices for the 138 BHP TFSI will start at £18,190 for the three door S tronic model. The A1 sportback will cost just £18,810. The Audi A3 will cost £20,055 with the Sportback costing £20,675.

The Audi A1 variants will come in Sport, S line and Black Edition. The Audi A3 will come in SE, Sport and S line trims.

A1 1.4 TFSI 140PS CoD UK Prices

  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Sport (manual) £16,740
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Sport (S tronic) £18,190
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS S line (manual) £18,285
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS S line (S tronic) £19,735
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Black Edition (manual) £19,535
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Black Edition (S tronic) £20,985
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Sport (manual) £17,360
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Sport (S tronic) £18,810
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS S line (manual) £18,905
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS S line (S tronic) £20,355
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Black Edition (manual) £20,155
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Black Edition (S tronic) £21,605

A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI 140PS CoD UK Prices

  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Sport (manual) £17,360 OTR
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Sport (S tronic) £18,810 OTR
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS S line (manual) £18,905 OTR
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS S line (S tronic) £20,355 OTR
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Black Edition (manual) £20,155 OTR
  • 1.4 TFSI 140PS Black Edition (S tronic) £21,605 OTR

 

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The new Audi S7

Published by in Audi Models on March 18th, 2013 | No Comments »

audi-s7 Both the Audi S6 and S7 are destined for India later on this year. It has caused a great deal of hype within the luxury market of the country which is on the up.

Remarkable progress by Audi

Last year BMW secured the top spot in that specific segment but Audi were not too far behind. With the likes of the S6 and S7 they are bound to continue their excellent growth in India. They are the fastest growing luxury car manufacturer in the world. Breaking through in a market like India can be described as a remarkable achievement.

The Audi S7 looks

The new S7 has a unique looking front grille with beautifully designed fog lamps. It is of course based upon the Audi A7 but the differences between the two are strikingly obvious. The 20 inch alloy wheels come with low profile tyres which help the sporty and performance too. Those types of tyres give the vehicle a lower sense of gravity and lessen the weight to allow the car to speed off quicker. The rear view of the car is a wonderful sight. There are four quad exhausts which look extremely menacing.

The interior

The interior of the car has some beautiful features including the leather / Alcantara seats. The bucket seats give away the look of speed and sportiness. A BOSE sound system will come as standard in both the S6 and S7.

The S7’s

The engine is the most impressive thing about the Audi S7. In comes a twin turbo TFSI V8 petrol engine, which will also be seen in the Audi S6. It is able to output a total of 420 BHP as well as 550Nm of torque. The direct fuel injection engine is attached to a seven speed dual clutch which works perfectly. There is no turbo lag whatsoever thanks to the twin turbocharger. When you want power, you’ll get it with almost immediate effect.

Cylinder de-activation

The car also features a cylinder de-activation system which has been pretty much standard across most of the luxury car market in recent times. This stops prevents cylinders from being opened when they are not needed, meaning the vehicle is a lot cleaner and   environmentally friendly.

Excellent handling

The S7 drives extremely well as you may have expected. The adaptive air suspension and all wheel drive system ensures that the car has excellent handling. Speed sensitive steering also contributes to that major attribute.

 

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The new Audi A3 Saloon

Published by in Audi A3 Servicing, Audi Models on March 14th, 2013 | No Comments »

audi a3 saloonThe new Audi A3 Saloon will be launched into the UK market later this year. It has been seen undergoing cold weather testing in Scandinavia recently.

We last saw the car at the Geneva Motor Show in 2011. Here it got a great reception with rave reviews. The new A3 will be built using the new MQB platform. This was brought around to bring all of the Volkswagen brands together and to save costs. The new platform has already made its way to the Volkswagen Golf, Skoda Octavia and more.

The Audi RS3 will come with a 2.5 litre five cylinder engine. It will be able to project a maximum of 402 BHP. The car will be powered by all four wheels combined with an S Tronic gearbox. In terms of engines, the vehicle is expected to come with the same engines as the hatchback. Both front and four wheel drive Quattro drivetrains will be available on the car.

The Audi A3 saloon will naturally cost more than the hatchback. It’s rival, the CLA, will cost more than the A-Class too.
The boot space within the Audi A3 saloon is quite generous. The interior of the car has plenty of quality and a nicer design. It appears to be more luxurious within than the standard hatchback.

Engines available on the A3 Saloon:

•    1.4 litre petrol – 121 BHP
•    1.8 litre petrol – 177 BHP
•    1.6 litre turbo diesel – 104 BHP
•    2.0 litre TDI – 148 BHP
•    1.4 litre TFSI – 138 BHP
•    2.0 litre turbo diesel – 184 BHP

The Audi A3 could get the 2.0 litre TFSI engine from the S3. This will be able to produce a total 296 BHP. From 0 – 62 MPH, the car is able to hit a time of 5.1 seconds. There may also be a RS3 Sport limousine, being able to power up to an outstanding 380 BHP.

How well will the Audi A3 saloon do here in the UK? The new A3 saloon will not be taken to by many at the start. The best seller will continue to be the A3 hatchback. It is expected that the saloon will be successful in United States and China. With the saloon, the Mercedes CLA will compete head to head.

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Audi continuing their growth

Published by in Audi technology on March 12th, 2013 | No Comments »

Audi-logo Audi are still on the up. They have announced that they are expanding their model range creating more options for customers.

This will include a new lightweight version of the Audi TT, more RS badged models and more Q models. Wolfgang Durheimer made these announcements at the Geneva Motor Show.

RS models giving that ‘technical edge’

Already changes have been made with the new Audi RS Q3 being shown off at the Switzerland motor show. An RS version of the car is sure to prove highly popular. The new Audi RS6 Avant and the new RS7 are also expected to make a great impact. Demand for the RS versions has been greater than ever, leaving Audi fully justified in their decision to release more versions.

Mr Durheimer stated that RS models represent a ‘technical edge’ over rivals. A diesel version of an RS model will not be released it has been confirmed. This has not been ruled out however. Plans for modifications S models have also been made.

High performance still a priority

Audi are still clearly focused on creating high performance vehicles. This comes despite the worldwide automotive market looking at ways to save on fuel and be cleaner to the environment. Mr Durheimer stated that there is always space for speedy type of vehicles in their line-up. He said “We’re covering a complete range of cars and technologies. There will be people who purely want green technology, but there are also those who achieve and want something with a lot of power like the RS7 or Q7.”

The new lightweight Audi TT will be released weighing a total of just 1000 kg. Other projects on the pipeline include the Audi Crosslane Coupe which was seen at the Paris Motor Show last year.

New A3 models

The Audi A3 has also seen its range expanded. The Geneva Motor Show showed the new A3 SportBack E-Tron. The car is a hybrid containing both electric and petrol power. It is able to achieve outstanding 188 MPG and C02 emissions of just 35g/km. The vehicle has a 1.4 litre engine which works alongside an electric motor. Combined both power sources output a total of 201 BHP. In electric mode only the car can drive up to 31 miles.

The Audi A3 Sportback G-tron comes with a 1.4 litre which is powered by both E-gas and petrol. The vehicle is able to produce 109 BHP and averages 80.7 MPG.

 

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Check out Iron Man’s Audi!

Published by in Audi R8 Servicing on March 11th, 2013 | No Comments »

Audi R8 The Iron Man film series has been a tremendous success since 2008. Some would claim that Tony Stark’s Audi R8 in the film contributed towards it’s success.

What the Audi R8 e-tron is actually like

The Audi R8 e-tron will be the car of choice for Tony Stark in the upcoming film. The e-tron will come with a magnificent 3,614lb ft of torque. With four electric motors combined they produce 900lb ft of torque each. Each motor will be able to produce around 80 BHP, an extremely high amount for a single electric engine. Altogether that’s 320 BHP. The car weights just 1,700 kg.

Thanks to all of that, it is able to hit 0 – 62 MPH in just 4.8 seconds and is able to reach a top speed of 124 MPH. James May recorded a fantastic time on the Nurburgring track of just 8 minutes 09.099 seconds. That was in fact a new world for a vehicle with an electric drive system.

Stark’s other cars

In previous instalments of the film we have seen Tony Stark drive an Audi R8 and an Audi R8 Spyder. On top of that we know that his character has also owned a Saleen S7, Shelby Cobra amongst many more. Does the new e-tron top the lot?

Excellent marketing for Audi

The vehicle’s appearance in the film is perhaps the best type of marketing. It will get a great deal of exposure with the media certain to rave about it. Loren Angelo, the General Manager of Brand Marketing for Audi America stated “This is a strategic collaboration for us. Similar to the position of the R8 as an innovation leader, Iron Man’s character consistently evolves throughout the trilogy as he masterminds new trends in technology and engineering”

Iron Man’s character is about utilising the very latest technology to keep ahead of the game. In that sense perhaps it the e-tron well suits Tony Stark. The new R8 e-tron has some superb technology which most other can’t match.

The eventual release of the Audi e-tron was far from a smooth ride however. It’s release has been cancelled before on more than one occasion but Audi had brought it back.

Some may have thought that a Telsa electric sports car could be Stark’s car of choice for the next Iron Man film. It was seen in the first instalment in the garage but many will be pleased that the Audi R8 was eventually chosen as the character’s main vehicle.

 

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Check out Audi’s self-parking car

Published by in Audi technology on January 21st, 2013 | No Comments »

Audi have details of new self-parking technology, displayed in one of their vehicles. The German luxury car giant has called it Piloted Parking.

You may think you’ve seen it all before with the Ford Focus, think again. The car is parked via a smartphone. The user clicks a button, which then parks the car in a parking spot. It seems as impossible if James Bond gadgets are coming to life.

There are a number of different sensors on the car, aiding the car into the correct position and spot. Special lasers had to be setup within the car park for the procedure to work. The development is still at its first stages. Those lasers will eventually be integrated into the car it is believed. Google’s self-driving vehicle may influence proceedings here.

A car parking management system is also required. This finds and allocates a parking space and sends the route to Audi’s system.

Stumbling blocks

One major stumbling block for self-driving cars is The 19 Convention on Road Traffic which states “Every driver shall at all times be able to control his vehicle or to guide his animals”. The UK signed it but the United States didn’t. Certain states can legally have cars that drive autonomously.

Another complication is that of insurance. If the car was to crash, whose responsibility is it? The manufacturers or the ‘driver’ himself?

There may not even be a market for self-driving cars too. You buy an expensive premium car to get the full driving experience. Why would you want to sit, relax and not even control the vehicle? Audi understand this problem and have said that their technology will only work if the driver wants it to. For that reason the company have developed software which only applies to traffic jams and parking. They see this strategy as a way of building up the profile slowly.

Such technology, for traffic and parking is likely to have a heavy presence over the next decade. Congestion is major problem in countries such as China and Japan. Although the technology is ready, most drivers replace their vehicle every decade on average. That leaves a long time before we see a major presence on the road.

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