As usual, Audi put on an impressive show at the LA Auto show. They launched the much anticipated Audi S6, S7, S8 and A3 e-tron concept. You will also see some excessively sexy shots of the e-tron spyder concept. We’ll post some more pictures later but for now, enjoy this set!
Source: Audi USA
Audi dropped a surprise for us today on their Facebook page by posting a sneak peak video of the Audi A3 e-tron concept which will be unveiled tomorrow at the LA Auto Show. Back in March they unveiled a more abstract concept of the 2015 A3 chassis e-tron, but what we have coming tomorrow is a real world e-tron concept something much closer to what we might actually see produced! Here is the text from their mini press release. We’ll have tons of pictures and information as it is released tomorrow! Scroll to the bottom to see the video!
Continue reading ‘Video: Audi A3 e-tron concept to be unveiled tomorrow at the LA Auto Show’
We are excited to throw our support behind two really great petitions aimed at lowering barriers to bringing in cars from overseas. As someone who has been through the NHTSA process of federalization (I brought in the 2001 RS4 shown above several years ago) I can tell you first hand that it is a overly bureaucratic process that is a complete waste of taxpayer money and time. All this to prevent us from getting cars in that are perfectly safe and crash tested at HIGHER STANDARDS then the NHTSA.
Enable NHTSA to accept crash testing by foreign nations that is equal to or better than US Standards.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petition…dards/tYbtmlNw
Stop using Homeland Security funds to seize imported vehicles, and change the DOT/EPA exemption to 15 years.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petition…years/L50BZzwj
hat tip to Mark Fank
Ward to lead a newly-created Customer Experience Team within Audi of America
Audi of America today announced the appointment of Jeri Ward to director of Customer Experience, a new role within the U.S. organization that focuses on strategy and programs for improving customer experience and loyalty across the company. She assumes the position immediately.
At the end of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) Audi Sport Team Joest achieved another podium result with the Le Mans winning Audi R18 TDI at the season finale in China. Timo Bernhard and Marcel Fässler finished the 6-hour race at Zhuhai in third place. Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen in the “sister car” were forced to retire due to a collision in which they were not at fault.
The two Audi R18 TDI cars will tackle the finale of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) at Zhuhai (China) from the second row of the grid. Audi Sport Team Joest completely concentrated on the race set-up in qualifying.
Last year had already shown that the 4.317-kilometer race track at Zhuhai with its nine right- and five left-hand turns is particularly hard on the brakes and tires. Therefore, Audi systematically used the wet test day on Wednesday and the free practice sessions on Friday and Saturday to intensively work for the six-hour race – and with a positive interim result: both Audi R18 TDI cars left an extremely strong impression during long runs in practice.
In qualifying on Saturday Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Marcel Fässler (Switzerland) took grid positions three and four for Audi in 27 degrees in the shade. The Le Mans record winner was merely 269 thousandths of a second short of the pole position.
A new commercial has been released from Audi, and once again we are sitting back and saying “Wow”. They continue to push the envelope of design and technology in their vehicles, and their commercials push this even further. Produced buy Parasol Island Studios in Düsseldorf their newest commercial blurs the lines between reality and CGI. It appears to have been filmed on the salt flats near Salt Lake City, Utah and shows of the award winning A7, as well as the new A5 coupe and convertible. This is absolutely one of the coolest commercials (if you can call it just that?) I have EVER seen. See for yourself after the jump!
Continue reading ‘New Audi commercial blends CGI and reality’
This morning at the Zhuhai 6 Hours meeting the logo and the calendar of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship were presented. The championship consisting of eight rounds, including the Le Mans 24 Hours, will start in March and finish in November.
Jean-Claude Plassart, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest President, Pierre Fillon, ACO Vice President and Gérard Neveu, the FIA World Endurance Championship manager gave details of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship calendar. The programme will include eight races in eight different countries on three continents. Four races will take place on Saturday, three on Sunday and one – the Le Mans 24 Hours – on Saturday/Sunday.
2012 Calendar*
The entries for the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship and the Le Mans 24 Hours will be announced on 2ndFebruary 2012 after deliberation by the Selection Committee.
All entrants in the FIA World Endurance Championship have an automatic invitation for the 80th Le Mans 24 Hours.
*Calendar awaiting validation by the Federation Interntionale de l’Automobile (FIA)
[Source: Automobile Club de l’Ouest]
On November 13, at the close of a successful motorsport season, highlighted by the tenth triumph at the Le Mans 24 Hours and the title win in the DTM, Audi is contesting the 6-hour race at Zhuhai, China, the country that has meanwhile evolved into AUDI AG’s largest sales market.
As early as in the first week of October the brand with the four rings equaled the Chinese sales record from the entire year of 2010. In 2011, Audi expects sales to reach the level of more than 300,000 vehicles there for the first time. For Audi, the finale of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) at Zhuhai is thus a fitting occasion to celebrate the Chinese record.
Continue reading ‘Audi R18 TDI to compete in record market China’
Dickie Meaden from EVO recently had the chance to learn how to tackle the Italian Misano Circuit from no other than Allan McNish. It wasn’t just about learning to tackle The Misano Circuit in a street car. It’s about learning how to tackle The Misano Circuit in an Audi R18. Dickie was allowed to complete 5 laps in the R18 in the completely untouched Le Mans winning car. There’s all sorts of debris embedded in the car as Audi has a tradition of leaving the cars in the condition that they win the race in.
[Video from EVO]
