2012 Audi S6 Avant Scooped Undisguised, gets New V8 Shared with Bentley

Audi’s new A6 model series will soon welcome a new member into the family, the sporty S6 that was snagged by our spy photographers in Avant trim during testing in Germany.

The prototype model was completely undisguised, however, there’s a reason for that. With the exception of some model specific details such as the telling quad tail pipes and unique alloy wheel designs, the S6 will remain unchanged from the A6 with the optional S-Line sport package. The latter adds an aero kit with restyled front and rear bumpers, among other parts.

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New Study Finds that Chinese Buyers Prefer European over Local Brands

Car buyers’ preferences in China are shifting towards European models and away from domestic and even Japanese vehicles, according to a new study published today by JD Power Asia Pacific. This is the third year that the study takes place.

The latest edition included 65 brands and 161 separate models in nine segments and is based on responses from 4,979 potential buyers of new-vehicles located in 53 cities.

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Buying a New Car? Why Not Bundle A European Holiday

Did you know that there are holiday packages that bundle airfares, accommodation and cosmetic surgery? It’s a sort of incentive program for women (and some men) to have their surgery done overseas and is especially popular in Britain and Australia. Well, as some of you may already know, there are similar programs for people who want to buy a new car.

These so-called, “European Delivery Programs” are offered by companies as diverse as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volvo. Effectively you’re bundling a discount European vacation with your new car purchase.

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2012 Audi S5 Range Updated, Coupe Drops 4.2 V8 in Favor of Supercharged V6

Along with the introduction of the regular versions of its refreshed A5 series, Audi also presented the updated S5 range. The most important change concerns the S5 Coupe in which the outgoing model’s naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 engine with 354-horses and 440Nm (324.5 lb-ft) is replaced with the same 3.0-liter supercharged V6 found in the Sportback and Convertible S5s. Read more »

O.CT. Tuning Supercharges Audi R8 V8 to 565-Horses

Owners of the entry-level Audi R8 with the 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 seeking a healthier output may want to take a look at O.CT. Tuning’s latest offering. The European tuning firm has developed a new performance package that bolts on compressor to the Audi model’s V8 engine while also tweaking the ECU and adding a custom exhaust system. Read more »

2012 Audi A5 Coupe, Convertible and Sportback Receive a Mild Facelift

Audi today unveiled the facelifted versions of its A5 range which includes the Coupe, the Sportback and Cabriolet models. The company’s goal was to freshen up the A5’s exterior looks and to improve both their driving dynamics and fuel economy.

The 2012 Audi A5 range is available exclusively with direct injection engines featuring forced induction and stop-start and energy regeneration system as standard. As a result, Audi says fuel consumption has been decreased across the range by 11% on average and CO2 emissions by as much as 22%.

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Audi Q7 Pickup Truck Photo Begs the Question: Is it Real or Fake?

This photograph of an Audi Q7 SUV turned into a pickup with an aluminum truck bed appeared today on several sites, all pointing towards an Audi fan blog as the source.

Over the years, we’ve seen one too many photo-chops making the internet rounds to take everything we see online for granted. In this case, even though there appears to be an inconsistency in the shadows between the lower parts of the front door and the rear panel, we just can’t be 100 percent sure.

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Audi wants to Build a New Factory in the USA

Audi has decided to build a new car assembly plant in North America and is seriously considering adding an engine and transmission plant, probably at a later date. However, the German company has not yet come up with a final plan, as Audi’s CEO, Rupert Stadler, pointed out to Automotive News: “It is totally clear that we need new production capacity in the US. The only question is when”. Read more »

Pole Turns 1991 Audi 100 V6 into a 2008 Audi A4 Lookalike

The latest addition to our automotive travesty replica section comes from Poland and it concerns a 1991 Audi 100 2.8 V6 Quattro (the A6’s predecessor) which has been stylistically converted to remind a 2005 Audi A4 sedan. To achieve the look, the Polish owner of the car crafted the front and rear end sections of an A4 to the 100 saloon. But that’s not all he did. Read more »

New 2012 Audi TT RS with 360-Horses Priced at US$56,850* in the States

After giving the green light to the U.S. specification TT RS last year, the flagship version of Audi’s sports coupe has finally arrived in the States. It will go on sale within the next few weeks with prices starting at $56,850 (*) excluding destination charges, taxes, title, options and dealer charges.

Interestingly, the North American version of the TT RS is more powerful than its European sibling as the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder TFSI engine is said to deliver 360-horsepower and 343 lb-ft of torque between 1,650 and 5,400 rpm. The European market model is rated at 340HP and 450 Nm (331.90 lb.-ft.) of torque.

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Audi RS3 Sportback Takes on BMW 1 M Coupe in Quarter Mile Duel

The Audi RS3 Sportback and the BMW 1 M Coupe represent two very different approaches on the compact sport model segment.

Ingolstadt’s proposal is a five-door model that looks more like a hotted-up small station wagon than a hatchback. It features a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five producing 340-horsepower and 450 Nm (331.90 lb-ft) linked to Audi’s all-wheel drive quattro system and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

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Video: Audi Q3 RS Prototype Fitted with RS3’s 2.5-liter Turbocharged Inline-Five

What more proof that Audi is seriously considering the introduction of a high-performance S or RS version of its newly launched Q3 compact SUV than the creation of a prototype model shown at a media event?

According to the folks over at Sweden’s Sportbilen, the prototype was uncovered during the European press launch of the new Audi Q3 in Zurich, Switzerland. And mind you, this wasn’t a static presentation as the media had the chance to drive the pre-production model on the road.

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Audi Q3 RS Rumors give Birth to Rendering

The latest news from Audi is that the Ingolstadt automaker is working on a high-performance version of its new Q3 compact SUV. According to inside sources quoted by Auto Motor und Sport magazine in its most recent issue, the brand with the four rings has even decided on the powertrain, which is none other than the 340HP 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five found under the hood of the TT RS and RS3 hot hatch. Read more »

Rumors: Audi Quattro Coupe May be Given the Green Light by September

The Audi Quattro Concept wowed the crowds at the 2010 Paris motor show. The favorable reaction of both the public and the press to the one-off concept that was created to celebrate the original Quattro’s 30th anniversary has sparked many rumors that Audi is seriously considering making a production version. Read more »

Audi UK Celebrates 24h of Le Mans Win with R8 V8 Limited Edition

Earlier this month, Audi snagged its tenth victory at the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans marathon race with the R18 TDI and to mark the event, the firm’s UK division has churned out a special edition version of the R8 V8 sports car with a unique paint and enhanced standard equipment.

The R8 V8 Limited Edition is reserved exclusively for UK customers, with only 100 examples currently scheduled for production. It is available to order from July in coupe form only and with either manual or R tronic automated manual transmission priced from £93,935 OTR.

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2011 24-hour Nürburgring Race: And the Winner is….

Porsche triumphed in the 2011 24 hours of Nürburgring, with the 911 GT3 RSR of Marc Lieb, Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Lucas Luhr crossing the line after 156 laps and 3,958.968 km (2,462.044 miles), a new record for the legendary endurance race in the demanding Nordschleife.

The Porsche 911 GT3 RSR first led the race at Saturday evening, at 23:25, and then its drivers held on to it for the following 16 hours and 35 minutes, or 108 laps.

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Shiny Happy People: Chromed Out Audi R8 Spyder Auctioned at Elton John’s White Tie and Tiara Ball

Every year, British musician Elton John throws the famous White Tie and Tiara Ball at his house to raise money and awareness for the Elton John Aids Foundation (EJAF).

At this year’s event, which took place on Thursday, June 23, Audi UK decided to donate a unique R8 Spyder V10 coated in a unique mirror-like chromed finish with all proceeds from the auction going towards the charity.

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Today’s Cars Are Nigh Impossible to Steal, Says Motor Industry

In the UK, car theft is down by more than 60% over the last seven years thanks to improvements in anti-theft technology. Coded car keys, alarms, immobilisers, better locks, strengthened glass and built-in tracking devices have made the modern automobile virtually impossible to steal.

Some 80% of car thefts now require would-be thieves to steal the owner’s keys or otherwise load their targets onto trailers for transport. And even then, tracking systems in some high-end cars mean these cars are recovered rather quickly.

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Audi A1 Production Reaches 100,000 Units in its First Year on the Market

The Audi A1 premium supermini is proving to be a flying success for the brand with the four rings. Just after a year from launch and without the car being sold in the all-important North American market, the 100,000th A1 rolled off the assembly line at Audi’s plant in the Forest district of Brussels in Belgium. Read more »

Was ist Das? Russians Create the Weirdest Audi Coupe You’ll Ever See

Sure, the new MINI Coupe is all the talk now and everyone is buzzing in his or her opinion on the two-seater model. However, if you really want a sporty coupe model that stands out from the crowd look no further than this creation from mother Russia.

Meet the ultimate Audi Coupe that blends an alarmingly shortened chassis and body from an Audi 80 with the front end of an A4 and the wider buttocks of a previous generation A6 sedan.

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