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Audi Release Price and Spec Of All New Audi RS 3 Sportback

Audi Release Price and Spec Of All New Audi RS 3 Sportback

Audi have released the price and specification for the UK versions of 3 the 67PS Audi RS 3 Sportback ahead of March on-sale date.Audi RS 3 Sportback

The all new 367PS Audi RS 3 Sportback is now en route to the UK, and as the most powerful compact hatchback currently in series production will be even more adept at catering for sports car devotees who also need to take care of everyday necessities like the school run and the supermarket sweep.  Capable of snapping at the heels of exotica with its 4.3-second 0-62mph sprint time and potential top speed of up to 174mph, the new five-door, five-seat Sportback will weigh in at £39,950 OTR. It will become available to order in March and reach its first UK customers in the summer.

Audi RS 3 Sportback

Audi RS 3 Sportback Priced at £39,950 OTR

The new entry point to the formidable Audi RS range is born of impeccable breeding – it is based on the current World Car of the Year and features the latest evolution of the evocative 2.5-litre five-cylinder TFSI – winner of the International Engine of the Year Award in the 2.0 to 2.5-litre category on no less than five consecutive occasions since 2010. Equally reassuringly, it shores up the extraordinary performance and handling produced by bringing these two elements together with the latest generation of quattro all-wheel-drive.

Audi RS 3 Sportback

Most powerful production five-cylinder engine in Audi RS history

The 367PS output from the aurally characterful 2.5-litre TFSI is complemented by peak torque of 465 Nm (343.0 lb-ft), which is available right from 1,625rpm through to 5,550rpm, ensuring that huge reserves of performance are always at the driver’s disposal.

Audi RS 3 Sportback

0 – 62mph in 4.3 seconds

With a power-to-weight ratio of 241PS per ton achieved by trimming an additional 55kg compared with the previous RS 3 Sportback, the latest car needs just 4.3 seconds to hit 62mph from rest, and with a suitable stretch of Autobahn to hand could continue to an electronically governed 155mph top speed. Drivers looking for optimal performance can also specify an optional increase to 174mph.

EU6-compliant

Compliance with stringent EU6 emissions legislation confirms that the latest edition of the classic five-cylinder unit is as frugal as it is feisty. With the help of a recuperation system, a demand-controlled oil pump and a new generation start-stop facility which increases the duration of engine ‘downtime’ at each stop, the latest RS model is capable of returning up to 34.8mpg, corresponding to CO2 emissions of 189g/km.

Butterfly valves in the exhaust system control the exhaust flow and deliver a suitably full-bodied and characterful note that varies with engine load and speed. For the first time in an Audi model at this level, a sports exhaust upgrade which deepens the tone even further is also available as an option. The driver can control the volume and depth of the output in both set-ups via the standard Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system.

Audi RS 3 Sportback

A seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission reworked to offer even faster shifts directs the power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system with its redesigned and lightened multi-plate clutch and torque vectoring capability. The clutch is mounted on the rear axle in the interest of balanced load distribution, and the parameters its bespoke RS 3 software works to can be controlled via the Audi drive select system.

Depending on the situation, it can send between 50 and 100 percent of the available torque to the rear axle, and when Audi drive select is in dynamic mode and the ESC Electronic Stabilisation Control system is in its sport setting, power is transferred to the rear sooner and in greater amounts for even greater agility and more direct turn-in.

Audi RS 3 Sportback

The state-of-the-art all-wheel-drive system adds a further measure of control and composure to the inherently agile RS-specific chassis with its wider track front and rear, uprated MacPherson strut front suspension with purpose-built lightweight aluminium pivot bearings and four-link rear set-up. The new electromechanical progressive steering system which is capable of varying its ratio as a function of steering input also helps to emphasise the quick-witted feel.

From the driver-focused section of the options list the Audi magnetic ride adaptive damper system can be added to level out ride and handling to an even greater degree, and the steadfast RS-specific disc brakes with their efficiency-boosting wave contour discs, eight-piston calipers and bespoke lightweight friction rings upfront can be further upgraded with carbon fibre-ceramic front brake discs – a first for a car at this level.

Audi RS 3 Sportback

Standard LED headlamps for UK versions

Classic RS visual references signal the special qualities that all these features confer to the outside world. In UK specification versions the nose with its high-gloss black, honeycomb-look singleframe grille and pronounced air intakes is set off by standard LED headlamps and daytime running lights. In profile the standard 19-inch alloy wheels snugly filling their arches, flared front wings, chiselled sills, matt aluminium-look mirror housings and large roof spoiler also catch the eye, and the rear with its remodelled bumper and high-gloss black diffuser insert is dominated in each corner by a large, oval RS tailpipe.

Audi RS 3 Sportback

Customers can choose from a palette of eight paint finishes to either accentuate or subtly play down the purposeful look – it includes the two new shades Nardo grey and Catalunya red, metallic, the latter available exclusively for the RS 3 Sportback.

Audi RS 3 Sportback

In the equally focused interior the standard sports seats are upholstered in Fine Nappa leather with contrasting stitching in rock grey, and the driver’s is perfectly positioned in relation to the flat-bottomed RS multifunction sports steering wheel with its leather and Alcantara trim. Stainless steel pedals, Alcantara door inserts and inlays in either 3D design black or optional Aluminium Race or Carbon also signal intent. High-quality applications in gloss anthracite black frame the instruments, which include black-faced dials with red needles and white scales, plus a driver‘s information system enhanced by a boost pressure indicator, an oil temperature gauge and a lap timer.

Audi RS 3 Sportback

In addition to LED headlights, standard equipment highlights for UK RS 3 Sportback models include the acclaimed MMI radio with its electrically folding colour screen, navigation preparation, Audi Music Interface iPod connection,  Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, front seat heating and the parking system plus with acoustic and visual guidance.

Choice options include newly developed RS bucket seats bringing a 7kg weight saving over the standard sports seat, an RS 3 interior design package with red accents on the seats, knee pads, air vents, floor mats and seat belts and MMI navigation plus with MMI touch, which through its Audi connect function beams internet-based services to the car.

Video: Audi Facebook winners drive Audi R8 to Le Mans

Video: Audi Facebook winners drive Audi R8 to Le Mans

In April 2012, Audi ran a Facebook competition offering one lucky fan and a friend the chance to experience the 24 Hours of Le Mans in an Audi R8.Continue Reading..

Audi R8 sets a new Nürburgring lap record for electrically powered car

Audi R8 sets a new Nürburgring lap record for electrically powered car

We spotted an Audi R8 e-tron at the Nürburgring recently after visiting the Le Mans. We were taking a ‘normal’ R8 for a motorsport trip for a few days. This new electric model was not just there for pre-production testing but to break a record!

During the testing for its production debut in late 2012, this all-electric Audi R8 e-tron has just set a world record for a production vehicle with an electric drive system on the Nürburgring Nordschleife – the toughest test track in the world. Racing driver Markus Winkelhock piloted the high-performance, all-electric sports car around the demanding 12.92-mile track in 8:09.099 minutes. With this Audi has achieved yet another milestone in its history, following overall wins at the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and Le Mans.

Audi R8 e-tron sets a new lap record 

  • Racing driver Markus Winkelhock pilots new electric sports car with 280 kW (equivalent to approximately 380PS) output to new lap record
  • R8 e-tron will enter production in late 2012
  • Michael Dick: “To us, electric mobility means dynamics and driving pleasure”

“The R8 e-tron has given a magnificent demonstration of its potential on the toughest race track in the world,” said Michael Dick, AUDI AG Board Member for Technical Development.

Dick, who completed a fast lap himself in the R8 e-tron, added:

“The record-setting drive confirmed that we are on the right track. To us, electric mobility has never been about sacrifice, but rather is about emotion, sportiness and driving pleasure.”

A comparison with the current record lap driven by a production car with a conventional combustion engine shows just how impressive the 8:09.099-minute time really is. The record time of 7:11.57 minutes was achieved by a Gumpert Apollo Sport, which is powered by a 700PS Audi V8 petrol engine.

The drive system of the Audi R8 e-tron that Markus Winkelhock drove to the world record is identical to that of the road-going model that will enter production towards the end of the year. The car’s electric motors generate a combined output of 280 kW and 820 Nm of torque; more than 4,900 Nm (3,614.05 lb-ft) is distributed to the rear wheels virtually from a standing start.

The Audi R8 e-tron accelerates from zero to 62mph in just 4.6 seconds. Its top speed is normally limited to 124mph; 155mph was approved for the record-setting lap.

Audi R8 e-tron 133-mile range

The R8 e-tron’s rechargeable lithium-ion battery stores 49 KWh of energy – enough for a distance of about 133 miles. Its “T” shape allows it to be installed in the centre tunnel and in the area between the passenger compartment and the rear axle. It is charged by energy recovery during coasting and braking.

The ultralight body of the Audi R8 e-tron is made primarily of aluminium, along with CFRP components; this is the main reason why the high-performance sports car weighs just 1,780 kilograms, despite the large battery.

In order to further underscore the production-relevance of the R8 e-tron and the capability of its drive technology, Audi has set another record on the Nordschleife in addition to the single lap record time. Immediately afterwards, Markus Winkelhock drove two fast laps in one go in a second R8 e-tron that was limited to 124mph. At 8:30.873 and 8:26.096 minutes, both laps were well under the important nine-minute threshold.

“The record drives were a fantastic experience for me,” said Markus Winkelhock.

The 32-year-old, who lives near Stuttgart, has a high standard for comparison – the Audi R8 LMS ultra, in which he, along with Marc Basseng, Christopher Haase and Frank Stippler, won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring a few weeks ago.

“Of course, the R8 e-tron is a production car, not a racing car with the assistance of aerodynamics,” Winkelhock emphasised.

“But with its low centre of gravity and rear biased weight distribution, it brings with it a lot of sporty qualities. The torque with which the electric motors propel the car uphill beats everything that I know – even if they make hardly any noise in the process, which at the start was really a completely new experience for me. In places where I really need traction, the torque vectoring – the displacement of the torque between the powered wheels – really helps me.”

Michael Dick proudly summed up events after the record-setting drive at the Nürburgring.

“Within just a few weeks we’ve taken on some big challenges and in the process we’ve shown that we are at the forefront with all of our drive concepts,” he said, adding:

“We won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in May in the Audi R8 LMS ultra with a ten-cylinder engine. In mid-June we triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro – the first overall victory for a hybrid-electric vehicle in the toughest race in the world. And now we’ve set another record with the all-electric-drive R8 e-tron on the most demanding track there is.”

The Audi R8 e-tron should enter production later this year and looks to be a very interesting alternative to the V8 or V10 engines!

Picture caption

Audi Circuit Breaker – The Audi R8 e-tron has set a world record for a production vehicle with an electric drive system on the Nürburgring Nordschleife – the toughest test track in the world. Racing driver Markus Winkelhock lapped the 12.92-mile track in 8:09.099 minutes.

Audi drivers to get digital rear view mirror but only on the track!

Audi drivers to get digital rear view mirror but only on the track!

We are looking forward to our Le Mans trip this year, popping down in an R8 and staying in the Audi village. It’s a great experience – probably the best for any racing fans.

You can get really close to the teams, drivers and cars, getting an insight into what actually is needed to keep a race car going, flat out, for 24 hours. As the drivers are in the cars for several hours at a time, anything that can make their life  a little easier is always a bonus.

When the Audi factory drivers tackle the Le Mans 24 Hours (June 16/17, 2012) they will have a new technology that will enhance their vision. Used for the first time in a closed LMP sports prototype, the digital rear-view mirror provides a clear view of the rear and thus substantially improves active safety.

“The work of our drivers in the cockpit is truly heavy labor,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich in praise of his line-up of 13 sports car drivers.

Aside from the physical and mental strain in endurance racing, life for the quick racers compared with their DTM colleagues is made more difficult by the special aspect of totally different vision. The extremely low, central seating position is just one reason for this. Another one is the fact that – unlike the Audi A5 DTM – none of the closed LMP sports cars have a rear window.

The concept and structure of the monocoque plus the configuration of the mid-engine in the Audi R18 leave no room for a rear window.

“So, in the past, our drivers had to strictly rely on the outside mirrors when looking rearward,” explains Dr. Ullrich.

“Yet the rear end and the rear wings plus the vibrations that occur at high speeds significantly limit the field of vision of these mirrors.”

Audi has developed a solution, which thanks to advanced technology produces an amazing effect. The digital rear-view mirror that shows what is happening behind the car on an innovative AMOLED display is better than any conventional mirror.

A camera of very light weight and dimensions of just a few millimeters sits behind the antennas on the roof of the Audi R18. It captures the action at the rear on film and transmits the information to the cockpit as digitalized data. The racing situation behind the vehicle is shown on a screen that sits in the place where an inside mirror is typically located.

“This gives us a whole host of benefits,” stresses Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.

“The operation of the mirror is weather-neutral. By contrast, when using outside mirrors, heavy water spray severely impairs the driver’s field of vision when it rains. For the new digital mirror, we worked out various day and night driving modes. Even when a rival approaches from the rear with high-beam headlights the image is superb and not just a glaring light spot.”

This has only been made possible by the latest diode technology. Instead of conventional light-emitting diodes an active matrix OLED (AMOLED) display is used. Its name has been derived from organic semiconductors. Their major advantage: Like displays, AMOLED screens can show multi-colored images and offer better resolution thanks to particularly small pixels with diameters of merely around 0.1 millimeters. Outstanding image quality and short response time are further positive properties of AMOLEDs.

“Therefore, even at 330 km/h we’re achieving a totally fluid image flow in real-time transmission,” says a pleased Dr. Ullrich.

At this speed, the Audi R18 covers a distance of 92 meters within a single second. As these new types of screens are freely programmable, Audi uses them to display other data as well. Information on the gear that is currently engaged, the slip level of the tires, and specific warning lights have been integrated into the central instrument.

“I’m pleased to see that we’ve managed to make another contribution to active safety through this technology,” emphasizes Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.

“We’ve previously achieved major effects not only with basic concepts but also through detailed innovations. The introduction of a tire pressure warning system in the 2001 season in the Audi R8 is just one case in point. Our drivers came to highly value the digital rear-view mirror right on its premiere at Spa.”

At the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Audi achieved a one-two-three-four victory.

The digital mirror solution is yet another example of the close meshing of volume production and motorsport.

“With respect to the screen and the programming we greatly benefited from the work of our colleagues at AUDI AG’s Technical Development (TE),” says Dr. Ullrich.

“They helped us move forward with components and knowledge.”

In the trial stage the racers even fully relied on an application that originated at the production side of the house. “The system was initially installed in an Audi R8 in which we sent Marcel Fässler and Marco Bonanomi out to test it in road traffic,” recalls Dr. Ullrich.

“Today, the system functions perfectly in the Audi R18 LMP race car. I’m sure that we’ll be able to return valuable findings to our colleagues in TE. We integrated the system into the vehicle package in an extremely small space and reduced the aerodynamic effects of the camera and energy consumption to a minimum. The intensity of the demands in motorsport, such as at the Le Mans 24 Hours, will cause such a system to mature at an accelerated pace. If the digital rear-view mirror is introduced in production vehicles at a future time our consumers will yet again profit from a system that has been successfully tested in motorsport as well.”

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    2012 AUDI A7 receives ‘Vehicle of the Year’ award

    2012 AUDI A7 receives ‘Vehicle of the Year’ award

    Audi today announced that the 2012 A7 has been selected by the Motor Press Guild (MPG), the largest automotive media association in North America, to receive the first-ever Motor Press Guild Vehicle of the Year (VOTY) Award. Laura Burstein, MPG President, will present the trophy at Audi’s press conference on the first day of the Los Angeles Auto Show press days on the 16th November.

    “The A7 is the epitome of high style and artistry, with a five-door coupe design that is both sporty and elegant. Response to the launch of the A7 this year has been outstanding. We’re proud to be selected by Motor Press Guild as the recipient of their first-ever Vehicle of the Year award,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America.

    “It was a close contest, but the 2012 Audi A7 managed to edge out the competition with its compelling combination of handsome styling, dynamic handling and advanced in-car technology,” said Laura Burstein, MPG President.

    “In this highly competitive market, it’s hard to be a standout, but Audi did it with the A7. Likewise, we congratulate all of our finalists on bringing solid, efficient and good-looking vehicles to the market that are fun to drive.”

    The seamless fusion of style, luxury and technology, every detail of the A7 delivers a striking visual statement. The A7 was the first car in the world to feature factory-installed Wi-Fi with Audi connect™ and navigation with 3-D Google Earth. From the ground breaking MMI® touchpad and its gracefully integrated display screen, to the state-of-the-art head up display, the Audi A7 is the perfect marriage of progressive design and sophisticated engineering. The A7 also sets a high standard for performance, handling and efficiency with an all-aluminum Audi

    , 310hp and 325 lb-ft. of torque. To learn more about the 2012 Audi A7 click here.

    The 2012 Audi A7 was one of five finalists chosen by a carefully selected panel of MPG journalist members who test and review cars on a regular basis. The entire journalist membership present at MPG’s recent Track Day event evaluated the finalist vehicles in the categories of safety, quality, value, performance/handling, design/style, environmental/green impact and technology/innovation standards and cast their votes accordingly. Vehicles were required to be all-new or substantially changed from the previous year’s model and available at dealerships on or before 1st January 2012.

    New Audi R8 GT Spyder

    New Audi R8 GT Spyder

    The extreme Audi R8 GT quite literally gets its second wind this week as a new open-air Spyder version of the even more focused 560PS R8 super car makes its debut. Distilling the celebrated R8 V10 formula into an even more concentrated form, the more intensively weight optimized GT soft-top will deliver its breathtaking pace and handling poise to just 66 customers in the UK, and a total of 333 worldwide. They will have the opportunity to formally register their interest in right-hand-drive versions of the new 197mph drop-head via Audi Centres or the Audi web site from today. Ordering will begin later this summer ahead of first customer deliveries in early 2012.

    The Audi R8 GT drops its roof for the new Spyder model

    Thanks to Audi ultra lightweight technology, the flagship version of the high-performance open-top sports car has trimmed a full 85 kg from the already low weight of the R8 V10 Spyder, and as a result weighs in at just 1,640kg. This helps it to accelerate from zero to 62mph in 3.8 seconds and to reach a top speed of 197mph.

    The Audi Space Frame (ASF) body with its cast nodes, extruded sections and aluminium panels, accounts for just 214 kg of the car’s total weight. It is assembled predominantly by hand in the R8 workshop at the Neckarsulm plant. Final assembly of the car takes place in the same way.

    The new Audi R8 GT Spyder model looses weight with new lighter components for wheels, brakes and transmission

    The engine frame is made of ultra-light magnesium; additional elements of the body are made of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP). Together, these components provide a weight saving of 5.5 kg.

    Visual modifications accentuate the styling of the R8 GT Spyder. These include additional contrasting titanium grey trim elements, a front splitter with a dual lip, flics at the sides of the front bumper, red GT badges, round exhaust tailpipes, an enlarged diffuser and dark LED tail lights in a clear-glass design. An optional windscreen frame in matte CFRP is also available.

    Audi engineers also trimmed weight from the technical components in the transmission, wheels and brakes. In the interior, the bucket seats alone, with their chassis of glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP), saved 31.5 kg.

    In classic Audi fashion, the R8 GT Spyder features a lightweight fabric soft top that is extremely quiet even when motorway cruising at higher speeds. Its electrohydraulic drive raises or lowers it in 19 seconds, even at speeds of up to 31mph. The powered retractable glass rear window is nestled in the bulkhead, separate from the soft top. The bulkhead also incorporates a rollover protection system comprising two pre-tensioned plates.

     

    Prodigious power: the drivetrain

    The performance offered by the new top-of-the-line model in the R8 family is formidable. The 5.2-litre V10 with an aluminium crankcase draws its fuel from an FSI direct injection system. Dry-sump lubrication ensures a reliable supply of oil even under maximum lateral or straight-line acceleration.

    With its modified electronic management, the long-stroke engine produces 540 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm, and peak power of 560PS.  In every situation, the engine impresses with its thrust and bite – and that unmistakable sound of an Audi ten-cylinder.

    Gear changes in the R8 GT Spyder are handled by the R tronic sequential manual transmission

    Gear changes in the R8 GT Spyder are handled by the R tronic sequential manual transmission without exception. Thanks to its electrohydraulic clutch and switching unit it shifts through each of its six gears within one tenth of a second at high load and engine speed, and it can operate in Normal, Sport and ‘manual’ modes.

    The quattro permanent all-wheel drive system has a strong rear-wheel bias which is accentuated by the axle load distribution. If the situation calls for it, the system sends additional torque to the front axle. In tandem with the limited slip differential at the rear, it provides an added measure of high speed traction, stability and composure compared with more conventionally configured sports cars.

    The suspension, too, works in favour of absolutely rewarding yet remarkably controllable handling. Aluminium double wishbones locate the wheels, and the rack-and-pinion power steering provides intimate feel and feedback. Taut tuning lowers the body by approximately 10 millimetres onto 19-inch wheels with 235/35 tyres up front and 295/30 tyres at the rear. The large, lightweight carbon-fibre ceramic brake discs decelerate the car with exceptional fade-free efficiency. The Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) has a sport mode and can also be deactivated entirely.

     

    Pure comfort: the interior and equipment

    Great attention to detail is evident in the materials and workmanship inside the R8 GT Spyder. The salient aspect of the controls is their logically structured design. The open two-seater offers a roomy interior, and its front end load area can accommodate up to 100 litres of cargo. The rear bulkhead houses three storage compartments.

    The Audi R8 GT Spyder interior is finished in black and can be trimmed in a choice of titanium grey or crimson red

    The Audi R8 GT Spyder interior is finished in black and can be trimmed in a choice of titanium grey or crimson red for added refinement. Alcantara upholstery comes as standard, and also features on the sports steering wheel and inner windscreen rail.

    Audi also offers leather in Fine Nappa quality. Numerous details – including white dials and R8 GT logos – emphasize this car’s very special position within the R8 range. The distinctive R8 “monoposto,” a large arch encircling the driver’s cockpit, is made of matte CFRP.

    Great attention to detail is evident in the materials and workmanship inside the R8 GT Spyder

    Audi ultra requires no sacrifice on the part of R8 GT Spyder owners. Standard equipment includes LED headlights, LED tail lights, an automatic air conditioning system, DVD-based satellite navigation and the driver information system with a built-in lap timer.

    A sophisticated sound system from Bang & Olufsen and a Bluetooth interface including a seatbelt microphone allowing drivers to hold phone conversations on the move are also standard features.

    The New Audi R8 GT Spyder