Audi RS3 spied during testing

Audi RS3
Audi’s hottest hatch ever is almost ready and we have the best pictures yet of how the brand-new RS3 flagship will look.

Spied testing at the famous Nurburgring race circuit in Germany, the mule captured in the pictures is wearing an S3 Sportback shell, but don’t let this fool you, underneath, the RS version is a different beast altogether.

As well as Audi’s trademark Quattro four-wheel-drive system, it is expected that the RS3 will get a modified version of the same 2.5-litre, five-cylinder turbocharged engine found in the TT RS. As a result the RS3 will have no shortage of power, with over 330bhp and 450Nm of torque. The result of this will be a 0-60mph time of less than five seconds.

Mated to an S-tronic gearbox, the RS3 will also get a host of exterior additions over the S3, including a body kit, bonnet air-intakes and twin exhausts.

Audi luxury compact future car

Compact cars that are premium rather than second-rate, that is. Compacts admired for elegant, tailored looks as well as exceptional fuel efficiency. Luxury automobiles, yet distinctly athletic in character.

Today's Audi A3 TDI fits the description tidily.

Yesterday's Cimarron was compact, otherwise none of the above applied. It was an overdressed, over-priced version of the Chevrolet Cavalier peddled as a Cadillac through the mid-1980s to the detriment of the brand and to any subsequent compact that aspired to anything worthwhile.

The earlier successes of the BMW 320, Audi 4000 and Saab 900 among others inspired Cadillac's failed experiment. It may not have been coincidence that successive models of these European imports grew ever larger.

Who knows how many North Americans decided on the basis of having seen, heard, or even worse drove, a Cadillac Cimarron that no compact-sized car could ever merit a luxury price?

We'll soon find out, in any event, how many drivers are willing to rethink the matter as new fuel-efficiency standards beginning in 2012 surely will herald another wave of smaller vehicles.

The Acura CRX, BMW 135i, Mercedes-Benz B200 and Volvo S40, as well as the regular Audi A3, are current examples of luxury compacts. The A3 TDI moves a step beyond them in fuel efficiency. As the 2010 Green Car of The Year, this diesel-powered model (TDI stands for turbo direct-injection diesel) provides a model for every major manufacturer's product planning.

Audi A3 TDI

Audi A3 TDI

Diesel vehicles are starting to grow in popularity. Diesels offer up to 30% better mileage than comparable gas engines. But they were dismissed as smoky and noisy until the new generation of diesels went on sale in 2008. And even then, they had to fight through bias.

The 2010 Audi A3 TDI, seen here at the 2010 Denver auto show, was named Green Car of the Year at the 2009 LA Auto Show.

Audi R8 ClubSport Clubsports

Audi R8 ClubSport

Within the next two years, Audi plans to have five different variants of the R8 in production: V8- and V10-powered coupes and convertibles, and one harder-core variant tuned to play as well on the track as it does on the road. This newest, lightweight model – likely carrying either a ClubSport (CS) or GT badge – has been undergoing testing in Germany this week, and beyond the sinister matte-black paint scheme (with matching fuel door), there are a few choice modifications to the body to set it apart from its standard siblings.

The front fascia has been lowered slightly with the addition of a new splitter and reshaped winglets, while out back you'll notice the larger, round exhaust outlets, restyled rear bumper with new air outlets aft of the wheels and that shapely fixed rear wing. The rolling stock appears to have grown a bit and larger carbon ceramic brakes are fitted at all four corners.

Audi Extends The A8

The Audi A8 is a large car by most people's standards, but the A8 L, which makes its world debut at the Beijing Show, is larger still.

Compared with the standard A8, it's more than five inches longer, and all that extra room is devoted to the rear passengers, who also get heated seats, individual climate control air-conditioning and rear and side window blinds.

The A8 L comes with a choice of four engines. The three most familiar are 247bhp 3.0 and 345bhp 4.2 TDI turbo diesels and a 367bhp 4.2 FSI petrol. Above them all is a new version of the Volkswagen Group's W12 (basically two V6s joined together, and introduced several years ago in the Volkswagen Phaeton). This has now been extended from six to 6.3 litres and produces a maximum of 493bhp, giving the A8 L a remarkable 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds, with top speed limited to 155mph. Combined fuel economy has also improved, to 23.5mpg, and the CO2 rating is 278g/km.

The W12 is not available in the standard A8, and A8 L customers who choose it also get two individual rear seats which can be heated, ventilated, slid forwards and backwards and reclined to suit the occupants.

2011 Audi A8 L Details Revealed

Audi has unveiled details of its new range-topping model, the 2011 Audi A8 L sedan. Basically the long wheelbase version of the top end Audi A8 sedan, this car is expected in the U.S. market in the coming months.

Since the major difference of this car from the others is in terms of its body proportions, here are the details of it. The car is is 5,267 millimeters (17.28 ft) in length, a good 130 mm (5.1 in) longer than other models. The wheelbase is 3,122 mm (10.24 ft) and there is a 2 mm (0.08 in) increase in the height of this car. Width remains the same though at 1949 mm.

The vehicle is powered by a 247 kg 6.3-liter W12 engine that delivers 373 kW and 625 Nm of torque. The 0 to 100 kilometer per hour target can be achieved in 4.9 seconds. Top speed is an impressive 250 km/hr. Owing to its Audi Space Frame aluminum body, Audi claims that this car is 40 percent lighter than a car with a similar steel body.

2011 Audi RS5 Image

2011 Audi RS5
The 2011 Audi RS5 made its world debut last month at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show and come complete with an uprated version of the 4.2-liter FSI V-8 from the RS4. The latest iteration of the sweet engine delivers 450 horsepower at 8,250 rpm and, between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm, transmits a maximum of 317.15 pound-feet of torque.

The mighty engine is matched to a seven-speed S tronic dual clutch gearbox and a new center differential in the standard quattro all-wheel drive system. Together, the powertrain propels the coupe’s 3,803 pound kerb weight from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds and sees it reach a top speed of 174 mph.