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Video: Audi A1 commercial highlights big pieces of a small car

Filed under: Europe, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Audi

Audi A1 commercial

Audi A1 commercial is big, yet small – Click above to watch the video after the break

The Audi A1 may be small, but the latest home-market spot for the supermini highlights the car’s features in a big way. How big? How about a towering wall of guitar amplifiers that’s really an enormous Bose speaker like those you’ll find inside the A1? Or a movie screen that’s actually the Navigation System display.

We have no explanation why you’d want to jacklight rabbits, as depicted in the commercial, but the A1’s HID headlamp clusters carry out the task. Like those rabbits, Audi’s going to need to proliferate its vehicles worldwide if it wants to meet its goal of becoming the largest luxury automaker in the world, and the A1 is one of those bunnies.

Whatever the case, you’ll definitely want to see it for yourself in the video pasted after the break.

Continue reading Audi A1 commercial highlights big pieces of a small car

Audi A1 commercial highlights big pieces of a small car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 May 2011 20:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi introducing roadside assistant apps for iPhone, Android, Blackberry

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Audi

Audi iPhone App

Audi is rolling out a new roadside assistance app for owners equipped with an iPhone, Blackberry or Android device, and drivers with older Audis can get in on the action as well.

Once you’ve download the app from the corresponding store, you enter your VIN and some basic personal information, and get access to Audi’s roadside assistance program supplied by Allstate. Jump-starts, fuel delivery and towing are included in the service – free for new owners and requiring a fee for older models. The app also includes a dealer locator and taps into your smartphone’s GPS functionality to pinpoint your location.

The Curve and Bold are the first two Blackberrys supported by the app (download here), with the iPhone and Android versions available at the Apple App Store and Android Market, respectively. Full details in the press blast after the break.

Continue reading Audi introducing roadside assistant apps for iPhone, Android, Blackberry

Audi introducing roadside assistant apps for iPhone, Android, Blackberry originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi recalls A6, S6, RS6 over possible fuel tank issue

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Wagon, Recalls, Safety, Audi, Luxury

2004 audi a6 avant

2004 Audi A6 Avant – Click above for high-res image gallery

Got a hankering to own an Audi from the beginning of the Aughts? If you’re hunting for an example that wears a model badge with the number “6,” you might want to have a mechanic take a look its nipples. More specifically, make sure the rollover valve in the fuel system has been given proper attention, otherwise the nipple can become cracked and lead to fuel winding up on the ground instead of feeding the engine.

Audi and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have just announced a recall for specific years of the Audi A6, S6 and RS6. This recall affects 2001-2004 A6 models, 2002-2003 S6 models and the 2003 RS6. Up to 5,992 vehicles are potentially affected by this action. Click past the jump for the official recall announcement with more details.

Continue reading Audi recalls A6, S6, RS6 over possible fuel tank issue

Audi recalls A6, S6, RS6 over possible fuel tank issue originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 May 2011 17:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Audi R18 racers qualify 1-2-3 at Spa

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Peugeot

audi r18 tdi

Audi R18 TDI race cars qualify 1-2-3 at Spa – Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi’s newest diesels are running strong. A trio of R18 TDI race cars have qualified 1-2-3 at the Le Mans Cup 1,000km of Spa. It should be noted, of course, that Peugeot’s cars didn’t get the chance to set qualifying times due to a red flag that ended the session for all teams.

Despite the lack of pressure from the French oil-burners, this is a strong debut showing for the new Audi R18 racers. We expect to see some exciting competition between the Audis and the 908s come race day.

New Audi R18 racers qualify 1-2-3 at Spa originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 May 2011 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi considering production Q5 Cross Cabrio

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Crossover, Audi, Rumormill, Design/Style, Luxury

Audi Cross Cabriolet Concept

2007 Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

It was late in 2007 when Audi lifted the veil on the Cross Cabriolet concept. And it seemed absurd then. First of all, Audi only had the gigantic Q7 in its crossover range then, and Nissan had yet to offer its own CrossCabriolet. Several years on, that drop-top Murano is on the open market and Audi has expanded its line-up with the Q3 and Q5. And suddenly the notion of a drop-top CUV from Audi… well, it still seems pretty silly, but maybe not quite as much.

Now, word has it that Audi could be considering at least a limited run of Q5 Cross Cabrios. If production, as sources suggest, were limited to around 5,000 units, the contract could go to an independent coachbuilder rather than trying to fit the square peg of a niche model into the round hole of a mass-production automaker. In typical Audi style, Quattro all-wheel drive, a variety of TFSI and TDI engines and a fabric roof would likely be part of the mix. And while we may very well be getting ahead of ourselves, that’s what people said before Audi and its German compatriots started busting segments with their ever-expanding model lines.

Gallery: LA 2007: Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro

[Source: autoblog.nl]

Audi considering production Q5 Cross Cabrio originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 May 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi R18 TDI to debut at Spa while Aston Martin watches from the pit lane

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Aston Martin, Audi

Audi R18 TDI

Audi R18 TDI (above) and Aston Martin AMR-One (below right) – Click either image for high-res galleries

There’s plenty to be excited about in this year’s Le Mans racing season, and the new Audi R18 TDI arguably ranks chief among them. Audi’s new fixed-roof racer will make its debut at the Spa 1000km race next weekend, showing for the first time what it can do against a competitive field ahead of June’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“Although we tested at Le Mans recently, we’ll learn a lot more about the new Audi R18 TDI and also how it fares against the competition at Spa,” said Audi’s double champion Allan McNish Aston Martin AMR-One in preparation for the Belgian endurance race. “The 20-minute qualifying session on Friday afternoon will be the first time when we’ll see the true performance of all of the new cars because it will be the first time when everybody is on the same playing field together at the same time.”

That may not exactly be the case, however, because while Audi’s chief rival Peugeot is sure to be mounting its own challenge, word has it that Aston Martin will sit this one out. The British team is also fielding a new racer in the AMR-One, but rather than take the opportunity to put its new LMP through the paces in a real racing scenario as Audi will, Aston’s focus is on testing the car before the main event at La Sarthe. Follow the jump for official press releases from both teams.

Gallery: 2011 Audi R18 TDI (final livery)

Gallery: 2011 Aston Martin AMR-One

2011 Aston Martin AMR-One front three quarter 2011 Aston Martin AMR-One side 2011 Aston Martin AMR-One rear 2011 Aston Martin AMR-One close

[Sources: Audi, Aston Martin]

Continue reading Audi R18 TDI to debut at Spa while Aston Martin watches from the pit lane

Audi R18 TDI to debut at Spa while Aston Martin watches from the pit lane originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 May 2011 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi still supply constrained on many models; making huge inroads into CA

Filed under: Car Buying, Performance, Plants/Manufacturing, Audi, Luxury

2012 audi a6

2012 Audi A6 – Click above for high-res image gallery

When is success a bad thing? If you’re Audi, it’s when you can’t get adequate quantities of new vehicles to U.S. dealerships. Wards Automotive talked supply and demand with Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen, and it’s apparently very difficult to keep Audi dealers stocked. The Audi prez says the luxury brand is down to a 27-day supply of vehicles, adding, “We simply can’t get our inventory up to a 60-day supply.”

But while a short supply of new vehicles typically signals strong demand and minimizes incentives, Audi is faced with a custom order rate that is up to 31 percent. When you are maxed out at factories in Europe and there is that whole matter of shipping the vehicle across an ocean, an order can take months. And if customers face a long wait for what can sometimes be an emotion-driven buying decision, not everybody can be so patient, and Audi risks losing sales as a result. The waiting game hasn’t stopped Audi from turning up the heat in California, though, as the Four-Ringed Automaker’s sales have jumped from 3.5 percent to 10 percent market share.

Beyond supply issues, the German automaker is also struggling to push higher-end products, as de Nysschen says the volume products are the A4 and Q5. Only 15 percent of overall sales come from the A6, a number Audi hopes to stretch to 55 percent. The automaker is hoping the A7 helps solve that problem as well, along with a high mix of diesel-powered Q7 SUVs.

Gallery: 2012 Audi A6: Detroit 2011

2012 Audi A6

[Source: Wards Automotive]

Audi still supply constrained on many models; making huge inroads into CA originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi highlights the V6 TDI in the new R18

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Diesel, Racing

Audi R18 TDI

Audi R18 TDI – Click above for high-res image gallery

Take a look at the beast that is the new Audi R18 TDI and you’d be forgiven for assuming it has a big, rip-roarin’ V10 with at least two turbochargers. Right? Wrong. Although the previous R15 TDI packed in ten oil-burning cylinders, new regulations – implemented to diminish the advantage the last generation of diesel-powered Le Mans Prototypes over their gasoline-burning competitors – forced Audi to go with a single-turbo V6 for the new R18. That didn’t stop Audi from finding some unique ways to make the best of the new engine regs.

For starters, the engine block is made of aluminum – still a rarity for high-compression diesel engines, even after Mercedes-Benz introduced their design some six years ago. Audi also opened up the angle between the cylinder banks to 120 degrees, giving it a lower center of gravity approaching that of a boxer engine, and relocated the exhaust manifolds from port and starboard to a single unit nestled inside the wide V.

The result is a 3.7-liter turbo-diesel V6 that produces over 540 horsepower. The smaller form factor also allowed Audi Sport to optimize the aerodynamics, while its lower weight allowed the engineers to beef up other components. As for a regenerative braking system like its chief rival Peugeot runs (and like those employed in Formula 1), Audi says it is keeping the door open to the idea as development continues, but has yet to implement any such system. Follow the jump to read more about the engine specifically designed for Audi’s latest prototype racer in the full press release.

Gallery: 2011 Audi R18 TDI (final livery)

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi highlights the V6 TDI in the new R18

Audi highlights the V6 TDI in the new R18 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi has most engaged Facebook fans, beats out Justin Bieber

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Audi

Facebook is the latest big deal with all kinda of brands all over the world, as companies have spent small fortunes to bolster their social media presence. Has all that attention worked? It apparently has for Audi, as the Four-Ringed automaker has topped everyone in a key statistic.

Mashable reports that a study by Visibli shows Audi has the most engaged fans on Facebook. Better than Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and, perhaps best of all, better than any other automaker. In fact, American Airlines is the only other brand to make the list that isn’t a celebrity. To become “most engaged,” Audi managed 228 “Likes” out of every 100,000 fans; far exceeding the Bieber’s average of 181 per 100,000. This is where we’d typically work in some Bieber lyrics while rubbing it in that he lost, but we can honestly say we don’t know any.

So how did Audi manage to top every other brand and celebrity? Visibli CEO Saif Ajani is stumped for answers, adding “we’re trying to find out ourselves.” One possible explanation is that Audi has been “like-gating” certain content. Basically, you have to “Like” something to view a video, release or photos. Hey, whatever works…

[Source: Mashable via Social Car News]

Audi has most engaged Facebook fans, beats out Justin Bieber originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seat to build IBX crossover based on Audi Q3

Filed under: Concept Cars, Europe, Crossover, Audi, SEAT

Seat IBX concept in Geneva

Seat IBX concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Seat was awarded the internal contract to build the Audi Q3 at its factory in Martorell, Spain, but jobs aren’t the only thing the Spanish subsidiary of Volkswagen may get out of the arrangement. According to a new report from What Car?, Seat will receive a production version of the IBX concept on the same platform.

The IBX show car was unveiled last month at the Geneva Motor Show, packing a hybrid powertrain and coupe-like three-door bodystyle. When it enters production – tipped for sometime next year – it is likely to more closely follow convention in both drivetrain and layout.

The last time Seat developed a crossover was with the Tribu concept of 2007, though its production was halted midway through its development process when the global economy began to tank.

Gallery: Seat IBX Concept: Geneva 2011

[Source: What Car?]

Seat to build IBX crossover based on Audi Q3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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