Four door coupe. SUV coupe. Luxury sports... truck? If naming a thing is the first step to understanding it, then the 2019 Audi Q8 doesn't seem especially keen on being pinned down. Settling into new territory for the German automaker, it's either a perfect example of giving consumers what they apparently want, or a fairly extreme act of niche-filling.
The Audi e-tron SUV may not be for everyone so, freshly unveiled today at the Geneva International Motorshow, is the all-new Audi Q4 e-tron concept. It's a compact four-door SUV, smaller than the existing e-tron, but borrowing its styling and its drivetrain tech. According to Audi's Marc Lichte, this very concept is coming to production form with very few, minor changes, in 2021.
Audi has announced a special edition of the venerable R8 sports car called the Audi R8 Decennium. The car is an homage to the success of the V10 engine for Audi and is a limited edition. Audi plans to build only 222 units globally.
Audi owners with select 2017 or newer vehicles have received a new feature that helps them avoid red lights. The company announced an update to its Traffic Light Information system, adding Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory (GLOSA) for displaying speed 'recommendations' based on various traffic infrastructure data. With this info, the driver has better odds of avoiding red lights.
Audi has announced that SUV shoppers eyeing the Q8 now have a pair of new options when it comes to engines. The Audi Q8 55 TSFI is now equipped with a six-cylinder spark-ignition engine that displaces 3.0L and makes 340 metric hp. Torque output for the new 3.0L V6 is 368.8 lb-ft.
It all started with the beautiful Audi Prologue concept unveiled by Audi at the 2014 LA Auto Show. The Prologue heralded the future of Audi exterior and interior design, under the pen and leadership of Marc Lichte. The rounded lines of the past are now strong and aggressive; gone are button-heavy consoles from the interior and, in their place, touchscreens and a handful of necessary keys.
Audi has pulled the wraps off the new TT RS Coupe and Roadster, and the two rides share many of the same components. Combined fuel consumption is 8.1 to 7.9 l/100km, which is about 29 mpg in the States. While the two cars pack 400 metric horsepower 5-cylinder engines, they are low polluting.
Audi has unveiled the unique TT 20th Anniversary Edition that comes with some unique elements in a limited edition model. The special edition car will come in two colors, Aviator Gray pearl effect or Nimbus Gray metallic; the latter color is a US market exclusive. All 20th-anniversary models have the same Moccasin Brown Fine Nappa leather with yellow contrast stitching.
From the outside, it looks as though I'm in the back seat of a new Audi e-tron, being driven around Speed Vegas for roughly two laps. Look closer, though, and I'm not making awkward small-talk with my driver: instead, I donned a set of Oculus Rift virtual reality glasses, was handed a controller, and set to work being among the first to experience Holoride's vision of next-gen in-car entertainment.
Samsung has announced that it will be working with Audi to provide the first automotive-branded processor, the Exynos Auto V9, to power Audi infotainment systems. The chip will be the brain of Audi's next-gen in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system that is expected to debut by 2021. Samsung says the Exynos Auto V9 is a powerful processor designed for advanced IVI systems that display content on multiple screens.
You used to know where you were with an SUV. Five seats, maybe seven; plenty of space for luggage; and most likely all-wheel drive: in short, something perfectly functional to take the family on a cross-country vacation. These days, though, the SUV has morphed into something altogether different.
When’s the last time you got into any vehicle, as driver or passenger, and felt like you’d just entered a sanctuary of sorts? Sitting cross-legged with a meditation guru, I contemplated that very question as he attempted to lead me in a mindfulness session. Moments later, transcended into Audi’s new flagship luxury vessel, the 2019 A8 L, my mind was anything but still. Settled in for a drive through California’s magnificent Big Sur, I anticipated what the Pacific Coast Highway and the new A8 would reveal.