2012 Audi A4 Premium Plus, Quattro, S-line, Manual Transmission on 2040-cars

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The 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona: What we learned, what we saw

Two days after the flag dropped on the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona, people are still trying to figure out what it might portend for the rest of the season. In 24 hours, two minutes and 24 seconds, 695 laps were completed by the car that crossed the line first. During that time, 67 cars began the race, 18 of them retired. There was that accident, and a red flag. There were supposedly slower classes beating supposedly faster classes. There were 16 caution periods, including that yellow flag. And then there was The Decision. And Then The Uproar. And then The Reversal.
There was also some pretty good racing, so let's have one last look at the weekend. Oh, and there was that 1964 Ferrari 250 GTO Series II...
If you want to skip the reading bits and go to the photos, there's a high-res gallery of 158 images above and a couple more below. Enjoy.

Audi UK in hot water over dealer safety claims

Car salesmen don't exactly have a reputation for being in the most truthful profession, and it appears that several Audi showrooms in the UK are playing into that stereotype. A BBC investigation found that multiple dealers told buyers that the company's models scored well in Euro NCAP crash tests. No big deal, right? The problem was that the vehicles were never actually evaluated.
The report began after an R8 buyer sent in a tip that his UK dealer claimed the sports car had received top Euro NCAP scores. However, it has never been tested by the organization. The BBC called 10 dealers inquiring about the A5 (pictured above), which also wasn't assessed. Nine said the coupe had been checked out, and six claimed it had a five-star rating - the best available.
Euro NCAP is funded by governments and motoring bodies, like the ADAC in Germany and the FIA. According to its website, the organization selects some of the most popular new models each year to crash test, and, the BBC claims, automakers can also pay to evaluate their cars. The last Audi tested was the A3 in 2012. The A6, Q3, A1, A4 and Q5 have also been tested since 2009, and they all received five-star ratings. However, the A5, A7, A8 and R8 have not been tested.

Audi R8 bids adieu with the 570-hp Competition in LA

Audi is saying auf Wiedersehen to the first-gen R8 at the Los Angeles Auto Show in the best way possible - the even more powerful, limited edition 2015 R8 Competition. This might be the vehicle's swansong, but it's going out with a bang.
Audi is sending just 60 of these supercars to the US, and the heart and soul is a beefed up version of the 5.2-liter V10 from the V10 Plus model. The mill now makes 570 horsepower, a 20-hp boost, and is mated to a seven-speed, dual-clutch S Tronic gearbox. Audi claims that the potent package shoots the Competition to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds and to a max speed of 199 mph.
The extra ponies might be enough for some, but Audi really wants to make the Competition something special. Matte carbon fiber pieces replace areas around the car, including the rear spoiler, side slides, front spoiler, rear diffuser and center console. For contrast, the wheels and exhaust pipes are painted in high-gloss black. Ceramic brake discs should be a useful aid with deceleration, too.