2001 Audi A6 Quattro Base Sedan 4-door 2.7l on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Smart metals, OTA updates, Rolls-Royce LNG ship

"Smart" metals could help engines reduce emissions and invigorate US business. Metallurgist and University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee professor Pradeep Rohatgi combines known metal alloys with materials like ceramics, nanoparticles, and recycled waste to produce strong, lightweight composites with self-lubricating properties that help internal combustion engines run more efficiently. Rohatgi hopes his startup, Intelligent Composites, and its products can help US foundries compete with production outsourced overseas. See the video above, and read more at Phys.org. Almost 203 million cars will be capable of over-the-air (OTA) updates by 2022, according to ABI research. While Tesla has the OTA firmware updates nailed down, other automakers will focus on software update capability. This will take the place of dealer-installed updates and - like Chrysler did after the Jeep hacking incident - updates sent to owners via USB drives. OTA updates will enhance vehicle security and reduce recall rates. Read more at Green Car Congress. European bus manufacturers have agreed upon a standardized charging interface for their electric buses. Irizar, Solaris, VDL and Volvo will use pantograph charging for "opportunity charging" and CCS plugs as the base for overnight charging and network communication. The manufacturers hope other bus makers and charging providers to join them in cooperation over standardized charging. Read more at Green Car Congress. The second Audi Autonomous Driving Cup will take place from March 22 to 24, 2016 at the automaker's Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt, Germany. The competition involves eight university teams implementing basic Audi software in 1:8 scale electric Audi Q5 models, and putting them through the paces of simulated real-world driving situations. The teams develop software architecture to use the suite of sensor to have the cars drive, park, maneuver in traffic and perform emergency braking autonomously. Teams also perform a freestyle event where they put the car through an additional task of their choosing. The winning team gets ˆ10,000, with smaller prizes for second and third place. The competition also gives the students the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of a potential employer. Read more at Green Car Congress. Rolls-Royce will provide the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) propulsion for an NSK cargo ship carrying fish food. The ship will deliver 2,700 metric tons of fish food to fish farms along the Norwegian coast.

Audi developing EV batteries with LG Chem, Samsung SDI

Audi is continuing to trickle out more details about a future electric SUV with a range of over 311 miles, and the Four-Ringed Brand now has a deal with LG Chem and Samsung SDI to use their cells in its battery design for the upcoming EV. The two companies are also agreeing to make investments in Europe to produce and supply parts there for the vehicle. "We will optimally integrate the innovative cell modules developed with LG Chem and Samsung SDI into our vehicle architecture, thus achieving an attractive overall package of sportiness and range," Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi Board of Management member for development, said in the deal's announcement. Hackenberg first publicized the EV during the brand's annual press conference this year. At the time, he confirmed that the model will use the same MLB 2 platform as the Q7 and set a launch date of early 2018. The vehicle reportedly carries the internal codename C-BEV, and a concept version might show up at September's Frankfurt Motor Show. Current rumors suggest that the EV will use a 90-kWh battery pack to achieve such a long range. Three electric motors could provide a total output of 500 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. Related Video: POWERFUL BATTERY IN AUDI ELECTRIC CAR WITH CELL MODULES FROM LG AND SAMSUNG South Korean high-tech companies LG Chem and Samsung SDI to invest in European battery-cell production for Audi Battery-electric SUV with a range of more than 500 kilometers First battery-electric Audi SUV will combine sportiness and range with an emission-free driving system August 13, 2015 | INGOLSTADT, Germany -- Audi will develop the battery for a purely electrically powered sport utility vehicle on the basis of powerful cell modules from the South Korean suppliers LG Chem and Samsung SDI. The two Audi partners plan to invest in the cell technology in Europe and will supply the Ingolstadt-based car producer from their European plants. The new technology will give drivers of the Audi sport utility vehicle a range of more than 500 kilometers. "Together with our South Korean development partners, we are bringing production of the latest battery-cell technology to the EU and strengthening European industry with this key technology," stated Dr. Bernd Martens, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Procurement. The cell modules are to offer particularly high performance.

Audi A6 gets styling, powertrain tweaks

The Audi A6 is already a fairly handsome, German luxury sedan, but the whole range is receiving some styling updates in Europe this fall. Audi's US arm would not directly confirm which of these updates will be coming to America, instead just telling us that an updated A6 will be coming next year.
On the outside, the tweaks are fairly minor. The company's single-frame grille, which shows up throughout the model lineup, gets some very subtle styling changes, and the lower bumper and its air intakes are also reshaped. More obviously, the headlights have a new form with the LED running lights cutting through them in roughly the shape of a T, as opposed to outlining them, as before. A similar shape is also used for the updated taillights, and there are now rectangular exhaust outlets around back, as well. In profile, the side sills also get a harder crease toward the rear of the sedan.
Inside, things are kept generally the same, as well. There's a new Flint Gray interior color for the A6 and Salsa Red for the S6. But the biggest change is a power-retracting eight-inch infotainment system using the Nvidia Tegra 30 graphics chip. The optional night vision assist system is also improved with new functions, according to Audi.