Audi A7 Supercharged on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Audi reveals Prologue Allroad concept ahead of Shanghai

Audi kicked off the Prologue series of design studies with the coupe concept unveiled in LA, then followed up with the Prologue Avant wagon at the Geneva show. Now, we're seeing the third iteration in the form of the Prologue Allroad concept. Set to be unveiled next week at the 2015 Shanghai Motor Show, the Prologue Allroad picks up where the previous two left off, but takes it in a more rugged direction. At 16.8 feet, it's longer than both of the previous concepts, and stretches out to the same length as a standard-wheelbase A8. It also rides three inches higher than the Prologue Avant concept. Not only is it larger than the preceding showcars, it's also more powerful. Under the hood sits a hybrid powertrain that pairs a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 to an electric motor integrated into eight-speed automatic transmission. Together they produce a whopping 738 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, driven to all four wheels to send the concept to 62 miles per hour in a scant 3.5 seconds – all the while returning a claimed equivalent of 98 miles per gallon. If that's not the best of both worlds, we don't know what is. Plus, the car packs an inductive charging system that Audi says it's developing for production. Massive 20-inch brake discs keep that performance in check, sitting inside 22-inch wheels, all mounted to an adaptive air suspension and four-wheel adaptive steering. Other exterior features include door lock sensors integrated into the window frame, Matrix laser headlights and LED taillights. Inside it's all angular yet elegant, swathed in dark blue, beige and brown. Display screens abound, stretching across the dashboard with a deployable OLED infotainment display in the center console. There's another OLED screen for the passengers in the pair of rear seats, who can also dock OLED tablets in the front seatbacks. A pop-up "sound spoiler" promises to envelop the cabin in music, and there's inductive charging for mobile devices as well. Together with its conceptual stablemates, the Prologue Allroad concept points towards a stylish and technologically advanced future for Ingolstadt, and we're looking forward to seeing this show car transition into production as the next A6 Allroad. In the meantime, you can scope out all the details in the press release below and view the concept from every angle, inside and out, in the slideshow above.

The Audi RS5 takes aim at the BMW M4 and Mercedes-AMG C63

The current generation of the Audi A5 has soldiered on for the past 10 years, an eon when it comes to automobiles. Though we've seen and driven its replacement, the new car hasn't quite made it to market. As with most of Audi's lineup, the car is expected to come in three versions. While the full reveal and first drive reviews of the A5 and S5 took place late year, until now we haven't had a peek at the range topper Audi RS5. It sits on Audi's B9 platform shared with the Audi A4 sedan. Essentially, it's Audi's equivalent to the BMW 4 Series or the Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe. In the case of the RS5, compare it to the BMW M4 and the Mercedes-AMG C63. Like its rivals, the RS5 sits longer, lower, and wider than its sedan stablemate. The RS features aggressive front and rear fascias and a set of unique wheels. While the styling of the new model may look evolutionary, it is indeed all-new inside and out. The two cars in these photos are wrapped in camouflage that covers everything below the beltline. The general shape of the bodywork looks the same, but the front and rear are slightly restyled. The front now has larger air intakes in the corners and a lower chin spoiler. Out back, the dual single-exit exhaust pipes give the RS model away. The S5, like all S models, features quad exhaust tips. The rear bumper is slightly modified, but all in all it's not far off from the A5 and S5 models. Audi's styling is always conservative, so this should come as no surprise. There's no word as to what's resting under the hood, but look for forced induction and six cylinders, possibly pulling something from the Porsche Panamera. As with every other Audi performance car, power will be sent to all four wheels through the latest generation of the Quattro all-wheel drive system. Look for a full reveal in the next few months, possibly as soon as March at the Geneva Motor Show. Related Video:

2015 Audi A3 configurator is up and running

Potential customers for the new Audi A3 should set aside some time during their lunch breaks to head over and build their ideal example of the new sedan. The official configurator, complete with pricing and options, has gone live on the Audi website.
Customers can choose from three trim levels (Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige), while each trim can be had with either the Volkswagen Group's familiar 2.0-liter, turbocharged, 220-horsepower four-cylinder or a 1.8-liter, turbocharged, 170-horsepower four-cylinder. Buyers of the 2.0-liter will enjoy Quattro all-wheel drive while power for the 1.8T is channeled through the front wheels only. A six-speed, S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission is standard across the range.
You can check out full pricing on the A3 right here, but as a means of recap, the base Premium trim with the 1.8-liter engine starts at $29,900. A Premium Plus 1.8T starts $32,800 and the Prestige 1.8T will cost $38,700. Adding a 2.0-liter turbo and Quattro increases the price by $3,000, regardless of trim. Those prices don't include an $895 destination charge.