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Audi promises production laser headlights

Audi is showing off new laser headlight technology this week at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show on its Audi Sport Quattro Laserlight Concept, and most intriguingly, the automaker has plans to use the long-range lighting on production vehicles. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler tells Automotive News that this type of headlights will be used on a future production vehicle, although he did not specify any timeframe.
On the concept vehicle, the headlights employ LED low beams, while the high beams use the laserlight technology. Audi says that these lights are not only very small ("a few microns in diameter") they are also able to light the road for almost a third of a mile (1,640 feet), with three times the brightness of an LED highbeam, yet with pinpoint control. These lights have already been confirmed for use in motorsports on the 2014 Audi R18 e-tron Quattro LMP1 racecar, and the tech will eventually trickle down to road-going cars.
In addition to how long this trickle down will take, it's doubtful we'll see these lights in the US anytime soon. Audi is still working with the US Department of Transportation for approval of its LED Matrix Beam headlights, which are already sold in other markets, and the negotiations appear to be taking quite a bit of time. Automotive News also notes that the laser headlights earmarked as options on the 2015 BMW i8 will not be offered in the US, either.

Audi A3 E-Tron goes carbon neutral with German green electricity deal

Audi is proving that the fresh water flowing through the European Alps isn't just for bottling and drinking anymore. The German automaker struck a deal with Hamburg-based LichtBlick to offer buyers of the Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron a chance to get their electrical juice from all renewable-energy sources. That means all the power going into charging stations can come from hydroelectric power from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The nuts and bolts part of it is that users pay the equivalent of about $12.30 a month plus 37 cents per kilowatt hour for the service. And LichtBlick is indeed legit, as it has been certified by TUV Nord for having at least one third of its power come from hydroelectric plants that are were built less than six years ago. Audi is looking to boost sales from a model it unveiled at last year's Geneva Motor Show. The car pairs a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor that combines for 250 horsepower. Most importantly, the A3 E-Tron gets a combined fuel economy rating of 157 miles per gallon. And while that figure comes from the more generous European driving cycle, it's impressive nevertheless. Check out Audi's press release below and read the Autoblog Quick Spin here. Audi and LichtBlick offer green electricity CO2-neutral mobility with Audi energy TUV-certified green electricity from the energy provider LichtBlick As an accompaniment to the market launch of the A3 e tron*, Audi is offering customers in Germany green electricity – Audi energy. The cooperating partner is the Hamburg energy provider LichtBlick SE. With Audi energy, the A3 e tron is totally emission-free when operated electrically. The power all comes from renewable energy sources and is generated exclusively at hydro-electric power stations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Audi A3 e-tron can be recharged when parked at your home with Audi energy. At the same time, the entire household is supplied with eco-friendly electric power. Audi energy is currently available for a basic monthly fee of EUR 8.95 and 26.76 cents per kilowatt-hour. The origin and quality of the green electricity are certified by TUV Nord. The "OK power" seal of quality also confirms the expansion of power generation from renewable sources: at least one-third of the electricity comes from hydro-electric power plants less than six years old. Providers of this green electricity do not make use of federal subsidies pursuant to the German Renewable Energy Act (EEG).

Audi reveals facelifted A7 and S7 in Europe [w/videos]

Audi has revealed the nip/tuck and stylistic upgrades for the A7 that we got clues to in spy shots from back in January. The single-frame grille has been subtly reworked along with the lower front fascia and headlilghts. Those bulbs are underlined by a new design for the LED DRLs, and - in Europe - they can be had with Matrix Beam LEDs that come with dynamic turn signals. Out back is a tweaked bumper, as well as new exhaust tips and taillights with an LED pattern that mimics the front lights.
Cockpit inhabitants get new surface treatments like the aluminum and Beaufort walnut inlays, Valcona leather and five possible colors for the seats. The company's MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch is fitted with an Nvidia chip for faster graphics processing, and LTE-enabled internet connectivity is standard.
Up front, the 3.0-liter bi-turbo TDI gets a power boost to 320 horsepower and is attached to an eight-speed transmission; a seven-speed S tronic transmission is paired to the rest of the line. The revised 3.0-liter V6 TDI recently discussed at the Vienna Motor Symposium also joins the lineup, here offered in both the 272-hp and 218-hp variants, that latter "ultra" version said to return 50 US miles per gallon.