2001 Audi S4 Avant Wagon 4-door 2.7l 6-speed on 2040-cars

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How Audi keeps it fresh in the design department

Audi was, even very recently, seen as a near-luxury brand, on par with niche if specific European automakers like Saab and Volvo. But early in the 21 st century, the four-ringed circus from Ingolstadt found a way to elevate itself to the level of its aspirational German rivals at Mercedes and BMW. While these brands were immersed in what we like to refer to as their Baroquecoco Period – a moment in which the exteriors of their cars gained bulges and, ahem, bangles, and their interiors failed to keep pace with the march of technology – Audi kept it simple. Its designs avoided the imperious Faberge gilding of Benz, or the Ghery-esque swoop and swoon of Bimmer. Instead, they were clean inside and out, with simple and elegant lines, comprehensible ergonomics, and subtle new signatures that were recognizable without being in any way overwrought. Customers, alienated by their rivals, flocked. Sales rocketed. And Audi became known as a formal/functional design leader – the Mid-Century Modern Architecture of the luxury vehicle world. But now BMW and Mercedes have taken note and corrected course. Both brands have discarded their dalliance with carbuncularity and are now, debatably, near the top of their game design-wise. Benz is delivering handsome stolidity not seen since the Bruno Sacco era of the Seventies and Eighties, and BMW has regained a grip on the kind of elegant sportiness characterized by Paul Bracq during the same time period. And the interiors of both brands are consistently on a level of craftsmanship, attention to detail, delight, and material selection and innovation once reserved for Bentley and Rolls. View 17 Photos This puts Audi in something of a design double-bind. First, its transaction price has escalated to the point where it lives in the same set as BMW and Mercedes. But now that those brands have caught up with (or perhaps even surpassed) the crisp Auto Union sensibility, how does it differentiate itself? "You have to have a clear design theme," says Frank Lamberty, Audi's exterior design director. "We define this as Quattro, because this is unique for Audi, this is our tradition. And Quattro means we have all the wheels powered, so we want to show that in our design. And this is different from a rear-wheel-drive car. We are coming from a front-wheel-drive platform, so everything is more balanced. Everything is in the middle, rather than leaned back. That is a clear proportion thing.

Audi A6 and A7 get a fresh face and upgraded equipment

It's been six years since the introduction of the Audi A6 and A7, but the automaker isn't ready to replace them just yet. So, in order to keep up with fresher competition, Ingolstadt has given its mid-range lineup a bit of a refresh. That includes not only a subtle facelift, but some new equipment, as well. The refreshed models benefit from new front-end styling, side sills, rear bumpers, and rear diffusers that look incrementally sharper than the existing versions. The updated interior features LED ambient lighting, with new trim options to join the expanded range of exterior colors and wheel choices. The infotainment system has been upgraded, and there are tablets mounted to the seatbacks to keep rear-seat passengers entertained. The sum total definitely falls in the evolutionary rather than revolutionary category. But they promise to help attract customers to Audi showrooms who might otherwise be lured towards the newer Mercedes E-Class, Cadillac CTS, Jaguar XF, or Maserati Ghibli, while keeping pace with the BMW 5 Series and Lexus GS that are growing just as long in the tooth. The updates are applied not only to base A6 and A7 models, but also to the Allroad Quattro and the S6 and S7 performance models. Audi says these refreshed cars will be available to order soon for delivery in the summer, and best of all, it hasn't raised the sticker prices in the process. Related Video: 04/22/16 Ingolstadt New look and new equipment – Audi A6 and A7 getting even more attractive - New highlights for exterior and interior and for equipment - Even more connectivity and entertainment on offer - Comprehensive equipment package for the Audi A6 allroad quattro Audi is making its full-size A6 and A7 Sportback* car lines even more exclusive. The exterior of the Sedan and Avant is set to become a touch sharper, with all models featuring interior enhancements and new equipment. There is a new, comprehensive equipment package for the A6 allroad quattro*. The updated full-size family is available to order worldwide soon. Deliveries will take place in the summer. Quality, design and technology – those are the key selling points for Audi full-size models. With the start of the new model year, the brand is further enhancing its models.

Audi A3 E-Tron launching at $51,500 in Germany

Audi has put a price tag on the A3 Sportback E-Tron plug-in hybrid, for which presales begin this month in Germany. To get your hands on one of these little guys, Audi is asking for ˆ37,900, or about $51,537 according to current exchange rates. Of course, the base MSRP doesn't include any incentives, but in Germany, those savings would come from certain annual tax exemptions that apply to PHEVs. Buyers in other countries might have more luck in getting into an A3 E-Tron for less. Audi lists its most important markets for the A3 E-Tron as Germany, Sweden, Norway, Holland, the UK and, despite no firm date for the car's arrival here, the United States. These countries, according to Audi, are where buyers are willing to spend their green (or the more colorful banknotes of Europe) on green cars. These places also enjoy nice things, or in Audi's words, "They appreciate the classic strengths of the Audi brand: high-end technology, uncompromising workmanship, sportiness and elegant design." In Germany, Audi will sell the A3 Sportback E-Tron at select dealerships. The service departments of those 100 or so dealers will get special training to work with the high-voltage technology used by the plug-in hybrid. These locations will also feature free-to-use charging stations for customers. The Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron's lithium-ion battery stores 8.8 kWh of juice, and is supplemented by a four-cylinder, 1.4-liter TFSI engine which works parallel to the electric motor. Total output is 204 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, directed to the front wheels via a six-speed S Tronic transmission. The car can reach 60 miles per hour in 7.6 seconds and has a top speed of 138 mph. It can travel of to 31 miles on battery power alone. Deliveries for the 2015 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron will begin in Germany and Central Europe this winter.