2007 Audi S4 Avant Wagon With New Kenwood/garmin Dnx9980hd on 2040-cars

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Audi, Jag, Kia and Tesla top Strategic Vision 2014 Total Quality Index

A couple weeks ago, J.D. Power released its latest Initial Quality Study, which gave high marks to Porsche, Hyundai and General Motors, with the latter earning more individual IQS awards than any other manufacturer. Now, it's Strategic Vision's turn, and it's doling out its praise not to Porsche, but to Tesla, which wasn't even included in the JD Power IQS.
The Model S was named the best vehicle overall in total quality, while Porsche's corporate brother and endurance-racing rival, Audi, was named the best premium brand, alongside Jaguar. Strategic Vision cited the Q5 and the ancient Q7 for individual segment awards, as well as the A5, which was a mere point off the top of its segment. SV also handed out compliments for the Audi's interior work. The win for the German brand is a nice improvement over its IQS score, with which it landed above the industry average, but solidly mid-pack.
Jaguar was without a segment winner, although SV did say that the Indian-owned English brand had a number of vehicles very near the top of their segments. This is the second significant win for Jag in two weeks, after it finished second overall on the JD Power IQS a few weeks ago.

Audi highlights headlights on upcoming new R8

Audi is preparing to roll out an all-new R8... but it's not about to reveal the whole thing at once. So in the first in what promises to be a series of teasers, the German automaker is showing off the new supercar's headlights. (Or headlight, we should say, in the singular.) Not unlike the R8 LMX revealed in Paris, the second-generation Audi supercar will incorporate LED headlights with an optional laser high-beam module. Unfortunately since laser headlights are illegal in the United States, the option isn't likely to be offered here. That is, at least, until Audi succeeds in convincing federal regulators otherwise. Although the teaser image above, like the press release below, may shine the light (so to speak) principally on the headlights, the shrouded shape also gives us a (little) bit to chew on. Yes, it will be available in blue, but beyond that we can expect the new R8 to incorporate slightly more angular lines than the model it replaces, with a more pronounced trapezoidal grille up in an overall design similar to the new TT, only more so. But then we already knew that much and more from the undisguised image that leaked out a little over a week ago. Ingolstadt, 2015-02-16 Audi reveals laser headlights for the new R8 - New mid-engine sports car features high-tech headlights - Laser high-beam offers high light intensity and excellent range Audi is revealing the headlights of its new R8* as the first of a number of technology highlights of the top sports car. The R8 uses LED headlights which can be supplemented by a laser high beam lighting module as an option. The new R8 will set new standards among high-performance sports cars – including in its lighting technology. As an option, the latest car development by Audi can be equipped with a laser spot as the high-beam headlight. The special appeal of laser lighting is that it uses high-intensity laser diodes, which generate a lot of light energy from a very small component. Compared to LED high-beam headlights, laser high-beams attain nearly twice the lighting range. Each headlight contains one laser module that operates with four high-intensity laser diodes. This module bundles the four intense blue-light laser beams. Then a phosphor converter transforms the blue light into pure white light. An identifying characteristic of the laser headlights is their blue light signature. Standard equipment in the new R8 includes an LED headlight system.

Audi S3 pitted against BMW M135i in track battle

Audi and BMW have long been enemies on both the road and the track, with their respective M and S/RS lines duking it out to the delight of auto enthusiasts everywhere. In this video from Evo, two of the rivalry's newest combatants take to the track - the Audi S3 and the BMW M135i.
The new Audi S3, which is finally coming to America, throws down with a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder. 290 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque are deployed to a Quattro all-wheel-drive system via a six-speed, S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission, allowing the five-door Audi to scamper to 60 in under five seconds.
The BMW, which Americans will know as a long-roof version of the new M235i Coupe, comes to the track with 320 ponies and 331 lb-ft of torque. That's a good bit more than the Audi, but the M135i has only two wheels to send its power to, an eight-speed single-clutch automatic (a six-speed manual is available) and a slightly higher curb weight.