2007 Audi S8 4 Door Sedan on 2040-cars

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Audi Nanuk Concept likes Parcour, puts four rings on it

Without a doubt, one of the coolest (and weirdest) debuts from this year's Geneva Motor Show had to be the Italdesign Giugiaro Parcour concept. And ever since the off-road performance coupe with Lamborgini guts made its debut, we've sort of been smitten with it. We figured this neat two-door would be a one-and-done show car, but to our delight, the folks at Italdesign worked with Audi to create this, the Nanuk Quattro Concept, which makes its debut here at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Unlike the original Parcour, the Nanuk ditches the high-revving Lambo-sourced 5.2-liter V10 in favor of a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter diesel V10. That's a beast of an engine, and with 544 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque on hand, it means the 4,189-pound, all-wheel-drive Audi can scoot to 62 miles per hour in under four seconds. Of course, being a diesel, it's surprisingly efficient, and we're told the Nanuk can achieve up to 30 miles per gallon.
As much as we sort of hate the term, the Audi Nanuk is a proper coupe-crossover if we've ever seen one, and utilizes the automaker's next-generation adaptive air suspension (the Parcour had a different pushrod arrangement) that offers a range of almost three inches of height adjustment. There's also an integral steering setup, meaning the rear wheels can turn up to nine degrees in the opposite direction of the front rollers, improving maneuverability.

Audi readies sales of new fuel-efficient A4, A5 and A6 models

As diesels continue to account for a minority of cars sold by Audi in the US, the German automaker and Volkswagen unit continues to expand its diesel models in Europe for the sake of fuel efficiency. Early this year, Audi will debut its new A4, A5 and A6 variants in Europe as part of what it calls its "ultra" strategy of pairing performance with fuel economy. Audi will have 11 new models for 2014, and the updated A4, A5 and A6 will use Audi's 2.0-liter turbodiesel powertrain. Versions of that engine will range from 136 to 190 horsepower, while torque will range from 236 to 295 pound-feet. More importantly, the models will get anywhere from 51 to 60 miles per gallon, when tested on the more lenient European driving cycle. And while manual transmission will be standard (this is Europe, after all), the A6 will have a seven-speed automatic transmission option. Pricing will start at 32,600 euros ($44,000 US) for the base A4 and work its way up to 45,000 euros (about $61,000) for the top of the line A6. Last year, Audi boosted its diesel sales in the US by 40 percent to just over 10,000 units, though that accounted for just a fraction of the approximately 158,000 cars the company sold domestically in 2013. Audi has a press release on the new models below. The new ultra models from Audi A4, A5 and A6 with impressive efficiency • New ultra models from Audi with 136 hp, 163 hp and 190 hp • Greater efficiency with unchanged driving dynamics • Emissions of just 104 to 119 grams of CO2 per kilometer (167.37 to 191.51 g/mile) Audi A6 2.0 TDI ultra, Audi A5 2.0 TDI ultra, Audi A3 1.6 TDI ultra Audi is expanding its ultra strategy with 11 new models: Especially efficient engine versions in the A4, A5 and A6 model lines will be launched in early 2014. A new and powerful two-liter TDI will provide the drive at 100 kW (136 hp), 120 kW (163 hp) or 140 kW (190 hp); the engine emits just 104 to 119 grams of CO2 per kilometer (167.37 to 191.51 g/mile) depending on the model. The "ultra" designation stands for sustainable mobility that is fully available for everyday use. With a combined fuel consumption rate of 3.9 to 4.6 liters per 100 kilometers (60.31 to 51.13 US mpg) and CO2 emissions of 104 to 119 grams per kilometer (167.37 to 191.51 g/mile), the new ultra models from Audi are among the most efficient cars of their segment – without any limitation on the driving dynamics or customary comfort. Audi Board Member for Development, Prof. Dr.

Audi pushing DOT to allow its sequential LED turn signals [w/videos]

Still in the process of trying to get its trick LED Matrix Beam headlights legalized in the US, Audi is now trying to get its front and rear sequential LED turn signals approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Just like its auto-dimming headlights, the sequentially illuminating turn signals don't meet NHTSA's Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108.
The problem, according to Automotive News, is that the individual lighting elements are too small to meet current US safety regulations. The rule states that each lamp should be 22 square centimeters (8.6 square inches) and the whole lighted combined area must be 50 square centimeters (19.6 square inches). In the individual sequence, Audi's lights are much smaller than that. As for the Ford Mustang, which has had sequential turn signals since 2010, this system is legal since the first lens is large enough to meet the required size, so the other two lights really aren't even necessary.
It sounds like it could be some time before we see these turn signals on Audis in the US, which is a shame because in addition to their styling bebefuts, we think they're more effective at signaling the vehicle's intended direction of travel, and they do a better job of grabbing the eye. Scroll down to watch a pair of videos showing the headlights in action on the redesigned A8/S8 as well as the recently updated R8.