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Auto Express gets close-up look at the 2016 Audi R8

Audi invited Auto Express to the Ascari circuit in Spain to get a ride in the new R8 that will be introduced at the Geneva Motor Show. Jack Rix starts by giving us a walkaround of the camouflage-covered coupe, the obvious difference between it and the leaked image from a couple of weeks ago being the slatted front intakes. However, those intakes are present on the image Audi teased showing off one new, slimmer, laser headlight. The biggest shock: there will be no V8 model at launch - there will be one engine in two levels of tune. The first is the 5.2-liter R8 V10 with 540 horsepower, a bump of 15 hp over the present car. The second is the 5.2-liter R8 V10 Plus with 610 hp, a leap of 60 hp over the current model. That hotter trim, identified by its fixed rear wing, drops the 0-60 mile per hour time by a half-second to 3.2 seconds, and increases top speed seven miles per hour to 205 mph. Rix ran his fingers along the intakes behind the door and said he could feel sideblades, so all is not lost - what would an R8 be without sideblades? More obviously, on the V10 Plus Rix looked over there are new trapezoidal exhaust tips framing a serious diffuser in back. Underneath, the aluminum chassis adapted from the Lamborghini Huracan is 15 percent lighter than before and 40 percent stiffer. Shifting will be done via a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission only. There are seven driving modes, a switchable exhaust note, and more direct variable steering. The German test driver Rix rode with said the new R8 is easier to drive faster, which - no matter what you think of the looks - will make it pretty special. News Source: Auto Express via YouTubeTip: Clark Geneva Motor Show Audi Coupe Luxury Performance Videos

Audi SQ7 stars in Captain America: Civil War

When Captain America: Civil War hits theaters next month joining the Captain and all his friends and foes in the latest Marvel action movie will be the Audi R8 V10 Plus, A4, A7, and the new SQ7, launched last month in Europe with a trick new electric-charged diesel engine. We've been hopeful over the prospect of the SQ7 making its way across the Atlantic, and its inclusion in a major Hollywood blockbuster gives us new hope. To coincide with the film's debut (and highlight its product placement), Audi had the film's directors Anthony and Joe Russo direct this promotional clip entitled "The Chase" and starring the aforementioned SQ7. Given the hodgepodge of US and German license plates, it's hard to tell where the scene is supposed to take place, much less draw conclusions over the SQ7's arrival, but we remain hopeful just the same. The minute-and-a-half version is online only, but a 30-second spot will be hitting the airwaves this month before the movie hits theaters on May 6. Until then – and the hopeful arrival of the new performance crossover in North American showrooms – this will just have to hold us over, so sit back and enjoy. Audi returns to the Marvel cinematic universe for hero-versus-hero epic, Marvel's Captain America: Civil War April 18, 2016 | HERNDON, Virginia - Audi teams with Marvel Entertainment for May 6 release of Marvel's Captain America: Civil War - Featured models include the all-new 2017 Audi R8 V10 plus Coupe, 2017 Audi SQ7, 2017 A4 and 2016 A7 Sportback - Audi to release global advertising and marketing campaign to support the film Audi and Marvel Entertainment team up once again for the release of Marvel's newest blockbuster, Captain America: Civil War, set to be released in the U.S. on May 6, 2016. The collaboration continues the Audi brand's commitment to one of Hollywood's biggest franchises and its passionate fans. After nearly a decade of successful collaborations, the Audi and Marvel alliance remains strong. Multiple models from the luxury carmaker are featured in the film with a robust association that includes an advertising and marketing campaign kicking off with the World Premiere in Los Angeles. Released today, the campaign includes an exclusive digital video called "The Chase," directed by the film's directors Anthony and Joe Russo. Audi excites the Marvel universe by previewing a pivotal scene featuring the all-new Audi SQ7.

2015 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron

A little more than a year ago, I drove an Audi A3 E-Tron prototype - an early concept electric vehicle built on the outgoing second-generation A3 platform. While I was impressed with the technology, its 3,800-pound weight, 10-second 0-60 time and 90-mile range will likely put it only mid-pack, at best, among its future competitive set. But Audi promised bigger and better things would come.
I didn't have to wait long. Immediately following the Los Angeles Auto Show, Audi asked me come drive its all-new successor built on the company's third-generation A3 chassis. Compared to last year's model, the new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) boasts a lighter curb weight, quicker acceleration and six times the range. Calling it improved is an understatement. Best of all, it's heading to production.
Technically speaking, the 2015 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron is a parallel hybrid, meaning its electric motor is sandwiched between a combustion engine and an automatic transmission - either, or both, is capable of powering the front wheels. The gasoline-powered engine is a direct-injected and turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder, rated at 150 horsepower. The transmission is a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. A 75-kW electric motor sits between the two. Water is used to cool the gasoline engine, the electric motor and the battery pack - there are three independent closed loops.