2002 Audi Tt on 2040-cars

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Sunday Drive: From a mid-engine 'Vette to a restomod RV

Automotive enthusiasts are a diverse bunch. As proof, we present last week's top posts on Autoblog, starting with some really good spy photos of the upcoming mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette. Will it be sold alongside a classic front-engine 'Vette? We have no idea, but we can't wait to find out. Up next is a pickup truck. Can't get much further from a supercar, right? At least both the Corvette and the 2019 Ram 1500 – which will debut a radical new design that appears to eschew the mini big-rig look of past Rams in favor of something more refined – are both American. Decidedly not American? The Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV. The boxy off-road 'ute looks a heck of a lot like the old one, which is probably a good thing, but we know it'll be fancier and more luxurious than ever before. Check out the leaked images below. Also hailing from Germany, but sharing absolutely nothing else in common at all, is the Audi A4 Allroad. We've been driving this all-wheel-drive wagon for a while now, and we like it quite a bit. And, last but not least, is a 1959 bus that's been converted into an RV. Like we said, y'all certainly are a diverse bunch. Mid-engine Corvette — our clearest pictures yet 2019 Ram 1500 shows its full face 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class revealed in leaked photos 2018 Audi A4 Allroad Drivers' Notes Review | Wagons still rule This Mercedes O 319 restomod camper van shames your VW Microbus Audi Chevrolet Mercedes-Benz RAM Truck Coupe Minivan/Van SUV Future Vehicles Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Performance Supercars mid-engine corvette recap sunday drive

Audi to use this telepresence robot to fix cars

Next time you take your Audi in for service, watch to see if a little white stand is following your mechanic around. It's not some new measurement tool for your car; it's a actually a robot being controlled remotely to improve vehicle service. While bots playing a role in building cars is nothing new, the company is taking things a step further in the US by introducing Audi Robotic Telepresence to assist dealer technicians in repairing the brand's vehicles. The droids are already being used in a pilot program at about 18 dealers nationwide with plans to have it at 100 in the near future.
At the moment, ART, as its called, is more R2-D2 than The Terminator. It certainly won't be doing any wrenching on your A4 anytime soon because it doesn't even have arms. Instead, the robot comprises a remote-controlled stand with multiple cameras, a microphone and speakers. The bot is operated remotely by Audi Technical Assistance consultants and Technical Field Managers who can talk back-and-forth with mechanics about vehicle service and help to remotely diagnose problems. The droid is even equipped with a handheld camera and borescope to reach into tiny crevices.
Audi claims that ART is the first system of its kind to directly link automakers with technicians at the dealer level in this way and leads to faster, more accurate service for customers. Scroll down to watch a video of the bot in action and read the release for the current list of participating dealers.

Next Audi RS4 to get an electric turbo?

We don't yet know if the next Audi RS4 will come to the US, but whoever gets it could find an electric turbocharger under the hood according to a report in Auto Express. The 4.2-liter V8 that has served for two RS4 generations is retiring from the line, replaced by a twin-turbocharged version of the supercharged 3.0-liter V6 used in the S4. But instead of using two sequential turbochargers - a smaller one to eliminate lag while a larger, more powerful turbo spools up - batteries charged by brake regeneration could power a first-stage electric turbo. The idea hasn't been publicly appointed for a particular model, as Audi's technical chief Ulrich Hackerberg has said that due to expense, that kind of setup "would only be used be used on the very top end models." Since the technology cuts down on the use of exhaust gases, it would also also help in markets like Europe where CO2 emissions are a factor. No matter whether it benefits from all conventional or some electric boost, the horsepower number for the twin-turbo V6 will be more than 420 hp but less than 503 hp, the rating of the V8-powered Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. Auto Express believes Audi will want to maintain the power gap between the 333-hp S4 and previous, 444-hp RS4. With Hackenberg saying the new S4 will make more than 350 hp, that gets the coming RS4 up to at least 461, but AE figures it "could deliver as much as 480 hp." We'll find out sometime after the S4 launches next year.