2006 Audi A4 Cabriolet Convertible 2-door 1.8l on 2040-cars

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An amazing Group B rally car collection heads to auction

Kicking off in 1982, the Group B era spawned some of the most fearsome rally cars of all time. The technologically advanced pioneers of all-wheel drive and turbocharging defined a time when automakers had carte blanche to build machines with unrestricted power, without the burden of homologating a large number of road cars to qualify. The results were sometimes deadly, leading the FIA to ban the class after 1986. Now, a collection of seven Group B monsters is headed across the block in Paris as part of the Artcurial auction, held in partnership with France's famed Retromobile show. The show has been delayed to June, however. There's a 1985 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, one of 20 Evo II models that helped the company achieve two championships in Group B's short run. This particular example was driven by world champion Timo Salonen at the 1986 Swedish Rally, where it finished seventh due to an oil filter seal failure. Bruno Saby subsequently drove it at the 1986 Tour de Corse and Peugeot entered it at the 1986 Acropolis Rally as well. It's still registered to Peugeot Talbot Sport and represents a French technological achievement, according to Artcurial, comparable to the Concorde or TGV train. Representing Italy are a pair of Lancias in the iconic Martini livery. The Lancia 037 helped Bel Paese clinch its only Group B victory in 1983, after a hard-fought rivalry with Audi. It's one of the few Group B cars that weren't AWD, achieving its success the old-fashioned way, through lightness and superb handling. A second Lancia, a 1986 Delta S4, was the culmination of the Italian firm's later Group B efforts and one of Saby's favorites. While Group B was no more in 1987, the S4 was the predecessor to the Delta Integrale that would dominate WRC from 1987 through 1992. While the collection also includes greats like a Ford RS200, Renault 5 Maxi Turbo, and MG Metro 6R4, the centerpiece is the Audi Quattro Sport S1. The ultimate Group B machine, it introduced all-wheel-drive and turbocharging to the sport. It also employed the wildest use of wings and air dams to generate downforce. Tunable up to 590 horsepower, it could rocket to 60 mph in about three seconds. The car offered for sale came straight from Ingolstadt, a 1988 model built for the Race of Champions of ex-Group B cars. The collection was amassed in the late 80s and early 90s, not long after Group B's dissolution.

Audi first to bring LTE to the car later this year

It appears Audi will be the first to market with in-car LTE service later this year. We knew that BMW was working on LTE integration last year with its ConnectedDrive, and we've been told that, by the end of 2015, most General Motors products will have it, but LTE can be ordered on the S3 Sportback (pictured) as soon as July. Other models in the A3 line-up will add the option in November.
Inserting an LTE-enabled SIM card into the Audi's MMI navigation will make the S3 a WLAN hotspot that can quickly shuffle high-definition content from the cloud to the cockpit. It will also bolster Audi Connect services like Google Earth, Facebook and Twitter, e-mail, and streaming internet radio.
We've been told that we'll be offered the LTE option when the 2015 A3 sedan gets here in the spring of 2014. Since the service requires you to provide a SIM card, we expect that costs and data caps will be a matter between you and the service provider; speaking of which, Audi hasn't announced yet who that provider will be on this side of the Atlantic. The press release below has more details.

Audi introduces leaner, fitter second-generation Q7

After a long run on the market, Audi has finally signaled the end of the first-generation Q7 with the introduction of the long-awaited second-gen version of the brand's first crossover. The 2016 Q7 is a far lighter machine than the vehicle it replaces, thanks to ample use of hot-shaped steel and aluminum. Beyond that, the Volkswagen Group's MLB platform will allow the fullsize Audi to accommodate a range of engines, including more potent versions of the US market's 3.0-liter, supercharged V6 and 3.0-liter TDI. On top of that, the next-gen Q7 will also be available as a diesel plug-in hybrid, complete with a version of the brand's Quattro all-wheel-drive system. The Q7's new design, meanwhile, gives the car an almost wagon-like appearance and profile. The "Singleframe" grille is wrapped in an aluminum-looking surround, not unlike Audi's smaller RS Q3. Audi's cleanly styled headlights flank it, while the large taillights aren't as aggressively angled as Audi's other crossovers. The cabin is lavish, featuring a typically stylish design with plenty of tech. A 12.3-inch TFT display takes the place of a conventional instrument cluster, while the center stack is crowned by its very own display. Even the HVAC display controls are handsome. You can see exactly what we mean in our gallery of live images of the new Q7, straight from the floor of the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.