2014 2 Month Old Audi Q5 Quattro Premium Plus 3300 Miles on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Audi RS Q3 gets snarlier, hits 62 mph in 4.8 seconds [w/video]

Well, that was quick. A mere 20 months after its debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, Audi has issued a fairly significant update to its RS Q3 crossover. A light exterior refresh - the most noticeable change is that the grille surround and headlights are now joined - belies more significant changes under the compact crossover's hood.
Power from the 2.5-liter, turbocharged five-cylinder has been boosted nicely from 310 horsepower to 340, while torque has jumped from 309 pound-feet to 332 lb-ft. The result of this extra thrust is that the tiny CUV can now scamper to 62 miles per hour in a seriously quick 4.8 seconds, rather than the original RS Q3's 5.5-second sprint. A new fifth-generation multi-plate clutch is fitted to the seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission, which Audi claims will now deliver even quicker shifts.
Lighter brake rotors with ridiculous eight-piston calipers in the front provide what we imagine is a lot of stopping power, while Audi continues to offer an optional adaptive damper system. 19-inch wheels are standard while 20s are optional.

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron gets top grades in European crash tests [w/video]

In simplistic terms, the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid will go real far when it needs to go and stop when it needs to stop. The PHEV has now been certified to protect its occupants when they need to be protected. So there's not much more that you can ask from a vehicle. The model received a maximum five-star crash-test rating from the Euro NCAP group, receiving top marks for front, side and rear collisions. The Audi also received kudos for the "multi collision brake assist" feature, which automatically engages the brakes once the car's been in a crash so that it doesn't get into another one. The plug-in hybrid was already getting positive responses from prospective customers. Last month, Audi said it stepped up its production of the model at its German factory from 30 units a day to 50. The PHEV can travel up to 30 miles on electricity alone and another 550 miles on a full tank of gas. More impressively, it has a 157 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) rating, using the European driving cycle. Check out a video of the test and Audi's press release below and read our driving impressions here. Five stars for the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron from Euro NCAP Top marks in the front, side and rear collision categories The new Audi A3 Sportback e-tron also offers a high level of safety for children Special prize for Audi pre sense basic and multicollision brake assist system Ingolstadt, December 10, 2014 – The Euro NCAP consortium has awarded the new Audi A3 Sportback e-tron* the maximum five star rating for crash safety. This puts the first volume production plug in hybrid from Audi among the safest cars in its class. The test panel was impressed by the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron across the board: As a result the plug-in hybrid earned top marks in protecting adults and children in a front, side or rear collision. The model also passed tests of its pedestrian protection with flying colors. This year Euro NCAP additionally tested assistance systems for the first time. The A3 Sportback e-tron with Audi pre sense front and Audi active lane assist also fulfilled the stringent requirements in this category. The model received the special "Euro NCAP advanced" prize for its Audi pre sense basic passenger protection system as well as for the Audi multicollision brake assist system that comes as standard equipment. This function initiates braking automatically in case of an accident to reduce the risk of skidding and the danger of a subsequent collision.

VW and partner SAIC start building $2.5B Audi plant in China

BEIJING — Volkswagen AG's China joint venture with SAIC Motor Corp has started building a $2.5 billion new energy vehicle (NEV) plant in Shanghai, which will make VW's luxury Audi brand cars, a possible first for the venture. The new plant is a key step for Audi to diversify production of its cars in the world's largest car market from its long-standing local partner, China FAW Group Corp. This shift has been delayed amid resistance from local dealers. SAIC Volkswagen said the new plant would have an annual capacity to make 300,000 cars and begin production from 2020. Audi sold 481,387 vehicles in China from January to September this year. The announcement comes the same week Tesla secured a Shanghai location for a Gigafactory battery plant to serve the Chinese market. Audi unveiled the plan to bolster ties with SAIC in late 2016. Earlier this year, the Germany luxury carmaker bought a 1 percent stake in the SAIC Volkswagen venture, paving the way for the joint venture to produce and sell Audi cars. Volkswagen currently gets a larger proportion of the proceeds from the 50-50 tie-up with SAIC than from its 40 percent stake in the venture with FAW. SAIC Volkswagen said in a statement on Friday the plant would cost 17 billion yuan ($2.5 billion) and would make VW and Skoda models as well as Audi cars. It will help VW tap China's fast-growing market for NEVs, a category comprising electric battery cars and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. ($1 = 6.9314 Chinese yuan renminbi) Reporting by Yilei Sun and Adam JourdanRelated Video: Image Credit: Reuters Green Plants/Manufacturing Audi Volkswagen Skoda Electric Hybrid