2011 Audi Q7 3.0 Tdi Prestige on 2040-cars

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A8 Audi Exclusive Concept shows off brand's interior chops

It's an envious position to be in, not wanting a normal Audi A8 but not wanting to make the statement that comes with a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce. What's an oligarch to do? Well, if you have the funds, consider the A8 Audi Exclusive Concept (yes, that's the actual name), a modified A8L W12 that's limited to just 50 units and features a significantly upgraded interior. Think of it as a followup to the A8 Exclusive Concept, shown at Frankfurt in 2011.
Aniline leather from Italian furniture manufacturer Poltrona Frau is fitted over the seats, while diamond stiching accentuates the Agatha Cognac color. Granite Gray piping and stitching on the seats provides some contrast - not just with the leather but the natural, olive ash inlays on the dash. Granite Gray Nappa leather lines the instrument panel and steering wheel while a white Alcantara headliner sets off the whole package. Not that it's a shock, but this looks like a really nice place to spend some time.
It's unclear how much the exclusive concept treatment adds on to the already lofty $135,900 starting price of a US-spec A8L W12, or if the special interior treatment will even be available in the North America. Production is set to kick off next March. Scroll down for the full statement from Audi.

Audi Prologue Avant Concept points to the future of wagon design in Geneva [w/video]

The new generation Audi R8 and its LMS GT3 racing version are grabbing much of the attention at the Audi stand at the Geneva Motor Show. However, if you are more interested in seeing the brand's future design direction, just take a look at the Prologue Avant Concept that's also on display. Audi traditionally uses the Avant name for the company's wagons, but that's tweaked slightly here. The vehicle is certainly a five-door, but from some angles it looks more akin to a Porsche Panamera-like hatchback. Compared to the B-pillarless Prologue Coupe (that we recently drove), the stretched roof flows all the way to the angled rear hatch, and the result is a very elegant design. The interior tends towards minimalism with just a few screens showing the driving info. The Prologue Avant also ditches the Coupe's petrol-fueled hybrid for a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo diesel V6 plug-in hybrid with a total of 455 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, which is linked to an eight-speed gearbox. Audi claims the setup reaches 62 miles per hour in 5.1 seconds and allows for 33 miles of pure electric driving. To get a sneak peek at what's next from Audi, take a look at the Prologue Avant Concept on the floor of the Geneva show in the gallery above.

Audi revisits Ahab on desert island paradise in new ad

Well, call us Ishmael. Long ago (okay, about eight months), Audi debuted an ad during the NFL playoffs called "Ahab." It showed a salty tow truck driver and his years of catches. During that time, one particular car eluded and haunted him - a white Audi A6, whose Quattro all-wheel-drive system had no issues with the inclement conditions.
Now, there's a sequel that has Ahab, not dead and not missing any legs, on a tropical island. What he doesn't realize, though, is that the white whale (which, Audi, if you're going to associate an animal with a luxury sedan, a whale isn't the best choice) has followed him. Take a look at chuckle-worthy spot below, and then click over and see the spot that started it all from back in January.