Audi Q7 on 2040-cars

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Electric turbos promise big performance and efficiency gains in the near future

An electric turbo system boosts efficiency between 15 and 20 percent, according to Audi.
Turbochargers, like acoustic guitars, use moving air to create magic. And electric turbochargers, like electric guitars, provide the ability to amp up that magic to amazing new levels.

2015 Audi Q3 pricing leaked, starts at $32,500*

Audi only debuted the 2015 Q3 compact crossover for the US market at the 2014 Detroit Motor Show in January, yet that feels like a lifetime ago. However, the little luxury CUV is finally getting close to reaching these shores, and alleged pricing for it is leaking out.
According to leaked documents from Audi Q3 Forum (right), the premium compact crossover has a starting price of $32,500 (*plus an additional destination charge of $925), for an actual cost of $33,425. That covers the front-wheel drive model with a 200-horsepower 2.0 TFSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. Upgrading to a version with Quattro that spins all four wheels brings the bill to $34,600 - $35,525 after destination charges. In case you wanted further proof, Audi's new Q3 teaser site confirms the starting price of $32,500.
The documents list two trim levels - Premium Plus and Prestige. Premium Plus includes standard features like a panoramic sunroof, heated seats, Xenon headlights with LED running lights and dual-zone climate control and more. Paying $3,900 more for Prestige adds MMI Navigation Plus, Bose surround sound, a power tailgate and other goodies.

Audi and Jaguar Land Rover recalls address seatbelt issues

Audi and Jaguar Land Rover are each recalling several thousand vehicles for separate potential seatbelt issues. The recalls cover the 2022 Audi A3 and S3; 2022 Jaguar F-Type, F-Pace and XF; and the 2022-23 Land Rover Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar. Examples of these vehicles may have shipped with seatbelt pretensioners that will not function properly in the event of an accident.  Audi is recalling its sedans for tensioner devices that may not adequately restrain drivers or passengers during a crash. The issue was discovered during Korean market crash testing of the high-performance RS 3.  "The seat belt tensioner in the affected vehicles serve the purpose of holding the passenger in his position in the seat," Audi said in its defect report to NHTSA. "In the event of a crash, the retention force of the seat belt may not reach the intended level. As a result, the position of the body can be further to the front of the seat, which leads to a negative influence on the whole restraint system, increasing the risk of injury." A different company, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), meanwhile, also has an issue with a batch of pretensioners installed in its cars and SUVs. Pretensioners are the devices that fire off to rapidly retract the seatbelt when a crash is detected. Most utilize an explosive charge and pressure tube JLR says that some pretensioner devices provided by one of its suppliers may not have properly-specified pressure tubes that may not channel the gasses to the retraction mechanism correctly.  "A damaged front seat belt pretensioner tube may have been installed on the seat belt retractor," JLR's report said. "This may result in a reduced level or complete loss of pre-tensioning in the event of a crash and increased occupant injury." Owners of the models included in both recall campaigns should receive notices from the manufacturers in the coming months.  Related video: Recalls Audi Jaguar Land Rover Ownership Safety SUV Sedan