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Audi S8 makes cameo in commercial about cameos with Stan Lee

Stan Lee is the undisputed king of the cameo. The 92-year-old comic scion makes a brief appearance in every film Marvel Studios produces, of course, but, according to IMDB, that's just the beginning. Lee has an impressive 84 credits to his name, with such standout characters as Man on Bench, Hot Dog Vendor, Distinguished Bystander, Milwaukee Man Drinking From Bottle, Rejected Wedding Guest, Waterhose Man, and Hot Dog Vendor (again). Building on Lee's well-known acting success, Audi has introduced a humorous video in which its own S8 sedan makes a cameo, as do Tara Reid, Michael Rooker, Lou Ferrigno, and Jason Mewes. It's all part of the Avengers: Age of Ultron launch, which Audi has helped promote for the last few months. Celebrities Humor Marketing/Advertising TV/Movies Audi Luxury Performance Videos Sedan audi s8 avengers

BMW considering building 3 Series in North America

There might be even more BMWs coming from North America soon. The company recently announced plans to build a flagship crossover called the X7 at its Spartanburg, SC, factory. Now, rumors are emerging that the Bavarians might be thinking about building a second North American factory that could build its quick-selling 3 Series.
According to Bloomberg, the German luxury giant is considering several possible locations for a North American factory, including two in Mexico, that may build the 3. "We will decide this in the next months. On the North American continent, there's still potential," said BMW production boss, Harald Krueger, in an interview meant for company staff obtained by Bloomberg.
If BMW decides to open a plant in Mexico, it would be following its rival Audi, which already announced construction of a factory there. Mercedes-Benz has been rumored to be working on a deal with Nissan to build its cars South of the Border as well. Rumors of Bimmer considering Mexican production have also cropped up in the past, so it wouldn't come as a total surprise to hear it made official.

Audi reveals 'rightsized' 2.0 TFSI engine for next A4

Downsizing engines is a trend sweeping the industry. It's not a new thing, and downsizing helps automakers cut fuel consumption and emissions while employing techniques like turbocharging and direct injection. Audi, however, is taking a different approach with its latest engine. Revealed at the Vienna Motor Symposium in Austria is Audi's newest trick powertrain. Where others are going with smaller engines, Ingolstadt's latest displaces a nice round 2.0 liters, employing a shorter intake time to use less fuel. It's sort of like the Miller cycle that Mazda brought to market on the old Millenia, only turbocharged (instead of supercharged) and brought up to date. Audi calls the four-pot "rightsized," producing 190 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque across a broad rev range, while getting 47 miles to the gallon – and that's on the US cycle, which is tougher than the European standard a company like Audi would usually quote. In short, it's designed to provide power where needed but only sip at the fuel tank when it's not, but the geekiest among us will want to delve into all the intricacies outlined in the announcement below. The engine is set to power the next-generation A4 before being rolled out in additional models in the future. Ingolstadt/Vienna, 2015-05-07 World premiere at the Vienna Motor Symposium: new high-efficiency engine from Audi - New 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder engine with innovative combustion method - Top figures: 190 hp, 320 Nm (236.0 lb-ft), less than 5 l/100 km (47.0 US mpg) - To be implemented in the new Audi A4 by the end of 2015 - Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg: "A prime example of the Audi rightsizing strategy" Audi presents the most efficient two-liter gasoline engine in its class. The new 2.0 TFSI with 140 kW (190 hp) demonstrates the engine expertise of the brand – with a ground-breaking new combustion method. Audi will be using the engine for the first time in the next generation of the A4. Over ten years ago, Audi was the first manufacturer worldwide to bring the TFSI engine with turbocharging and direct injection into series production. This made the brand with the four rings the trendsetter in downsizing and downspeeding. "We're now taking a crucial step further with rightsizing," said Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at AUDI AG.