2008 4.2l Used 4.2l V8 32v Manual Awd Coupe Premium on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Audi stealthily tests RS4 Avant

With S3s, R8s and RS7s aplenty, Audi offers no shortage of performance models in North America. But one of our favorites is always kept just out of arm's reach. That of course is the RS4 Avant, and here we see Audi Quattro GmbH testing the latest version. Though it may look like a plain old S4 – and even wear S4 badges – the wider fenders and bigger wheels suggest that this is in fact a prototype for the upcoming RS4 Avant. For those unfamiliar, that nameplate connotes the best of all worlds within the A4 range: maximum power, maximum traction, and maximum luggage space. All the ingredients, in short, to make us wonder why anyone would rather drive a crossover. After the first-gen RS4 employed a twin-turbo V6, the subsequent two generations went with a 4.2-liter V8. This model, however, could adopt an electric turbocharger setup to give it all the power it needs (and then some) with a new form of hybrid setup that will soon be spreading across the industry. The bigger question on our mind, of course, is whether the new performance wagon will make the transatlantic voyage to North American showrooms. We're holding out hope that Ingolstadt may make a real run down American roads at the likes of the Mercedes-AMG C63 and BMW M3. Whether it brings the wagon body-style along with it is another matter entirely, but we can always dream. Related Video:

Audi A3 E-Tron launching at $51,500 in Germany

Audi has put a price tag on the A3 Sportback E-Tron plug-in hybrid, for which presales begin this month in Germany. To get your hands on one of these little guys, Audi is asking for ˆ37,900, or about $51,537 according to current exchange rates. Of course, the base MSRP doesn't include any incentives, but in Germany, those savings would come from certain annual tax exemptions that apply to PHEVs. Buyers in other countries might have more luck in getting into an A3 E-Tron for less. Audi lists its most important markets for the A3 E-Tron as Germany, Sweden, Norway, Holland, the UK and, despite no firm date for the car's arrival here, the United States. These countries, according to Audi, are where buyers are willing to spend their green (or the more colorful banknotes of Europe) on green cars. These places also enjoy nice things, or in Audi's words, "They appreciate the classic strengths of the Audi brand: high-end technology, uncompromising workmanship, sportiness and elegant design." In Germany, Audi will sell the A3 Sportback E-Tron at select dealerships. The service departments of those 100 or so dealers will get special training to work with the high-voltage technology used by the plug-in hybrid. These locations will also feature free-to-use charging stations for customers. The Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron's lithium-ion battery stores 8.8 kWh of juice, and is supplemented by a four-cylinder, 1.4-liter TFSI engine which works parallel to the electric motor. Total output is 204 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, directed to the front wheels via a six-speed S Tronic transmission. The car can reach 60 miles per hour in 7.6 seconds and has a top speed of 138 mph. It can travel of to 31 miles on battery power alone. Deliveries for the 2015 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron will begin in Germany and Central Europe this winter.

Audi billboard tracks pedestrians like prison escapees

Audi's adaptive Matrix LED headlights can actively dim and direct light around the road to make driving safer at night. Unfortunately, the tech runs afoul of Department of Transportation rules, so it isn't currently available in the United States. For an idea of what you're missing, a marketing stunt for the new A4 in Belgium is illuminating the night and making pedestrians in the intersection more visible, and safer. The only problem is, it also makes them look like fugitives making an escape. From a giant billboard near the Brussels Central Station, the LEDs from a massive Audi A4 can light up whole intersection. Whenever a pedestrian or cyclist enters the area at night, they are tracked the whole way in a radiant pillar of blue luminescence. Based on this clip, the lights look bright enough to temporarily blind some passersby. Despite the unintended consequences, the stunt is still a very visible demonstration of Audi's headlight technology. Related Video: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience.