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Is Audi getting complacent and suffering from brain drain?

The argument is made in a Reuters article: Audi is falling behind other luxury brands, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, due to a lack of research-and-development spending and "brain drain," or the migration of top executives and R&D chiefs to other parts of the Volkswagen Group. Reuters notes that Audi's current R&D chief is the third in 16 months.
Audi, which contributed to 40 percent of VW Group's $11.6 billion in profit the first nine months of the year, is delivering cars at a record pace: 1.31 million were delivered from January to October 2013 versus BMW's 1.35 million. Yet Audi, Reuters reports, doesn't have a halo car akin to BMW's new electrified i3 and i8 or an answer to Mercedes' plug-in-hybrid S-Class, and the R&D spending at Audi is less than BMW and Mercedes by a fair margin. It's noted in the article, however, that Audi benefits from other R&D spending within VW Group.
Reuters mentions that BMW "trumpets its new 'i' series" and the new Mercedes CLA and GLA ranges are winning "rave reviews" as part of its argument that Audi's recent lack of technological innovation could hurt future sales. Those cars do pack tons of new technology, some of which are firsts for mainstream production cars. But last time we checked, the i3 could be causing BMW's stock to slide, the CLA isn't receiving the rave reviews that Reuters would have you believe and the GLA hasn't been reviewed yet.

Audi S1 rally car races its RC counterpart

Veteran racer Mattias Ekstrom campaigns the meanest looking Audi S1 on the block in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. With a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder pumping out a claimed 600 horsepower and all-wheel drive, this little hatch can reportedly hit 60 miles per hour in a wickedly quick 1.9 seconds. While those specs are mighty impressive, they don't really matter too much for Ekstrom's latest race in the S1 against a pint-sized doppelganger in the form of an RC replica of the rallycross machine around a warehouse. Despite, the massive gulf in size and power, the two Audis appear fairly evenly matched. The RC version can't quite match the real one in outright speed but can go under obstacles that Ekstrom's S1 is forced to drive around. Check out the clip above to see which S1 makes it to the finish first. Related Gallery EKS Audi S1 Supercar News Source: Audi Deutschland via YouTubeImage Credit: Related images copyright EKS Motorsports Toys/Games Audi Hatchback Racing Vehicles Videos rc car audi s1

Audi Q3 recalled for wanting to stay dry

Volkswagen of America has announced a recall of the 2015 Audi Q3 because in one instance the car might not stop what it's doing even when you turn it off. If you shut down the car while the sunroof is closing, the sunroof could keep on closing. That possibility contravenes federal standards concerning roof panel systems and affects up to 3,646 examples of the Q3 manufactured between April 4, 2014 and November 5, 2014. Customers are asked to bring their Q3s to their Audi dealers, where the sunroof control module will be updated free of charge. You'll find a bit more information in the bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration below. Related Video: Report Receipt Date: APR 03, 2015NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V200000Component(s): VISIBILITYPotential Number of Units Affected: 3,646Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s): AUDI Q3 2015Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.SUMMARY: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Audi Q3 vehicles manufactured April 4, 2014, to November 5, 2014. If the vehicle is turned off while the sunroof is closing, the sunroof may continue to close instead of stopping. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."CONSEQUENCE: If the sunroof is closing while the vehicle is shut off and a vehicle occupant is in its path, there is an increased risk of injury.REMEDY: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the sunroof control module software, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2015. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834 FREE. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 60C1.NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 FREE (TTY 1-800-424-9153 FREE), or go to www.safercar.gov.