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Next Audi R8 E-Tron could have 280-mile range

Just 265 miles of range on a single charge? Meh. That's what the folks at Audi might be saying about the Tesla Model S and its estimated range. Because the German automaker says the next iteration of the R8 E-Tron could go 450 kilometers on a charge, or about 281 miles. This information comes from Automotive News, which cites a presentation from Audi technology chief Ulrich Hackenberg at the company's annual press conference. The fact that the car will soon be available "upon request" is also news. The project was thought to be shelved until reports came out late last year saying that Audi figured out a way to upgrade its lithium-ion battery technology to double its range. Audi spokesman Brad Stertz said the company wasn't disclosing details related to if or when the car would reach North America or how much it would cost (we're guessing a really large number of dollars) but he did say it was notable that the project was back on track. Audi made news in the summer of 2012 when the R8 E-Tron set the "series production electric car" speed record with a 8:09.099 minute-time at Nurburgring thanks to a boosted top speed of more than 155 miles per hour.

1,682 miles in a 2014 Audi A8 L TDI - Part 1

We're going to skip the joke - because this isn't one - and get straight to the punchline: If the forthcoming 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class looks like it will lead the segment in interiors, the 3.0-liter turbodiesel in the 2014 Audi A8 L TDI takes the head of the table when it comes to engines.
After joining Audi for the 12 Hours of Sebring, we stood in the parking lot of The Inn On The Lakes on Sunday morning, our thousand-yard stare interrupted by the Citgo gas station across the street. We had one key, three bags, one white A8 L TDI, something like 17 gallons of diesel in the tank and one week to burn through it. For the purposes of a Quick Spin, we could have simply traipsed around the central Florida outback, all citrus, dusty scrubland and diners lifted from Cronenberg films, made short work of measuring the refinement and potential rarefaction of the oil burner under the hood and made our way back to the Orlando airport.
But dear readers, where would the adventure be in that?

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.