2010 Audi A4 2.0t Premium Plus Quattro Heated Seats Auto Low Miles on 2040-cars

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Sunday Drive: Volvo hits a crossover home run, and people still love sports cars

Looking back at the week that just was clearly tells us at least three things. First, crossovers don't have to be boring. Second, people still love sports cars, from the attainable (Audi TT RS) to the fanciful (Mercedes-AMG GT C). And finally, the traditional German trio of premium luxury brands had better not rest on their laurels, because credible challengers are coming in from every direction. The biggest reveal of the week, at least judging by the interest of Autoblog readers, was the Volvo XC40. Not only is the little 'ute a looker, it introduces some innovative new buying/leasing schemes designed to appeal to an audience accustomed to trading in and trading up every couple of years. Think of Volvo's flat-fee lease as you would a smartphone contract, and you'll be on the right track. Genesis looks to have a hit on its hands in the form of the G70 sport sedan. We took a Korean-spec model for a spin and found a lot to like about the upstart contender. We can't wait to sample one here in the United States to see how it stacks up against the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. In other news, we're still really excited to see a production Ford Ranger Raptor. But if you just can't wait for the official reveal — it's OK, neither can we — take a look at the renderings in our post down below. As always, tune in to Autoblog next week for a front-row seat to all the happenings worth following in the automotive industry. Volvo XC40 revealed | Crossover at the crossroads of style and substance 3 ways the Volvo XC40 is a game-changer Genesis G70 First Drive | An arrow to the heart of the Germans 2018 Audi TT RS Drivers' Notes | Five pots of turbocharged honey 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT C Quick Spin | This is the AMG GT you want The Ford Ranger Raptor is real, and this is what it might look like

Recharge Wrap-up: Nissan "religious" about zero-emissions, Tesla crashes at dealership, Formula E on-board video

Nissan is pretty darn serious about being king of the EV industry. Just see what Chief Planning Officer Andy Palmer has to say at the launch of the e-NV200: "When it comes to zero emissions, we're absolutely religious. We'll be the absolute, No. 1 leader in zero emissions. No doubt. That's our positioning." Bold words, to be sure. Toyota, on the other hand, ended its collaboration with Tesla (whom Nissan mustn't forget about in its quest to reign supreme in the EV world) to build the RAV4 EV, and will focus instead on hybrids and testing the waters with hydrogen cars. Says Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota North America, "I would rather invest my dollars in fuel cell development than in another 2,500 EVs." Read more at Automotive News or Autoweek. To celebrate 25 years of TDI technology, Audi is releasing the A7 Sportback 3.0 TDI Competition special edition in Europe. The Competition uses Audi's biturbocharged, 3.0-liter diesel engine boosted to 326 horsepower, giving the car a 0-62 time of 5.1 seconds. It comes with the S line sport package and is offered in four exterior colors: Daytona Gray, Misano Red, Nardo Gray and Sepang Blue. The interior is black leather, with the option of Misano Red or Agate Gray contrast stitching. The Competition edition will go on sale in August starting at ˆ72,000 (about $97,700). Audi's first Turbocharged Direct Injection engine debuted at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show in the Audi 100 2.5 TDI. See the press release down below for more details. There was another Tesla Model S crash recently, this one at the Tesla Store. The driver apparently crashed the freshly purchased car into the Tesla sign before even making it off the lot. According to Reddit user s1lentway, who was at the Tesla Store in Fremont, California when it happened, "We believe this is someone who just got their car. They must have been driving it for less than a minute and lost control, crashing right into the sign missing the showroom glass windows only by a few inches." Wrecked Exotics suggests the driver hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal. Probably the best comment in the Reddit post: "Edison strikes again." See the original post at Reddit for more corny jokes, speculation and similar stories from other users. Take a lap in a Formula E racecar. The video below offers up the sights and sounds of a hot, wet lap in the open-cockpit, all-electric Spark-Renault SRT_01E.

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

The last time Volkswagen moved this many vehicles in America in one year, Richard Nixon was still a President in good standing, Let It Be was a radio hit and each car wearing the VW badge boasted an air-cooled engine. That's right, with a grand total of 580,286 vehicles sold in the US last year, the VW Group has broken its own four-decades-old sales record by 2,899 vehicles.
Of that 580k total sold, 438k were Volkswagens and 139k were Audi products - increases of 35.1 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively, in year-over-year sales. The ultra-premium members of the VW group also fared well; Bentley delivered 2,315 vehicles for a 23.3-precent increase, and Lamborghini delivered 520 units for a 52.9-percent jump. Bugatti, we're told is "right on track."
Jetta (pictured) sales paced the marque with 170k models sold, and Passat also finished very strong with sales of 117k total. Tiguan also racked up its best year on file, with 31,731 models shifted.