Auto blog

Audi on Demand pilot program launches in San Francisco

Customers eager to drive a new Audi but unwilling or unable to plunk down the purchase price for one will be intrigued by the launch of the new Audi on Demand program. Initially being rolled out in San Francisco, Audi on Demand is based around an iPhone app that allows clients to order up a new Audi of their choosing on a day-by-day basis for up to 28 days in a row. Order an Audi through the app and a "personal concierge" will deliver the car anywhere in the city – curbside, driveway, parking lot, office building... pretty much anywhere the customer chooses. The concierge will even help set up the audio and navigation systems to the customer's preferences. And if the customer isn't there to receive the vehicle in person, he or she can simply unlock it through the app, start it up and drive off. The service is being made available on a broad range of Audi models, from the A4 all the way up to the R8. Customers can even specify a child seat or (on an Allroad or Q5) a ski or bike rack, and are guaranteed that the vehicle they select will be the one they get, right down to the color and trim. Though being launched at first only in San Francisco, Audi says it will roll out the program in other American cities "in the coming years." In announcing the program, Audi also revealed that it's planning to launch Audi at Home as well, a "micro-sharing" service that will allow residents of select condo complexes to share a fleet of Audis as well. These, of course, are just the latest smartphone-enabled conveniences being introduced by the German automaker, following its collaboration with Amazon and DHL for in-trunk delivery. Related Video: Audi launches innovative mobility program: Audi on demand April 27, 2015 | SAN FRANCISCO, California - Audi on demand launches beta program in San Francisco - Innovative premium service allows customers to choose their preferred Audi model via iPhone app - Personal concierge delivers vehicle to a San Francisco location of customer's choosing Audi today introduced Audi on demand, an innovative mobility program that gives customers a new way to experience the Audi brand and its range of vehicles at the touch of a button. With Audi on demand, customers can reserve an Audi by the day for up to 28 days. The premium service is currently available in San Francisco as part of a beta program and will be rolled out across additional U.S. cities in the coming years.

300-HP 2013 Audi S3 Sportback unwrapped

Not content to let Volkswagen have all of the fun with its GTI and Golf R, Audi is rebooting its five-door S3 Sportback with rather monstrous power. Headed for an official unveil at this year's Geneva Motor Show, the new S3 rolls out with a 300-horsepower, 280-pound-feet of torque turbocharged 2.0-liter TFSI engine under the hood. The four-cylinder powerplant is strong enough to shove the Sportback to 62 miles per hour in just 5.0 seconds when connected to the optional S-Tronic gearbox, or 5.5 seconds with the traditional manual transmission. Top speed is said to be an electronically governed 155 mph. Almost as impressive as those performance figures are the fuel economy ratings: the S- S3 is said to average 34 miles per gallon.
All S3 Sportback models offer Quattro all-wheel drive, ride on a sport-tuned suspension tuned to a lower ride height (about one inch) versus the standard Audi A3. 18-inch wheels with 225-section tires are standard equipment, and 13.39-inch front brakes should offer serious stopping ability.
Audi has done a lot of work shedding pounds from this latest MQB-architecture S3, as well. The car has a curb weight of roughly 3,186 pounds, or some 154 pounds less than the outgoing model. 11 of those pounds were cut via weight-saving measures in the 2.0-liter engine.

Malaise Era All-Stars

A few weeks ago, we bid a fond happy 40th anniversary to the automotive dark ages of 1973-84 that have come to be known as "The Malaise Era" - the performance ice-age when 160 horsepower was a lot and a 0-60 time of under 10 seconds was remarkable. Like music in the 1980s, everything in automobiledom didn't suck, however. There were a few bright spots. Here are five of our favorites:
1976-79 Porsche 930, aka 911 Turbo Carrera (above)
Photo Credit: Dorotheum