New car sales keep on improving with impressive May stats for many manufacturers

New car sales throughout the US for many of the major manufacturers are all on the rise and showing strong sales figures.

Audi working on Travolution technology to further reduce fuel consumption

Audi's main focus with this technology and development is to lower CO2 emissions an increase fuel economy. For a change though its not entirely directed at just their vehicles.

Audi A1 pre orders have begun, price is reasonable

Advanced sales of the new Audi A1 have begun, unfortunately the pre-orders are only open to European buyers at the moment. The good news though is the price seems very reasonable, with the price starting at just 15 800 Euros, roughly R151 600. Which for an Audi is not too bad at all. There will no doubt be import costs and the like, so it will likely be more expensive in South Africa but thats something we have come to expect.

The aim of the A1 is to target a completely new Audi audience, as this is Audi's first venture into the compact car segment. It remains to be seen just how successful the A1 will be, but there definitely seems to be a trend around the world focusing on smaller, cheaper and more economical cars. As seen by the popularity of the Volkswagen Polo and Ford Fiesta. Audi notes that of the initial 100 000 or so people that signed up to be notified of the advanced sales, 90% of them have never owned an Audi. So their plan in theory is working.

The Audi A1 officially goes into production on the 11th May and 50 000 units are expected to be produced by the end of the year.

Source: Audi.

Huge increase in April sales figures for 3 of the top car manufacturers

As seen in previous months, the trend of increasing car sales remains consistent. Many car manufactures are seeing massive increases in sales as compared to the same month in 2009.

The new Audi R8 Spyder, featured in Iron Man 2!

As in the first movie, Robert Downey Jr's character of Iron Man drives an Audi. This time around though he is in the sporting new Audi R8 Spyder.

The new Audi A1 Iphone application game available

There seems to have been a trend of late where the big car brands have accompanied the release of one of their new models with an Iphone game. This was done previously by Volkswagen with their Scirocco game which was launched when the car came onto the market. These games provide great publicity for the brand and are impressive forward-thinking new channels of advertising.

Whats really nice about these kind of games is that they are free to download from the Itunes store. While there are a ton of free apps already available on the Itunes store, they are usually quite simple and have not had much development go into them. This is where the Big car brands games come in. They obviously have huge budgets for advertising and can supplement the development costs quite easily from the exposure these games generate.

The new Audi A1 game is no exception. The game comes with great soundtracks which change depending on the level. The driver needs to drive through these various levels, collecting extra points as they go. There will also be a highscore table accessible online and you will be able to share your scores through Facebook and Twitter. Also included in the game, as one would expect, is the option to subscribe to Audi's newsletter, to further increase their exposure.

Source Audi

The new Audi RS 5 Coupe' - Details released

The RS 5 Coupe adds yet another high performance offering from Audi, although the RS 5 has a slight focus on fuel efficiency, which is not always the case with high performance cars.

The RS 5's V8 engine displaces 4,163 cc with the 4.2 FSI delivering 331kw (450hp). With all performance cars, the most important spec is the 0-100km and the Audi RS 5 Coupe' clocks in at just 4.6 seconds. The top speed comes in at 250km/h but Audi say they can increase the speed to 280km/h on request.

As far as economy goes, the RS 5 consumes just 10.8 litres of fuel per 100km which is less than its competitors in the same class. This is helped by the 7 speed S-tronic which allows the driver to change gears using the paddles on the steering wheel, or by using the selector lever or finally by enabling the dual clutch transmission shift which will change gears automatically.

The RS 5 Coupe comes standard with 19 inch wheels, which, like all RS models are powered by Quatro permanent all wheel drive. Also with many performance models, the ESP stabilization can be completely deactivated or set to sport mode.



Source: Audi

2011 Audi TT: With updated looks and performance

Audi has released details about their 2011 Audi TT Roadster and Audi TT Coupe models. The most exciting bit of info being the inclusion of a 4 cylinder version. The 2.0 TFSI will develop 155kW of power (211 hp) and most importantly features a dual-exhaust!.

The updated models are slightly longer in length with the other dimensions remaining unchanged. There are 12 LED Daytime running lights underlining the headlights and fog lights set in chrome rings. There are some new colour options available to the 2011 Audi TT with increasingly suspect names:

• Scuba blue
• Oolong gray
• Volcano red
• Dakota gray



The interior of the 2011 Audi TT range offers a large amount of space with sport styling and sport leather seats. Many of the interior applications have received an aluminum look and improved styling. The seats have been treated especially to reduce thermal heating when the car is parked in the sun.

The 2 liter engine accelerates from 0-100km/h in just 6.1 seconds with a top speed of 245km/h. The 6 speed manual gearbox continually transfers power to the wheels. Another option is the S tronic dual clutch transmission which changes between the 6 gears with almost no interruption to the supply of power.

Source: Audi

Massive sales increases in March for major car brands.

With the world-wide recession now clearly a thing of the past, three of the top car manufacturers have once again shown strong sales figures and growth for the month of March. These figures are somewhat deceptive as they are generally compared to March of 2009, which was obviously an atrocious year for the automotive market as global car sales dropped dramatically. However these figures are still impressive in their own right as they clearly show the full recovery the automotive market is marking and a positive future for these major brands.

Volkswagen


Volkswagen of America reported that their March sales included 22,148 car units which resulted in a 40.9% increase compared to the same month in 2009. The Volkswagen Jetta, Golf and Touareg proved to be very popular during this time with their economic pricing and clean diesel engines.

Ford



The Ford brand in America, which includes Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, also posted very strong sales figures for March 2010. The sales figures were up 37% for the quarter compared to the 2009 year. Ken Czubay, Ford vice president US Marketing Sales and Service, reported that it was due to Fords lineup of new vehicles that carried sales figures and that cars, utilities and trucks were all on the up.

Among the top achievers for Ford cars include: The Ford Fusion, the Ford Taurus and the Ford Focus. As for the utility market, the Ford Escape is up 52% in sales.

Audi



Following in the trend and not to be out-done, Audi posted their US sales stats that included a 33.5% increase from the same month in 2009. This increase also gave Audi a personal milestone of its best first-quarter sales since they began selling cars in the US. At the top of the list is the

Audi A5 which set an Audi single month sales record with an increase of 59.8% compared to March 2009. The Audi A3 also saw impressive increases with a jump of 100% sales compared to 2009 which was increased by the new A3 being named 2010 Green car of the year. Also among the top contenders were the: Audi Q5 and Audi Q7 which also saw big gains in sales.

What about used cars?

The used car market, like the new car market, has seen an increase in sales compared to 2009. The market is once again thriving with renewed confidence from used car buyers and generally more money available. As always find a range of used cars on Cars.co.za.

Source: VW, Ford, Audi

The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro – pure fascination

INGOLSTADT, Germany, Mar 4, 2010 - Fascination taken to a new level of intensity: The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro

The new Audi A1 - Sportiness and individuality in the compact class

INGOLSTADT, Germany, Feb 10, 2010 - Audi is introducing a whole new dimension to the compact class this summer. It is dynamic and high quality, emotional and individual. It condenses all of the virtues of the brand down to less than four meters – a design full of character, uncompromising quality and pioneering efficiency technologies. The agile chassis and powerful engines make the A1 the sportiest car in the segment.

The young customers of the A1 live in major cities and therefore are looking for a vehicle that is designed for the urban environment. Thanks to its compact dimensions, it is very agile and nimble in city traffic and offers a high degree of everyday utility.

INGOLSTADT, Germany, Feb 10, 2010 - Audi is introducing a whole new dimension to the compact class this summer. It is dynamic and high quality, emotional and individual. It condenses all of the virtues of the brand down to less than four meters – a design full of character, uncompromising quality and pioneering efficiency technologies. The agile chassis and powerful engines make the A1 the sportiest car in the segment.

The young customers of the A1 live in major cities and therefore are looking for a vehicle that is designed for the urban environment. Thanks to its compact dimensions, it is very agile and nimble in city traffic and offers a high degree of everyday utility.

The A1 is a true Audi – it is both the premium option and the sportiest automobile in the small compacts class. It comes with powerful, highly efficient engines and an agile chassis, and delights with an emotional design and excellent fit and finish. The A1 has a broad portfolio of advanced technologies on board; its infotainment system, in particular, sets new standards in the class.

As the newcomer in the compact segment, the A1 appeals primarily to young, lifestyle-oriented customers, offering them a high degree of freedom for individual design. Audi’s latest will hit the streets this summer with a base price of around 16,000 euros.

Source: Audi

Audi reports record January sales to open 2010

HERNDON, Va., Feb 2, 2010 - Audi today reported January U.S. sales of 6,510 luxury performance cars and SUVs, which accounted for a 37.9% overall increase from January 2009. The results followed strong year-end sales that gave Audi the largest 2009 market share gain in the imported luxury vehicle sector.

Sales of the Audi A3 jumped 106.2% largely due to the availability of the A3 TDI clean diesel model, which won the 2010 Green Car of the Year award at the Los Angeles Auto Show in December.

In fact, the fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions benefits of TDI technology continued to provide a winning story for Audi in January 2010. For the month, the A3 TDI made up 50% of all A3 sales, while demand for the larger Q7 TDI model constituted 48% of all Q7 sales. That level of demand far exceeds original expectations for TDI sales when Audi introduced the two models last year.

ales of the Audi A4 sedan, the best-selling model in the Audi lineup, rose 60.3% in January 2010 compared to a year earlier. Sales of all A4 variants rose a solid 34.3% from a year earlier when the A4 Cabriolet was still available.

“Having ended 2009 on such a high note, it was important to ensure that our success was substantive and enduring,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “January sales figures reinforce the notion that our momentum is the byproduct of relentless innovation years in the making.”

HERNDON, Va., Feb 2, 2010 - Audi today reported January U.S. sales of 6,510 luxury performance cars and SUVs, which accounted for a 37.9% overall increase from January 2009. The results followed strong year-end sales that gave Audi the largest 2009 market share gain in the imported luxury vehicle sector.

Sales of the Audi A3 jumped 106.2% largely due to the availability of the A3 TDI clean diesel model, which won the 2010 Green Car of the Year award at the Los Angeles Auto Show in December.

In fact, the fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions benefits of TDI technology continued to provide a winning story for Audi in January 2010. For the month, the A3 TDI made up 50% of all A3 sales, while demand for the larger Q7 TDI model constituted 48% of all Q7 sales. That level of demand far exceeds original expectations for TDI sales when Audi introduced the two models last year.

Sales of the Audi A4 sedan, the best-selling model in the Audi lineup, rose 60.3% in January 2010 compared to a year earlier. Sales of all A4 variants rose a solid 34.3% from a year earlier when the A4 Cabriolet was still available.

“Having ended 2009 on such a high note, it was important to ensure that our success was substantive and enduring,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “January sales figures reinforce the notion that our momentum is the byproduct of relentless innovation years in the making.”

Source: Audi

"Best Cars of 2010": Wins for three Audi models

- Audi with outstanding success yet again in readers’ poll

- Audi A4, R8 Spyder and Q5 top their categories

- Audi A3, A6 and R8 Coupé all with second places

* Audi with outstanding success yet again in readers’ poll

* Audi A4, R8 Spyder and Q5 top their categories

* Audi A3, A6 and R8 Coupé all with second places

INGOLSTADT, Germany, Jan 28, 2010 - Audi has continued its success story in the “Best Cars of 2010” readers’ poll conducted by the magazine “auto motor und sport” (ams). Readers voted three Audi models – the Audi A4, R8 Spyder and Audi Q5 – into first place in their categories. Second places for the Audi A3, A6 and R8 Coupé rounded out the outstanding result.

The three first-place finishes once again made Audi one of the most successful brands in the readers’ poll. The Audi R8 Spyder finished top of the category “Convertibles” this year at the first time of asking. Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, took receipt of the award in the “Alte Reithalle” in Stuttgart. In the “Off-road vehicles” category, the Audi Q5 left its competitors trailing. The award was accepted by Michael Dick, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at AUDI AG.

And in the “Midsize class” category, the Audi A4 was the undisputed number one for the third successive occasion. Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG, received this award on the company’s behalf in Stuttgart.

These impressive results were rounded out by the three second-place finishes. Readers of ams voted the Audi A3 into second place in the “Lower midsize class” category, a feat emulated by the Audi A6 in the “Upper midsize class” and the Audi R8 Coupé in the “Sports car” categories.

Source: Audi

Progress Through Efficiency : The New Way Forward

First in the premium segment in SA: Audi of South Africa introduces start/stop models at no extra cost.

Audi is synonymous with being the leader in progressive technology and pioneering new innovations. The 21st century brings in a new era of challenges, predominantly the challenge to become more environmentally conscious and reduce CO2 emissions. One of our most important tasks in the future is to increase efficiency even further.

Energy management also offers huge potential for efficiency – for the air conditioning system, for example, energy recovery and termo management. The intelligent assistance systems such as the on-board computer with efficiency program also offer valuable support to the driver.

Last but not least, the new Start/Stop system which switches off the engine when the vehicle is stationery is now being introduced locally by Audi in a number of its models – a first for the South African premium segment.

2009 also saw Audi South Africa making significant strides by further enhancing the efficiency of the Audi models. This is clearly highlighted by the transition to Euro 4 & 5 emission levels of all cars in May.

THE START/STOP SYSTEM

The Start/stop system helps to save fuel and and reduce CO2 emissions, and realises its efficiency potential in urban traffic especially.

Energy management also offers huge potential for efficiency – for the air conditioning system, for example, energy recovery and termo management. The intelligent assistance systems such as the on-board computer with efficiency program also offer valuable support to the driver.

Last but not least, the new Start/Stop system which switches off the engine when the vehicle is stationery is now being introduced locally by Audi in a number of its models – a first for the South African premium segment.

2009 also saw Audi South Africa making significant strides by further enhancing the efficiency of the Audi models. This is clearly highlighted by the transition to Euro 4 & 5 emission levels of all cars in May.

The Start/Stop system

The Start/stop system helps to save fuel and and reduce CO2 emissions, and realises its efficiency potential in urban traffic especially.

Simply put, the engine switches off automatically when you stop the car at, for example, a traffic light …and starts up again automatically when you are ready to drive off.

When the vehicle stops, the engine is switched off. The vehicle’s electrical system is supplied with electricity from rapid power storage devices called supercaps. As soon as the driver presses down the clutch, the engine is started. By the time the clutch pedal is released, the engine has reached idling speed.

An intelligent engine management system ensures short engine starting times and eliminates all negative effects of switching off and starting the engine with regards to exhaust emissions.

Source: Audi