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In spite of the fact that it’s only a matter of time before Audi replaces the current S5 Coupe’s normally aspirated 354HP 4.2-liter V8 with the new S4 / S5 Convertible’s 333HP supercharged 3.0 V6 TFSI, ABT Sportsline has created the AS5-R using the current S5 as a base. Thanks to a series of modifications that include changes to the engine management and the insertion of an ABT Compressor, the AS5-R 4.2 V8′s performance is increased by an impressive 156 HP to a powerful 510 HP.

Audi India will not launch the small hatches like the Audi A1 in India.Audi is looking at different strategies.While the competitors BMW and Mercedes will introduce their small luxury hatch backs to India.Audi feels that the market in India is not matured enough for small luxury hatch back.

Audi India head Michael Perschke said that “ Our top down model strategy has been successful in India so far. We have successfully sold the top-end A8 stretched sedan and other high-end models to the Indian customers.But we have no plans to dilute our brand by launching smaller cars like the Audi A1 or similar models, even as the competition garners volumes with such offerings."

Now Audi Q3 is the entry level Audi in India and is doing well.Mercedes will A Class in the coming months and BMW 1 series hatch back will be launched at the end of 2013.If Both these model become a success.Will Audi India reconsider their small car plans for India.Next year we can expect the Audi A3 sedan to come in India.Which will be priced around RS 20 lakhs.Audi next game changer for India.

source : The Economic Times

Audi announced its driver pairings for the defense of the title in the WEC, and for important long-haul operations 2013th

Audi Puts In Le Mans with Three Hybrid Race Car

In the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship (WEC) Audi starts 2013 as the defending champion. Audi Sport Team Joest enters with two advanced e-tron quattro Audi R18 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the WEC race at Spa R18 a third e-tron quattro is used.

Audi is now officially at Le Mans and in the WEC on the 2012 successfully introduced hybrid technology. The flywheel storage system is more powerful, without too much to put on weight and size. From the outside, the Audi R18 is e-tron quattro differ little from this years winning car. Under the ultra-light carbon fiber skin stuck yet again a number of technical innovations. Parallel Audi Sport has been working intensively on a successor to the valid from 2014 new LMP1 regulations.

The Audi driver squad for the WEC and Le Mans 2013 consists of the reigning world champions Marcel Fässler (Switzerland), André Lotterer (Germany) and Benoît Tréluyer (France) as well as new signing Lucas di Grassi (Brazil), Loïc Duval (France), Marc Gené (Spain), Oliver Jarvis (UK), Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland).

Strong line-up at the 24-hour race at Daytona

Works driver from the WEC and DTM play in customer sport program of AUDI AG, a role the 24-hour race at Daytona (Fla.), 26-27. January Filipe Albuquerque, Oliver Jarvis and Edoardo Mortara start with an Audi R8 GRAND-AM the team Alex Job Racing. Two other R8 are also studded cast: Marc Basseng, René Rast and Frank Stippler go for APR Motorsport, Frank Biela, Christopher Haase and GT1 World Champion Markus Winkelhock for Rum Bum Racing. Add to that one American driver.
Increased involvement in the GRAND-AM series in the U.S.

With the 24-hour race at Daytona, and increased involvement in the GRAND-AM series heralds Audi will make his return to the U.S. racing. In the United States, the brand with the four rings is growing faster than the overall U.S. market, especially in the prestigious upper class. The racing activities in the United States should support this trend in the long term.

Therefore, is a use of the e-tron quattro Audi R18 at the 12-hour race on 16 March at Sebring (Florida) in the pipeline, which Audi has won ten times. "Its probably the last chance with an LMP1 car to compete at Sebring," said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "This is an opportunity we would use a lot and say goodbye to the fans after our great success story of recent years with a beautiful appearance."

And it need not be a final farewell: the 2014 GRAND-AM Series and the American Le Mans Series merge into a new North American sports car championship, which could be interesting for Audi. In addition, the U.S. fans 2013 is another opportunity to the Audi R18 e-tron quattro experience in action: On 22 September the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship has appeared in Austin (Texas).

Evolution version of the Audi R8 LMS Ultra

But the customer sport market in Europe and the rest of the world neglected Audi not: delivered an evolution version of the GT3 sports car Audi R8 LMS Ultra, which differs mainly in the rear area of ​​the current model is, by quattro GmbH in February 2013, customers .

At the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (Germany) and at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) in 2013 with the support of customer teams Audi Sport customer racing go live. Rounding out the increasingly diverse customer sport program of AUDI AG is the continuation of the successful launch of 2012 Audi R8 LMS Cup in China.

"With the more advanced versions of the R8 GRAND-AM and the R8 LMS ultra and the Cup in China, we have a very attractive proposition for our customers," says Romolo Liebchen, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. "We expect in the course of 2013 to deliver the 100th customer vehicle."

Automotive supplier ZF and the magazine "Auto Test" voted in their practice test 2012, the best small cars. The ten finalists have been extensively tested at the ADAC Driving Safety Centre in key field. The winners in our gallery to the test. (Autotest)

He has prevailed against 23 competitors and may now call the "king of the small car": The Audi A1 Sportback. In a comparison test of ZF Friedrichshafen AG and the magazine "Auto Test" convinced the jury in all five categories.

With a maximum score of ten scored the Audi A1 Sportback 7.87 points, reaching the first place. With a distance of 0.26, the VW Polo ensures (7.61 points) in second place, closely followed by the Seat Ibiza with 7.58 points.

The runners follow: Skoda Fabia (7.56), Mini (7.27), Alfo Romeo Mito (7.20), Cotroën DS3 (6.43), Ford Fiesta (6.36), Toyota Yaris (6.34 ) and Opel Corsa () 5.97.

Approximately 32,000 readers of "Auto Test", the website and the community www.autobild.de www.motor-talk.de chose their ten favorite from a total of 24 small cars. A ten-member jury readers tested and evaluated the finalists in five categories. "On Road" included the handling and the ride comfort, on the "dynamic course" dealt with agility and traction.

In the category of "emotion" in addition to the design was the image of the vehicles in the foreground and the "sale" was assessed include the price-performance ratio. In the "static" the qualities identified with the vehicle, such as clarity, spaciousness and variability. The final round was played in late May at the ADAC Driving Safety Centre Nordbayern place in the key field.

The Abt version of the Audi S8 is electronically only at 290 km / h.

Those who wanted to go with a big Audi sedan on Porsche hunting attacked yet to S8. Now there is an even stronger alternative, which is the sports car quaking.

The Audi S8 is 520 hp with the tip of the Ingolstadt premium class. If thats not enough, you can contact the tuner Abt. The AS8 called sedan comes thanks to revised engine electronics, the 4.2-liter to 456 kW/620 hp Turbobenziners. At the same time, the torque increases the athlete in a tuxedo from 650 to 780 Newton meters.

Strength Training the revised Ingolstadt sprint in four seconds from 0 to 100 km / h and 200 km / h are reached after 13 seconds. Even at the speed of the race car needs to fear any sports car - only at 290 km / h, the AS8 electronically. Next is the performance features of the tuner and an electronic module for the chassis to the air suspension and lower tune sporting the bodywork.

A price for the technical changes not yet named abbot. The standard Audi S8 now costs 111,900 euros.