2013 Audi S6 4.0T Official Photos and Info - Auto Shows - News

Car enthusiasts are an impatient lot. No sooner had we first seen Audi�s all-new A6 than we and many �Audisti� worldwide began speculating about the S6 variant. We had a pretty good idea of what it would look like�Audi�s S models tend to be pretty conservative�and what it would have underhood. (We also tortured ourselves dreaming of the sedan�s inevitable accompanist, the not-for-the-U.S. S6 Avant.) Finally, as it unveils the 2013 S6 at the 2011 Frankfurt auto show, Audi has provided all the details, if not fulfilled our wagon dream.
Will It Be Quick? Ja!
Both S6 models (as well as the S7) are powered by Audi�s new twin-turbocharged, direct-injected 4.0-liter V-8, which produces 420 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, the latter from just 1400 rpm. That�s a little less horsepower and a little more torque than the 435 hp and 398 lb-ft produced by the detuned Lamborghini-sourced 5.2-liter V-10 in the previous S6. It is also a full 100 hp and 173 lb-ft down on the output of the same engine in the S8 that is also being introduced in Frankfurt. The S6�s dual-clutch transmission features seven forward ratios, which the driver can select manually via aluminum paddle shifters. Quattro all-wheel drive will again be standard, this time with an optional torque vectoring differential between the rear wheels.
At a relatively dainty 4177 pounds (4299 for the Avant), the 2013 S6 is roughly 300 pounds lighter than the outgoing car, and the new A6�s architecture achieves a more-optimal front/rear weight distribution to boot. We could never break the five-second mark to 60 mph in the outgoing S6�the best we managed was 5.4 seconds�but Audi says that the new one should be able to do the trick in 4.8 seconds.
In addition to being lighter and achieving max twist at lower revs, the V-8 is said to be a whopping 25 percent more fuel-efficient than the old V-10. This is thanks to cylinder deactivation, smaller individual cylinders, and the fact that, well, that there are two fewer of them. When all eight are lit, Audi boasts of a sonorous, carefully tuned engine note that we can�t wait to hear for ourselves.
We expect that the new S6 will not only be quicker in a straight line, but will be dynamically superior in part due to upgraded brakes and the standard Audi Drive Select system, which allows the customization of various chassis and powertrain settings. The ride height is dropped by 0.4 inch from the A6, but we don�t expect it to be as skateboard-stiff as the previous S6. Just how much smoother it is may depend on which of the seven available 19- or 20-inch wheel designs one chooses�or which ones Audi decides to offer in the U.S.
Subtle on the Outside, Sportier on the Inside
The 20s, of course, will probably look best, especially if the optional carbon-ceramic brakes are sitting behind them. Frankly, the exterior could use some added sass, as indistinguishable as it is from workaday A6s except in the most subtle of ways. The key differentiators up front are the double-bar slats in the grille and chrome spears bisecting the outboard intakes; in back, a lip spoiler sits on the trunk and the rear bumper accommodates the S-signature quad exhaust tips. The S6 will get two exclusive color choices: Estoril Blue and Prism Silver.
The interior contains a few subtle upgrades to add a measure of sportiness to the A6�s otherwise elegant furnishings, including aluminum shift paddles, metallic pedals and MMI controls, unique gauges, an aluminum shift lever, and a smattering of S6 badges. Audi says that all of the A6�s premium options will be offered on the S6 as well. Three styles of seats will be available, including two sport varieties, and the standard upholstery is a mix of leather and Alcantara. As for pricing, Audi hasn�t said yet. Expect that�as well as how much of this kit will be made available to Americans�to be revealed closer to the start of sales in fall of 2012.
The biggest question mark now surrounds just how well the new S6 drives, and that we hope to find out soon. Of course, we�re also looking forward to full details on the RS6�you see, we�re never satisfied.

 

Audi A2 Concept - Auto Shows News

Audi must be looking to take over this year�s Frankfurt auto show completely. It has already announced a slew of concept cars and new production models that will debut at the show, and now has revealed some sketches of its seventh Frankfurt debutant, the electric A2 concept. (The A2 joins the S6 sedan and Avant, S7, S8, the Urban Concept, and the Urban Concept Spyder.)
Audi is referring to the A2 concept as a �premium-class space concept,� and the company claims the small car will comfortably seat four�although, at less than 12.5 feet long, it is roughly the same size as a Mini Cooper hatchback, which definitely does not comfortably seat four. The interior looks like it was designed with functionality in mind, though, featuring reconfigurable and removable seats on thin tracks built into the flat floor. For more stowage, the bottom seat cushions fold up to reveal hidden compartments. The floor is covered in a ribbed coating of recycled polyester, and the door panels are polyurethane.
The concept is loaded with contemporary Audi connectivity tech, including Bluetooth, wireless internet, Google Earth and Street View navigation screen overlays, Audi traffic information, and Google point-of-interest search. Most of the controls are manipulated via futuristic touch-sensitive surfaces, so despite the tech overload, the overall look of the interior is clean, uncluttered, and straightforward. The exterior look is handsome, with the tallish profile lending the A2 the look of a smaller and lower Audi Q5. The chunky concept�s stance is helped by its two-piece 18-inch wheels.
It�s Electric
The A2�s front wheels are powered by a transverse-mounted, 116-hp electric motor that is fed by a 31-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that lives in the car�s sandwich floor. Like almost all electric cars, the A2 makes do with a single-speed transmission. According to Audi, its concept weighs less than 2535 pounds (1150 kilograms), thanks to a body constructed from aluminum and carbon fiber. If your garage happens to be wired with a 400-volt, three-phase connection�and whose isn�t�Audi says the A2�s battery will need just an hour and a half to fully recharge. The more common 240-volt connection will top off the pack in four hours. Audi also designed the concept to work with inductive charging, although it neglected to say how long juicing up with this method would take.
Audi says the A2 has a driving range of 124 miles, and that it can whir from 0 to 62 mph in just 9.3 seconds. Top speed is limited to 93 mph to maximize the car�s range. Drivers can activate a semi-autonomous driving mode on the go. The concept may be high-tech, but it rides on a relatively humble MacPherson-strut front and torsion-beam rear suspension.
Pretty Lights
Audi amped up the A2�s exterior flair with lights�lots of lights. The deep character line that runs from the trailing edge of the headlights back to the tips of the taillights is packed with dynamic lights that can perform a number of functions. When the driver activates the A2�s turn signal, pulses of light run down the side of the car in step with the turn indicators. During braking, a spear of red light extends forward from the taillights in proportion to braking force. As if identifying Audis at night weren�t easy enough already, with their signature LED head- and taillight accents, the A2�s side array also acts as a giant marker light.
Ensuring that the body-side lighting doesn�t steal the show, the A2 concept�s headlights and rear fog light feature advanced lighting technology as well. The car�s head- and taillights utilize matrix-beam lighting, which Audi is referring to as the next step in LED technology�it�s essentially a cluster of LEDs and small reflectors that intensify the headlight�s beam. The rear fog light�s glow is produced by five laser diodes, an approach similar to the one BMW announced just last week. When visibility is good, their light is invisible. In the rain or fog, however, the beams strike the water particles in the air and become clearly visible as a floating triangle. In addition to the fancy lights, you can unlock the doors using hand gestures after �approach sensors� determine your proximity to the car.
We will see the Audi A2 concept in the flesh when it is revealed in Frankfurt. Look for it next to the other Audi debut. And the other one. And the other one, and the other one, and. . .

by caranddriver.com

2013 Audi RS5 - Official Photos and Info news

 
Considering that the number of cars Audi debuted at this year�s Frankfurt auto show actually reached double digits, we forgive you for losing track of one or two. But one of the minor debuts�the updated RS5 coupe�deserves a second look. After all, this is the car we'll finally get sometime in 2012.
The biggest changes for the RS5 are readily apparent, because the front end received the most attention. While the lower grille and chin spoiler go unchanged, the central grille gets Audi�s new clipped top corners, as well as a more subtle trim ring. And then there are the headlights, which get an overall shape that will help the car fit in wherever owners of the new A6 and A7 gather. The new lights have a more chiseled shape, and the old strings of individual LEDs comprising the running lights are gone. In their place are more-modern light tubes that run almost a full circuit around the headlight housings. Around the corner, the car�s side-window trim is now black instead of brushed metal. At the rear, slightly darker lenses cover revised taillights. Audi�s designers could find nothing wrong with the car�s beautiful cabin, so it survives this refresh mostly unchanged. Minor updates include a new steering wheel and shifter knob, as well as a reduction in MMI button count.
Because the RS model was itself a late addition to Audi�s range of cars with a �5� in their name, it doesn�t get any powertrain updates like the S5 coupe does. Sure, it was probably tempting to move the car to the company�s new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, but the high-revving, naturally aspirated 4.2-liter is a wonderfully seductive engine. If anything, we�d like to see Audi coax enough power out of its turbo five-cylinder to make it a legitimate replacement for this aging V-8. Like the engine, the RS5�s suspension, transmission, and all-wheel-drive components remain unchanged. The optional carbon-ceramic brakes carry over, while the standard iron rotors get a revised design that shaves a total of 6.6 pounds between the four of them.
When we put the RS5 up against the BMW M3 and the Cadillac CTS-V in a comparo last year, our biggest point of contention was the car�s steering. It can be altered through the standard Audi Drive Select system, but we found none of the three settings suited our taste. For 2013, steering assist is provided by an electromechanical setup that, on our recent drive of the face-lifted S5, proved to be a vast improvement. With that complaint stifled and an even sharper look, we�re more excited than ever for the RS5 to show up on our shores.

by caranddriver.com

 

Audi Urban Concept

Audi Urban Concept

Audi Urban Concept

Audi Urban Concept

Audi Urban Concept

Audi Urban Concept