Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Audi, Luxury

One day, we’ll be able to have wireless internet access from nearly every point on the globe. And while many cities and towns are making efforts to offer free wireless service across a broad range, automakers are now looking to bring WiFi connectivity to cars. Audi is on board, and it has just announced that the 2011 A8 will be available with factory-installed in-car wireless hotspot.

The WLAN hotspot is located within the rooftop antenna, and passengers can connect to the internet via any laptop, netbook or new-age tablet, like the Apple iPad. Audi says that the network is capable of speeds up to 7.2 Mbit/sec and that WAP2 encryption is on hand in order to securely transfer data. Audi claims that this is the first such factory-installed system, although other automakers offer WiFi connectivity with dealer installed accessories.

The new A8 is already packed to the brim with the latest and greatest in automotive technological achievements. Things like the automaker’s second-generation MMI control interface, the integration of Google Earth and an impressive LED lighting system up front set it apart from other vehicles in the class, and the addition of wireless internet will only strengthen the appeal to prospective buyers. The full details are available in Audi’s press release, after the jump.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading 2011 Audi A8 available with factory-installed wireless internet hotspot

2011 Audi A8 available with factory-installed wireless internet hotspot originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 May 2026 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Audi, BMW, Ford, GM, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz

More tech in your car? Oh, that’s inevitable. But automakers are trying to figure out the best way to implement it. There are two main architectures currently; tethered and embedded. Ford’s SYNC is an example of a tethered tech-integration system that uses Bluetooth to connect to mobile devices consumers already own and carry with them. General Motors’ OnStar system is an embedded setup that builds the technology into the car. Going forward, the consensus seems to be that we’re going to see systems that combine elements of both.

A tethered system is typically less costly than an embedded alternative, and it works with equipment you already own and know how to use. Systems like Sync can extend the functionality of your gear and is an attractive option to tech-savvy consumers. The lower cost makes it possible to proliferate these kind of features into more models, instead of just being a high-end feature. However, embedded systems offer advantages of their own. With communications hardware built in to the vehicle, performance is more reliable, and safety can be enhanced by tying in to the vehicle’s crash sensors and stability control to automatically call for help if it detects a severe accident.

True to the cliche, it seems that the young’ins are more comfortable with tethered systems, while older generations prefer embedded systems. OnStar is already starting to do this, opening up the system in Chevrolet Volt applications with a mobile app that lets drivers connect to their car even when they’re away from it. The future likely holds a system that combines aspects of both, enhancing safety, beating back obsolescence and drawing on the strength of each technology to deliver the best experience as cars continue to become more sophisticated.

[Source: AutoObserver.com]

The Next Big Debate: Hardware or software? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 May 2026 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Hatchback, Audi, Luxury

The 2011 A8 is the harbinger of things to come from Audi’s award winning interiors, and the release of an additional spy shot of the S7‘s insides proves that the new navigation screen found in the automaker’s flagship is set to proliferate throughout the Audi line-up.

As you can see in the image above, the seven-inch display that rises from the dash is fitted to the recently spied S7, and will also be included on the standard A7 when it goes on sale next year. The MMI Touch Pad, which also debuted on the all-new A8 and allows user to draw letters and numbers to control the navigation, phone and other systems, is likely to be an option on the A7/S7, along with the new A6. And speaking of the A6…

Audi’s mid-sizer has been around since 2004, with an updated model bowing two years later, so it stands to reason that an all-new A6 is coming soon. Judging by the automaker’s product cycles, we’re expecting the 2012 A6 to bow in Detroit or as early as the Paris Motor Show and go on sale sometime towards the middle of 2011.

Audi bringing new nav display, optional Touch Pad to 2012 A6 and A7/S7 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 May 2026 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Audi, Reviews, Luxury

Taking a great looking performance car and chopping off its roof is risky business - compromises are inevitable. That’s especially true in this modern age of unibody structures. Removing a big chunk of a vehicle’s architecture without adequately reinforcing what’s left can yield a chassis incapable of managing the position of the wheels, let alone result in a vehicle that loses its level of driver engagement and enthusiasm. On the other hand, reinforcements add mass - often lots of it. It’s a treacherous path, as both flaccid body control and weight are the mortal enemy of performance.

You can understand our trepidation, then, upon learning that Audi was planning on introducing its S5 Cabriolet at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. By our reckoning, the German debutante’s rollout was cause for both consternation and celebration. When the A5 and S5 coupes arrived in 2007, they were hailed as being among the best looking cars ever to wear the brand’s Four Rings. The new Cabriolet models would bring with them the euphoria of open-air motoring, but we had to wonder - would Audi’s rakish new hardtop be turned into a floppy flier just by giving it a roofectomy? Equally as important, would the model’s newly downsized engine drop the performance? There was only one thing to do: Put the range-topping S5 Cabriolet through a week-long test.

Photos by Sam Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet speaks too softly, but carries a big stick

Review: 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet speaks too softly, but carries a big stick originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Apr 2026 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Filed under: Motorsports, Acura, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Racing

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) held a press conference Friday morning before qualifying for this weekend’s 12 Hours of Sebring to announce an expansion of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. When it was first announced late in 2009, the three-race championship was only going to apply to the top LMP1 class. The new championship will now apply to all four main classes: LMP1, LMP2, GT1 and GT2.

The cup will be based on results from Le Mans series races in Europe, the United States and Asia. The European and American rounds will be the Silverstone and Petit Le Mans races, with the Asian event likely to be held in Shanghai. For each of the classes to be considered part of the cup, at least four cars will have to be entered. So far in P1, Audi and Drayson racing have committed. Peugeot has not yet decided whether to go to PLM or Asia.

After Le Mans, Peugeot plans to focus on development of its all-new 2011 car and may skip the remainder of the 2010 races. In spite of reduced restrictor sizes and boost, the Peugeots still managed to capture the top to starting positions for Saturday’s race. The Highcroft Acura grabbed the LMP2 pole while Gunnar Jeannette got the LMP Challenge pole. In GT2, the
Flying Lizard Porsche of J

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Hatchback, Audi, Diesel

After two concepts and an insufferable amount of teasing, the 2011 Audi A1 has officially arrived with its sights set squarely on the Mini Cooper.

Inspired by the Metroproject Quattro from 2007, the all-new A1 is a faithful recreation of its conceptual predecessor, complete with a squat stance, short overhangs and four customizable colors for the roof arches. With a profile reminiscent of a stretched and squashed TT, the A1 spans 155.5 inches long, 68.5 inches wide and 56 inches tall, with a 97.2-inch wheelbase. Ten exterior colors are available, along with front and rear LEDs and Xenon headlamps.

Audi’s focus on the interior begins and ends with customization, with available LED lighting, black, grey, beige or “wasabi” green contrasting materials, colored air vents and an optional MMI system with a 6.5-inch screen, 10-speaker, 465-watt Bose audio system, 20 gig harddrive and Bluetooth connectivity. Although backseat passengers were apparently an afterthought, the A1 boasts 9.43 cubic feet of storage space in the rear, with 32.49 cubic feet of space available when the rear seats are folded flat.

Motivation will be provided by a choice of either two gasoline or diesel powerplants, with the 1.6-liter TDIs churning out either 90 horsepower and 169 pound feet of torque or 105 ponies and 184 lb-ft of twist. The gasoline mills will be available in either 1.2- or 1.4-liter TFSI variants, with the former putting out 86 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque and the latter delivering 122 hp and 147 lb-ft through either a five- or six-speed manual. An optional seven-speed S tronic (dual clutch) transmission is available, and both gasoline engines deliver an average of 46 mpg. For the time being, the A1 is only available with front-wheel drive.

The 2,303-pound hatch will go on sale in Europe later this year after it’s official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, with prices starting at around 16,000 euro. Two trims - Attraction or Ambition - are available, with an S Line accessories package and 18-inch wheels coming at launch. All the details can be had in the press release after the jump, but still no word yet on U.S. availability.

Continue reading Officially Official: 2011 Audi A1 finally arrives [w/video]

Officially Official: 2011 Audi A1 finally arrives [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Feb 2026 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink