Audi today announced that the U.S. manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the highly anticipated 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro V10 sports car will start at $146,000, with shipments to authorized Audi R8 dealerships across the country beginning this week.

Audi said the MSRP for the 2010 Audi R8 4.2 FSI quattro will start at $114,200, unchanged from the base prices for 2009 models:

2010 R8 5.2 FSI® quattro® (V10) pricing (excluding $1,200 destination charge, taxes, title, options and dealer charges):
R8 5.2 FSI quattro coupe (manual) $146,000
R8 5.2 FSI quattro coupe (R tronic) $155,100

2010 R8 4.2 FSI® quattro® (V8) pricing (excluding $1,200 destination charge, taxes, title, options and dealer charges):
R8 4.2 FSI quattro coupe (manual) $114,200
R8 4.2 FSI quattro coupe (R tronic) $123,300

The addition of the R8 V10 adds new levels of power to a sports car already renowned for delivering premium comfort uncommon in its class without performance compromises. The 10-cylinder 525 hp engine is the same power plant found in the R8 LMS GT3 racecar and is capable of delivering breathtaking performance. The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro delivers 391 lb-ft of torque and achieves a 0-60 mph time of just 3.7 seconds.

Anticipation has been building for the U.S. introduction of the R8 V10. Today, the first two 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro models available in the U.S. were delivered to the two winning bidders from the 2009 Boca Raton Concours d’ Elegance charity auction held in February to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, Fla. The two winning bids raised a combined $850,000 for the charity, with the top bidder paying a record $500,000 for the new 2010 R8 V10, the highest amount ever paid for a new Audi vehicle in the U.S.

Since its U.S. launch in September 2007, demand has remained strong for the V8-powered R8 4.2 FSI quattro featuring 420 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. The hand-assembled R8 V10, developed by the Audi high-performance division, quattro GmbH, receives unique exterior features as standard equipment. Chief among these: innovative full-LED headlights, a world’s first. The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro also receives new 19-inch Y-design forged aluminum alloy wheels with summer performance tires, sideblades with larger air intakes, front grille with chrome-optic accents, unique rocker panel shaping, dual oval rear exhaust tips, “V10” front fender badges and instrument cluster labeling, unique front and rear sections along with a larger rear diffuser all finished in high-gloss black.

Other R8 5.2 FSI quattro standard equipment highlights include rear-biased quattro all-wheel drive, Audi magnetic ride, Audi Navigation plus with 3D graphics and real time traffic, 465-watt Bang & Olufsen Sound System®, 6-disc CD changer, Bluetooth® telephone preparation, SIRIUS satellite radio®, Audi parking system plus with rearview camera and 10-way power heated sport seats. Sepang Blue pearl effect will be offered as an optional R8 V10 exclusive exterior color.

“The R8 is a proven worldwide success story for Audi,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “The positive effects of the vehicle on dealers, customers, and Audi fans alike have exceeded all expectations. The addition of the V10-powered R8 5.2 FSI quattro adds further equity into the already sought-after R8 nameplate and the Audi brand.”

The R8 is one of four Audi models currently built with the revolutionary ASF® chassis, a technology that Audi has mastered in more than a decade of experience. ASF is customized by model, including its application with the A8 and TT Coupe and Roadster models. The framework of an ASF body consists of extruded aluminum sections and pressure castings. The aluminum chassis and sheet metal are just as strong as steel, but lighter to boost performance and efficiency. This frame carries the sheet aluminum elements, for example the roof panel, which are rigidly connected to it and help to withstand loads on the body. The elements of ASF are varied in shape and cross-section, depending on the tasks they have to perform. Like the bones of a human skeleton, they combine optimal function with low weight. The ASF application on the Audi R8 offers extremely high torsional rigidity, light weight and high strength for optimal performance characteristics.

All R8 models are produced in Neckarsulm, Baden Württemberg, Germany along with the aluminum A8 model. Audi is continuing to shape the future in lightweight design and elsewhere too. Inaugurated in 1994, the Aluminum and Lightweight Design Center in Neckarsulm, Germany employs more than 120 specialists to work on new joining techniques, body structures, materials and construction techniques. They also look into the use of high-strength and ultra-high-strength grades of steel. In the area of fiber composites, Audi also acts as an innovative pioneer and trend-setter by leveraging its significant racetrack experience and success to test advanced component concepts under extreme conditions prior to implementation on its road vehicles.

Audi expects to release 2010 pricing and model year changes for the remainder of its lineup within the next few weeks.

ABOUT AUDI OF AMERICA
Audi of America Inc. and its 270 dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. The Audi line up is one of the freshest in the industry with 23 models, including 12 models launched during model years 2008 and 2009. Audi is among the most successful brands globally. In selling one million vehicles worldwide in 2008, AUDI AG recorded its 13th consecutive record year for sales and profits. Visit www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.

ABT POWER even makes the already quick Audi S4 faster. Although the V6 compressor with three litre cubic capacity is already very sporty with its 333 HP (245kW), anyone who wants even more dynamism and torque can obtain a super sports car with the ABT S4: the decent-elegant car then brings 435 HP or 320 kW onto the road. And the additional 102 horsepower, which are employed in the ABT S4, suit the car extremely well in terms of nutrition: it achieves 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds, while in the series standard this takes 5.1 seconds. A half a second difference is an eternity for high-performance vehicles of this kind. The top speed is 282 km/h – and that is 32 km/h more than the Audi S4.

The torque of the engine optimised in Allgäu also appears to be as strong as an ox: instead of 440 Nm now 520 Nm are available – an increase of around 19 percent. As a result the 3.0 TFSI gets to work powerfully in any situation. The extra performance brings additional driving enjoyment and shows its superiority in practically all seven gears of the DSG gearbox. The consumption – and thereby the environmental pollution – is, however, no greater than with the series engine. On the other hand the driving-dynamic difference is revealed on main roads and motorways, as because the ABT S4 does everything even better, it is sportier. Capable of a powerful acceleration to top speed, the six cylinders now get to business. The Allgäu tuner recommends the 4-pipe sports exhaust unit and the ABT AR or BR wheels as fitting supplements to the power image of the car. The smart “round pieces” are available in sizes from 18 to 20 inches and can be supplied with fitting sports tyres.

The new ABT S4 – data and facts

ABT ENGINE TECHNOLOGY
Engine: 3.0 TFSI, 2995 ccm capacity
Performance tuning: ABT POWER
Performance: 435 HP/320 kW (standard: 333 HP/245 kW)

ABT EXHAUST TECHNOLOGY AND ABT SPORTS WHEELS
ABT 4-pipe rear muffler
ABT AR and BR; 18, 19 and 20 inches; diamond-cut or high-gloss polished.
Available also as complete wheel sets with sports wheels.

The Audi TT RS 2.5 TSI may only have just been released, but tuners have already began work on the most potent version of the German sports car that is powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine delivering 340HP and 450Nm of torque. One of the first kits available for the TT RS comes from MCCHIP that has retuned the 2.5 TSI’s ECU for a total output of 380HP and 550Nm of torque.

Furthermore, MCCHIP said that it is preparing a Level 2 kit that will boost the five-cylinder engine’s output to 400HP. In addition to the engine software upgrades, the German firm’s tuning proposal for the TT RS also includes new 20-inch alloy wheels from Cargraphic wrapped in 255/30 R20 Continental rubber. The price for the Level 1 ECU upgrade is €899 while the new wheels/tires will set you back at €6.600.

The virtuosic Chinese pianist meshes western and eastern traditions with his music. He has celebrated worldwide success without ever forgetting his roots. Lang Lang has been a guest artist at the Audi Summer Concerts many times now and since 2006 has been appearing around the world as a cultural ambassador for the company.

Lang Lang arrives at his concerts all around the world in premium cars from Audi. However, there are many other ways in which he fosters his relationship with the Ingolstadt-based brand. Having acclaimed his performances at the Audi Summer Concerts in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm and at the Salzburg Festival, audiences can look forward to more appearances over the coming years. Lang Lang will even put his own musical mark on the official ceremony commemorating 100 years of the Audi brand on July 16, 2009.

Lang Lang is not the first prominent Audi ambassador from the Middle Kingdom: Yu Long, conductor of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, also represents the brand in China. In addition, AUDI AG sponsors musical events and organizations from the Bavarian State Opera to the Salzburg Festival and the Beijing Music Festival.

In recent years, Audi has been able to significantly increase deliveries to customers in the important Chinese market (including Hong Kong) and is planning to increase sales this year to some 80,000 units (2005: 58,900 units). Audi has been particularly successful with the locally produced Audi A6, while continuing to improve its service through an exclusive dealer network in China currently consisting of 123 dealerships in 87 cities. Another sign of Audi’s emphasis on service and customer satisfaction are its new regional offices.

The five-door model with the long, flowing rear end unites the best of various vehicle genres: the emotion and elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon. The Sportback joins the Coupé and Cabriolet as the third member of the A5 model family.

The A5 Sportback will be rolling into Audi dealerships in September featuring an emotion-packed design, high everyday practicality, a sporty character and engines that are as efficient as they are powerful. Sales have already begun, with prices starting at 33,650 euros. A further, specially-priced model to follow in 2010 will make the A5 Sportback the entry-level model in the A5 model series.

Audi, the inventor of the Avant, is setting new trends in design with the A5 Sportback. The five-door coupe is defined by elegant lines. It is 36 millimeters (1.42 in) lower than the A4 Sedan; with its short front overhang, long wheelbase, wide track and the four frameless doors with their slender window lines, it is the very picture of sporty elegance.

The interior is spacious, offering uncompromising comfort in all four seats. The large luggage compartment hatch is harmoniously integrated into the long, tapered tail end with the flat C pillars; the spoiler lip underscores the tension-filled character. The luggage compartment volume of 480 liters (16.95 cu ft) nearly matches that of the A4 Avant and increases to 980 liters (34.61 cu ft) with the rear seats folded down.

The A5 Sportback follows the consistent path of innovative technologies at Audi when it comes to the drivetrain. All of the engines are highly-efficient direct injection models – TDI for the cultivated diesels, FSI for the gasoline engines – and all comply with the Euro 5 emissions standard.

All models are equipped with a recuperation system that recovers energy during braking and deceleration and stores it temporarily in the battery.

Audi is initially offering three gasoline and three TDI engines, with three more engines to follow by mid-2010. The gasoline engines – the two-liter TFSI with 132 kW (180 hp) or 155 kW (211 hp) and the 3.2-liter V6 with 195 kW (265 hp) – are equipped with the Audi valvelift system for variable control of valvelift. The intelligent technology boosts performance while simultaneously reducing fuel consumption.

The 2.0 TDI produces 125 kW (170 hp) and consumes on average a frugal 5.2 liters of fuel per 100 km (45.23 US mpg). It is coupled with the start-stop system, which further enhances fuel efficiency in city traffic. The 140 kW (190 hp) 2.7-liter TDI offers even more power. The 3.0 TDI, which also features the S tronic, puts out an impressive 176 kW (240 hp).

Like the three gasoline engines, the top diesel engine delivers its power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. The two most powerful engines are optionally available with the newly developed sport differential, which variably distributes power between the rear wheels and provides even greater dynamics, driving pleasure and safety. The two TDI models with front-wheel drive – the 2.0 TDI and 2.7 TDI – and the 2.0 TFSI (132 kW / 180 hp) benefit from another Audi innovation: The ESP stabilization program with electronic front differential lock increases agility and prevents understeer.

The perfect complement is the Audi drive select vehicle dynamics system, which enables the driver to freely vary the throttle response characteristic, the shifting points of the seven-speed S tronic, and the boost provided by the servotronic steering system, which comes standard (from power outputs of 140 kW (190 hp) upwards). The system is offered as a modular package with at least one of the following three options: sport differential, adaptive shock absorber control or dynamic steering with variable boost.

The equipment, specifications, and prices stated herein refer to the model line offered for sale in Germany. Subject to change without notice; errors and omissions excepted.

Effective immediately, two new entry-level engines are available for the Audi Q5: the 2.0 TDI and the 2.0-liter TFSI, both in conjunction with the 6-speed manual transmission. The diesel version is now also available in the A4 allroad quattro. These powerplant options expand the Audi product line with fuel-efficient models at attractive prices.

Effective immediately, Audi customers can order the 2.0 TDI with common rail high-pressure injection and 105 kW (143 hp) as an entry-level diesel for the Audi Q5 as well as for the Audi A4 allroad quattro. There is also a new entry-level gasoline engine available for the Q5 – the 2.0-liter TFSI with 132 kW (180 hp). All new models are equipped with quattro permanent all-wheel drive.

Both the gasoline and the diesel versions are impressive in-line four-cylinder engines with direct injection. The supercharged TFSI gasoline direct-injection unit with 2.0 liters displacement exerts an impressive 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque throughout the broad range from 1,500 to 3,900 rpm. This powerplant is equipped with the Audi valvelift system on the exhaust side. With this variable control, the Audi engineers were able to substantially reduce fuel consumption while further increasing the efficiency of the engine. The 2.0 TFSI accelerates the Audi Q5 from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 8.5 seconds. Its average fuel consumption is 8.4 liters per 100 kilometers (28.0 US mpg).

In the high-tech diesel engine with the common rail injection system, the maximum torque of 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) is exerted between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. In the Audi Q5, which – like with the Audi A4 – has recently passed the Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) safety test with the maximum rating of five stars, the engine averages a thrifty 6.5 liters of diesel fuel per 100 kilometers (36.19 US mpg). The SUV accelerates to the 100 km/h mark (62 mph) in 11.4 seconds and has a top speed of 190 km/h (118 mph).

The Audi A4 allroad quattro 2.0 TDI with six-speed manual transmission consumes an average of 6.2 liters per 100 kilometers (37.94 US mpg). Thanks to its higher torque level it reaches the 100 km/h mark (62 mph) in 10.3 seconds and can accelerate up to 200 km/h (124 mph).

Selling prices for the Audi Q5 start at EUR 36,800 for the 2.0 TFSI and EUR 36,500 for the 2.0 TDI. The base price for the Audi A4 allroad quattro 2.0 TDI is EUR 37,100.

Form an orderly Q! This is the Q3, the car that’s set to become the latest addition to Audi off-roader line-up, and our exclusive images show precisely how the curvy and compact 4×4 is shaping up.

Joining the imposing Q7 and understated Q5, the Q3 is the car Audi fans have been waiting for to rival the forthcoming BMW X1 and MINI Crossman – taking Audi into an all-new market segment.

Previewed by the Cross Coupe Quattro concept at the 2007 Shanghai Motor Show, the production model will share its proportions with that show car, but lend heavily from the flowing creases and clean surfaces of the Q5.

The chassis will be borrowed from Audi’s parent company VW – more specifically from the similarly sized Tiguan. Both two and four-wheel drive version will be available, with the latter using a Haldex-developed all-wheel drive setup also shared with the Tiguan.

Engine choices are likely to include a 2.0-litre TDI turbodiesel with either 138bhp or 168bhp, as well as the 2.0-litre TFSI unit from the Golf GTI with up to 207bhp, channelled through either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG ‘box.

And our renderings are much more than wishful thinking – Audi has already confirmed that the Q3 will enter production at SEAT’s Martorelli plant in Barcelona in 2011. Expect to see another Q3 concept – bearing a closer resemblance to the production version this time – some time next year.

If there’s one thing that Audi A5 owners shouldn’t be complaining about, is the lack of variety in tuning proposals. It’s got to the point where tuners like Senner are introducing one package after the other. The German firm’s latest offerings include a new styling package with various options for both the interior and exterior that can be combined with a kit for the 3.0-liter TDI diesel engine that lifts output to 300HP and 600Nm for a top speed of 280km/h or 174mph.

Senner Tuning’s aerodynamic package consists of a carbon fiber front spoiler apron, carbon-fiber mirror housings, a rear spoiler and spoiler lip, and a carbon fiber rear bumper.

Other available mods include a Bilstein B16 PSS10 coilover suspension which is fully adjustable with individual height adjustment and a new stainless steel exhaust system with 4 tailpipes plus a set of 21-inch Evo DS Carlsson alloy wheels.

Have a look at this beauty! We are Audi TT RS fans so can’t miss this last pictures.

Blind buying seems to be a thing of the past, as people are now weighing the pros and cons of each and every investment. One spending choice that seems to give buyers the most trouble is deciding on a reliable car that won’t fall to pieces after just a few years. One debate in question, which is split between two passionate camps, is over whether European cars are better than American cars. While there are no easy answers to this debate, both camps provide a number of interesting and practical reasons to support why one type of car is better than the other.

Visual Aesthetics and Size
While looks aren’t everything, they can help to indicate the quality and craftsmanship of a motor vehicle. For sports cars, European car lovers are quick to dismiss American competitors, and point to the elegant beauty and artistry of the smaller European design. Truthfully, the European attention to detail is staggering, with many of their sports cars looking more like small sculptures than road vehicles. However, American car lovers can also point to many beautiful sports cars in the states, and also prefer the larger vehicle designs so popular in America. The difference in size between European cars and American cars comes from the roads that the vehicles are made for, with European roads being much smaller than those in America. Also, since European cars are so small, carpooling parties or large families would have difficult traveling together. With this in mind, consumers should probably look past visual aesthetics, and instead make their purchase choice based on other factors, including lifestyle.

Handling, Speed, and Brakes
Car buyers need a vehicle that can maneuver comfortably, maintain smooth and safe speeds, and stop suddenly with ease. For each one of these factors, European car lovers also point to the power and sensitivity of their vehicles of choice. Overall, according to car enthusiasts on both sides, more European cars can go faster and make tighter turns than American cars. However, once again, European cars are made for different conditions than those in America. Speed limits are much looser in Europe, with some areas allowing cars to legally reach speeds over 150 miles per hour. Combining this with smaller roads, it is obvious why European cars tend to go faster and handle tighter than American ones. If you are living in America, there’s no practical need to drive over the legal speed limit, and these speed restrictions prevent accidents, and can help to keep auto insurance rates lower since the less risky a car is considered to be, the lower the insurance rates. For American roads, most American cars provide adequate speed and handling, and can cost less money to purchase than European cars. When it comes to reliable handling and speed, consumers need to make their decision based on where they are driving, and what restrictions they will need to follow.

Do Your Own Research
Because there are so many opinions on the matter, one of the ways for consumers to decide between a European and American car is to test-drive them. A test drive can play an important part in determining what kind of car works best for a buyer. Personal preference will always vary between people, and when it comes to the most reliable car, research crash-test result of the cars you are interested in. Some European cars get higher results than certain American cars but that doesn’t always have to be case, depending on the different cars being compared.