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2011 Q7’s prices are expected to be just as high as the 2010 model’s, it continues to be the best value. The Lexus RX 350 starts at about $9,000 less and offers one of the highest fuel economy ratings in the class. Its 18/25 city/highway rating is even better than the Q7 turbodiesel’s rating. However, the RX 350 doesn’t offer a third-row seat.

Note that Audi expects a fuel economy increase for 2011, but neither Audi nor the EPA has released figures.

For 2011, the Q7 receives minor exterior revisions, the new engines and transmission, and standard HD radio. Audi has not yet announced trims for 2011. All models come standard with Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive system.

Vehicles like the Audi Q7 TDI have done a lot to change the perception that diesel vehicles are crude, stinky, black smoke-spewers, and the company's lone turbodiesel SUV gets even better for 2011. Thanks to the 406 pound-feet of torque at a low, low 1750 rpm, it takes very little throttle to accelerate or pass in traffic. Braking is precise, and the discs respond seemingly instantly to driver input. At the track, the TDI went from 0 to 60 mph in 8.6 seconds, which is about a second slower than the gas 4.2-liter V-8 we tested a couple years ago and the 2011 got through the quarter mile in 16.5 seconds at 82.

The 2011 Audi Q7 quattro has two new engines this year. The new engines are intriguing, however. Both are 3.0-liter engines. Not only does blown six make more power than the naturally-aspirated eight, Audi notes that it's some 16 percent more fuel efficient. The 2011 Audi Q7 we are reviewing is the Q7 TDI. The 3.0 TDI is the same turbodiesel V-6 as used in the recently tested 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI, rated at 225 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, and like the Touareg has the same eight-speed automatic transmission. And like the Touareg, has standard all-wheel drive, although for the Q7 it Audi's proprietary quattro system.
The Audi Q7 and Volkswagen Touareg are not, however, badge-engineered corporate kin. The Audi is longer, with five more inches between the front and rear axles, and seats up to seven. The Touareg has only two rows of seats.

The Audi Q7 has presence.
The interior is all Audi. Want proof the Audi Q7 is wide? There's room on either side of the already wide shift lever mount for control buttons, and between them is Audi's MMI controller. The Audi Q7 has three rows of seating with seven seatbelts, but the front seats are definitely first cabin. Getting a standard size adult into the third row is difficult, and folding the middle row seatback to its nominal position is cruel if not unusual punishment to any adult in the third row.

Audi also did an outstanding job of sound insulation, as raising the hood will prove. The sounds the engine makes when underway are different from any gas engine and no doubt will be enjoyed by anyone who buys an Audi Q7 TDI, an aural confirmation of an unconventional choice in power.

Audi claims 8.5 seconds for the zero-to-sixty mph dash. Standard towing capacity is 5,500lbs (with a 550 pound tongue-weight), plus there's a trailer hitch package that includes a tow bar and increased cooling capacity, increasing tow rating to 6,600lbs (with a 660 pound tongue-weight).
The EPA rating for the 2011 Audi Q7 TDI is 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, however we found that we were able to get 24.0 mpg with mostly highway driving, with 19.7 mpg in mixed all-around driving in cold weather and hilly terrain, both having a negative impact on fuel economy numbers.

The 2011 Audi Q7 TDI, just from being a diesel, might be expected to be dull witted on the road. Thank Audi's adaptive air suspension. The slowest accelerating but the best mileage of the three 2011 Audi Q7 models, the TDI is priced in the middle. The "base" 2011 Audi Q7 Premium with the standard 3.0T engine has a base price of $46,250, while the Q7 S Line Prestige--required to get the 3.0T engine--starts at $59,450, but includes a lot of extras. The 2011 Audi Q7 TDI price (according to our window sticker but later raised) begins at $50,900.

Audi has been trying to show off its green credentials for quite some time now with a variety of plug-in hybrid and pure electric concepts, all sporting the e-tron nameplate, such as the 2009 e-tron Concept Coupe, the 2010 A1 e-tron, and more recently, the e-tron Spyder. Now, the brand with the four rings has prepared a new e-tron study, this time based on the A3 sedan concept shown at the Geneva Salon this past March.

The new A3 Sedan e-tron is a compact sized four-door saloon study featuring a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain, and it will receive its world premiere at this week’s 2011 Shanghai Auto Show in China.

Audi’s engineers replaced the Geneva concept model’s 408HP 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five with a hybrid powertrain comprising of a 211HP 1.4-liter TFSI gasoline unit with turbocharging and gasoline direct injection, and an electric motor with an output of 20 kW (27HP), for a combined system output of 238HP. A seven-speed S tronic dual clutch transmission is linked to the gasoline engine.

If you’re done looking over the official gallery of the new Audi Q3 compact SUV, we have some good news as the Ingolstadt-based automaker has released the first video of the smallest Q series model yet. The new promotional clip shows the Q3 testing on an oval circuit while also offering us a quick walkaround of the exterior and interior. Read more »

The wait is finally over. A mere week after the release of the teaser sketches, Audi has come out with official photos and details on its new Q3 compact SUV, which will receive its first public outing at the Shanghai Auto Show.

The Q3 is Audi’s third SUV model after the larger Q5 and Q7 and will compete against the BMW X1. Those familiar with the VW Group’s strategy won’t be surprised to find out that the Q3 is based on the platform architecture of the Volkswagen Tiguan. Audi’s interpretation of a compact SUV model measures 4.39 meters in length (14.4 ft), 1.83 meters in width (6.0 ft), and 1.60 meters (5.25 ft) in height with the roof rails, meaning its 240mm shorter, 50mm narrower and 53mm lower than the Q5.

The exterior styling is pure Audi with the design loosely inspired by the Ingolstadt firm’s Cross Coupe Quattro Concept from the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show. Compared to the Q5, Audi’s smaller SUV model introduces a sharper front design with wedge-shaped headlamps and a roofline that slopes gently towards the back for a more dynamic profile.

It looks like Audi has set its mind to fill all the performance niches in the premium category. Following news on the development of a hot S6 based on the latest iteration of Ingolstadt’s executive mid-size model, our man with the long lens has caught a prototype version of the upcoming RS4 Avant testing around the Nurburgring race track.

Even though the prototype is a test mule based on the S4 Avant, there are certain elements that tell us there’s something different about this model. These include the heavily blistered front and rear wheel arches housing the same dark 20-inch alloy rims found on the RS5 Coupe, as well as a modified front bumper with different air vents to supply additional cooling to the engine.

The 2012 A3 Sedan and Hatchback weren't the only future Audi models to be teased today, as another set of drawings previewing the R8 GT supercar in drop-top guise also hit the internet. Scheduled for a reveal in early 2012, the R8 GT Spyder will be the roadster version of the lightweight R8 GT Coupe. Read more »

Audi released a set of sketches portraying the next-generation A3, which is expected to go on sale in late 2012. The officials drawings show the three-door hatchback and sedan versions, plus a view of the interior.

The A3 Sedan sketch does not come as a surprise, since it shows a car very similar in design with the A3 Concept premiered by Audi at the Geneva Motor Show. The three-door hatchback, however, is more interesting, as this is the first time Audi offers a sneak peak at the design of its future compact model.

The three-door version looks sharp and dynamic, sporting a narrow glasshouse, massive wheel arches and an interesting crease in the lower part of the door.

Audi has revealed the first official teaser sketches of its Q3 ‘baby’ SUV model, prior to its world premiere at the Shanghai Auto Show later this month. The drawings confirm the Q3 will look pretty much like the Cross Coupe quattro design study unveiled by Audi in 2007.

However, the front end of the production Q3 seems changed in comparison with the aforementioned concept, with the headlights sporting a thinner, stretched shape and being mirrored in the lower side of the bumper by the spaces for the fog lights.

At the back, the car looks similar to the concept, with the exception of the tailgate window angle, which is not as inclined as on the Cross Coupe quattro.

Audi has just dropped pricing information for its all-new 2012 A7 Sportback that will begin reaching U.S. showrooms later this month with a starting MSRP of $59,250, not including an $875 destination charge. At launch, the A7 will be offered in the States exclusively with a 3.0-liter TFSI V6 gasoline engine paired to the firm’s quattro all-wheel drive system and an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission.

In March, Audi invited members of the press to test drive the new RS3 Sportback on the roads of the Principality of Monaco. Not surprisingly, some of the journalists filmed their encounter with the smallest and most affordable RS model ever produced by Audi on the twisty mountain roads of the principality. Read more »

For the past eleven years, Lexus has been Numero Uno in U.S. luxury vehicle sales. Not so in China, where Germanic giants BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi lead the pack and Lexus is relegated to a paltry fourth.

One issue is customer service, or rather a level of customer service that fails to differentiate Lexus from its competitors. As business owner and Lexus customer Maggie Lin explains: “Nothing stands out from Lexus's service. I don't feel there's anything special compared with what Audi has been doing. They are more or less the same.”

It’s one of the reasons Lexus’s Chinese arm has sent two of its top managers to the United States to learn how things are done at the brand’s North American operation. According to J.D. Power, Lexus sold just a fifth of market leader Audi’s sales total for 2010. That’s just 49,000 vehicles to the latter’s 236,000. There’s also the issue of consumer tastes.

Audi is joining a long line of car manufacturers that have reached out to bicycle specialists to create their own range of two wheelers. Being that the brand with the four rings is renowned for the use of aluminum in its cars, you’d expect Audi to employ the lightweight metal on its bicycle series. But that’s not the case as the Ingolstadt automaker teamed up with Renovo Design, a firm famous for its wooden frame bikes. Read more »

Audi's Ingolstadt plant produced on Wednesday the five-millionth A4 model, an Avant station wagon painted in Misano Red. The brand with the four rings started production of the A4 in Ingolstadt in 1994 and since 2007, it has also been building it at Neckarsulm. The A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, A4 allroad quattro, S4 Sedan and S4 Avant are manufactured in Ingolstadt, while the A4 Sedan is built in Neckarsulm in both plants. The A4 range takes up a high proportion of the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm plants' production capacity. Read more »

Back in November of 2009, then 23yo Swedish industrial design student Marouane Bembli brought us an impressive design study for a proposed halo model for Audi to sit above the R8. With its sharp lines, centralized cockpit and Rolls-Royce Phantom rivalling proportions, the R10 was a pretty if unlikely proposal for a next generation Audi supercar.

Now, two years older and presumably a little wiser, Bembli has once again tackled the R10 in what I call the R10 v2.0. Though the concept of a low roofed, widebody coupe with a mid-mounted V10 remains the same, Bembli’s new-for-2011 R10 features a more aggressive front-end treatment, larger rear view mirrors and cabin windows and the addition of fighter jet-inspire side intakes.

North American aftermarket specialist STaSIS Engineering has introduced its Challenge Extreme Edition package for the Audi R8 V10 to Britain. Available in the US since 2010, the performance kit includes powertrain, suspension and brake upgrades that transform the R8 V10 into an even more ferocious supercar, capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h [62mph] in 3.1 seconds, 0.6 seconds faster than the stock model.

Truth to be said, any journey would be a blast if you were behind the wheel of sports car like the Audi R8 Spyder V10, but we can’t help but applaud the brand with the four rings for this beautiful, 2-minute long clip filmed in remote, untouristy parts of Brazil. Sit back, turn up the volume and enjoy the ride in the video right after the break.

2012 Audi A7 Sportback.

Made in December stunned the automotive world with the emergence of the latest line-up of Audi, the Audi A7 Sportback is so sexy and fresh. With innovative display a blend of premium sedan coupe mingled with the scent, making the Audi A7 Sportback as material for discussion of the board.

But the beauty of the work of the Audi designers did not make the tuners or modifiers do not glance at a world class car. As a result, MTM (Motoren Technik Mayer), which is one of the tuner from Germany, has recently showcased on the body modification package Audi A7 Sportback.
In eskterior sector, MTM change rear diffuser to accommodate four exhaust on the drain. Standard alloy wheels also replaced with super light output Bimoto with cross motif 9. In addition, all four wheels attached spacer (20-30 mm) to be more outgoing and later applied electric modules on the suspension to be more flat.

Turning to the engine innards, MTM make improvements to the type of remaping ECU 3.0 TDI quattro Audi A7. As a result, workers managed to up than 244 hp to 285 hp. The increase in power of 40 hp is certainly going to be felt, is not it?

In 2010, the year that Audi celebrated the 30th anniversary of the quattro, it sold an impressive 437,792 quattro-equipped cars, or about 38 percent of its total production. The brand with the four rings said it sells more all-wheel drive vehicles than any other premium manufacturer in the world.

Volkswagen and Audi today announced that they will donate €1 million ($1.42 million) each for humanitarian aid to the Japanese people affected by the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Asian nation on March 11. Porsche also said it will offer €500,000 ($707,000) to assist people affected by the natural disaster. Aside from these contributions, the VW Group has announced the launch of a donation campaign among its employees.

*The above photo is a rendering from a Teamspeed forum member

New details on Porsche's junior SUV have emerged a day after the company confirmed the Leipzig plant as the production site for the new car. German car magazine AutoBild reported that Porsche will launch the compact SUV in a three-door body style adding that the Cajun will have a sporty character to differentiate it from the Audi Q5.

Porsche originally intended to launch the Cajun as a five-door model, but later decided it would be better to start off with a three-door variant since it doesn't want to affect the sales of the Q5, upon which the Cajun is based.

The Stuttgart automaker also feared that a five-door Cajun might threaten the Cayenne as well, so the company is said to have decided to give its smaller SUV a much more dynamic appearance. However, Porsche did not exclude a five-door version in the near future.