2011 Audi A8L W12 - First Drive Review


Harnodi | 2011 Audi A8L W12 - First Drive Review | Most cars are made to be driven, of course, and there is a select group of vehicles that are made to be driven  in the Rolls-Royce Phantom, the Maybach 62, the Ford Crown Victoria. But beyond that, there exists the infinitesimally small number of cars that have been engineered with both missions in mind, offering dynamic excellence for those twirling the steering wheel and five-star appointments for those occupying the rear seats. The 2011 Audi A8L W-12 is one such vehicle, and it satisfies in almost all aspects. Slide into the buttery-soft leather of the back seat, however, and the distinction between A8 and A8L is immediately clear.


All five inches of extra wheelbase were given to rear-seat occupants, and where the already-roomy A8 makes you feel comfortable and cosseted, the studio-apartment-sized rear cabin of the A8L makes you feel high and mighty. A panoramic glass roof adds to the expansive feel, and the A8L W-12 sports a pair of power-adjusting heated rear seats, split by a flowing center console that can be optionally equipped with a fold-out table and fridge. (The A8L 4.2 has a rear bench as standard, with the individual seats being an option.) The chairs can be further outfitted with ventilation and massage, and the final frontier for true titans of industry is the Relaxation seat. It’s a rear-passenger-side-only personal spa and business-class airplane seat all rolled into one, with heating, cooling, massage, and a power footrest the folds down from the back of the front passenger seat. Choosing this seat also adds a smorgasbord of rear-entertainment technology, including two 10.2-inch monitors mounted to the front seatbacks, Bluetooth headphones, a separate DVD drive, a pair of SD card slots, a TV tuner, and an additional MMI controller allowing access to navigation and media functions.

Additionally, W-12 customers get MMI Navigation Plus as standard it features a touchpad on the front center console that can decipher inputs drawn with a fingertip. There’s also a special Google search function for the navigation, as well as the A8L’s ability to be its own WiFi hotspot, turning the car into perhaps the world’s nicest mobile office. (The A8 and A8L go on sale here in November, but the WiFi connectivity won’t be available until sometime next year, after a wireless data provider has been chosen.)

2010 Audi S5 Quattro Cabriolet


Harnodi | 2010 Audi S5 Quattro Cabriolet | If any engine puts the final nail into the coffin of the mainstream V-8, it's the new 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 in Audi's 2010 S5 Cabriolet and S4 sedan. Rated 333 horsepower and 325 pound-feet, it's 20 horses shy of the 4.2-liter V-8's power number and its match on twist. We got a quick sampling of the new engine in the cloth-lid S5.


Our testing reveals the S5 ragtop is just half a second slower -- or less quick -- from 0-60 mph than the V-8 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG and V-8 S5 coupe. In the quarter mile, it's 0.8 second slower than the Benz, 0.5 slower than the S5 hardtop. The Cabriolet's new engine seems poised for the new CAFE order, with 17/26 mpg EPA numbers, versus 16/24 for the S5 V-8 coupe with the S tronic and 14/22 for the manual coupe. (The S4 sedan with the supercharged 3.0 gets 18/27 mpg with the manual; 18/28 with S tronic.) Engine downsizing, even among expensive German performance cars, is the Next Big Thing, and Audi has trumped BMW, which is going back to a six-cylinder engine for the next M3.

The 3.0 TFSI features gas direct injection and the intercooled supercharger -- "T" typically means "turbocharged" in VW and Audi engines, but apparently SFSI doesn't seem sporty enough. While its sound is distinctively blown-V-6, Audi has tuned it to sound the part of a V-8 killer, but with a higher pitch. The brappy soundtrack is accentuated by back-pressure burbles during upshifts of the seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission, when you get aggressive with the throttle.

Audi's facelifted '10 A6 sedan is available with the new supercharged 3.0, detuned to 299 horsepower. Even in the larger, heavier car, the engine is a match for any non-tuner V-8 competition, whether BMW 550i, Mercedes-Benz E550 or Audi's own 4.2-liter-powered A6. And we averaged 21.9 mpg.

The S5 ragtop is more a Mercedes AMG competitor than a BMW M competitor. It's substantially bigger and heavier than a BMW 3 Series/M3, and it feels a bit more relaxed, more like a big AMG Benz. As with all Audis, the brakes feel like they could stop a locomotive on a dime. Our 60-0-mph figure beats the Benz SLK55 by nine feet and a Lexus SC 430 by 14. The seven-speed S tronic remains perhaps the best dual clutch in the industry, with close ratios that will have you upshifting and downshifting maybe a bit too much. While we were unable to figure-eight-test it, the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GTs offer tons of grip and the suspension is sufficiently stiff for flat cornering and slick handling. If you're seeking a more relaxed convertible, look elsewhere. The S5's suspension feels stiff over road imperfections, and the car feels heavy. There is enough suspension compliance for the casual enthusiast, however. Steering is quick and direct, with good feedback. Cowl shake is minimal, but it's there -- this is a unibody car designed first as a coupe, after all.
[source:www.motortrend.com|2010 Audi S5 Quattro Cabriolet]

2011 Audi A1 First Drive Review

Harnodi | 2011 Audi A1 First Drive Review | By American standards, the Volkswagen Golf based Audi A3 is a little car. Not so in Europe, however, where the A3 is a legitimate family hauler. In other words, there is plenty of room in Audi’s European product portfolio for a car with tidier dimensions. Enter the A1, Audi’s third attempt at the true small-car segment. The A1 is based on the VW Polo platform, a model that, ironically, emerged in 1975 as the cheapo version of the short-lived Audi 50. Audi’s second attempt, the all-aluminum A2, failed mostly because it was underpowered and overpriced at its launch in 1999. Today, the Luc Donckerwolke styled A2 is gaining cult status, albeit a bit too late. End of history lesson.


This new take on a small-car entry is similarly upscale, only now there’s a market for it. For this, we can thank the Mini’s wild success. Both cars are similar in concept but vastly different in execution. If you are a fan of the United Kingdom with its Victorian mansions, Beefeaters, changing of the guard, and all, you’ll appreciate the Mini’s approach to automotive design. If Bauhaus is more your thing, you will gravitate toward the Audi A1, with its clean lines and technoid LED strips and taillights. The Polo heritage is successfully hidden, and a “single frame” grille, previewed with the A8, predominates here, too.


Despite being smaller than the A3, the A1 looks tough and ready to scrap with the cheeky Brit. Its track has been widened compared with the Polo’s, and the headlights have a somewhat menacing look, especially when equipped with the optional xenon lights, which come with an LED strip that successfully mimics the A8’s. Audi will even paint the roof pillars, which stretch from front to rear in one smooth arc, in a contrasting color for extra awesomeness. This feeling of control is enhanced by the A1’s excellent chassis setup. The electric power steering simulates a full hydraulic system with perfection and is very direct, too.

Its aggressive ratio is complemented by Audi’s “electronic limited-slip differential,” which uses the stability-control system to brake wheels in order to generate forceful turn-in. It’s Audi’s version of the Volkswagen XDS system, and it comes on every A1, not just on top-of-the-line models, like at VW. The A1 is neutral up to the limit, at which point the ESP system kicks in briefly if noticeably. It’s a friendly warning that your backside was just saved, but it doesn’t sanction you by taking off more speed than necessary. There are two suspension setups. We like the standard suspension, and the sport suspension is even better in control and sharpness. Even so, it doesn’t beat you up.

2011 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 Quattro supercar in "Iron Man 2"


Harnodi | 2011 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 Quattro supercar in "Iron Man 2" | Tony Stark drove the 2011 R8 Spyder 5.2 Quattro supercar in "Iron Man 2," now you can too for a mere $161,000, Audi today announced. The first open-top Audi supercar, which has a top speed of 195 mph, will begin rolling into U.S. showrooms as soon as next month.
The R8 Spyder 5.2 Quattro differs from the classic Audi look--there are no signature sideblades on the Spyder. Another significant difference on the R8 Spyder is the use of dramatic Aluminum Optic vents on the new rear engine cover and aluminum a-pillars. Last year, CNET's Antuan Goodwin compared the R8 Spyder with the Gallardo Spyder.


The Spyder features thermal-resistant leather seats that are colored with pigments that can cool hot seats by as much as 68 degrees--even in direct sunlight. The sports car also has a Bluetooth system with a seat belt mounted microphone that operates clearly even with the top down.
Audi today also said it intends to sell the Audi RS5 in the U.S. market starting in 2012.
The 4.2-liter V-8 engine in the Audi RS5 Coupe generates 450 horsepower. Audi will release details on the RS5's equipment levels, pricing, and fuel economy standards at a later date.

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