2008 Audi A5 Quattro Coupe **low Miles** on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Next Audi R8 to be up to 130 pounds lighter

"Simplify and add lightness," as Lotus founder Colin Chapman said. In a world where even supercars are subject to environmental, efficiency and emissions standards, lighter vehicles are being looked on as a sort of panacea - make it lighter, and it's automatically faster, more agile, easier to brake and better on gas.
Knowing this, it comes as no shock that Audi is looking at ways to lighten up its next-generation R8, with the brand's head of technical development Ulrich Hackenberg targeting a 110- to 130-pound diet for the mid-engine rocket. This supports previous reports regarding the focus for the next R8. Motor Trend reports that aluminum and carbon fiber feature heavily in plans for the next R8, which should go a long way toward slimming down even the lightest of R8s, the 3,678-pound V10 Plus model.
There's more over at Motor Trend, including the buff book's attempts to get Hackenberg to discuss powertrain options for the next R8.

Audi, Google readying infotainment partnership announcement for CES?

The merging of our smart phones and automotive infotainment systems may be about to get an even bigger boost, if a report from Forbes is to be believed. The business publication is reporting that Google and Audi may announce a partnership at next week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that would see Google's Android OS taking control of Audi's MMI infotainment system.
The move by Google would be a direct counter to Apple's iOS in the Car initiative, the marquee feature of which allows drivers to access the company's Siri digital assistant via a car's voice controls. According to Forbes, other iOS features that have found their way into cars include functions for iMessage, as well as audio and satellite navigation systems.
Audi and Google already enjoy a working relationship, with the tech company providing data services on many of the automaker's cars, as well as lending Google Maps to the MMI system. If this report turns out to be true, fans of Android could find Audis looking a lot more appealing.

Audi kicks off ad campaign tonight with stirring new spot

Following last week's entertaining and wildly popular Spock vs. Spock video, Audi has come back with a bevy of videos for its new advertising campaign that will begin airing tonight in primetime and on cable.
There are five ads altogether, but the longest one, a 60-second spot titled It Couldn't Be Done, is our favorite by far. Set to a reading of the poem of the same name by Edgar Albert Guest, the commercial chronicles the history of Auto Union Deutschland Ingolstadt from the days of its founder, August Horch, through its many decades of innovation, competition and creativity. Indeed, watching the commercial gave us chills similar to when we first heard the Ram brand's Farmer commercial that aired during this year's Super Bowl.
The other four commercials are shorter 15-second spots that focus on such familiar themes as the company's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, the safety of its vehicles, their style and the company's advances in LED lighting. While less impactful than the longer ad, we think they effectively sound the drum beat of Audi's preferred tag line: Truth in Engineering. Scroll down to watch all five new ads, starting with the 60-second It Couldn't Be Done.