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Audi wants to tattoo your car with a new paint etching process

Those tribal stickers have sort of gone out of style, so Audi has developed a new technique that allows owners to have matte, tattoo-like images etched onto their cars. While initially available on the Audi R8 and R8 Spyder, the technique can be applied to any model, and it goes on after the component has been painted. The process is relatively simple. Audi places a template on the car with the desired design - like the Audi Sport logo in the image above - and then uses a special powder to basically sandblast the paint, roughening the surface of the clear coat. The result is a matt area with a depth of just a few thousandths of a millimeter, less than the width of a human hair, that's basically a permanent decal. Audi can currently handle images up to one meter square and will accept nearly any image that doesn't violate third-party copyrights, presumably excluding any obscene image as well. Just wait for someone to test the limits on that one. The cool thing about the process is that it can be applied at pretty much any point in the car's life. This means any vehicle is a candidate for customization and that an owner could purchase the car at a dealership and have the custom graphic applied afterward. Because the powder affects the paint surface, the image is more resilient than a wrap or sticker. The new option is limited to the side blades on the R8, but Audi will be extending it to other models in the future through its Exclusive program. And while it might affect the resale value of the car, it's a heck of a lot less painful than a tattoo. Related Video: News Source: AudiImage Credit: Audi Auto News Design/Style Audi Technology Convertible Coupe Performance paint customization

2014 Audi A4 next car to go on big diet while adding features

The Audi A4 is expected to receive a major redesign over the next couple of years, and with the smaller A3 now gaining a sedan model, it is being reported that the A4 might be getting a little breathing room for a more advanced design and improved technology and features. According to AutoBild, this would include a drop of more than 200 pounds in curb weight, updated cabin tech and a wider variety of drivetrain options.
AutoBild states that Audi is looking to upgrade just about every detail - inside and out - when it comes to the 2014 Audi A4, and this includes a next-generation MMI system that uses two digital displays. Extensive use of magnesium, aluminum and plastics will help shave an estimated 220 pounds from the A4's curb weight, and in terms of engines, it sounds like the usual array of forced-induction, small-displacement gas and diesel engines will be on tap, but a bigger V6 TDI and a plug-in hybrid powertrain are also mentioned.

Next Audi TT RS comes in 2016, manual transmission doesn't

This line comes from our review of the 2012 Audi TT RS: "Did we mention that the 2012 TT RS is only available with a manual transmission?" When we review the next-generation TT RS, expected to launch next year, we'll have to rewrite that line as: "Did we mention that the TT RS is not available with a manual transmission?" That's the word from Car and Driver, which has heard that the superheated little coupe will only come with the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox found in the Euro-market RS3 Sportback. The first generation came with a dual-clutch and a manual transmission in Europe, but the unit for our market required the laying on of hands to get from one cog to another. If we don't get another, the blow will be all the more painful because Audi's manual transmissions are so good. Our assessment summed up the last one thus, "With a short, precise throw and excellent action, the transmission is a mechanical work of art." Good news? Volkswagen says the installed DQ500 dual-clutch is faster, more refined, and more reliable. As well, power from the reworked 2.5-liter, turbocharged five-cylinder should rise from 360 horsepower to "around 400." You'll just be asked to keep your hands off of it. The first-gen car only came here after a successful Facebook petition gathered more than 11,000 signatures in a month, we wish Audi had given us a chance to weigh in on this, too. Although we will probably get it later next year as a 2017 model, we could see it at the Frankfurt Motor Show in two months. Related Video: