2004 Audi A4 Convertible. 50k Miles! Ex. Cond. on 2040-cars

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Audi Q7 testing gives us clearer view of new look

Audi just announced its intentions to build the Q1 in 2016. By that time, the company will already have introduced the opposing bookend to that subcompact utility vehicle, the fullsize Q7. The last time we saw the next-gen Audi Q7 out testing, our spy shots were very low quality and didn't reveal much about the luxury SUV. This time around we're able to make out a few key elements about the Q7.
For starters, the unfinished headlights have a stylish, wave-like lighting element with a three-dimensional appearance, while the rear of the Q7 will definitely get a similar wraparound liftgate as the current model. Overall, this prototype looks to be about the same size as the existing Q7, so it will be interesting to see how Audi squeezes almost 800 pounds from the SUV's curb weight. The diet will surely help improve efficiency, and we also hear that Audi is considering a plug-in hybrid model in addition to the standard gas and diesel variants.
Riding on a shared platform with the next-gen Volkswagen Touareg, Porsche Cayenne and the upcoming Bentley Falcon SUV, the next Audi Q7 is expected to bow in late 2014 for the 2015 model year.

The next-generation wearable will be your car

This year's CES has had a heavy emphasis on the class of device known as the "wearable" – think about the Apple Watch, or Fitbit, if that's helpful. These devices usually piggyback off of a smartphone's hardware or some other data connection and utilize various onboard sensors and feedback devices to interact with the wearer. In the case of the Fitbit, it's health tracking through sensors that monitor your pulse and movement; for the Apple Watch and similar devices, it's all that and some more. Manufacturers seem to be developing a consensus that vehicles should be taking on some of a wearable's functionality. As evidenced by Volvo's newly announced tie-up with the Microsoft Band 2 fitness tracking wearable, car manufacturers are starting to explore how wearable devices will help drivers. The On Call app brings voice commands, spoken into the Band 2, into the mix. It'll allow you to pass an address from your smartphone's agenda right to your Volvo's nav system, or to preheat your car. Eventually, Volvo would like your car to learn things about your routines, and communicate back to you – or even, improvise to help you wake up earlier to avoid that traffic that might make you late. Do you need to buy a device, like the $249 Band 2, and always wear it to have these sorts of interactions with your car? Despite the emphasis on wearables, CES 2016 has also given us a glimmer of a vehicle future that cuts out the wearable middleman entirely. Take Audi's new Fit Driver project. The goal is to reduce driver stress levels, prevent driver fatigue, and provide a relaxing interior environment by adjusting cabin elements like seat massage, climate control, and even the interior lighting. While it focuses on a wearable device to monitor heart rate and skin temperature, the Audi itself will use on-board sensors to examine driving style and breathing rate as well as external conditions – the weather, traffic, that sort of thing. Could the seats measure skin temperature? Could the seatbelt measure heart rate? Seems like Audi might not need the wearable at all – the car's already doing most of the work. Whether there's a device on a driver's wrist or not, manufacturers seem to be developing a consensus that vehicles should be taking on some of a wearable's functionality.

Audi recalls A6, A7, and A3 in two airbag-related campaigns

Audi will recall a total of 21,978 vehicles in the US across two campaigns. The Basics: Audi's larger recall covers 21,074 examples of 2012-2013 A6 sedans with manufacturing dates between March 28, 2011, and March 25, 2013, and the 2012-2013 A7 models built between January 25, 2011, and March 19, 2013. The Problem: In examples of the sedans with heated and cooled seats, the Passenger Occupant Detection System can malfunction and prevent the passenger's side airbag from deploying in a crash. Injuries/Deaths: None reported. The Fix: Dealers will repair the Passenger Occupant Detection System. If You Own One: Audi will begin the recall in February 2016. The Basics: In the smaller safety campaign, Audi will recall 904 examples of the 2015 A3 Cabriolet built between June 5, 2014, and April 1, 2015. The Problem: The driver or front passenger seat covers might not have the correct stitching, and this could prevent the side airbag from properly deploying in a crash. Injuries/Deaths: None reported. The Fix: Dealers will replace the seatback covers on affected seats. If You Own One: Audi will begin the recall in February 2016. Related Video: RECALL Subject : Passenger Seat Occupant Detection System may Fail Report Receipt Date: DEC 08, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V823000 Component(s): AIR BAGS Potential Number of Units Affected: 21,074 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle MakeModelModel Year(s) AUDI A6 2012-2013 AUDI A7 2012-2013 Details Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. SUMMARY: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Audi A6 vehicles manufactured March 28, 2011, to March 25, 2013, and 2012-2013 Audi A7 vehicles manufactured January 25, 2011, to March 19, 2013. In vehicles with heated and cooled seats, the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS), used to enable the front passenger air bags, may malfunction and prevent the passenger-side air bags from deploying in a crash. CONSEQUENCE: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of occupant injury in a crash. REMEDY: Volkswagen will notify owners, and Audi dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in February 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D1.