2007 Audi A4 2.0t Quattro on 2040-cars

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Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

The last time Volkswagen moved this many vehicles in America in one year, Richard Nixon was still a President in good standing, Let It Be was a radio hit and each car wearing the VW badge boasted an air-cooled engine. That's right, with a grand total of 580,286 vehicles sold in the US last year, the VW Group has broken its own four-decades-old sales record by 2,899 vehicles.
Of that 580k total sold, 438k were Volkswagens and 139k were Audi products - increases of 35.1 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively, in year-over-year sales. The ultra-premium members of the VW group also fared well; Bentley delivered 2,315 vehicles for a 23.3-precent increase, and Lamborghini delivered 520 units for a 52.9-percent jump. Bugatti, we're told is "right on track."
Jetta (pictured) sales paced the marque with 170k models sold, and Passat also finished very strong with sales of 117k total. Tiguan also racked up its best year on file, with 31,731 models shifted.

Audi E-Tron vs. Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X: How they compare on paper

The all-electric crossover segment is suddenly heating up. Tesla was first to market with its Model X, and the California-based automaker has a several-year head start on the rest of the field. But now it has competition, with the Jaguar I-Pace already hitting dealerships across the globe and the just-announced Audi E-Tron hot on their heels. We decided to see how Audi's new entrant compares with its British and American rivals, so we downloaded their spec sheets (at least those that are available) and dumped them all into the spreadsheet you see below. As you'll soon find out, there are lots of similarities between these three electric crossovers, but each has a unique selling point or two with which to entice buyers. View 24 Photos Performance Note that we're using the Tesla Model X 75D for this comparison, since that's the model that is closest in price to the Jaguar and Audi entries. If you really want the fastest and most powerful electric CUV available, you're going to want to look at Tesla's ludicrous P100D model, but you'd better be willing to just about double the price you see in the chart above. With that out of the way, these particular electric crossovers are all pretty quick. The Jaguar boasts the quickest 0-60 time, but in the real world, that half-second advantage over the 75D won't amount to much. The Audi is a full second behind the Jaguar, and a little over a half second slower to 60 than the Tesla. A 5.5-second 0-60 time, though, still means the E-Tron will be able to squirt away from traffic lights quicker than the rest of the morning commuters. As far as battery capacity, Audi leads the way with 95 kWh, which is 5 more than the Jag and a whopping 20 more than the Tesla. Until we get estimated range figures, though, we won't know what the extra capacity means in the real world. In other words, stay tuned. View 74 Photos Exterior and interior dimensions The Jaguar is the smallest of these three 'utes, inside and out. The Tesla Model X is the largest. Does that make the Audi just right? Maybe, but only if you don't need a third row — the Model X is the only one of this trio that offers seating for six or seven passengers (depending on whether the buyer opts for a second-row bench or individual chairs). A smaller size may be a boon for drivers who often have to fit into tight spaces, but those slinky dimensions mean the Jaguar's cargo capacity is well behind that of the Audi and not even close to the cavernous Tesla. Tesla Motors Inc.

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.