2011 Audi A4 2.0t Quattro Premium on 2040-cars

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Daimler, BMW, Audi consortium nabs Nokia maps for $2.72B

A consortium of German automakers made up of Daimler, BMW, and Audi has reportedly banded together to buy Nokia's Here mapping division for the equivalent of about $2.7 billion. The particulars of the deal aren't yet official but could be announced at the end of July. Reuters claims that this info comes from anonymous insiders speaking to Manager Magazin in Germany. It might be too soon, however, to declare a buyer. Reuters also spoke to two other insiders, and they said that no deal has been completed yet. None of the firms involved has officially spoken about the negotiations. Some of the other bidders for the division have reportedly bowed out. Here is a high-definition digital mapping company that controls about 70 percent of the auto market. The company has a fleet of vehicles with cameras and LIDAR (pictured above) to generate all of the necessary information. It also partners with trucking companies to use their GPS data. Nokia started looking for potential buyers for Here earlier this year. Tech giants that reportedly included Uber and Apple were rumored to be interested, while German automakers also teamed up to submit a joint bid in part to protect their access to the maps. On paper, Here is only valued at around $785 million, but a sale in the billions now seems assured. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Nokia Here Earnings/Financials Audi BMW Technology here nokia here

Audi TT Offroad gets the green light

The TT family already has a coupe and convertible, with various engines available in each. But over the past year or so, Audi has been toying with the idea of expanding the range with another bodystyle. And now the latest report from Car confirms that Ingoldtadt has given the production go-ahead to the TT Offroad concept. Unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show last year, the yellow TT Offroad concept envisioned a high-riding five-door crossover form with trademark TT styling cues. It was preceded by the blue three-door Allroad Shooting Brake concept at the Detroit show and followed by the sleek, red five-door TT Sportbrake concept at the Paris salon later the same year, but the impracticality of both those show cars is what we understand prompted Audi to go with the Offroad concept instead. So if it's a crossover, why not badge it with the letter Q, you ask? Because Fiat, that's why. The Italian automaker owns the names Q2 and Q4, which it has used on a variety of models (particularly Alfa Romeos and Maseratis) to connote their traction system. And though the Volkswagen Group has asked nicely, Sergio Marchionne has been as reluctant to give his biggest rivals a leg up as he has been to part with Alfa Romeo, despite their repeated advances. As a result, word has it that the production version of the TT Offroad concept will be sold as the TTQ, which kinda makes us giggle, but it would at least provide a nomenclature bridge between the TT and Q families within Audi's lineup. That is, unless Audi marketing chief Luca de Meo manages to convince his former boss to part with the Q2 and/or Q4 labels. Whatever it's called, the production crossover coupe would share similar dimensions to the Q3 when it arrives in 2017, but would potentially stand even further apart from its more utilitarian counterpart than the BMW X4 does from the X3 on which it is based.

2016 Audi A6 to start at $46,200*, A7 begins at $68,300*

Audi has announced pricing on the new A6 sedan and A7 four-door coupe, with the former starting at $46,200 for a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder and front-wheel drive. Of course, things can and do climb rapidly from there. Adding Quattro all-wheel drive to the four-cylinder model bumps the price up $2,200, while moving from the base Premium to the mid-level Premium Plus trim will add $3,700, regardless of the drivetrain. Speaking of that Premium trim, it's only available on the 2.0-liter A6. Every other variant starts with the Premium Plus. At that point, the cheapest six-cylinder you can get is the $57,400 model, while the diesel-powered A6 TDI starts at $59,500. Moving up to the top-end Prestige trim bolsters the price by $4,200, for both engines. If you fancy the sleeker lines of the A7, the entry-level 3.0-liter Premium Plus can be had for $68,300, while the TDI runs $70,400. While the starting price is higher than the A6, adding the Prestige trim is more reasonable, with both engines demanding $2,650 for the top-tier equipment level. And of course, we can't get away without mentioning Audi's high-performance models. A base S6 Premium Plus begins at $70,900, while the Prestige is $75,300. The S7 and RS7, both of which are limited to the Prestige trim level, start at $82,900 and $108,900, respectively. None of the above prices include the standard $925 destination charge. Scroll on down for the official press release on the pricing changes for the new Audi A6 and A7. Related Video: Audi announces pricing for the new 2016 A6 and A7 model lines April 17, 2015 | Herndon, Virginia Award-winning vehicles get more dynamic designs, improved technology and greater power and efficiency New 2.0 Liter TFSI engine – the most powerful engine in its class, with greater performance and efficiency Standard next generation of MMI® with Audi connect® and rapid 4G LTE connectivity Audi today announced pricing for the 2016 A6 and A7 model lines. With new engines and updated design, all Audi A6 and A7 models now offer more power, greater fuel efficiency and class-leading technology for two of the Audi brand's top-selling vehicles. The 2016 A6 and A7 sedans boast more athletic design as well as new headlights and driver assistance systems. New infotainment systems provide even higher levels of interior luxury and refinement.