2018 Audi A4 Premium Plus Sedan 4d on 2040-cars

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2016 Audi S6 and S7 First Drive

Audi paired the S6 and S7 for the purposes of this test in Southern California, but these are rather disparate cars. A three-box sedan, even a sporty one like this S6, is for a specific kind of customer. A sleek, four-door hatchback like the S7, on the other hand, is for a different kind of person. These two people might not be as different as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but at the very least the S7 is the S6's lothario neighbor – the one who's always got a glass of scotch in one hand and a chambermaid in the other. A day spent in the canyons around Los Angeles proves there's a big difference between these cars. First, though, let's discuss their similarities. The S6 and the S7 get the same design overhaul we detailed in our piece on the 2016 Audi A6, namely the edge work done on the grille, bumpers, headlights, and taillights. Additionally, they get Audi's new MMI system – the brand's next step in infotainment. A day spent in the canyons proves there's a big difference between these cars. Changes exclusive to these S models include flat-bottomed steering wheels with model badges at the base of the center spoke, and aluminum-finish shift paddles. The pedals and footrest get the aluminum look as well. There's also a new shift lever, and a revised design for the Quattro badge. New seat and surface treatments join the options list, such as Beaufort Walnut inlays and Valcona leather seats in Cedar Brown. The S7 has a new Arras Red interior option as part of its design selection palette, but the striking addition there is the carbon fiber inlay it comes with, which is interwoven with a red thread. You lean in really, really close and see that scarlet yarn, and the cockpit immediately feels more special. It's the kind of beautiful subtlety you expect from Audi, and the result is a scrumptious cabin. The twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V8 gets 30 more horses, topping out at 450 horsepower. Torque remains the same at 406-pound-feet, but fuel economy increases ever so slightly to 18 miles per gallon in the city, 27 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. The S6 makes a meal of curves, but it does give away a hint of the effort. It seems that a fair number of buyers wanted S vehicles without the whole suite of go-fast bits; they liked having the "S" on their chests, they didn't need all of the superpowers. Thus, Audi took the Quattro sport differential and dynamic steering off the standard menu, and bundled it with the sport exhaust to create the now-optional Sport Package.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla software suggestions, 'Audi at home' car sharing

Norwegian Tesla buff Bjorn Nyland wants the Tesla community to offer suggestions for the Firmware 7.1 over-the-air update. 7.0 includes a variety of small changes to the interface design, which Nyland discusses in depth in the video above. He offers constructive criticism, especially for things like the placement of certain data within the display. He calls upon other drivers to suggest their own changes and features they'd like to see in future updates. Nyland plans to tweet at Elon Musk once there are enough comments with hopes that Tesla will take the community's suggestions into consideration. See the video above, and read more at Teslarati. A survey of NRG eVgo stations found that drivers use DC fast charging over Level 2 charging by a ratio of 12 to 1. While businesses might prefer to install a Level 2 charger because it is cheaper and could help convince the customer to linger longer while they wait for a charge, this study suggests that DC charging could actually be a better way to attract customers. But the question is how to make DC charging sustainable for businesses with regard to the costs. Read more at Green Car Reports. Audi is launching its vehicle sharing program at luxury residences in San Francisco and Miami this week. Called "Audi at home," the program provides residents with a fleet of Audi vehicles at their disposal at either hourly or daily rates. The cars – the S7, S5 Cabriolet, SQ5, TT Roadster, Q7, and RS5 Cabriolet – are all of the Prestige trim level. Drivers needn't worry about mileage charges, tolls, fuel costs, insurance, or cleaning. Just reserve the car online, and drop it off at the property's valet when finished. Audi at home is launching at the Lumina luxury condos in San Francisco and at the Four Seasons Residences in Miami, with expansion to more cities planned for the future. Read more from Audi. Ballard is partnering with bus manufacturer King Long to build fuel cell buses in China. The two companies will work together to design and deploy the hydrogen-powered buses first in China, then in King Long's global network. "We are delighted to be working with the second largest bus OEM in the world on this important fuel cell bus design and market opportunity," says Ballard President and CEO Randy MacEwen. "Together, we are looking to optimize the design in order to improve performance, while lowering cost.

Next Audi A7 redesign will include more traditional rear end

A report in Automobile says that Audi is rethinking the design of the next A7. Audi told Car and Driver that owners "have trouble with the radical tail of the A7," so its model-defining rear end will give way to something more traditional. Automobile is light on specifics of the redesign, but the general direction is "a lower, wider, and more expressive shape." The philosophy behind the dimensions and styling is a "C/D shift," meaning Audi wants to give its C-segment hatchback the bearing, gravitas, and visual delight of a D-segment vehicle. That would help the A7 stand out from its in-house competition, and could make for higher transaction prices. Having heard about different design directions from Audi for years without much in the showroom to back it up, we could define what we'd love to see in two words: more Prologue. This is Audi, so you know the next A7 will be packed with tech. We expect an emphasis on touchscreen interfaces, a digital dash cluster a la the TT that moves with the steering column, a HUD with night vision, and an MMI system a few more steps down the evolutionary trail. Engines will see some upgrades like the addition of a plug-in hybrid, the excellent 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder getting a 74-horsepower e-boost assist to 326 horsepower, the 3.0-liter V6 slated for the S7 rising to 500 hp, and the 4.0-liter V8 in the RS7 pumping out 575 hp.