2010 Audi A5 2.0t Premium Plus Quattro on 2040-cars

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Audi EV exec compliments Tesla Supercharger network

Stefan Niemand, Audi's Director of Battery Electric Vehicles, didn't mince words that the EV market must improve, and he even applauded the American competition during a meeting of Germany's auto industry organization, the VDA. "I hate to admit it, but Tesla did everything right", he said about the Supercharger network, according to EETimes Europe Automotive. Niemand also tried to convince the members that EVs needed to improve significantly. "These cars are slower than those with conventional drive and they have a much lower range – and in compensation they are more expensive," Niemand said, according to EETimes Europe Automotive In the exec's opinion, it's acceptable if an electric vehicle is a little more expensive than the competition, but the model needs to be every bit as enjoyable to drive as one with a combustion drivetrain. Niemand championed the need for a vast recharging infrastructure and used his speech to do some cheerleading for the forthcoming production version of the company's E-Tron Quattro crossover concept. The company claims the future model can do everything Niemand is admonishing the industry about. For example, the version at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show could produce up to 496 horsepower for short periods and cover 311 miles on the European testing cycle. The exec's arguments echo those of Audi of America president Scott Keogh who sees a similar EV future in the US. Keogh believes the brand's electric sales could as high as 25 percent of its volume by 2025. The company is getting the public ready for this electrified powertrain transition with the A3 e-Tron plug-in hybrid, but the production E-Tron Quattro takes the idea to the next level. To solve the recharging problem, the company is also working on 150-kW fast charging network with partners. Related Video:

2017 Audi S4 Avant is what forbidden fruit looks like

Take a good look at this lemon yellow Audi S4 Avant at the Geneva Motor Show, because you're not going to see one on the road in the US. That's really a shame, too, because for a family that wants to combine performance and utility, this seems like a great package. The S4 Avant takes the wonderful aspects from the latest S4 Sedan and adds just a little more to sweeten the deal. Drivers still get a turbocharged V6 and eight-speed transmission. Plus, Audi's famous all-wheel drive system and torque vectoring provide tons of traction whether motoring through a snow storm or taking a corner. In addition, customers get up to a massive 53.3 cubic feet of cargo space in the wagon, versus 17 cubic feet in the sedan. The only downside of the extra room is that the 0-62 sprint takes 4.9 seconds in the long roof versus the 4.7 seconds of the sedan. We'd take that trade-off. The Avant even looks better. Neither version is ugly, but the longer roof flows beautifully to the raked rear hatch. The result looks more elegant than the four-door. Unfortunately, these advantages simply add to the S4 Avant's status as very sweet forbidden fruit. American tastes might turn from crossovers to wagons someday, but until that unlikely prospect happens, enjoy these great shots of an enviable vehicle. Related Video: From 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.7 seconds with fuel consumption of less than 7.4 liters of fuel per 100 km (31.8 US mpg) – the new Audi S4* and the new Audi S4 Avant* are advancing to the peak of the competitive field with strong performance and exemplary efficiency. Its newly developed turbo V6 engine outputs 260 kW (354 hp). New solutions in networking and assistance systems round out its features. Audi is transferring many technologies from the full-size class into the mid-size class. Lightweight and strong: the 3.0 TFSI The strong heart of the two new S models from Audi is a newly conceptualized 3.0 TFSI engine. The direct gasoline injection engine with turbocharging has an output of 260 kW (354 hp) and produces a hefty torque of 500 Nm (368.8 lb-ft) from 1,370 to 4,500 rpm. In terms of power and torque, it surpasses the previous model while achieving considerably lower figures in weight and fuel consumption. The turbo V6 engine accelerates the Audi S4 from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.7 seconds, and on up to an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h (155.3 mph). The standard sprint takes two tenths of a second longer in the S4 Avant.

Audi exec suspended over diesel scandal

So far, just one lower-level employee has plead guilty in the ongoing VW diesel scandal. Up high, the VW CEO when the scandal broke, Martin Winterkorn, resigned right after the news came out. Other executives have also quit or been suspended as well. Today, we learn that one more executive is feeling the heat a year into the scandal. Stefan Knirsch, the head of technical development at Audi and Audi board member, is going to be suspended from his position this week because of his ties to the technology that VW Group used to cheat emissions tests. The German newspaper Bild Am Sonntag reports that Knirsch not only knew that the cheating software existed but also lied about it under oath. Knirsch previously worked at Porsche and then Audi's electrification division. He left Audi's EV efforts behind in early 2015. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo Government/Legal Green Audi Volkswagen Diesel Vehicles vw diesel scandal audi diesel diesel scandal