2018 Audi A5 Cabriolet 2.0 Tfsi Prestige on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Refreshed 2015 Audi A8 starts at $77,400*

Audi definitely made the US wait for the refreshed 2015 A8 and S8. The updated models were first unveiled last summer, but it has taken until June for the revised flagship sedan to reach dealers here.
The refreshed A8 line doesn't come cheap, though. Prices are up $2,000 or more over the 2014 model year. The basic 3.0T model goes for $77,400 or $81,400 for the long wheelbase version. The long wheelbase TDI is $85,100. The standard 4.0T model asks $86,400 or $90,400 for the longer one. An S8 sets back buyers $114,900, and the full bore A8L W12 is $137,900. All of these prices exclude destination (which was $895 last year and now stands at $925, according to Audi representative Mark Dahncke).
To make the wait worth it, Audi is packing the sedan with new technology and given it the slightest restyle. All models of the luxurious vehicle now come standard with full LED headlights. The 2015 model also benefits from electromechanical steering, available variable ratio steering and active lane assist. The night vision system is also updated to detect animals and alert the driver. Mechanically, there are some tiny tweaks as well. The 4.0T V8 is boosted to 435 horsepower, compared to 420 hp previously, and the 6.3-liter W12 now has cylinder deactivation.

Next Audi A8 to drive itself up to 37 mph

Audi has been publicly, loudly, working the autonomous angle for years - it was working on Shelley, the autonomous TTS that would climb Pikes Peak in 27 minutes, way back in in 2009. Parent company Volkswagen had been working with Stanford University on autonomous vehicles for five years before that, and the same program collaboration would take the lead in Audi's efforts here. Where are we now? Well, a convoy of Audi A7s just drove journalists from San Francisco to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, with "piloted driving in 100 mile stints." On the highway, the "piloted driving" A7 works up to 70 miles per hour and can change lanes, pass other cars, accelerate and brake on its own. A report in Autoweek says public adoption of the technology will continue with the next-generation A8, which will be able to navigate on its own up to 37 mph, make its way through traffic, find a parking spot and park itself. Over time, capabilities will be added - like a higher mph limit - as the technology and the legal issues are fine tuned. The A7 that just did the SF-to-LV run doesn't work in cities, only on highways, so it appears Audi is kicking this off with the abilities demonstrated in an A6 Avant last year at CES. That car had a Traffic Jam mode that only worked in dense traffic and up to 40 mph, but when in operation, it allowed the driver to watch a movie or conduct a videoconference. We have a feeling those two bits of icing won't be included in the fourth-generation A8, though. We'll be late to the party when the big sedan comes; Audi says it will go on sale by the end of 2016, but the US isn't expected to get it until 2017 as a 2018 model. Featured Gallery Audi A8 Spy Shots News Source: AutoweekImage Credit: CarPix Audi Technology Autonomous Vehicles Luxury Sedan

These are the cars with the best and worst depreciation after 5 years

The average new vehicle sold in America loses nearly half of its initial value after five years of ownership. No surprise there; we all expect that shiny new car to start depreciating as soon as we drive it off the lot. But some vehicles lose value a lot faster than others. According to data provided by iSeeCars.com, trucks and truck-based sport utility vehicles generally hold their value better than other vehicle types, with the Jeep Wrangler — in both four-door Unlimited and standard two-door styles — and Toyota Tacoma sitting at the head of the pack. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited's average five-year depreciation of 30.9% equals a loss in value of $12,168. That makes Jeep's four-door off-roader the best overall pick for buyers looking to minimize depreciation. The Toyota Tacoma's 32.4% loss in initial value means it loses just $10,496. The smaller dollar amount — the least amount of money lost after five years — indicates that Tacoma buyers pay less than Wrangler Unlimited buyers, on average, when they initially buy the vehicle. The standard two-door Jeep Wrangler is third on the list, depreciating 32.8% after five years and losing $10,824. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the least depreciation over five years. On the other side of the depreciation coin, luxury sedans tend to plummet in value at a much faster rate than other vehicle types. The BMW 7 Series leads the losers with a 72.6% drop in value after five years, which equals an alarming $73,686. BMW's slightly smaller 5 Series is next, depreciating 70.1%, or $47,038, over the same period. Number three on the biggest losers list is the Nissan Leaf, the only electric vehicle to appear in the bottom 10. The electric hatchback matches the 5 Series with a 70.1% drop in value, but since it's a much cheaper vehicle, that percentage equals a much smaller $23,470 loss. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the most depreciation over five years.