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Audi Adaptive Cruise Control is the 2017 Autoblog Technology Feature of the Year

Adaptive cruise control is not a new concept, but it is evolving, and Audi is at the forefront. Those advancements were enough for us to name Audi's Adaptive Cruise Control the winner in the feature category for the 2017 Autoblog Technology of the Year awards. The simple name is somewhat misleading. In addition to keeping the car a set distance from the car ahead in traffic, Audi's adaptive cruise takes into account topography, curves, and speed limits. Pass a speed limit sign and the set speed will reset it to match. Or when traveling on a winding road, the car will slow appropriately for the slower corners. With a navigation destination set, it will even slow the car so you can make the turn without hitting any pedals. It's currently available on the Audi A4 sedan and Allroad as well as the Q7 crossover, and will be optional on the upcoming S4, A5/S5, and Q5 and other future Audi models. Audi's advanced cruise system beat out two other finalists in the feature category, Jaguar's Activity Key and the Cadillac Rear Camera Mirror. To us, the Audi system represents a bigger step forward and a greater impact on safety. It will also inform future full-autonomous features and marks a step in that direction. For more on our 2017 Autoblog Technology of the Year awards, including the winner in the car category, check out our awards page. Audi Technology Technology of the Year Autonomous Vehicles Luxury Videos

Audi S1 officially shows itself as 228-hp hot hatch [w/video]

We got the first leaked pics of the new Audi S1 Sportback five-door hot hatch yesterday, and as expected, Audi has unloaded the full details today, including confirmation of its S1 three-door sibling ahead of its debut at next month's Geneva Motor Show. The two cars are essentially identical aside from their door counts, and together, they represent a new entry-level rung into Audi's S car range.
The subcompact S1 is propelled by Audi's ubiquitous 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder, tuned here to produce 228 horsepower and 279 pound-feet with a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive. The potent combo accelerates the S1 to 62 miles per hour in 5.8 seconds (5.9 seconds for the Sportback) and on to a top speed of 155 mph. Fuel economy is rated at an average 33.6 miles per gallon (40.3 mpg UK) in the UK cycle. The S also gets a completely different four-link independent suspension to replace the less sophisticated torsion beam setup found in the standard A1.
Styling also gets a bump in aggressiveness that befit the S1's performance upgrades. In addition to a new body kit with a lower front air dam and 17-inch wheels, the S1 comes standard with Xenon headlights, LED taillights and two new available exterior colors ­- Vegas Yellow and Sepang Blue. The interior gets combination leather and cloth sport seats, piano black trim and a retractable 6.5-inch color infotainment display.

IIHS bestows 2015 Audi A3 with Top Safety Pick+ [w/video]

There's some good news for Audi today, as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the all-new A3 one of its Top Safety Pick+, the institute's highest award for safety.
While there are no shortage of cars that can handle the standard IIHS trial, the tough small overlap test needed to earn TSP+ has flummoxed more than a few vehicles from prestigious, safety minded manufacturers. In the A3's case, though, it handled the small-overlap tests well.
According to the IIHS, there wasn't much intrusion into the cabin from the impact, which simulates a 40-mile-per-hour impact on 25 percent of a car's front end. The crash test dummy was held in place, with just a low risk of injuries. You can view the crash test video below, as well as read a brief press release from the IIHS.