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Audi TT Ultra Quattro Concept throws lightness at the problem

Audi is celebrating the 2013 Wörthersee Tour with a special concept version of the company's TT. The Audi TT Ultra Quattro concept tips the scales at just 2,449 pounds thanks to some extensive engineering work. The company pulled nearly 95 lbs from the car's body structure and used carbon-fiber reinforced plastics for many of its detachable body components. As a result, the concept weighs in at a full 220 pounds lighter than its production counterpart. Throw in a wicked turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 310 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and you get a machine with the power to weight ratio in the supercar realm. 0-60 comes up in 4.2 seconds and top speed is listed at 173 mph.
Inside, the TT Ultra Quattro features plenty of carbon fiber trim, and designers also fitted the seats from the R8 GT to save a little weight. The buckets use CFRP for the seat frames, saving nearly 50 pounds in the process. In a world where automakers seem blind to the negative effect of throwing more heft at a vehicle, we're in love with the Ultra Quattro concept. Check out the full press release below for more information.

Audi passes BMW as top luxury brand in India

By the end of this decade, India is expected to be one of the top three car markets in the world, but automakers are already starting to duke it out for sales. In terms of premium brands, Automotive News says that Audi has jumped out to an early lead for sales in the country due in large part to the recent introduction of the Audi Q3 (shown above).
In 2012, Audi's sales increased 43 percent, rising to 9,350 units and outselling BMW (8,686) and Mercedes-Benz (7,015), both of which experienced a drop in sales last year of 9.5 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively. While none of these sales figures are particularly significant on a global scale, the article says that the market for premium cars in India is expected to quadruple by 2020 up to around 120,000 units. AN attributes Audi's lead to its offering of new SUVs while its rivals have been focusing on small hatchbacks.

Junkyard Gem: 1987 Audi 5000

The third-generation Audi 100 introduced for the 1983 model year was sold as the Audi 5000 in the United States. Sales of this high-end German sedan went pretty well ... until 60 Minutes ran a piece called "Out of Control" in late 1986, convincing many viewers that the 5000 was murderously defective. Yes, it was the original Unintended Acceleration debacle, decades before the one that cost Toyota big yen, and it slaughtered American Audi sales. Today's Junkyard Gem had the misfortune to be sitting in an Audi showroom while the echoes of the argle-bargle over the 5000 controversy still reverberated, its price dropping while potential buyers headed into the arms of nearby Mercedes-Benz and BMW dealers. Still, someone bought this car, which would have been a great Colorado winter machine with its 5-speed and Quattro all-wheel-drive system, and it ended up racking up more miles than 98 percent of cars sold in 1987. The presence of an ignition key in a junkyard car usually indicates that it was a trade-in or insurance total. A high-mile, 29-year-old Audi isn't worth much at auction, so this one ended up here. All the automatic-equipped 5000s got scary warning stickers on the shifters, among other recall-mandated changes, and Audi ended up using the European-market 100 name on these cars starting in the 1989 model year . Related Video: Featured Gallery Junked 1987 Audi 5000 Quattro View 18 Photos Auto News Audi unintended acceleration