2012 Audi A8l A8 L Quattro / Low Miles / 2 In Stock on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Audi A8 facelift on the way

The coming Audi A8 has already been spotted in camouflage on public roads at earthly elevations, and now our snappers have caught it at elevation in the Alps. The evolution will entail modified head- and taillights, different sculpting for the grille and a new bumper profile said to be more in line with the A6 S Line.
Inside, there might also be adjustments made to input controls like the gesture touchpad and the MMI infotainment system that include behind-the-scenes improvements like new Nvidia Tegra chips, but such revisions are expected to be minor. With the S8 and the TDI just having been launched, don't be surprised if engine outputs also remain the same. The prevailing sneaking suspicion is that we'll see the car unveiled at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show.

U.S. tariff threat hits European automakers' stocks

FRANKFURT, Germany — A U.S. warning that it may introduce tariffs on foreign auto imports hit shares in German carmakers BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen on Thursday, which together have a more than 90 percent share of North America's premium car market. Washington said on Wednesday it had launched an investigation into whether car and truck imports are a national security issue due to signs they had damaged the U.S. auto industry. That could lead to new U.S. tariffs — up to 25 percent — similar to those imposed on imported steel and aluminum in March. BMW and Daimler shares fell as much as 3.1 percent in early Thursday trading, while Volkswagen's dropped as much as 2.5 percent. "(U.S. President) Donald Trump is obviously not thinking about how to prevent a trade war. Import duties on cars would be a nightmare for the German auto industry and would lead to a massive sales impact," said Thomas Altmann at Frankfurt-based asset manager QC Partners. BMW on Thursday condemned the move to consider tariffs. "The BMW Group is committed to free trade worldwide. Barrier-free access to markets is therefore a key factor not only for our business model, but also for growth welfare and employment throughout the global economy," it said. Daimler, which makes Mercedes-Benz cars, and Volkswagen, which makes upmarket Audis and Porsches, were not immediately available for comment. German carmakers produced 804,000 cars at local factories in the United States and exported 657,000 German-made cars into North America last year, according to German auto industry association VDA. China took pains on Thursday to welcome German firms and investments, with Premier Li Keqiang talking up relations after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. BMW and Mercedes have expanded production capacity in the United States, but BMW, Audi, Volkswagen and Daimler have also invested billions to build new factories in Mexico in the hope of selling locally produced cars into the United States. German carmakers hiked vehicle production in Mexico by 46 percent to 620,000 cars last year, while production levels inside the United States fell by 6 percent to 804,000 cars because of a shift to Mexico, according to the VDA. BMW has its biggest factory worldwide in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and is the largest vehicle exporter among all the carmakers in the United States measured by value of goods exported. More than 70 percent of BMW's U.S.-made cars are exported.

This gold wrapped R8 is how Audi celebrates an award

We like to think some awards (our Tech of the Year, for example) are more valued than others. Even so, Audi wasn't going to let its winning the Golden Steering Wheel award from Auto Bild go unnoticed, and this gold chrome R8 ought to do the trick. On display now at the Audi Forum in Neckarsulm, Germany, this Audi R8 V10 Plus is all decked out with a gold chrome wrap, similar to what rival Mercedes rolled out in Cannes a few years ago, but with a tone-on-tone satin gold stripe up the center, flanked by black pinstripes for extra contrast. Fortunately the accents – including the wheels, grilles, mirrors, air scoops, and rear wing – were left in black (albeit glossy) rather than chromed up. It looks just as shiny as the mirror-finish Bugatti Veyron displayed at Autostadt 300 miles north in Wolfsburg. Opened a decade ago, the Audi Forum Neckarsulm is one of two such locations run by the German automaker, alongside the one at its headquarters in Ingolstadt. Situated between Frankfurt and Stuttgart, the Neckarsulm facility includes displays from the company's collection, a customization studio, restaurant, a 4,000-square-foot shop, and a concert space. Customers can also pick up their new wheels direct from the factory at the Neckarsulm location, which is also where Audi operates one of its principal assembly plants – and where Quattro GmbH builds the R8. Following the original that debuted in 2006, the new second-generation R8 was introduced earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show. It eschews the V8 available in the previous version exclusively for the 5.2-liter V10. In the Plus spec pictured here, it produces over 600 horsepower, channeled to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The R8 won the Goldenes Lenkrad award this year in the sports car category, alongside the Audi A4, Opel Astra, Hyundai i20, and the BMW X1, 2 Series Gran Tourer, and 7 Series. Related Video: X The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Featured Gallery Audi R8 V10 Plus in gold chrome at Audi Forum Neckarsulm News Source: Audi Forum Neckarsulm via Facebook Audi Coupe Performance Supercars award gold chrome