S Line Quattro 1 Owner Bang Olufsen Navigation Rear Camera Panorama on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Autoblog Podcast #413

Episode #413 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Chris Paukert, and Brandon Turkus recap all of the big debuts that took place this week at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Of course, the podcast starts with what's in the garage and finishes up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #413 The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics 2015 Detroit Auto Show In The Autoblog Garage 2015 Chevrolet Trax 2015 Audi RS 5 2015 Ford F-150 Long-Term 2014 Jeep Cherokee Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Paukert, Brandon Turkus Runtime: 01:xx:xx Rundown Intro and Garage - 00:00 2015 Detroit Auto Show – 37:49 Q&A - 01:32:48 Get The Podcast UStream – Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes

2015 Audi A8 and S8 get some new goodies

Luxury car buyers are a demanding bunch. They've got this crazy notion that just because they're spending the better part of a hundred grand on a top-tier luxury sedan, they should get the very best and the cutting edge of what the industry has to offer. That has tended to come down to the S-Class even when it had grown long in the tooth, and now that Mercedes-Benz has rolled out an all-new version, the competition is falling all over itself to release updates to keep their flagship sedans in the running. Jaguar did that just yesterday with its XJ sedan, and now Audi has revealed the latest revisions to its A8 range.
Set to debut at the Frankfurt show in just a few weeks from now, the latest A8 (and its performance version, the S8) benefits from a series of stylistic, powertrain, and technology upgrades. Among the most prominent, of all things, are the new Matrix LED headlights that can automatically lower the high-beams for oncoming vehicles, with integrated turn signals that light up to point in the direction the driver's about to turn. But that's hardly the end of the story.
Audi has apparently reduced the output on the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 to from 328 horsepower to 310 but raised the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 from 414 hp to 435, which now offers a 0-60 run of just 4.5 seconds. That's just three tenths behind the S8, which remains unchanged at 513 hp, as does the 493-hp 6.3-liter W12. The 3.0-liter TDI is up from 247 hp to 258, the 4.2-liter TDI grows from 345 hp to at 385 (with a massive 627 pound-feet of torque to boot) and the hybrid that offers a combined 245 hp and 354 lb-ft. That makes for one massive array of engines globally, although only some of them will be offered Stateside. Each is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive, but thanks to the A8's lightweight construction, it's lighter than any other all-wheel-drive model in its class.

2014 Audi RS5 Cabriolet [w/video]

Brash Bruiser Loses Top, Gains Weight, Still Makes Friends
Everything we said after driving the RS5 coupe still rings true, even after Audi has gone and ripped off its metal roof, replaced it with a big cloth version, and tossed us the keys. The 2014 Audi RS5 Cabriolet is another bold, big-boned airmobile to make open-top lovers swoon. There is absolutely nothing revolutionary to speak of here versus its hardtop counterpart, frankly, but tear-assing through the southern French hills as the brilliant sun warmed us is plenty good reason to talk a lot about it anyway. And hey, it beats frigid January in Detroit, where the RS5 Convertible is shortly to receive its US introduction.
One issue that could corrupt things a bit is the convertible's added weight factor. It's one thing when an Audi TT removes its top and gains 176 pounds, or when a Porsche Cayman morphs into a Boxster and gains 66 pounds; the effect on dynamics will still be acceptable. But when it comes to a huge-roof coupe like the RS5, that gain in mass becomes 400-plus pounds in cabrio form, for a grand curb weight of 4,461 pounds. As a number attached to this size of a car that's also branded with an RS badge promising raciness, we admittedly fretted. Then we drove the Audi RS5 Cabriolet to cheer up.