Auto blog

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.

2017 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro Second Drive

Never mind the impending bubble burst, it's technology's time and Audi couldn't be happier. The 2017 A4 is the latest attempt to prove beauty and brawn can't beat intelligence outright. And this is the company's best case in 20 years. For two decades, the A4 has been the backbone of Audi's lineup and key in its resurgence in the post-Unintended Acceleration days. This car has managed to build up a successful following by being an alternative to the more popular BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class while being nearly as good, if not actually better, than the competition. Audi chose to stake a claim in simple clothes covering technology that was more intuitive than some, being different without being difficult. But Audi is as much a part of the establishment as its big rivals now, so it's not getting any alternative breaks anymore. It's the young tech startup that's finally a grownup – and learned to dress like one. While Jonathon Ramsey got to drive this new A4 last fall in Italy, Audi sent me to San Diego last week to drive the US-spec model that goes on sale in a couple of weeks. And, in short, if you liked the old A4, you'll really like this one. If you liked the old A4, you'll really like this one. The fact this model is known internally at Audi as "B9" is a coincidence when you think about its exterior design. The new A4 is certainly attractive, but you'll have to be a huge Audi aficionado to differentiate this over the old car at a glance. And I dare you to find someone who's actually offended by any part of the design. Some creases lower down on the side of the new car help eliminate the bloated look of the outgoing model, without adding too much fuss. Audi still has Acura beat in the "precision" race. Other new details of note are a wider grille and slimmer headlights (xenons are standard, full LEDs optional) that make the front of the A4 look lower than before, and new sequential turn signals out back that are just fun to watch in traffic. Changes are far more noticeable inside. The tall, somewhat slab-sided dash of the old car is gone and replaced by something with a more airy feel that we've seen in the TT and Q7. There's less of a black dash to get in the way of the expansive windshield and generous side glass, all unusual in today's automotive landscape. You're going to enjoy the fact you can see out of the A4.

Audi races ahead with new R8 LMS [w/video]

The biggest news from Audi at the Geneva Motor Show may very well be the reveal of the all-new, second-generation R8 supercar. But the road-going version isn't the only one it's rolling out at the Swiss expo, where it's joined by the new competition-spec R8 LMS. Set to hit race tracks around the world next season, the new Audi R8 LMS picks up where the current one leaves off, having taken 26 GT3 Championship victories and seven 24-hour race wins between 2009 and 2014. That's a heck of a mantle to assume, but the new model looks like it'll be up to the task. Based on the new road-going R8, the new LMS is built to 2016 GT3 regulations and in many ways even exceeds them. In fact, Audi says it meets the more stringent crash requirements for the LMP1 class, and includes its state-of-the-art Audi Protection Seat PS 1 from the R18 E-Tron Quattro. It also incorporates the emergency hatch Audi built in to its DTM racers. Of course, there's more to the new R8 LMS than safety. Despite the addition of those features, the whole package is a good 55 pounds lighter than the outgoing model, thanks to the lightweight spaceframe chassis and the increased use of carbon-fiber components – all the while offering more torsional rigidity. Power still comes from Audi's celebrated 5.2-liter V10 engine producing 585 horsepower, but is now mated to a new six-speed sequential gearbox and benefits from an entirely new electrical system, improved airflow and optimized aerodynamics. All that and more ought to help the new R8 LMS and its customer racing teams achieve the success they're after once it makes its competitive debut at the Nurburgring 24-hour race in mid-May 2016. Related Video: AUDI R8 LMS ESTABLISHES NEW RACE CAR GENERATION: LIGHTER AND SAFER THAN EVER BEFORE Ingolstadt, March 3, 2015 – Audi is again running in front. As one of the first automobile manufacturers to do so at the beginning of the 2015 season, the brand with the four rings is presenting a race car that already meets the requirements of the new GT3 regulations to be introduced in 2016. The new Audi R8 LMS is lighter and safer than ever before. It features even more race car technology, clearly improved aerodynamics and, as a result, provides customers with an efficient concept. Back in spring of 2014, Audi began testing the new R8 LMS that is following in big footsteps.