Audi Q7 on 2040-cars

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2016 Audi RS 7 Performance Quick Spin

Audi's roster of Sevens – the A7, S7, and RS 7 – gets a new and overachieving member with the new RS 7 Performance. The big story is that it ups the RS 7's 560 horsepower to 605. And while the advertised torque rating of 517 pound-feet doesn't change, Audi says the car will actually produce 553 lb-ft during moments of overboost. Hunkered-down with 21-inch wheels filling the wheel wells, the RS 7 Performance has a top speed of 190 miles per hour, and runs to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds – our informal stopwatch tests suggest that may even be conservative. We drove the RS 7 Performance in Florida, which included an eventful lap around Daytona International Speedway's road course, just prior to the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. More about that in a moment. Driving Notes The RS 7 Performance is pretty rough-riding at its softest, a problem only on bad pavement and roads with dips. It isn't punishing, but it never lets you forget this is a performance luxury car, in that order. The eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission is a sweetheart, never confused and always standing by to maximize the 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8's muscle. It would have been nice to be able to dial in a little extra exhaust sound – what you can hear makes you want more. The RS sport seats, with optional Valcona leather and Alcantara inlays and steering wheel cover, are excellent. There's a reason why Audi is a template for automotive interior designers. Rear seat room is a little tight but tolerable. As for that lap at Daytona: We were only given one, so we went for it, and hit 164 mph on the back stretch before having to wade deep into the ABS for the bus stop turn. The engine was still pulling hard – we have little doubt the advertised 190 mph top speed is accurate. While the big ceramic brakes did their job, we weren't given a cool-down lap, and the combination of 4,500 pounds and 164 mph seemed to have set the front brakes on fire. No, really. It took a spritz of water to drown them out. We were told that it isn't unusual for ceramic brakes, the first time they hit 800 degrees, to burn out some impurities. Afterwards, the brakes worked fine, but we sure got a lot of attention from the IMSA Rolex crew on pit road. The RS 7 Performance is a viceless car, one we'd cheerfully drive for a very long time.

2018 Audi Q8 tears up the Nurburgring

Audi took to the Nurburgring to test the upcoming Q8, showing off the attractive yet minimalist shape we've seen on the international auto-show circuit this year. One thing that's not understated: the massive grille that's blacked-out in these spy shots. We expect the 2018 Q8 to go on sale about a year from now. The coupe-like styling belies a roomy SUV, one that has space in back and is expected to seat five comfortably. Using Volkswagen Group's MLB platform, the Q8 would slot in as the sportier counterpart to the Q7, which seats seven and has a more traditional design. The Q8 will take aim at the Mercedes GLE Coupe, BMW X6, Maserati Levante, and others. So what will be under the hood? Some rumors suggest the Q8 RS version will get the same twin-turbo V8 engine as the Lamborghini Urus (a VW Group sibling). The concept at the Detroit Auto Show was a high-powered turbocharged plug-in hybrid, while the Geneva concept, called the Q8 Sport, used an electric supercharger to augment its hybrid powertrain. The vehicle on the 'Ring looks near-production-ready with the roofline a little less dramatically chopped than the concepts. The strong lines and creases continue, however, and the Q8 is poised to be a head-turner when it arrives in production trim. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Audi Q8 Spy Shots View 10 Photos Spy Photos Audi Crossover SUV

Audi kicks off ad campaign tonight with stirring new spot

Following last week's entertaining and wildly popular Spock vs. Spock video, Audi has come back with a bevy of videos for its new advertising campaign that will begin airing tonight in primetime and on cable.
There are five ads altogether, but the longest one, a 60-second spot titled It Couldn't Be Done, is our favorite by far. Set to a reading of the poem of the same name by Edgar Albert Guest, the commercial chronicles the history of Auto Union Deutschland Ingolstadt from the days of its founder, August Horch, through its many decades of innovation, competition and creativity. Indeed, watching the commercial gave us chills similar to when we first heard the Ram brand's Farmer commercial that aired during this year's Super Bowl.
The other four commercials are shorter 15-second spots that focus on such familiar themes as the company's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, the safety of its vehicles, their style and the company's advances in LED lighting. While less impactful than the longer ad, we think they effectively sound the drum beat of Audi's preferred tag line: Truth in Engineering. Scroll down to watch all five new ads, starting with the 60-second It Couldn't Be Done.