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Audi boosts A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid production to 50 a day

Should we try to translate "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" into German? Audi might force us to do that. That's because the German automaker has stepped up production of its new plug-in vehicle – the A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid – which is never a bad thing. Audi was circulating prototypes of the PHEV as early as 2012 and launched production this summer at a clip of 30 vehicles a day. Now, the company is saying that it's upped that daily production rate to 50. That's not exactly Ford F-150 manufacturing territory, but it's a pretty good sign that more Europeans are clamoring for the plug-in than Audi expected. The A3 E-Tron is priced at about $51,000 in Germany and pairs a 1.4-liter gas-powered engine with an electric motor to produce 204 horsepower and get the car from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than seven and a half seconds. More impressively, the A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid can go 30 miles on electricity alone plus another 550 miles on gas power, and gets a Euro-based fuel-economy rating of a monstrous 156 miles per gallon. Check out Audi's press release below and take a look at our drive impressions here. On the line and on time: Production of the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron • First plug-in hybrid model drives off the assembly line in Ingolstadt • Assembly processes integrated into the A3 line • Maximum safety for employees, top quality for customers Production of the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron: Assembly – On the engine and component assembly line, the electric motor and transmission are fitted to the engine. Approximately 50 cars every day, with the same timing and on the same assembly line as the other models: Audi is now ramping up production of the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron*. The premium manufacturer is producing its first plug-in hybrid model at the brand's main plant in Ingolstadt. "We started series production of the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron in the summer," said Dr. Hubert Waltl, Board of Management Member for Production at AUDI AG. "Most of the assembly work is integrated into the A3 line; no separate manufacturing is necessary. That demonstrates the flexibility and efficiency of our production planners and employees." With the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron, Audi is launching the mobility of the future. The compact five-door combines a 1.4 TFSI combustion engine with a 75 kW electric motor, resulting in a total system output of 150 kW (204 horsepower).

New Transporter 4 Refueled prequel trailer comes with new lead, new Audi S8

Frank Martin returns in a new installment of the franchise that helped make Jason Statham that guy, this one called Transporter 4: Refueled. But ugh, what's happened to all the decent car movies? The problem here isn't that Statham left this series to play the baddie in Fast & Furious 7, but that the trailer makes it appear the director just combined the unused footage from a rap video and a Michael Bay movie, only forgot to include any rappers or input from Michael Bay. The trailer gives no clue as to what the movie's about, but it's not like we don't know – actor Ed Skrein has to take something somewhere while people try to kill him. Skrein does his best (we assume) to fill Statham's large shoes, helped and hindered by the entire line-up of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue, a second reserve alternate Bond villain, gigatons of CGI, and more fireballs than the Milky Way. Oh, and this is a prequel to the series, so just like you did with Darth Maul's double-sided light saber, ignore the extreme newness of Skrein's current generation Audi S8. Related Video:

Audi R18 E-tron gets new livery, mixes it up in city traffic [w/video]

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is still months away, but Audi Sport apparently can't wait to get started. It has just debuted the new livery for its 2014 R18 E-tron Quattro with a public drive through the streets of the town of Le Mans, while simultaneously announcing that it has a new, larger engine.
Factory driver Tom Kristensen piloted the prototype about six miles from the cathedral in the city center to the famous race track and completed a lap of a shortened version of the course. The car wears a new color scheme, which is similar to what it has raced with in the past, employing a combination of white, silver and red, plus a touch of black. Portions of the car are also reflective to show up better at night. The last time we saw the R18, it was displayed in a black and red livery. The team has also revealed that the 2014 will be powered by a new 4.0-liter diesel V6, an increase of about 300 cubic-centimeters from last season.
Audi Sport said that the stunt was inspired by the classic days of the race when drivers used to arrive to the city in the same cars they were going to race. Even back then, it's doubtful they arrived several months early, though. The 2014 R18 will make its competition debut on April 20 at the Six Hours of Silverstone. Scroll down to watch a video of it making the drive through town and read the full press release.