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Audi reveals even more efficient 2015 R18 E-Tron Quattro

We've seen two of this year's LMP1 manufacturer challengers – Porsche's updated 919 Hybrid and Nissan's GT-R LM Nismo. Audi has finished cooking up the successor to its Le Mans champion and unveiled the fifth-generation R18 E-Tron Quattro, even better than before. The bodywork monocoque is carried over, but the body around it has been reshaped to improve airflow from front to rear with a new hood, front fenders and wheel arches, and radiator configuration. The engine cover behind the cockpit is shrunk more closely around the engine, and there are new headlights. The hybrid system can expend double the energy per lap this year, putting Audi in the four-megajoule class under the energy-use regulations. That extra energy will come from 17-percent more capacity built into the flywheel storage system and an electric motor good for 272 horsepower. The revisions haven't increased the weight of the car, pegged to the minimum allowed at 870 kilograms. They have, however, forced changes to the TDI engine, which has to use 2.5-percent less fuel per lap to offset the increased hybrid output. The 558-hp V6 has been optimized such that it "managed to more than compensate for the loss" of fuel allowed, and Audi expects "significantly" lower lap times this year and less fuel used. We're still waiting to see what Toyota has done to its World Endurance Championship-winning racer, but we're already looking forward to this year's Le Mans. It's going to be cracking. You'll find a press release below the videos with more info on the Audi. Related Video: New Audi R18 e-tron quattro even more efficient - Aerodynamics, hybrid drive and many other details improved - Efficient TDI engine consumes even less fuel than before - Technologies from Le Mans winning cars now in production at Audi Ingolstadt, March 21, 2015 – Audi is starting the 2015 season with a thoroughly revised R18 e-tron quattro. In the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and in the Le Mans 24 Hours as the season's pinnacle event, Audi is going to compete with a hybrid sports car in the 4-megajoule class. A twofold quantity of hybrid energy, fundamentally revised aerodynamics, the next step in lightweight design and a lot of detailed work characterize the fifth generation of the Audi R18. "The possibilities of the revolutionary regulations that have been in effect for LMP sports cars since 2014 are far from having been fully used.

Audi pours $28 million into Silvercar rental company

Want an Audi waiting for you when you land at the airport? Silvercar is the place to turn. The rental car company exclusively stocks fully loaded silver examples of Ingolstadt's finest at airports across the country, available to book via smartphone app with no lines or paperwork. And now the automaker whose vehicles make up its fleet is investing big in the company. Audi's $28-million Series C investment is earmarked to help Silvercar expand into new markets. The company only started in 2012 and already runs locations at airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, Dallas, Austin, and Denver. In the last six months alone, it opened new locations in Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, and New York as well. Aside from promoting the rental operation, Audi and Silvercar will collaborate on developing the Audi Shared Fleet program to allow companies to loan vehicles out to their employees. Audi of America chief Scott Keogh will join the Silvercar board, along with Ken DeAngelis from Austin Ventures, which contributed Series B funding alongside Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. Audi to lead $28 million Series C equity issue by car rental innovator Silvercar January 04, 2016 | HERNDON, Virginia - Largest equity issuance yet by Silvercar - Funding will help Silvercar and Audi launch the new Audi shared fleet, a turnkey transportation solution on corporate campuses - Investment extends the Audi connection with Silvercar, which bases its fleet exclusively on silver Audi vehicles Audi is leading a new $28 million Series C equity issuance by Silvercar, the next-generation car rental company. The capital raise is the largest yet for Silvercar, which was founded in 2012 with a fleet consisting of silver Audi models. The Series C announcement comes as Silvercar unveils its enhanced digital and mobile platforms designed for an optimized user experience and expands into Las Vegas, its 12th market, all of them in the U.S. Silvercar also received funding from Series B investors, including Austin Ventures and Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook. The funding will enable Silvercar to accelerate its award winning airport car rental business and expand to new markets nationwide. Additionally, as part of the next phase of the Silvercar partnership with Audi, the companies will work in tandem to develop Audi Shared Fleet, a turnkey solution for businesses looking to provide accessible transportation to their employees on corporate campuses.

Weekly Recap: Audi pulls back the curtain on its future

The E-Tron Quattro concept is the future of Audi. It embodies all of the traits that will make the brand – and electric-powered luxury vehicles – more relevant into the 2020s. Here's why: The E-Tron Quattro concept, which will debut next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show, is a large sport utility vehicle that promises a range of 311 miles. It's an all-electric daily driver that fits the needs of most Americans. In production – which Audi says starts in 2018 – this vehicle will seat five and likely be called the Q6. You can take your family from Boston to Philadelphia without recharging. That's mainstream. We're moving away from the industry's "science experiment" era (as General Motors product chief Mark Reuss once described the appearance of the first gen-Chevy Volt) to a period where electric vehicles are plausible and practical for many US buyers. The 2018 Q6's only holdup for the masses will be price. But if you can afford an Audi SUV, you'll be able to buy an all-electric version. The E-Tron concept uses Volkswagen Group's second-generation modular longitudinal platform. The lithium-ion battery is located between the axles and below the cabin. Urquhart says the production model will feature the automaker's latest battery technology developed with LG Chem and Samsung. IHS Automotive projects the Q6 will sell more than 40,000 units annually by the end of the decade. "The E-Tron Quattro is a precursor for what will be an exciting and landmark production model for Audi and will position the brand at the forefront of the premium EV market," IHS analyst Tim Urquhart wrote in a commentary. It's the Tesla-zation of America. It's the Tesla-zation of America. The Q6 will be a Model X fighter, and expect other automakers to follow suit, particularly in the luxury sector with SUVs and other large vehicles. They offer more space for the battery packs, and development costs can be recovered easier. "Premium brands have an inbuilt advantage in terms of introducing [electric] powertrains over more mainstream automotive brands," Urquhart wrote. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Analyst says Tesla stock could be worth $465 a share Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas sent shockwaves through the industry when he said Tesla stock has the potential to reach a whopping $465 a share. That's a leap from its $230.77 price at Friday's market close.