Auto blog

Alpha 10 Audi R8 by AMS Beauty-Roll

For those of you paying attention, we've really ramped up the old Autoblog video game these days. Our new series Car Club USA joins Translogic and The List, and there are more Daily Drivers and Short Cuts than ever. But sometimes, all you care about is the car. The Autoblog Beauty-Roll video series has one goal: bring you glossy video images of cars, and nothing but. We're collecting moving pictures of all the cars we test, inside and out. Each episode comes with a hit of engine sound – start-up and with a few revs – to round out the package. Set your resolution to max, kick it into full-screen, turn up the sound, and enjoy today's subject, the Alpha 10 Audi R8 by AMS. Oh, and if you'd like more Beauty-Roll, click here to see the back catalog.

Audi unveils A3 Sportback G-Tron with bi-fuel power, 808-mile range

By this time next year, the Audi A3 Sportback will be offered with a variety fuel-efficient powertrains ranging from diesel to the all-electric E-Tron, but perhaps the most interesting is the all-new G-Tron model, which uses Audi's innovative carbon-natural compressed natural gas called e-gas. Previously called A3 TCNG, we first heard about this technology last year, but now Audi has confirmed that this low-emission, sustainable-fuel will debut by the end of this year on the A3 Sportback G-Tron.
To create this e-gas, a plant in Werlte, Germany uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. As hydrogen fuel cell vehicles become more popular, Audi says that this process could also be used to produce hydrogen fuel, but to create CNG, it mixes the hydrogen with carbon dioxide to create "synthetic methane." Since it is identical to the CNG available today, Audi's e-gas can be shipped and stored using the existing CNG infrastructure. Making the whole process even greener, Audi obtains the CO2 for this process from a nearby biogas plant, which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
Differentiated from the regular versions of the A3, the G-Tron features a pair of tanks under the rear cargo floor holding 15.43 pounds of CNG, which can power the car for almost 250 miles. What's more, the A3's conventional gasoline tank is still in place, giving the car an addition 560 miles of range. In total, that means the A3 G-Tron has a driving range of more than 800 miles. To run on both CNG and gas, Audi made changes to the car's 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine (including the turbo, cylinder head and fuel injection system) and catalytic converter.

2016 Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport bridges the gap to S8

Want to get your hands on an Audi S8, but can't quite make the stretch? You may be interested, then, in the newest addition to the A8 family. Because it just may be the next best thing. As the moniker suggests, the 2016 Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport packs a similar 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 to the one in the S8 (and the Bentley Continental GT for that matter). But instead of 520 horsepower, it's tuned to produce a somewhat more modest 450. That's also less than the 500 hp offered in the W12 model, but then the V8 engine is a fair bit lighter, and it produces 15 more horses than the previous 4.0T model. Along with the upgraded engine comes a sportier look, with larger air intakes at the front, more sculpted side sills, and 20-inch (or available 21-inch) alloys. It also comes standard with the Executive and Luxury packages, complimented by diamond-quilt stitching, and a headliner upholstered in Alcantara with a panoramic sunroof. Of course, it's also priced a fair bit lower than the aforementioned more powerful versions: $90,500 (plus $925 destination) is a relative bargain compared to the $114,900 commanded by the S8 and $137,900 for the A8 L W12. Audi has yet to release performance figures, but we'd expect it to drop a tenth or so off the 4.4-second 0-60 sprint achieved by the previous, 435-hp model. Those looking for more power than the S8, not less, may still hold out hope for the S8 Plus with its 605 hp to make its way to US showrooms. Related Video: Audi introduces 2016 A8 L 4.0T Sport model October 26, 2015 | HERNDON, Virginia - New Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport model achieves 450 hp through an enhanced 4.0T twin turbo V8 - Sport style exterior with muscular front fascia creates a striking presence on the road - Interior features panoramic sunroof, acoustic glazing on windows and Alcantara headline Featuring more power and enhanced luxury inside and out, the Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport model enters the Audi lineup for 2016. The variant of the Audi A8 flagship sedan boasts an enhanced 4.0T twin turbo V8 engine achieving an impressive 450 hp, an increase of 15 hp from the previous 4.0T model. The Sport model also includes a muscular front fascia with larger air intakes for a more commanding presence on the road. The bumper of the A8 L 4.0T Sport has been lowered for a more performance-oriented look and the sides of the sedan have been given more prominent rocker panels to give the vehicle a wider stance.