2008 Audi A4 2.0t Quattro on 2040-cars

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New Audi design chief Massimo Frascella shaped cars for Jaguar Land Rover

At the Audi brand, style and design have long been a high priority; think the super sleek and sexy A7 sedan, the Bauhaus-inspired TT coupe, the single-frame grille that instantly identified the marque with its down-the-road graphics. So when the Bavarians install a new head of design, that’s also worth a look. Massimo Frascella is that person, a 52-year-old Italian designer who this summer will succeed Marc Lichte. Lichte ran Audi design since 2014 and will take up a new role within the Volkswagen Group. Frascella, a student at the Istituto d`Arte Applicata & Design in Turin, ignited his career at Stile Bertone, and his resume after that evolves impressively. He subsequently held positions at Ford Motor Company and Kia, and since 2011, Frascella has held senior positions at Jaguar Land Rover. He was responsible for the creation of several models: Discovery Vision Concept (2014), Discovery Sport (2014), Discovery (2016), Velar (2017), Evoque (2019) and Defender. In 2019 he became creative director of Land Rover and in 2020 design director. He was also instrumental in the development of the range of new electric Jaguars that are in the works. “Joining Audi is a very special moment for me,” Frascella said. “I am deeply honored to assume the role of chief creative officer and to guide such a talented team in shaping the future of the brand to new heights of innovation and distinction. I believe in the emotional power of design to inspire, connect, and drive change, and I am here to nurture and promote creativity as the beating heart of our brand.” Looking back a couple of decades, it was one of FrascellaÂ’s predecessors who helped to cement AudiÂ’s reputation in automobile design: Walter de Silva. De Silva was appointed head of Audi design in 2002. From 2007 to 2015, he supervised the design strategy for the entire Volkswagen group, including the TT, the Scirocco, the Passat and the Golf. Not a bad list of achievements, but in a interview several years ago, de Silva said that he considered the 2007 Audi A5 coupe the pinnacle of his automotive design art, citing its “sex appeal, the shape of the lights, the architecture.” Design/Style Audi Jaguar Land Rover Volkswagen Automotive History

Audi A3 E-Tron goes carbon neutral with German green electricity deal

Audi is proving that the fresh water flowing through the European Alps isn't just for bottling and drinking anymore. The German automaker struck a deal with Hamburg-based LichtBlick to offer buyers of the Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron a chance to get their electrical juice from all renewable-energy sources. That means all the power going into charging stations can come from hydroelectric power from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The nuts and bolts part of it is that users pay the equivalent of about $12.30 a month plus 37 cents per kilowatt hour for the service. And LichtBlick is indeed legit, as it has been certified by TUV Nord for having at least one third of its power come from hydroelectric plants that are were built less than six years ago. Audi is looking to boost sales from a model it unveiled at last year's Geneva Motor Show. The car pairs a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor that combines for 250 horsepower. Most importantly, the A3 E-Tron gets a combined fuel economy rating of 157 miles per gallon. And while that figure comes from the more generous European driving cycle, it's impressive nevertheless. Check out Audi's press release below and read the Autoblog Quick Spin here. Audi and LichtBlick offer green electricity CO2-neutral mobility with Audi energy TUV-certified green electricity from the energy provider LichtBlick As an accompaniment to the market launch of the A3 e tron*, Audi is offering customers in Germany green electricity – Audi energy. The cooperating partner is the Hamburg energy provider LichtBlick SE. With Audi energy, the A3 e tron is totally emission-free when operated electrically. The power all comes from renewable energy sources and is generated exclusively at hydro-electric power stations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Audi A3 e-tron can be recharged when parked at your home with Audi energy. At the same time, the entire household is supplied with eco-friendly electric power. Audi energy is currently available for a basic monthly fee of EUR 8.95 and 26.76 cents per kilowatt-hour. The origin and quality of the green electricity are certified by TUV Nord. The "OK power" seal of quality also confirms the expansion of power generation from renewable sources: at least one-third of the electricity comes from hydro-electric power plants less than six years old. Providers of this green electricity do not make use of federal subsidies pursuant to the German Renewable Energy Act (EEG).

Spy shooter confessional | Autoblog Podcast #554

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore and Green Editor John Snyder talk to SpiedBilde spy photographer Brian Williams about just how he manages to get the shots of those camouflaged prototypes. Then, our editors discuss driving the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye Widebody. They also chat about a couple of news items, including the official reveal of the Audi E-Tron Quattro, as well as the latest happenings at Ferrari — like the beautiful Monza SP1 and SP2.Autoblog Podcast #554 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Chatting with spy photographer Brian Williams of SpiedBilde Driving the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Audi E-Tron Quattro Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2, and other Ferrari news Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: