2008 Audi A6 3.2 Quattro S-line on 2040-cars

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VW may move production because of Russia's cutoff of natural gas

Volkswagen AG is exploring ways to counter a shortage in natural gas, including shifting production around its network of global facilities, signaling how the energy crisis unleashed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threatens to upend EuropeÂ’s industrial landscape. Volkswagen, EuropeÂ’s biggest carmaker, said Thursday that reallocating some of its production was one of the options available in the medium term if gas shortages last much beyond this winter. The company has major factories in Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which are among European countries most reliant on Russian gas, as well as facilities in southern Europe that source energy from elsewhere. “As mid-term alternatives, we are focusing on greater localization, relocation of manufacturing capacity, or technical alternatives, similar to what is already common practice in the context of challenges related to semiconductor shortages and other recent supply chain disruptions,” Geng Wu, VolkswagenÂ’s head of purchasing, said in a statement.  RussiaÂ’s decision to throttle gas supplies to Europe has raised concerns that Germany might be forced to ration its fuel. Recent news that gas storage levels hit 90% ahead of schedule has soothed fears of acute shortages this winter, but Germany faces a challenge in replenishing depleted reserves next summer without contributions from Russia. Southwestern Europe or coastal zones of northern Europe, both of which have better access to seaborne liquefied natural gas cargoes, could be the beneficiaries of any production shift, a Volkswagen spokesman said by phone. The Volkswagen group already operates car factories in Portugal, Spain and Belgium, countries that host LNG terminals. Labor hurdles To be sure, any major production shift away from EuropeÂ’s biggest economy would face significant hurdles. VW has some 295,000 employees in Germany and worker representatives account for around half the companyÂ’s 20-member supervisory board. Any shift in production would likely involve a limited number of vehicles rather than wholesale factory shutdowns. While gas supplies for VWÂ’s plants are currently secured, the company has identified potential savings at its European sites to cut gas consumption by a “mid-double-digit percentage,” said Michael Heinemann, managing director of VWÂ’s power-plant unit. Still, the carmaker said it was concerned about the effect high gas prices could have on its suppliers.

Audi 3D-printed this tiny Type C racer, we want to drive it

See this little guy? No, not the one driving – that's Professor Hubert Waltl, Audi's head of production and Volkswagen's chief toolmaker. The thing he's driving, though, is a 1:2 scale replica of the 1936 Auto Union Type C. And it was 3D-printed entirely in house. Not in one piece, mind you. It's too big for that. But the Audi Toolmaking division employed metal printing technology to fabricate all the parts that went into this replica of one of the most dominant of the Silver Arrow grand prix racers of the pre-war era. It's essentially like the pedal car Audi rolled out nine years ago, or the E-Tron concept it showed us nearly five years ago. Only this one uses more advanced manufacturing techniques. Aside from making us want to drive it like nobody's business, the half-sized vehicle serves to showcase the advancements which Audi and the VW Group are making in manufacturing – particularly in the area of 3D printing. The German automaker presently has the technology to print laser-melted layers of metallic powder – either steel or aluminum – with grains measuring half the diameter of a human hair. The equipment can handle objects as large as 7.9 inches high by 9.5 inches wide – which, as small as this little car looks, is still a bit too large to simply print out in one piece. Audi Toolmaking prints "Auto Union Typ C" - Exact model of the "Silver Arrow" from a 3D printer - Audi Board of Management Member for Production Prof. Dr. Hubert Waltl: "This underscores our pioneering role in toolmaking." From powder to a component: With a 3D printer, Audi Toolmaking has produced a model of the historical Grand Prix sports car "Auto Union Typ C" from the year 1936. The company is now examining further possible applications of metal printers for the production of complex components. At the same time, Audi is creating important synergies with toolmaking in other parts of the Volkswagen Group. "We are pushing forward with new manufacturing technologies at Audi Toolmaking and at the Volkswagen Group," stated Prof. Dr. Hubert Waltl, Audi's Board of Management Member for Production and Head of Toolmaking at the Volkswagen Group. "Together with partners in the area of research, we are constantly exploring the boundaries of new processes. One of our goals is to apply metal printers in series production." The Volkswagen Group has a total of 14 toolmaking units in nine countries. Under the leadership of Prof. Dr.

More details on next Audi A4 mooted, including PHEV

With just under two more years until the next-gen Audi A4 hits the streets, it's not surprising that details are starting to leak out. The Brits from Autocar are reporting some information on the 2015 A4, although it isn't clear where any of it came from.
The most substantial news might be in regards to the plug-in hybrid version of the car. We've known for a couple years now that an A4 PHEV was being planned, but the report indicates that a trio of plug-in configurations are being planned, equipped with a 2.0-liter gas engine, a 2.0-liter diesel engine or a 3.0-liter supercharged V6. All engines will be paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the A4 plug-in is said to have an all-electric range of up to 31 miles.
In terms of styling, the next A4 shouldn't stray too far away from Audi's current design language, but it will introduce a new version of the automaker's signature grille. Despite being about the same size as the existing A4, the fifth-generation model will drop some pounds thanks to various weight-saving techniques with the most obvious being aluminum body panels. Based on this info, we should see the A4 sedan and wagon in April 2015, an Allroad later in the year and a redesigned A5 lineup hitting the scene in 2016.