2012 Audi A6 3.0t Prestige on 2040-cars

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The List #0178: Attend Rally School

Jessi and Patrick attend Team O'Neil Rally School in Dalton, NH, to learn how to shred in the snow. Veteran instructor and school founder Tim O'Neil demonstrates left-foot braking, slalom techniques, turning, proper ways to blip the throttle and more in this episode. They get behind the wheel of modern Ford Fiestas with front-wheel drive and a vintage Audi Quattro with all-wheel drive. They catch on quickly, and O'Neil tells Patrick: "Tell your grandchildren you are a rally driver." Watch as our hosts check "attend rally school" off their list. Have an RSS feed? Click here to add The List. Click here to subscribe to The List in iTunes. Click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick. Audi Ford Subaru The List Videos rally quattro

2017 Audi A5 First Drive

It might not look it, but behind the 2017 Audi A5's evolutionary styling update there's a new platform and a host of mechanical and technological upgrades that make it the most advanced offering in its class. We got to sample the new A5 on the windy roads outside of Porto, Portugal, which gave us an in-depth look at the car underneath the unremarkable exterior. The A5 may no longer be the haute couture choice in this segment Í­– that title goes to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe – but there isn't a bad line on the new car, and it's more creased and toned than before. Given the bulging hood and chunky C-pillar, we'd say its gym membership is paying off. This might look more like a mid-cycle update, but what's underneath is new: a scalable architecture known internally at VW Group as MLB Evo, an optional seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and the third-generation EA888 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine. This engine debuted in the A6 and is rated at 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. That's a healthy 32 hp and 15 lb-ft more than the 2016 A5's 2.0-liter offered, and it showed on our spirited drive through Portugal's grape-growing region. A handful of A5s will leave the factory with six-speed manuals, but most buyers will find a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in place of last year's eight-speed conventional automatic. Audi worked hard to improve initial throttle response to eliminate the clunkiness endemic to torque-converter-free transmissions. In urban slogging, the gearbox does a very convincing impression of a traditional automatic. In sport mode, the transmission livens up and delivers the rapid-fire shifts we expect from this type of gearbox. We did not have the opportunity to sample the stick. Our test car had Audi's Euro-spec version of this engine, which utilizes both direct and port fuel injection. American models will forgo the latter. Brisk acceleration is matched by a subtle growl piped in from under the hood at higher rpm – about the only noise you'll hear. The A5 is astonishingly quiet. In fact, it was that quietness that encouraged us to leave the coupe in the Drive Select's comfort setting for much of our drive. Drive Select tweaks the car's steering, throttle response, and, on cars so equipped, the optional adaptive suspension. Truth be told, Comfort rides a little too plush and Dynamic a little too firm.

Audi's electric E-Tron Quattro spied for first time in testing

Last October, Audi's chairman said the company would be launching its first mainstream full electric car: the E-Tron Quattro crossover. The car was first shown in 2015 as a concept, and now we got our first glimpse of a production version in testing, thanks to one of our spy photographers. From the looks of it, it won't stray far from the concept. Up front, the E-Tron has the same square-jawed hexagonal grille as the concept, and it's flanked by headlights similar to those of the new A8. It does differ from the concept a bit in the pattern of the grille. Instead of the odd horizontal slats, it has large vertical bars that were first shown on the Audi Q8 concept. The grille in the lower bumper is also a little larger and more simplified than the concept, and the hood vents have disappeared. The side profile continues to draw from the E-Tron concept. It looks more like a lifted wagon than a traditional, upright crossover. The heavy use of black plastic cladding and wheel arches also is nearly identical to the concept. It should also make the E-Tron look right at home next to the A4 Allroad. At the back, the E-Tron also retains its fairly raked rear window. There has been some simplification. It seems the full-width taillights have disappeared in favor of more conventional separate lamps. The polished aluminum faux skid plate in the rear bumper has also been traded for black plastic. We will probably see the production version of the E-Tron within a year. Audi already confirmed that it would begin production in 2018 at a factory in Brussels, Belgium, and it will launch a new line of EVs for the company. When the concept was shown, Audi said the E-Tron would produce 429 horsepower from three electric motors and have a range of 311 miles. Audi also claimed that with a powerful enough charger, it could recharge fully in 50 minutes. There's a decent chance those numbers won't change too much. The charging capability might not be there, but the power and range would make the E-Tron Quattro a close competitor to the Tesla Model S, which gets under 300 miles of range with the 75 models, and over 300 with the Model S 100s. Related Video: Featured Gallery Audi E-Tron Quattro View 11 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Green Spy Photos Audi Technology Emerging Technologies Crossover SUV Wagon Electric Future Vehicles Luxury audi e-tron Audi e-tron Concept audi e-tron quattro concept