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Audi readies sales of new fuel-efficient A4, A5 and A6 models

As diesels continue to account for a minority of cars sold by Audi in the US, the German automaker and Volkswagen unit continues to expand its diesel models in Europe for the sake of fuel efficiency. Early this year, Audi will debut its new A4, A5 and A6 variants in Europe as part of what it calls its "ultra" strategy of pairing performance with fuel economy. Audi will have 11 new models for 2014, and the updated A4, A5 and A6 will use Audi's 2.0-liter turbodiesel powertrain. Versions of that engine will range from 136 to 190 horsepower, while torque will range from 236 to 295 pound-feet. More importantly, the models will get anywhere from 51 to 60 miles per gallon, when tested on the more lenient European driving cycle. And while manual transmission will be standard (this is Europe, after all), the A6 will have a seven-speed automatic transmission option. Pricing will start at 32,600 euros ($44,000 US) for the base A4 and work its way up to 45,000 euros (about $61,000) for the top of the line A6. Last year, Audi boosted its diesel sales in the US by 40 percent to just over 10,000 units, though that accounted for just a fraction of the approximately 158,000 cars the company sold domestically in 2013. Audi has a press release on the new models below. The new ultra models from Audi A4, A5 and A6 with impressive efficiency • New ultra models from Audi with 136 hp, 163 hp and 190 hp • Greater efficiency with unchanged driving dynamics • Emissions of just 104 to 119 grams of CO2 per kilometer (167.37 to 191.51 g/mile) Audi A6 2.0 TDI ultra, Audi A5 2.0 TDI ultra, Audi A3 1.6 TDI ultra Audi is expanding its ultra strategy with 11 new models: Especially efficient engine versions in the A4, A5 and A6 model lines will be launched in early 2014. A new and powerful two-liter TDI will provide the drive at 100 kW (136 hp), 120 kW (163 hp) or 140 kW (190 hp); the engine emits just 104 to 119 grams of CO2 per kilometer (167.37 to 191.51 g/mile) depending on the model. The "ultra" designation stands for sustainable mobility that is fully available for everyday use. With a combined fuel consumption rate of 3.9 to 4.6 liters per 100 kilometers (60.31 to 51.13 US mpg) and CO2 emissions of 104 to 119 grams per kilometer (167.37 to 191.51 g/mile), the new ultra models from Audi are among the most efficient cars of their segment – without any limitation on the driving dynamics or customary comfort. Audi Board Member for Development, Prof. Dr.

The Volkswagen Group switches official language to English

The Volkswagen Group can't be fairly thought of as entirely German anymore, so the news that the company is switching its official language to English to help attract managers and executives is a rational, if surprising, decision. While many VW Group companies are still staidly German in character and culture, consider the other companies that it controls: Bentley (British), Bugatti (French), Ducati and Lamborghini (Italian), Skoda (Czech), Scania trucks (Swedish), and SEAT (Spanish). Not to mention the large Volkswagen Group of America operation, which constructs cars in Chattanooga, TN. Volkswagen's explicit motivation is to improve management recruitment – making sure the company isn't losing out on candidates for important positions because they can't speak German – and that's inherently sensible in a globalized economy. Particularly considering, like it or lump it, that English is the lingua franca of said global economy. It also should make it inherently easier to communicate between its world-wide subsidiaries and coordinate operations. It's hard to say for sure if this will have any impact on the consumer, although it's easy to see the benefits if, say, VW Group hires some American product planners or engineers and they push for features and designs that more closely suit American needs. After all, the US is a hugely important market for any manufacturer, and so the switch to English almost certainly has something to do with the outsized influence of the US in the global economy. And there doesn't seem to be a downside from a purely rational perspective, although it could mean that the Group's corporate culture becomes less German. Whether that's a good or a bad thing depends on your perspective. Related Video: Image Credit: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Audi Bentley Bugatti Porsche Volkswagen SEAT Skoda

Audi to abandon CVTs?

The continuously variable transmission is one of those technologies that seems to make a lot of sense on paper, but in reality, almost always numbs the driving experience. That's one reason why Audi, according to reports, is planning to phase them out.
One of the first automakers to implement use of the CVT, Audi mates CVTs to larger engines than many other manufacturers, which typically install them on scooters, hybrids and small-displacement hatchbacks. But the time of the Audi CVT (which it calls Multimatic) may be near its end as a report from Australia indicates that Ingolstadt is moving toward a two-gearbox lineup that does not include the rubber-band transmission.
Instead, Audi is said to be focusing its attention on the S-tronic dual-clutch transmission and on conventional torque-converter automatics - although the development of beefier DCTs could spell the end of the Audi slushbox, as well. We've reached out to Audi for comment, so watch this space for confirmation.