2012 Audi 2.0t Premium Plus on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Audi Recalling Nearly 102,000 Cars To Fix Air Bags

Audi is recalling nearly 102,000 luxury cars in the U.S. because the front air bags may not inflate in a crash. The recall covers certain A4 and S4 cars from the 2013 through 2015 model years, plus the 2013 through 2015 Audi allroad. Audi says that it is part of a wider global recall that the company announced last week covering about 850,000 vehicles from the 2013 to 2015 model years. Dealers will update an improperly programmed air bag control module to fix the problem sometime this month. Audi said that in rare cases the air bags may not inflate in a secondary impact. That can increase the risk of injury. No crashes or injuries have been reported in the U.S. or Europe, an Audi spokesman said. But the company is checking a small number of cases in Europe to see if they are linked to air bag programming. The company said in documents posted by U.S. safety regulators that the problem was discovered in tests done in August. Related Gallery Our Favorite Hot And Sporty Cars For 2015 Recalls Audi airbag

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 moving ahead with Q1 crossover

Audi crossovers have been getting smaller with each passing year. What started with the Q7 has since downsized to the Q5, then to the Q3, and now reports coming in from Germany reaffirm speculation that Ingolstadt is preparing to go one more size down with a Q1.
The new pint-sized premium crossover would likely share the platform that underpins the Volkswagen Polo and Audi's own A1. Although the architecture has already been modified to accommodate all-wheel drive, Autobild suggests that the Q1 would be a front-drive-only affair, which might limit its appeal somewhat, but then most buyers probably wouldn't opt for all-wheel drive anyway.