2013 audi r8 specs

Specification Modification Information Image Review 2013 audi r8
                Regardless of the frequency, our pulse still races every time we fire up a ten-cylinder engine. It's not just the unique sound or the warbled vibration that gets the blood flowing – it's the anticipation. Whether the badge says Gallardo, Viper or M5, a V10 under the hood promises intoxicating power and frenzied excitement.

The new Audi R8 GT packs just such an engine – a 5.2-liter V10. Mid-mounted in an aluminum and magnesium monocoque chassis, the powerplant is rated at 560 horsepower. With all-wheel drive and a sequential gearbox, the coupe rockets to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds before hitting an aerodynamic wall just shy of 200 miles per hour. It is, notes Audi, the lightest, fastest and most powerful supercar in its lineup.

Constructing the R8 GT was hardly a mild undertaking. Audi first put the R8 on a diet, shedding 180 pounds. They then turned their attention to the powerplant, where engineers were able to coax the 5.2-liter V10 into delivering another 35 hp. The suspension, brakes and underpinnings were upgraded, while the automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive system received their own new set of commands. Lastly, unique cosmetic touches were applied that not only improved the R8's appearance, but boosted performance.

As can be expected with a facelift model, Audi is only opting for minor tweaks on both the exterior and interior of the car. It appears that the 2013 R8 will - for the first time - carry a refreshed grille that was first introduced last year by the e-Tron Spyder Concept. New headlights are also in the plans, as is a new S-tronic dual clutch gearbox, which replaces the R-tronic sequential manual gearbox on the current model.

Some other prominent changes expected to be made on the face lifted R8 are the use of Audi’s latest MMI interface system, an increased use of carbon fiber to cut down the car’s weight and, most importantly, an improved engine output from the current model’s 525-horsepower output all to the way to the neighborhood of 540 horsepower.

This is the first time that these details have been divulged, so we’re more than curious to see how the facelift model of the iconic R8 will look and feel like before Audi ushers in the next generation model in 2014

"That supercar is just an idea at the moment," he told us. "We have five model lines including the Cajun [911, Boxster/Cayman, Panamera, Cayenne, Cajun crossover]. This is a possible sixth. I've said there is a big gap in price between the 911 Turbo and the 918 Spyder. But every time we do a new model line, we need customers wanting a Porsche in that segment, and see if that segment is big enough and whether there is a business case."

If that modular components set must encompass the R8 and this new Porsche supercar, it will also likely need to cover smaller machines, including the Boxster two generations hence, and possibly the mooted Audi R4 and baby Porsche, and, in rear-engine form, the 991's replacement. It will need a highly flexible design.

 

Sports-car product planning has gotten extremely complex and political at the VW Group since Porsche joined the family. Big egos are clashing, cabals of obsessive and successful engineers are engaging in turf wars, and powerful brand values need protecting. Anything you might read about projected models more than three years out is subject to change.

source:autos.aol.com,topspeed.com,motortrend.com

2013 audi s8 specs

Specification image modification exterior interior price review 2013 audi s8

               The Audi S8 is built with the North American market in mind: 30 percent of total production is sold here. But was the car engineered for this market or for the autobahn? After two days behind the wheel, it seems that the answer is both.

The new Audi A8 is a behemoth, meaning the S8, even though it is available only with a short wheelbase, is also huge. An aluminum-intensive body and structure help keep weight to about 4400 pounds, a little bit heavier than the Jaguar XJ Supersport but 600 or so pounds lighter than the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG.

The last S8 was powered by a high-revving, naturally aspirated, 5.2-liter V-10, an engine that seemed somewhat out of place in a luxury sedan. This one is propelled by a 4.0-liter V-8 force-fed by two IHI turbochargers. This powerplant may be smaller, but it is far more powerful—520 hp versus the previous model’s 450—and has tremendous torque: 479 lb-ft, available from 1700 to 5500 rpm, compared with 398 in the last car. This is great news for the S8’s straight-line performance. It should need only four seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph, an improvement of more than a full second over the previous generation. Top speed again is governed at 155 mph. Under throttle, the S8 emits a delicate growl that grows in volume and urgency as the redline nears, but it is never loud. Speed compounds so quickly and discreetly that lengthy and costly roadside lectures from authority figures—like the one we encountered while driving the S8 in provincial Spain—seem almost inevitable.

Still Worthy
Even so, Audi still rented the Circuito de Navarra in Northern Spain to demonstrate the S8's dynamic abilities. And what we learned there about the big sedan's behavior is telling. Here's one you probably could have guessed: This 512-horsepower all-wheel-drive monster understeers around low-speed corners, which are plentiful on Circuito de Navarro. Build some speed, however, and the S8's technology can be put to real use.

In high-speed corners you'll witness unusually impressive behavior. Even the smallest lift while cornering gives the rear sport differential the message that you're ready for some rotation. It delivers by overdriving the outside wheel and effectively rotating the car enough to be unnerving at first. Repeat the endeavor, though, and you can predict when and how much to turn the car and the technique becomes as effective here as it is in the smaller S4.

Even the 15.8-inch front brake rotors and six-piston calipers are reliable in stopping the 4,354-pound machine. Upshifts are radically fast and smooth, while the body control is excellent thanks to a 10mm-lower ride height and stiffer air springs and dampers.

Also, Audi says the S8 will hit 62 mph in 4.2 seconds, which is only about half a second slower than the Panamera Turbo and a few tenths behind the smaller Cadillac CTS-V. We weren't able to test this claim, but our backside says it's probably close to reality. So, yes, the S8 is a for-real performance sedan — even if it's not the quickest one on the planet.

The Heart of the S8
                     You may have heard about the 2013 Audi S8's groundbreaking new engine — a 4.0-liter direct-injected twin-turbocharged V8 that produces 512 hp at 5,800 rpm and 479 pound-feet of torque at 1,700 rpm. The mill's power density — at 128 hp per liter — is higher than any other car in the class. It's a strategy based around economy as much as performance, and other technologies are rolled in to help. Cylinder deactivation — which makes the V8 into a V4 during low-load cruising — is present, as is a start/stop feature that kills the engine when idling. The start/stop feature, however, won't be available on U.S. models for at least the first model year.

On the road it's not the substantial power that makes the biggest impression, but rather the eight-speed automatic transmission, which manages to be both supremely smooth and rapid when executing full-throttle upshifts. It will click briskly through the first five gears during around-town cruising and it never made a poor selection when we slammed the throttle open to pass. Let it decide for itself when to shift and you'll experience one of the most effective automatic transmissions in the world.

Do the shifting yourself and it's less capable. Downshifts, when requested via the wheel-mounted paddles, are rev-matched but still upset the chassis when you brake for a corner. Whether this is a result of sloppy rev-matching or a powertrain not properly isolated from the chassis is difficult to discern. Also, because of the sheer number of gears, knowing which one to target for a particular corner isn't easy. And then there's the timeless problem shared with almost every manually shifted automatic transmission: aggressive downshifts — those that require a big dig into the throttle for proper rev matching — go largely ignored. As a result, corner exit speed is compromised.

Inside the Safe Room
At hand in the S8's interior are traditional high-end materials combined with striking levels of contemporary technology. Diamond cross-stitched leather covers the 22-way-adjustable front seats, which can be optionally ventilated and fitted with a massage function. Trim for the dash, doors and console can be had in either wood or carbon fiber (the real deal). The white-on-gray instrument cluster isn't high contrast but is surprisingly easy to read.

 

                   Audi Connect combines Google Earth 3-D graphics and voice-activated Web searches with the company's MMI navigation, which itself incorporates SiriusXM Traffic. The S8 is also a rolling WiFi hotspot.

Lest you get the idea that this sedan is somehow lacking in luxury, here are some amenities available to rear-seat passengers: power-adjustable seats with three-stage heating, individual climate control, power blinds, headrests with adjustable side bolsters and the ability to adjust the front passenger seat.

The Takeaway
It's too early to comment on several of the 2013 Audi S8's more critical details. Cost, for example, won't be announced until next May before cars begin shipping to the U.S. But our best guess has this performance model starting at a lower price than the W12-equipped A8. Call it roughly $115,000.
EPA fuel economy ratings, too, aren't yet prepared, although the car earns a 23-mpg average in the European drive cycle, which is very roughly equivalent to the EPA's "combined" rating in the U.S.
Even the carbon-ceramic brakes, which cut 44.1 pounds total from the big Audi, are yet to get the thumbs-up for the U.S. market. That one, we're told, will come down to whether a business case can be made for the costly option.

2013 Audi RS3 specs

Specification image modification exterior interior price review 2013 Audi RS3

          Audi will be bringing the new generation A3 hatchback to the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March, leading the way to the unveiling of the S3 and RS3 versions shortly thereafter. The RS3 will be the last to arrive, but will undoubtedly be the most impressive.

The new RS3, like the entire A3 family, will be built on a new MQB platform that will make the car about 10% lighter when compared to its predecessor. Audi will also adopt an updated exterior language as seen in the A3 Concept unveiled last year at the Geneva Motor Show. There will also be an improved interior and an upgraded infotainment system.

Under the hood, the next RS3 will retain its usual turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, but its output will be increased from the current 340 HP to 350 HP. Audi will also be working to improve fuel economy.

 

           Platform: The S3, like the A3 on which it’s based, will ride on an all-new platform. Audi and VW call the architecture MQB, an acronym for German words with several thousand letters apiece. It’s super flexible, and will underpin everything from the next VW Golf to a big three-row VW SUV. (We’ve got a detailed description of MQB and how it works here.) Underpinning the S3, the MQB platform will be in one of its lighter, smaller guises. The car in these spy shots is a three-door hatch, but it’s the least likely of the three global A3 body styles to come to the U.S. An S3 sedan is a near lock, and a five-door S3 hatch is at least on the table.

            Powertrain: A turbocharged 2.0-liter four should give the S3 about 300 hp. The engine is most likely an evolution of the 2.0-liter four powering at least a dozen other Volkswagen and Audi products. Some current versions of this engine make just 200 hp, but the motor is good for 265 in the Audi TTS. The EA888 engine will mount transversely in the S3’s architecture, and an all-wheel-drive system will distribute power to all wheels.

What transmission Audi will offer in the S3 is a question we’re sore to even have to ask. A dual-clutch automatic is almost guaranteed, but the availability of a genuine stick is unclear as of now. Enthusiasts at the Church of Manual Transmissions chant the hymnal “No Stick, No Buy,” but we’re not always enough to persuade the product planners. We won on the Golf R, which comes only with a stick in the U.S., and control-freak American investment bankers are the sole reason BMW is offering a manual for the new M5. But the Audi TTS only has a DSG transmission, as do many of Volkswagen and Audi’s hotter offerings over in Europe.

               Competition: BMW 135is, Ford Focus ST, Mini John Cooper Works, Subaru WRX STI, Volkswagen Golf R.

              What Might Go Wrong: Prohibitive pricing could curb enthusiasm for a hot Audi hatch. So long as it starts at less than the 135i’s $40k-plus sticker, though, Audi should find takers. Potentially a bigger problem: Audi could well decide bringing the S3 to the U.S. isn’t worth the effort after all. Potentially tiny—in relative terms—sales numbers and a fluctuating euro could make the prospect of selling a small, premium performance car a daunting task.caranddriver.com

2013 Audi Q7 specs

Specification image modification exterior interior price review 2013 Audi Q7

           The market for luxury SUVs is crowded, and every manufacturer is trying hard to differentiate its vehicle from the rest. In typical Audi fashion, the 2013 Q7 is notable for its engaging driving dynamics, elegantly understated interior, cutting-edge electronics and the all-weather assurance of all-wheel drive.

As was the case last year, the 2013 Audi Q7 is offered with the choice of three different engines, including a powerful and slightly more economical turbocharged diesel. This year, however, the TDI diesel receives a slight bump from 225 horsepower to 240 hp. Also new for 2013 is the Audi Connect feature, which adds Google maps and local search functions, weather updates, gas prices and mobile WiFi connectivity.

Along with the new features and praiseworthy traits that carry over, so do the Q7's less favorable characteristics. Foremost, its oversized dimensions and heavy curb weight do not equate to an abundance of interior space. While having a third row of seats is certainly a useful feature, these quarters are quite cramped and suitable for small children only. Cargo capacity is also less than you'd expect from such a large SUV.

From the curb, the Audi Q7 is an attractive, elegant vehicle, without any of the rock-crawling, safari-driving pretensions you'll find elsewhere. Crisp lines and smooth surfaces combine for a look that's adult and sophisticated with being stodgy. Inside, you'll find one of the best interiors in the class, with rich leather, suede, and wood creating a warm and refined environment. The controls are largely sleek and uncluttered, though the climate and audio controls can be a bit daunting at first glance.

 
            Carrying forward 2011's reshuffling of the Q7's powertrains, the 2013 model offers no V-8, replacing it with a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 in two power levels. The base engine is rated at 280 horsepower, providing strong acceleration and throttle response, while the upgraded model offers a stout 333 horsepower, improving both acceleration and response. A V-6 TDI diesel, rated at 240 horsepower and 407 pound-feet of torque, is also available, and with its solid 19/28 mpg city/highway, it's a great alternative to the gasoline burners--and plenty of fun to drive, too. Audi's quattro all-wheel drive is standard on all models of the Q7.

As is the case with nearly all Audis, the 2013 Audi Q7's interior receives high marks for its understated design and use of top-notch materials. The dash is clearly built around the driver, and controls are fairly easy to operate with some practice.

In terms of comfort, adult-sized passengers will be well accommodated in the first two rows. The third row, however, is suitable only for smaller children; most rivals provide quite a bit more space. Furthermore, cargo space falls short of the competition, with only 72.5 cubic feet of space with the second and third rows folded flat -- that's about the same as a Honda CR-V.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) scores the essentially identical 2012 Q7 with top marks of "good" in front and side impact crash tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hasn't crash tested the Q7 yet. In addition to the good IIHS marks, the 2013 Audi Q7 offers a full suite of safety equipment, being one of the only vehicles in the class to offer rear side thorax airbags. Other available safety equipment includes a lane-departure warning system, rearview camera, and blind-spot warning.

 

                 While the Audi Q7 is well-equipped even in base trim, a set of available upgrades can bring the SUV into true high-end premium territory, including an available Bang & Olufsen audio system--complete with tweeters rising magically from the dash on startup--plus Audi's internet-connected MMI interface with navigation, Eoogle Earth, local search, and WiFi hotspot capability.
source:edmund.com,.thecarconnection.com