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Grea tLooking BMW, 2010

2010 Audi A4 Allroad Quattro

2010 Audi A4 Allroad Quattro

For those who hanker for an off-road crossover but don't want a Q5, Audi offers this: the 2010 A4 Allroad Quattro.


You'll likely remember that `Allroad' nameplate from the original 1999 A6 Allroad Quattro, which mixed a number of off-road parts into an otherwise normal A6 wagon. The A4 Allroad is a similar concoction - it's been raised by 37 mm and widened by 20 mm to increase off-road clearance, while new rocker panels and bumper guards help protect the A4 Allroad from debris.

Three engines will initially be offered with two transmissions. The six-speed manual will be available only with the a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel "TDI" I-4. The new seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission will be available with the both the 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 and a larger 3.0-liter diesel V-6. The 2.0 TDI puts out 168 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque and the 2.0 TFSI puts out similar torque figures and 208 hp. Opting for the top-of-the-line 3.0 TDI yields 237 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque.



Helping the Allroad gain traction off the road is the latest Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which features a standard 40/60 percent front/rear torque split. The revised Quattro system can send up to 85 percent of its power rearward and up to 65 percent to the front wheels. Traction is constantly monitored by the stability program, which includes special "Offroad Detection" technology to monitor surface consistency and adjust the ESP accordingly.

Although it seems the A4 Allroad Quattro is well suited to travel most places, it won't reach North America - after all, that's a prime market for the all-new Q5...

2010 Audi A3 TDI wonderful Car

2010 Audi A3 TDI wonderful Car


Fans of diesel engines and German engineering will have another reason to rejoice in early 2010. The Audi A3 will be available with a 2.0-liter TDI engine for American drivers.

Few would argue the Audi A3 is a very competent little hatchback, or that the current 2.0-liter turbo-four and 3.2-liter V-6 are fantastic gas engines, but the availability of an equally fantastic diesel engine can only increase the appeal of this little Audi. Americans will only be able to get the A3 TDI with the S tronic (DSG) transmission and front-wheel drive. Audi says this is because the A3 TDI exists solely for fuel efficiency, perhaps something to consider as a luxurious alternative to the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight which are also appearing at the 2009 Detroit auto show.


The A3's 2.0-liter TDI engine is shared with the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, so it's no surprise the output is a familiar 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. EPA ratings for the Jetta are 29/40 mpg for front-wheel drive models with the DSG transmission and we expect similar figures for the A3. We also expect the Audi to be just as smooth and quiet as the Jetta TDI, if not a bit more refined.


Everything else in the little Audi should remain the same. A superb interior, hatchback capabilities, and lively driving dynamics won't be compromised by the diesel engine; you'll just go a little farther on each gallon of fuel. As a luxurious and sporty competitor to the increasing number of hybrids on the market, the 2010 Audi A3 TDI is clearly worth a look for eco-conscious people who also enjoy driving.

2008 Audi R8

Some people may be tempted to dismiss Audi's R8 mid-engined supercar as a reskinned Lamborghini Gallardo. The format is just so similar, and Audi already makes the Gallardo's body in one of its aluminum-space-frame facilities. Besides, with a history of intelligent platform sharing under its belt, why wouldn't Audi simply indulge in a little badge engineering?

The answer is simple: Audi is a company on a mission. Remember — this carmaker revolutionized rallying with its Quattro and then later turned the 24 Hours of Le Mans into a company picnic, with five victories scored by this new car's namesake. Audi also kick-started a design renaissance with the first TT and prompted an entire industry to look at vehicle interiors in a different light. What's left to do? Well, Audi would love to steal a larger share of the luxury-sedan market, and it would certainly like to stick it to Ferrari and Porsche in the segments those companies rule.
That's a tough objective, but if the R8 is anything to go by, don't dismiss the idea as pie in the sky. For one thing, the R8's versatile nature reminds us more of Ferrari's F430 than it does the more-or-less relentlessly severe Gallardo. This is not a car that gets in your face the whole time you're in it. When equipped with the stock suspension or the optional adjustable magnetic shocks, the R8 will cruise the freeway with as little ride disruption and mechanical commotion as an A4.
Yet at speed the R8 gathers itself into a tautly controlled crouch, heading where it's pointed with remarkable precision and exhibiting none of the propensity for snap rotation that some mid-engined cars have made famous. Some of its stability is from the unequal tire sizes, and some, no doubt, is from the Quattro all-wheel-drive system that has a default rear-wheel torque bias of 90 percent. The viscous-coupling center differential will never furnish more than 35 percent of available power to the front axle when it detects slip at the rear, preserving a strong rear-drive character in almost all circumstances.
This leaves the flat-bottomed steering wheel calm and nearly free of front-drive contamination. Sure, there's enough load increase in turns to inform the driver of events at the front wheels, but the leather rim is almost devoid of vibration and kickback shock. It's so good that we'll undoubtedly hear criticism aimed at the mechanism for being isolated and uninvolved. It really is not. The steering on this car is for the finely tuned driver rather than those who require feedback at 7.6 on the Richter scale.

But don't mistake this for a luxury coupe. The mid-mounted, direct-injected V-8 is borrowed from the heavy-breathing RS 4, but with dry-sump lubrication for its new low-slung duty. Mounted so that its throttle-body intakes face rearward, meeting ducts that loop around from big intake slots ahead of the R8's signature "side blades," the V-8 is actually offset from the center line to package the all-wheel drivetrain.
The transmission mounts behind the rear axle, and a shaft runs forward through the engine's sump to power the front axle. Audi needed space for that arrangement. But Audi has camouflaged the offset effect carefully with engine-bay hardware that makes the view through the glass hatch appear symmetrical. You need to check the position of the four-ring insignia on the car's tail to confirm that the engine is shaded to the right.

No one should doubt that the direct-injection V-8 is intended to be on display to passersby, and there is even LED lighting in the engine bay to enhance the effect at night. Ferrari makes a big deal of its F430 engine, too, particularly with the Spider version. Coincidence? Not likely, given that Audi's V-8 is as much aluminum sculpture as it is machine, and it is dressed accordingly, with considerable attention paid to its dual role as window model