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Green: 2009 Audi Q7 TDI

The Q7's 3.0-liter TDI diesel V-6 is a winner. It's so quiet, so smooth, and so powerful. Well, so torquey, I guess I should say, since it has 406 lb-ft, compared with 266 lb-ft for the 3.6-liter gasoline V-6 offered in the base Q7. Cruising at 80 mph on the freeway is effortless, and if you gun it to 90 mph or higher while you're passing, it's as if the engine is not even exerting itself. The powertrain is also very smooth and refined at slower, around-town speeds. It's a very tractable engine, well-mated to its six-speed automatic. Audi estimates a 0-to-60-mph time of 8.5 seconds (not bad for a 5512-pound, 16.7-foot-long crossover) and a range of up to 600 miles in freeway driving, based on the highway EPA rating of 25 mpg and the 26.4-gallon fuel tank.

As for the Q7 itself, well, it looks great inside and out, but it does have some compromises, most having to do with its size. Although it's more than 16 feet long, its tapering roofline impedes on room for both passengers and cargo. The third-row seat is very cramped and suitable only for children, what with its 29.2 inches of legroom and 35.6 inches of headroom. The Mercedes-Benz GL350 Bluetec, by comparison, offers 34.2 inches of third-row legroom and 38.2 inches of headroom.

The Benz weighs about a hundred pounds more than the Audi, but in this behemoth class, we'd call that a draw. Other dimensional comparisons between the GL and the Q7 continue in the Mercedes-Benz's favor: Whereas the Audi provides only 10.9 cubic feet of cargo space when the third-row seats are in use, the GL350 carves out 14.3 cubic feet. Cargo space when the third-row seats are folded---a common scenario for most owners, we'd guess---also slightly favors the Benz, at 43.8 cubic feet, over the Audi, at 42.0 cubic feet. With both the second- and third-row seats folded, the Mercedes measures 83.3 cubic feet and the Audi is 72.5.

Despite its mass, the Q7 feels pretty spritely on the road; I've found this to be true even in the gasoline V-6 model as well as the one powered by Audi's 4.2-liter V-8. On the downside, the ride is a bit harsh over rough pavement; Mercedes has the edge here, as well.

All these quibbles aside, I really like the Q7 in all its iterations, and to have this much performance, utility, style, and prestige in a package that delivers 25 mpg on the freeway while hauling up to seven people is notable.

Source: Automobile Magazine

2009 Audi Q5

Sharply styled and well-appointed on the inside, the new Audi Q5 is a controversial entry among premium small crossovers. If you're in the market for one, it's worth a test-drive — and my money says you won't come away feeling neutral about it.

Audi's ads pit the Q5 against the segment's granddaddy, the Lexus RX. It's an interesting tactic, because the RX has a reputation for reliable elegance. It's the vanilla ice cream — oh, hell, the Camry — of luxury SUVs. The Q5, on the other hand, is more like a pistachio-mint flavor. Some will love it, some will hate it. I'm leaning toward the latter, but I suspect it's because I never liked mint to begin with.

The five-seat Q5 comes in three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige. I drove a Premium Plus for a week. My colleague Joe Wiesenfelder logged a few hours in a range of Q5s at a press introduction earlier this year; read his review here.

Sharp Looks
Styled in the same vein as other recent Audis, the Q5 looks like a cross between the three-row Q7 and the smaller A4 wagon. (Compare them here.) It's an attractive marriage, particularly with the Q5's LED daytime running lights, which Audi has added — to compelling effect — on a number of models. On Premium Plus and Prestige Q5s, they sit above the bezels, sort of like eyebrows. The sinewy taillights, on the other hand, are a bit bizarre for my taste. Their resemblance to other Audi taillights is a stretch at best. Even the R8 supercar's taillights are more conventional.

Perhaps the Q5's most ordinary aspect is its dimensions. At 182.2 inches long and 74 inches wide, it sits squarely in the middle of its peers; middling, too, is its 38.1-foot turning circle. Eighteen-inch alloy wheels are standard on most trims; 19-inchers are also available. Twenty-inchers come with an S-Line Package, which also includes more aggressive bumpers. Check out the pictures to see it.

And It Cooks
All trims have Audi's 3.2-liter V-6, which provides enough power to move swiftly from a stoplight or execute confident passing maneuvers on the highway. The six-speed automatic transmission upshifts smoothly and kicks down with little delay. Audi says the Q5 will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in a sprightly 6.7 seconds, a figure that suggests more everyday oomph than the 2010 RX 350 and most other competitors. In my experience, the Infiniti EX35 feels a bit quicker, but keep in mind that small luxury SUVs as a group are amply powered.

Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes are standard. The pedal is a bit grabby, not unlike the BMW X3's. Hit the brakes hard, and there's plenty of stopping power, but it takes practice to manage smooth stops.

Love It or Hate It
My test car came with Audi's optional Dynamic Steering system. You'll love or hate it right away. Like BMW's Active Steering, it allows for easier turning at low speeds but firmer handling at high speeds — but it goes from one to the other in sudden, halting steps. Driving up a parking garage at 10 or 15 mph, the steering went from loose to firm with little change in actual speed.

The inconsistencies seem most pronounced when the Q5's optional Audi Drive Select system is in "Auto" mode. A $2,950 option in my test car, ADS adjusts the adaptive suspension, dials in steering characteristics and adjusts transmission performance and accelerator sensitivity. Auto mode comes between Comfort and Dynamic. The other two render a more consistent driving experience, particularly when it comes to steering, but Auto tries to mix the extremes. The result is anything but satisfying. I recommend sticking to Comfort or Dynamic — or, if you get Audi's Multi-Media Interface, using a fourth Individual mode, which lets you configure each of the settings yourself. Alas, ADS annoyingly resets to Auto every time you restart the Q5.

Handling is otherwise fine, with minimal body roll in Dynamic mode. Comfort mode has a bit more lean, and it introduces some floaty steering response over bumpy roads. Ride-quality differences, on the other hand, are harder to discern between the two. With my tester's 18-inch wheels, the ride wasn't bad overall — perhaps not as well-cushioned as the softish LR2's, but certainly better than the last X3 I tested. Wiesenfelder's Q5, in contrast, had 19-inch wheels and no ADS. He found the setup rather firm.

Road noise is relatively low, but I noticed some overhead wind noise with my test car's panoramic moonroof at highway speeds. The moonroof comes standard on most trims, and its mesh sunshade does zilch to help with noise abatement.

The Inside
Typical of most Audis, cabin materials are good, and consistently so. The plastics lining the dashboard match those along the doors and center console, with nary a cheap finish from knee to shoulder level. Audi appears to have done away with a recent materials gaffe, too: Recent models, including the A4 sedan and A5 coupe, place an expanse of dull-looking plastic between the navigation system and gauges. The Q5, praise be, does not.

Leather upholstery is standard. The front seats are comfortable, though the side bolsters are too minimal to hold you in on curvy roads. The standard 12-way power adjustment offers plenty of range for drivers of all sizes, as does the tilt/telescoping steering wheel. I'm not as thrilled with the other controls, though I probably hold a minority opinion on this. Audi's window switches, turn-signal stalks, A/C dials and such have always struck me as unsubstantial, almost flimsy. Compare them with the weightier buttons strewn across Acura or Lexus dashboards, and it will be clear which gets my nod.

Legroom in back is limited, certainly less than in the Q7. It's about as cramped back there as the GLK, another backseat-starved contender. The footwells are deep, but the cushions are too short for adult-sized thigh support, and a sizable center hump limits the space your feet have to spread out. Headroom, even with the panoramic sunroof, is fine. The seats slide forward and back and recline a few degrees, but folding them yields just 57.3 cubic feet of cargo volume, which is less than most competitors.

Updated Multi-Media Interface
Audi's optional Multi-Media Interface, a contemporary to BMW's iDrive and Mercedes' Comand systems, is in its third generation in the Q5. It's a big improvement. The knob controller now incorporates a short joystick — really, more of an additional knob that crowns the main MMI knob — that enables easy map scrolling without having to input east/west and north/south axes, as the prior MMI required. The graphics are first-rate, and there's a nifty bird's-eye view that shows lots of three-dimensional buildings. Sort of like your own little SimCity. (Nerd alert? Guilty as charged.)

Improved as it is, though, MMI still leaves a lot to be desired. There are too many intermediary screens involved in accomplishing as simple a task as activating the seat heaters or viewing a map. Approach a tricky part of your route, and the map doesn't pull up an intersection inset with specific turning points, as Lexus and several others do. Street labels are few and far between, and the labels that do appear sit on a horizontal plane with arrows pointing to their corresponding streets. Comand, iDrive and most others orient their labels on the same plane as the streets — as does a regular paper map.

Safety & Features
With excellent scores in front, side and rear crash tests, the Q5 has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Standard safety features include six airbags, antilock brakes and an electronic stability system. Click here to see the full list. Torso side-impact airbags for the rear seats are optional, as is a blind spot warning system. Baby-toting parents will appreciate the well-marked Latch child-seat anchors with flip-up plastic covers in the outboard rear seats.

Source: Cars.com

Audi R8 V10

The new Audi R8 V10 features the body of Robb Report’s 2008 Car of the Year and the same engine—a 5.2-liter V-10—that powers the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4. Aside from a few minor design alterations—oval-shaped exhaust pipes, slightly larger scoops on the side blades, and fewer crossbars beneath the all-LED headlights—the R8 V10 is indistinguishable from the V-8-equipped R8, which was the judges’ top pick at our 2008 Car of the Year competition. The V-10 version, which has an estimated cost of approximately $160,000, reaches 60 mph in less than four seconds and can continue on to 196 mph, a top speed that matches that of the Gallardo Superleggera. On the track, the naturally aspirated R8 V10 can keep pace with a Porsche 911 Turbo. And thanks to its quattro all-wheel-drive system, the Audi provides better balance and handling than the 911 through tight chicanes and off-camber corners.

The Audi 2.0 TFSI Wins the "International Engine of the Year Award 2009"

For the fifth year in a row, a jury of 64 leading motoring journalists from over 30 countries has voted the Audi 2.0-liter FSI® the “International Engine of the Year” in the 1.8 to 2.0 liter category.

“A blend of performance and efficiency. An example to all engine manufacturers,” concluded the jury, who went on to say they were particularly impressed by the way the Audi-developed engine combines pulling power, economy and excellent handling.

The latest version of the two-liter TFSI engine, found in the Audi A4, A5 and Q5 models, is equipped with the Audi valvelift system that regulates the valve lift in two stages. It acts on the turbo engine’s exhaust valves and together with the intake camshaft that can be adjusted through 60 degrees, it improves the charge cycle and boosts pulling power. For drivers, the Audi valvelift system is a technology designed to enhance driving enjoyment – it guarantees a spontaneous, dynamic torque build-up, meaning the engine encourages the driver to shift up sooner, promoting lower revving and therefore a more economical style of driving.

Audi was the first manufacturer in the world to combine petrol direct injection with turbo-charging in volume production. The success story of the 2.0 TFSI started in Australia from February 2005, when it made its debut in the Audi A3 Sportback.

Source: The Auto Channel

Audi A4 - all-new driving candy

Some cars simply feel good; almost indescribably good.

You can’t wait to get behind the wheel. Detours become more the rule than the exception. Every extra mile in the driver’s seat is like slowly and deliciously consuming a bar of rich chocolate after being on a six-month no-sweets diet.

That’s the way it is with the all-new-for-2009 Audi A4.

We drove the 3.2 Quattro loaded with 265 horsepower and the optional Audi Drive Select package, which with the touch of a button can change the entire driving experience.

This is a sedan that’s a delight to drive in any guise and a pleasure to look at. It has a taut, sharply styled exterior that becomes stunning with optional 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels. It features many of the styling traits of its larger brother, the A6, but in a slightly smaller package and with exceptional proportions.

We are doing our best to like the Big Mouth Bass grille. So far, our attempts have failed.

The interior is a great example of how a sports sedan should look, sit and feel. And just as important, the A4 has grown significantly in interior dimensions making it a truly comfortable four-passenger sports sedan. In previous iterations rear-seat passengers were an afterthought or worse. If you’ve lived in an older A4 the big news here is more headroom, more shoulder room and more rear knee and leg room.

Indeed, the 2009 A4 has been infused with growth hormones. The all-new model is 4.6 inches longer than the 2002-2008 iteration, has a whopping 6.6-inch longer wheelbase and is two inches wider.

The new size is particularly evident in the cargo area where trunk space has grown from 13 cubic feet to a class-leading 16.9. Roll-aboard storage blows the competitors out of the water. The BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class both have a miniscule 12 cubic feet.

If you are sold on the Audi, but need more space for hauling cargo, the A4 also comes in a completely redesigned Avant wagon. It has 51 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats folded. For the fun-loving among us, there is a convertible variant, but it is based on last- year’s smaller platform.

Audi did more than just redesign the exterior. The A4 can be optioned out with many of the cutting edge gadgets that are proliferating these days including a blind-spot warning system (very effective), radar- based adaptive cruise control and a park distance control system.

Perhaps the best new option — and the most expensive at $2,950 — is the Audi Drive Select. With the touch of a button the system can modify the car’s throttle response, shift points, suspension-damping, power steering boost and steering ratio.

Going from the “comfort” setting to the “dynamic” setting is indeed an eye opener. The A4 becomes a different car. Like an instantaneous automotive Jekyll and Hyde, the A4 is transformed from a small luxury cruiser into a cutting-edge sports sedan.

In the middle is an “automatic” setting, which will probably be the choice of most people. With this setting the car reads driver inputs and tightens or loosens the variables by the way the car is driven.

We were enthralled with the A4 in dynamic mode on our usual winding, law enforcement-deprived back road test track. The A4 was sharp and right there in the tough turns as measured against the hundreds of cars we’ve taken out for a weekend spin. The tight suspension was compliant enough not to be annoying; the handling was taut and spot-on; tire squeals were held to a minimum as the car glided through the turns flat and easy.

Some of Audi’s great road feel is due to improved weight distribution, gained by moving the engine further behind the front wheels giving the car a 55/45 split rather than Audi’s traditional 60/40 front-heavy configuration.

When our fun was over, we dialed the car back into automatic for a more relaxed ride home.

The A4 comes with two engine choices, both updated for 2009. The base powerplant is a version of the award-winning 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 211 horsepower. It comes in front-drive configuration with a continuously variable transmission.

Optional is a healthy direct-injection 3.2-liter V-6 making 265 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. All six-cylinders are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and all come with Audi’s famed all-wheel drive system called quattro.

We very much enjoyed the performance derived from the 3.2, but if Audi falls short in any one area compared to its vaunted rival BMW, it’s with performance. If you’ve simply got to have the fastest German compact sedan on the market, BMW with its twin-turbo inline six has the edge.

For comparison, the Audi V-6 has been measured from 0-to-60 in 6.2 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.6 seconds at 97.8 mph.

One of Audi’s strong suits has been its impeccably furnished interiors. And the new A4 does not let them down. It is stylish with excellent seats and quality materials. Gauges are clear and easy to read and a small information center between the speedometer and tachometer housings offers an odometer reading and outside temperature.

Like most German cars, the Audi comes with multi-function computer controls. It’s called Multi-Media Interface (MMI) in the Audi and it has come a long way since the first such system was introduced to the unsuspecting luxury car buyer by BMW around the turn of the century.

The first such systems were so complicated it took 30 minutes to discover how to tune a radio station.

Not so in this new Audi. The system is very intuitive. Simply choose what function you want. The four buttons around the controller match the readout on the display screen. Push the button you desire and simply follow the on-screen prompts.

If you want the Audi brand of German luxury, the price of entry is not for the light of pocketbook. The 2.0-liter A4 starts at $31,825 including destination charge and can top out well above 50 grand.

Fortunately, all trim levels come with an excellent assortment of standard equipment including leather seating, a sunroof, 180-watt audio system, and an impressive list of safety equipment including traction and stability control.

If you desire all-wheel drive Audi provides it for around two grand.

Move up to the 3.2 quattro and the base price rises to $40,825. Our test car had several options including Audi Drive Select and navigation bringing the bottom line to $49,975.

Audi has done a remarkable job upgrading its bread-and-butter A4. It’s a car you could very happily live with and enjoy driving for years to come.

Source: Times Record News

2009 Audi A6 3.0T quattro® Review

Need an example of excellence in a mid-sized luxury sedan? Look no further than the Audi A6. And in particular, look at the 2009 Audi A6 3.0T quattro.

The 3.0T quattro is a new addition to the A6 sedan lineup this year, fitting between the front-wheel drive 3.2 FSI and the V8-powered 4.2 FSI quattro models, "quattro" being Audi's performance-oriented full-time all-wheel drive system. The numeric designator denotes the engine capacity in liters, and why would a 3.0 be above a 3.2?

Notice that "T" after... which has meant "turbo", for Audi performance enhancement since the original Quattro rally car homologation special of the early 1980s. The smaller A3 and A4 have 2.0T models with 200-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged and intercooled four-cylinder engines, so one might be thinking "misprint" when reading 3.0T. After all, a decade ago, the A6 used a 2.8-liter V6 with essentially the same horsepower as the current 2.0T.

CONCLUSIONS: Audi has another gem in the A6 3.0T

Source: The Auto Channel