How Shocking: Electrical Issues Plague Modern Cars

With modern cars fitted with more and more electronic equipment, it is logical that electrical problems are popping up much more frequently than in past years. According to a Warranty Direct survey in the UK, electrical faults account for 27% of all car malfunctions every year.

That’s a 17% rise over just five years ago, with more than four out of 10 cars each year facing breakdowns due to electrical problems that are mostly rather complex, and expensive to fix.

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Audi A5 DTM renderings

Funny how that on the day BMW took the wraps of its M3 DTM Concept, Audi also decided to issue some preliminary details about its 2012 DTM challenger. Very coincidental, indeed…



But it’s not as if Audi even has a car to show yet, because the new A5-based racer won’t have its public debut until September’s Frankfurt International Motor Show. So, all there is to look at for the time being are a few ‘concept study’ sketches.

The A5 DTM, which has an internal codename of ‘R17’, replaces the four-door A4 that Audi currently uses in the championship. And like other DTM competitors, it won’t have much in common with its road-going equivalent.



Its bodyshell, for example, will be built from carbon fibre with a hefty steel safety cage. Revised regulations for next season mean that driver safety standards are to be improved further, especially in the areas of side impact protection and fire suppression systems. Other changes include fewer permitted aerodynamic components on the car, although the rear wing will actually be larger.



One element that is going to be carried over from the A4 DTM is the powertrain, which comprises a V8 engine producing around 450 bhp (340 kW / 460 PS) and a six-speed gearbox.



Related post:

BMW M3 DTM Concept

New Audi A5 Coupe DTM Racing Concept to Replace A4 Sedan from 2012

Get excited DTM fans because there’s a new kid coming to town. We’re talking about Audi’s freshly revealed A5 Coupe racecar, internally named “R17,” that will replace the four-door A4 with which Audi has conquered the DTM title four times since 2004.

Ingolstadt’s new touring model is based on the facelifted A5 Coupe that was presented earlier this week and it complies with the new technical and safety regulations that will come in effect in the German touring model championship next year.

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2012 Audi S6 Avant Scooped Undisguised, gets New V8 Shared with Bentley

Audi’s new A6 model series will soon welcome a new member into the family, the sporty S6 that was snagged by our spy photographers in Avant trim during testing in Germany.

The prototype model was completely undisguised, however, there’s a reason for that. With the exception of some model specific details such as the telling quad tail pipes and unique alloy wheel designs, the S6 will remain unchanged from the A6 with the optional S-Line sport package. The latter adds an aero kit with restyled front and rear bumpers, among other parts.

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New Study Finds that Chinese Buyers Prefer European over Local Brands

Car buyers’ preferences in China are shifting towards European models and away from domestic and even Japanese vehicles, according to a new study published today by JD Power Asia Pacific. This is the third year that the study takes place.

The latest edition included 65 brands and 161 separate models in nine segments and is based on responses from 4,979 potential buyers of new-vehicles located in 53 cities.

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Buying a New Car? Why Not Bundle A European Holiday

Did you know that there are holiday packages that bundle airfares, accommodation and cosmetic surgery? It’s a sort of incentive program for women (and some men) to have their surgery done overseas and is especially popular in Britain and Australia. Well, as some of you may already know, there are similar programs for people who want to buy a new car.

These so-called, “European Delivery Programs” are offered by companies as diverse as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volvo. Effectively you’re bundling a discount European vacation with your new car purchase.

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2012 Audi S5 Range Updated, Coupe Drops 4.2 V8 in Favor of Supercharged V6

Along with the introduction of the regular versions of its refreshed A5 series, Audi also presented the updated S5 range. The most important change concerns the S5 Coupe in which the outgoing model’s naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 engine with 354-horses and 440Nm (324.5 lb-ft) is replaced with the same 3.0-liter supercharged V6 found in the Sportback and Convertible S5s. Read more »

O.CT. Tuning Supercharges Audi R8 V8 to 565-Horses

Owners of the entry-level Audi R8 with the 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 seeking a healthier output may want to take a look at O.CT. Tuning’s latest offering. The European tuning firm has developed a new performance package that bolts on compressor to the Audi model’s V8 engine while also tweaking the ECU and adding a custom exhaust system. Read more »

2012 Audi A5 Coupe, Convertible and Sportback Receive a Mild Facelift

Audi today unveiled the facelifted versions of its A5 range which includes the Coupe, the Sportback and Cabriolet models. The company’s goal was to freshen up the A5’s exterior looks and to improve both their driving dynamics and fuel economy.

The 2012 Audi A5 range is available exclusively with direct injection engines featuring forced induction and stop-start and energy regeneration system as standard. As a result, Audi says fuel consumption has been decreased across the range by 11% on average and CO2 emissions by as much as 22%.

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Audi Q7 Pickup Truck Photo Begs the Question: Is it Real or Fake?

This photograph of an Audi Q7 SUV turned into a pickup with an aluminum truck bed appeared today on several sites, all pointing towards an Audi fan blog as the source.

Over the years, we’ve seen one too many photo-chops making the internet rounds to take everything we see online for granted. In this case, even though there appears to be an inconsistency in the shadows between the lower parts of the front door and the rear panel, we just can’t be 100 percent sure.

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Audi wants to Build a New Factory in the USA

Audi has decided to build a new car assembly plant in North America and is seriously considering adding an engine and transmission plant, probably at a later date. However, the German company has not yet come up with a final plan, as Audi’s CEO, Rupert Stadler, pointed out to Automotive News: “It is totally clear that we need new production capacity in the US. The only question is when”. Read more »

Pole Turns 1991 Audi 100 V6 into a 2008 Audi A4 Lookalike

The latest addition to our automotive travesty replica section comes from Poland and it concerns a 1991 Audi 100 2.8 V6 Quattro (the A6’s predecessor) which has been stylistically converted to remind a 2005 Audi A4 sedan. To achieve the look, the Polish owner of the car crafted the front and rear end sections of an A4 to the 100 saloon. But that’s not all he did. Read more »

New 2012 Audi TT RS with 360-Horses Priced at US$56,850* in the States

After giving the green light to the U.S. specification TT RS last year, the flagship version of Audi’s sports coupe has finally arrived in the States. It will go on sale within the next few weeks with prices starting at $56,850 (*) excluding destination charges, taxes, title, options and dealer charges.

Interestingly, the North American version of the TT RS is more powerful than its European sibling as the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder TFSI engine is said to deliver 360-horsepower and 343 lb-ft of torque between 1,650 and 5,400 rpm. The European market model is rated at 340HP and 450 Nm (331.90 lb.-ft.) of torque.

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Audi RS3 Sportback Takes on BMW 1 M Coupe in Quarter Mile Duel

The Audi RS3 Sportback and the BMW 1 M Coupe represent two very different approaches on the compact sport model segment.

Ingolstadt’s proposal is a five-door model that looks more like a hotted-up small station wagon than a hatchback. It features a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five producing 340-horsepower and 450 Nm (331.90 lb-ft) linked to Audi’s all-wheel drive quattro system and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

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Video: Audi Q3 RS Prototype Fitted with RS3’s 2.5-liter Turbocharged Inline-Five

What more proof that Audi is seriously considering the introduction of a high-performance S or RS version of its newly launched Q3 compact SUV than the creation of a prototype model shown at a media event?

According to the folks over at Sweden’s Sportbilen, the prototype was uncovered during the European press launch of the new Audi Q3 in Zurich, Switzerland. And mind you, this wasn’t a static presentation as the media had the chance to drive the pre-production model on the road.

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Audi R8 V8 Limited Edition

To celebrate its recent victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours race, Audi has created the R8 V8 Limited Edition.



Based on the Coupé, just 100 will be produced and all are coming to the UK. Prices start at £93,935 for the manual transmission version, which is exactly £6,000 more than the standard model.

So, is the Limited Edition worth the extra? Well, it gets a lot of extra kit as standard, but the answer is still a ‘maybe’.



That additional specification includes 19” titanium finish alloy wheels, Bluetooth telephone preparation with seat-belt microphones, a premium Bang and Olufsen audio system, the Audi Music Interface, satellite navigation, an interior light package and the Audi Magnetic Ride adaptive suspension system.



Plus, buyers will be able to choose from any of the normally optional metallic or pearl effect paint colours at no extra charge. Alternatively, they could go for a Titanium Metallic finish which is unique to the Limited Edition, although somewhat bizarrely it will cost more. The interior is upholstered in Black Fine Nappa Leather, with crimson red panels and red stitching.



Put all of that lot on a normal R8 V8 and the options bill would add up to at least £8,500. That makes the Limited Edition seem like good value - but only if all of its extra equipment was actually wanted in the first place.



Orders for the R8 V8 Limited Edition can be placed from July, and it will be available with either manual or R tronic automated manual transmissions. Deliveries are then expected to begin in October.



Related posts:

Audi R8 GT Spyder

Audi R8 GT

Audi Q3 RS Rumors give Birth to Rendering

The latest news from Audi is that the Ingolstadt automaker is working on a high-performance version of its new Q3 compact SUV. According to inside sources quoted by Auto Motor und Sport magazine in its most recent issue, the brand with the four rings has even decided on the powertrain, which is none other than the 340HP 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five found under the hood of the TT RS and RS3 hot hatch. Read more »

Rumors: Audi Quattro Coupe May be Given the Green Light by September

The Audi Quattro Concept wowed the crowds at the 2010 Paris motor show. The favorable reaction of both the public and the press to the one-off concept that was created to celebrate the original Quattro’s 30th anniversary has sparked many rumors that Audi is seriously considering making a production version. Read more »

Audi UK Celebrates 24h of Le Mans Win with R8 V8 Limited Edition

Earlier this month, Audi snagged its tenth victory at the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans marathon race with the R18 TDI and to mark the event, the firm’s UK division has churned out a special edition version of the R8 V8 sports car with a unique paint and enhanced standard equipment.

The R8 V8 Limited Edition is reserved exclusively for UK customers, with only 100 examples currently scheduled for production. It is available to order from July in coupe form only and with either manual or R tronic automated manual transmission priced from £93,935 OTR.

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99 g/km Astra ecoFLEX

The Vauxhall Astra is already one of the neatest looking cars in its class, and now it’s among the most economical and environmentally friendly, too.



With a revised 1.7 CDTi diesel engine, the latest Astra ecoFLEX joins a growing list of C-segment models that produce under 100 g/km of CO2.

But while competitors from Volvo and the Volkswagen Group match the Astra on emissions, the Vauxhall boasts lower fuel consumption and a higher power output. On those last two measures, it even eclipses the Toyota Prius and Auris hybrids:

Manufacturer	Model	Fuel Type	CO2 Emissions	Fuel Consumption	Power
Vauxhall	Astra 1.7 CDTi ecoFLEX	Diesel	99 g/km	76.3 mpg (3.7 l/100km)	128 bhp (95 kW / 130 PS)
Audi	A3 1.6 TDIe	Diesel	99 g/km	74.3 mpg (3.8 l/100km)	103 bhp (77 kW / 105 PS)
Seat	Leon 1.6 CR TDI Ecomotive	Diesel	99 g/km	74.3 mpg (3.8 l/100km)	103 bhp (77 kW / 105 PS)
Skoda	Octavia 1.6 TDI Greenline	Diesel	99 g/km	74.3 mpg (3.8 l/100km)	103 bhp (77 kW / 105 PS)
Toyota	Auris Hybrid	Petrol Hybrid	89 g/km	74.3 mpg (3.8 l/100km)	97 bhp (73 kW / 99 PS)
Toyota	Prius	Petrol Hybrid	89 g/km	72.4 mpg (3.9 l/100km)	97 bhp (73 kW / 99 PS)
Volkswagen	Golf 1.6 TDI BlueMotion	Diesel	99 g/km	74.3 mpg (3.8 l/100km)	103 bhp (77 kW / 105 PS)
Volvo	S40 DRIVe	Diesel	99 g/km	74.3 mpg (3.8 l/100km)	113 bhp (84 kW / 115 PS)

Various measures have been employed to help the Astra attain its mix of power and economy.



The engine has been comprehensively reworked, and it now features a new fuel injection system, variable geometry turbocharger and engine management system that lets it operate at a lower compression ratio. A lot of the internals are now low friction, and there’s even an oil cooler bypass that lets the engine get up to its optimum operating temperature more quickly.



Drive is via a specially adapted six-speed manual transmission. Again, attention has been paid to reducing mechanical friction, and it comes equipped with a shift indicator to encourage more efficient driving.



Apart from the drivetrain enhancements, the Astra ecoFLEX comes with brake energy regeneration and stop-start systems, both of which are now virtually obligatory for any eco-car.



The aerodynamics have also been tweaked to further reduce fuel burn. Ride height has been lowered by 12 mm, while the grille has an active shutter which closes when less throttle load is required. Completing the package are low rolling resistance tyres.



Achieving 99 g/km brings several benefits to UK drivers. These include zero-rated Vehicle Excise Duty, a full discount on the London Congestion Charge, and qualification for the lowest Benefit In Kind tax band for company car users.



So, whatever your views on global warming, there are definite financial advantages to be gained from running a low CO2 car. The only potential downside is that more people are going to change their buying habits accordingly, meaning that the tax authorities will eventually realise that they’re missing out on a huge chunk of revenue.



Consequently, the chances of those ‘free’ thresholds falling from 100 g/km to something much lower in the future have to be high.



Prices for the Astra ecoFLEX have yet to be announced, but it will be available in Exclusiv, SE and SRi specifications. Deliveries are expected to begin later this year.



Related posts:

2011-12 company car tax

Zero Congestion Charge

Police spec Astra