RideLust

I’ll admit it: I’ve got it bad for Audi’s TT-RS. Sure, I know it’s just like a Golf (or worse, a New Beetle) with a big motor and a better suspension, but I don’t care. Jeremy Clarkson has argued the same point about the Porsche 911 for years, and it hasn’t seemed a negative impact on Porsche’s sales. Besides, the TT-RS is as close as we’re ever going to come to Audi’s Avus concept car, which is (in my mind, at least) the most stunning concept car ever built. Though a bit later to the social media scene than some, Audi deserves credit for bringing enthusiast’s questions to the source of all product knowledge; in this case, the TT-RS’s product manager, Mark Fruechtnicht. Video below. Read More…

Pete Helfer seemed liked one of the unluckiest men in New York. To start with, he’s a Jets fan, and Jets fans seem doomed to eternal disappointment. Helfer is also the owner of the ice-encrusted Audi A3 that made the rounds on the internet a few weeks back. Like most New York residents, Helfer is forced to park on the street, which made his A3 a target for vandals, smash and grab robbers and even inattentive motorists. Ironically, it was none of those things that caused $7,300 worth of repair to his car; instead, Helfer parked next to a water pipe that was improperly repaired by New York City workers. Passing cars splashed water from the ruptured pipe onto the passenger side of Helfer’s A3; by the time he found it, the ice was several inches thick. Not willing to wait for a spring thaw, Helfer needed hammers, chisels and a blowtorch to free his imprisoned Audi. Read More…

Image: Audi

Audi is displaying the TT-RS in their Chicago Auto Show booth, and details on a U.S. sales date are forthcoming. Audi agreed to sell the hottest version of their TT Coupe on these shores after a Facebook petition gathered nearly 12,000 signatures in under a month, but we’re only getting a limited number of cars. How many Audi is importing, what they’ll cost and when you’ll be able to take delivery of one remain a mystery, but what I do know about the car leaves me wanting one in a bad way. Read More…

Carbon fiber is just one of those things that gets us excited. It’s unbelievably strong, light and has a cool factor that’s off the charts. It’s also no secret that it’s been used in high-end automobiles and racing now for the past 20 years. Audi is a company that is no stranger to the usage of carbon fiber, so it should be of no surprise that they’ve now decided to have a little fun with it. What you are seeing here is a set of skis that was developed by Audi Concept Design Munich in conjunction with the Head sports gear company. The idea was to take ideas from motor sport and winter sports technologies and combine them into what is perhaps the coolest pair of skis ever produced. Read More…

Kid’s these days, I tell ya. This is the Auto Union E-Tron Concept racer by Audi. It was made for kids. Really rich kids. Read More…

The 2011 Audi A8

Audi of America has been upfront with their goal: they aim to be the number one luxury brand in the United States by 2015. Despite enjoying record sales in 2010, that’s still an ambitious goal: Mercedes sold 224,924 vehicles in 2010, BMW sold 220,113 vehicles in 2010 and Lexus sold 113,106 vehicles in 2010. Audi, on the other hand, sold 101,628, which currently has them in fourth place. The good news is that Audi sold nearly eight times more cars than Jaguar did, and they sold more than fifty times the number of vehicles moved by Bentley, Rolls Royce and Maybach, combined. Overtaking Lexus is a perfectly reasonable goal for 2011, assuming demand for luxury cars remains strong and the economy continues to improve. Read More…

So what does the Audi A1 have in common with Route 66 signs, scantily clad models and a techno soundtrack? Nothing! Now we dance, ja! Seriously, I’m mostly German and even I don’t understand what this ad shoot is about. Is the A1 supposed to represent the freedom of the open road? Does Audi have an RS-S version of the A1 that really is capable of 255 miles per hour? Is the Route 66 sign a subtle hint that we are getting the A1 on this side of the pond after all? Has “Vorsprung dürch Technik” become “Vorsprung dürch Peyote”? Your guess is as good as mine. Anyway, enjoy the weirdness (and the skin) after the jump. Read More…

Audi unveils the A6 Hybrid in Detroit. Image: Audi of America

I like Audi and I love the styling of the new A6, but I cannot imagine why they thought it was necessary to build a hybrid version of their midsize luxury sedan. Audi, if you recall, promised to bring a diesel variant of all their cars to this side of the pond in the coming years. Speaking for most enthusiasts (the type of buyers that Audi is likely to attract), I’d much rather have a clean, fuel efficient diesel than an expensive, heavy and needlessly complex hybrid. Read More…

*Photo: Cardesigns.com

In recent years there has been a very big push to get the American public to buy into new clean diesel technology. Gone are the black smoke belching machines of yesteryear and in their place are beautiful, great performing and more importantly, fuel efficient automobiles. German automakers such as Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have been at the forefront of this technology and because of this are pushing for more diesels on U.S. shores. Diesel vehicle sales have been slowly increasing due not only in part to the new technology, but to advanced marketing efforts as well. 53% of all Audi A3′s sold in the U.S. are TDI models, as well as 43% for their Q7 SUV range. Diesel availability has also increased due to the fact that there are more gas stations carrying diesel fuel then there were just 10 years ago. I’ve driven these diesel models and can safely say that if you’re looking for a suitable traditional gas alternative, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t give the new clean diesels a look.

Source: Autoblog

Audi's best seller, the Q5. Image: Audi of America

Despite the fact that many of us are feeling the pinch of unemployment, underemployment or questionable job security, there’s clearly a segment of the population unconcerned over personal financial issues. While car sales were up in 2010 after a disastrous 2009, luxury car sales are way up. BMW sold 220,113 vehicles last year, an increase of 12% over 2009. Mercedes Benz sold 225,007 vehicles in the U.S. last year, an increase of 18%. Audi, on the other hand had a record year in 2010, with sales of 101,629 vehicles and growth of 23% compared to 2009. Audi’s sales even grew 10% beyond their previous best year, 2007, when the company sold 93,506 vehicles.

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