USA - Audi announces pricing and specification for the S* super saloon and the RS7 saloon.

• 4.0-liter twin-turbo TFSI engine produces 605 hp, maximum 553 lb-ft of torque
• Sportier interior and exterior design elements enhance performance-oriented appearance
• Both S8 plus and RS 7 performance to go on sale December 2015

Audi today is announcing pricing for the 2016 S8 plus and RS 7 performance models. With more powerful engines and enhanced design elements, the S8 plus and RS 7 performance offer elevated performance and sportiness, further reinforcing the brand’s position in the premium sport sedan segment.

S8 plus

Enhanced for maximum performance and driving enjoyment, the 2016 Audi S8 plus is the latest variant of the A8 flagship sedan to enter the Audi lineup. Featuring a 4.0 TFSI engine with an eight-speed Tiptronic® transmission, the S8 plus produces an impressive 516 lb-ft of torque and 605 hp – an increase of 85 horsepower compared to the outgoing S8. With an additional 73 lb-ft of torque available through overboost, for a total 553 lb-ft, the S8 plus is one of the highest powered sport sedans in the premium segment.

The S8 plus accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds, to a top track speed of 155 mph. The available Dynamic package increases the sedan’s top track speed to 190 mph. Core to the design of the S8 plus is the lightweight, aluminum body construction. Based on the lightweight ASF® construction, the sedan’s body weighs less than 510 lbs.

The legendary quattro® drivetrain comes standard along with a rear sport differential which further improves driving dynamics through active torque vectoring. Adaptive sport air suspension and dynamic steering expand the performance and luxury dynamics specifically for the S8 plus.  

The S8 plus exterior features the high level of craftsmanship and design detail for which the Audi brand is known. A standard rear lip spoiler is painted in the exterior body color and the mirror housings are silver, differentiating it from the A8. New 21” 5-double-arm S8 plus titanium wheels are also standard.

The optional Black optic exterior package includes carbon fiber mirror housings, a black Singleframe® grill and window surrounds, a carbon front blade and diffusor trim and darkened taillights.

 

The optional Dynamic package includes high performance ceramic brakes and a carbon rear lip spoiler. The package also includes a modified sport exhaust system that gives the S8 plus an even more aggressive, powerful sound, and an increased top speed limiter, which increases the sedan’s top speed to 190 mph.

RS 7 performance

The all-new RS 7 performance model offers more power than ever before. The 4.0 TFSI engine now produces 605 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Adding to this power is an overboost function, allowing the driver to temporarily increase power to an impressive 553 lb-ft of torque. The RS 7 performance model sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds and reaches a top track speed of 190 mph.

The standard eight-speed Tiptronic® transmission has been designed to provide quick, smooth shifts. The driver can choose between automatic modes or change gears manually either by tapping the selector lever or by using the shift paddles on the RS sport leather steering wheel.

The RS 7 performance is differentiated from the standard RS 7 with carbon ceramic brakes and RS sport suspension with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) along with new, striking details including a redesigned bumper with rear diffuser insert and sport exhaust black tailpipes, carbon mirror housings and the gloss black RS Singleframe grille. New RS 7 performance exclusive 21” cast aluminum wheels come standard.

The interior of the RS 7 performance comes standard with RS sports seats, with the option for black Valcona leather and Alcantara with blue contrast stitching and carbon twill blue inlays.

Timing and Pricing Details

Both the S8 plus and RS 7 performance will go on sale December 2015.

Model year 2016 S8 plus and 2016 RS 7 performance starting manufacturer suggested retail prices.

S8 plus	$114,900
RS 7 performance	$129,000

Prices above exclude destination charges ($925), taxes, title, options, and dealer charges. Dealer sets actual price.

USA - Audi brings it's best to the LA Auto show with a US first R8 debut, S8 super saloon and RS7 quattro.

• The second generation of the R8 high-performance halo car makes its U.S. auto show debut
• Auto show debut of new RS 7 performance enhances brand’s dynamic profile
• S8 plus strengthens Audi’s position in premium sedan segment

Reinforcing the brand’s success from road to track, Audi will showcase a trio of new performance vehicles – including the all-new R8, RS 7 performance and S8 plus – at the Los Angeles Auto Show.  

“The Audi Sport® and performance models have always been an essential part of our brand’s character,” said Filip Brabec, Director of Product Management for Audi of America. “The Audi R8, RS 7 performance and S8 plus represent the maximum of Audi performance, premium design and technology for our customers.”

2017 Audi R8

The fastest and most powerful Audi of all time, the 2017 R8 represents the pinnacle of performance for any model with the four rings. Thanks to the close cooperation between Audi Sport® engineers, race drivers and developers, the Audi R8 and R8 LMS racecar were co-developed and share approximately 50 percent of the same parts, including the V10 engine.

The R8 launches with two powertrain variants: the 5.2L V10 with 540 hp, an increase of 15 hp from the previous R8 model or the R8 V10 Plus, boasting a powerful 610 hp, an increase of 60 hp, making it faster, more powerful and more dynamic than its predecessor.

The 2017 R8 will go on sale spring 2016.

2016 Audi RS 7 performance

The new RS 7 performance offers more power and performance, along with striking RS design differentiation that further underscores its higher level of sportiness and refinement. The new RS 7 performance model with 605 horsepower joins the current RS 7 at 560 hp to further improve the RS 7 offering for those that seek track tested performance and premium refinement.

2016 Audi S8 plus

The S8 plus takes the S8 to a higher level of performance and luxury for daily use, reinforced by new exterior design elements and propelled by the more powerful 4.0T twin turbo V8 engine that breaks the 600-hp barrier.

More information regarding pricing and specifications will be made available at a later date.

The first Ferrari Sergio has arrived in the United Arab Emirates.

The first Ferrari Sergio has arrived in the United Arab Emirates. It has been delivered today to its new owner, the SBH Royal Auto Gallery in the UAE, at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit, where the Finali Mondiali Ferrari are being staged and which is home to the Ferrari World theme park.  

Designed by Pininfarina, just six of this incredibly limited edition roadster are being built. The car was created to celebrate the spirit and core values of the historic Cambiano company in the 60th anniversary year of its collaboration with the Prancing Horse. Needless to say, Sergio was the only possible choice of name for the model, in homage to great Sergio Pininfarina, who sealed the unique, longstanding partnership with Ferrari. 

The Ferrari Sergio is a genuinely radical car. It is both exclusive and spare in the sense that every single element aboard is focused entirely on performance. An authentic open-top, it explicitly references the track, underscoring and intensifying its sense of sportiness, fun behind the wheel and the pleasure of design at its purest.  

The Ferrari Sergio’s performance and dynamics are excellent in the extreme too. It is based on the 458 Spider and retains the latter’s technological content as well as all of the functional aspects of its cockpit. It is powered by the latest 605 hp version of Ferrari’s naturally aspirated 4497 cc V8 which has won the International Engine of the Year award on three consecutive occasions. This power unit also guarantees the car sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3 seconds. 

The Ferrari Sergio has an extremely simple, clear style. Both its volumes and treatments of its surfaces reflect the spirt of Pininfarina’s 1960s and 70s creations for Ferrari. Its proportions have been pushed to the extreme with the front of the car seeming to penetrate the rear which itself projects forward. 

The result is an exceptionally sculptural, three-dimensional take on the classic roadster. The two bodyshell masses are melded together via a longitudinal black insert, the main styling cue of the design.  The flank is also characterised by the same black longitudinal element which acts as both a dividing and unifying element between front and rear. The two sections of the car flow effortlessly into one another resulting in sublimely harmonious yet extremely muscular forms.

As with all Ferraris, the Sergio’s design was never an end in itself but is a marriage of function and aesthetics. The semi-floating development of the front spoiler beneath the bonnet balances downforce and optimises heat exchange. The roll-bar is a modern take on the classic Ferrari flying buttress and negative rear window.  Integrated into the roll-bars are the air intakes for clutch and gearbox oil cooling.  Lastly, the rear nolder and rear extractor generate downforce, adding an efficient finishing flourish to the car’s design.  

At the front of the car, Pininfarina has integrated the headlights in a classic move, turning them into a single transparent transverse element, a signature of the car’s extreme formal purity. At the rear, the circular tail lights are another modern nod to Ferrari history.  The two-tone theme continues on both the front bonnet and rear deck with the latter featuring the iconic circular air vents seen on other iconic Pininfarina creations from the past.

The cockpit is pared-back and functional in the extreme with the engine compartment actually hugging the backs of the seats. The example delivered to Abu Dhabi has three-layer red exterior paintwork and an extremely sporty cockpit with black leather upholstery with contrasting red stitching, Alcantara seat inserts, and extensive carbon dash and door well trim. It also features Sergio-specific forged wheels, in this instance gold in colour with a diamond finish.

Each one of the six Ferrari Sergios was configured by its owner in dedicated sessions at the Tailor Made atelier in Maranello where clients are invited to personalise their cars to their own individual tastes. The atelier offers enormous freedom of choice in terms of colours, materials and finishes. As a result, every detail is extremely exclusive, thereby continuing the Prancing Horse tradition begun in the 1950s and 60s of creating bespoke cars minutely tailored to each client’s wishes.