Seven-seat Audi SUV reigns supreme in highly respected industry awards category

Seven-seat Audi SUV reigns supreme in highly respected industry awards category

• Audi Q7 in SE specification announced as the 2016 judges’ Luxury SUV choice
• Available to order now with a 218PS or 272PS V6 TDI engine
• quattro all-wheel drive fitted as standard on all Q7 variants
• Comprehensive SE specification includes Audi parking system plus, pre-sense city, smartphone interface, Audi drive select, MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch, dual-zone electronic climate control and heated, electrically adjustable front seats
• Further enhancements for S line include all-weather LED headlights and dynamic rear indicators, 20-inch alloys, privacy glass and bespoke detailing inside and out
• Priced from £48,455 to £54,540 OTR

The eminently capable Audi Q7 and its blend of exemplary refinement, technological sophistication and comfort have earned it the seal of approval from the judges at Professional Driver magazine, who have crowned it this year’s Luxury SUV. 

The ringing endorsement was presented at the publication’s Car of the Year Awards, held last night in London. 

Mark Bursa, editor of Professional Driver Magazine, said: “The new Q7 is a neater, lower car than the original version, and our judges were full of praise for its car-like ride and handling, and excellent driving dynamics. 

The sat-nav system drew praise too, allowing multiple map displays on nav screen and instrument panel.”

A panel comprising over 80 members representing multiple disciplines, from private hire firms and chauffeurs to experienced motoring journalists, singled out the entry-level SE specification as their preference, which features a host of technology that is ideally suited to the chauffeur car role.

Making life easier for both driver and passengers is the raised ride height, Audi smartphone interface and MMI Navigation Plus with the MMI Touch handwriting facility for quick and intuitive navigation entries.

Other particularly suitable elements that single the Q7 out as an ideal candidate include the option of adaptive air suspension for a cosseting ride on every occasion, regardless of road condition, and various driver assistance systems that can take the strain out of travelling congestion and even save operators money in the long term. Two such examples are the adaptive cruise control with the integrated traffic jam assist function that can brake, accelerate and steer the car in traffic at up to 37mph, and the predictive efficiency assistant, which uses the route data not only to advise the driver of where they can lift off the accelerator, but is also capable of actively ‘freewheeling’ the transmission where possible to reduce consumption and enhance ride comfort.  

For even greater levels of refinement, power door closure is available and the windscreen and front side windows can be upgraded with heat and sound insulating glass in addition to privacy glass which is already fitted as standard on S line models.

In terms of infotainment, the Audi entertainment mobile provides an immersive experience for rear-seat passengers through two detachable 10.1-inch touchscreens that are capable of streaming content from a range of source including iOS or Android and Bluetooth, while the Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system provides a rich cinematic audio experience that is on a par with a concert hall.

Extensive testing over a full day is undertaken by the Professional Driver panel and involves a circular road route, taking in urban roads and motorway-standard dual-carriageways. The cars are then given a full walk-around scrutiny and on-board systems are comprehensively trialled.

Naturally, boot space tests are an important part of the process and the Q7 comfortably excels with a 770-litre luggage capacity that increases to 1955 litres with the third row of seats folded.

A power-operated tailgate adds to the convenience, and the third row of seats can also be raised or lowered in seconds electrically via buttons in the boot or the second seat row.

USA - Volkswagen has eventually agreed a settlement with US authorities to eventually deal with the diesel scandal.

Volkswagen AG, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. and certain affiliates (together, Volkswagen) announced today that Judge Charles R. Breyer of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California has granted final approval to the settlement agreement between Volkswagen and private plaintiffs represented by a Court-appointed Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee (PSC) to resolve civil claims regarding eligible Volkswagen and Audi 2.0L TDI vehicles in the United States. 

Concurrently, Judge Breyer also approved a Consent Decree between Volkswagen and the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of California by and through the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Attorney General; and a Consent Order between Volkswagen and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. 

All three agreements were previously announced.

“Final approval of the 2.0L TDI settlement is an important milestone in our journey to making things right in the United States, and we appreciate the efforts of all parties involved in this process. 

Volkswagen is committed to ensuring that the program is now carried out as seamlessly as possible for our affected customers and has devoted significant resources and personnel to making their experience a positive one,” said Hinrich J. Woebcken, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Volkswagen remains focused on resolving other outstanding issues in the United States and continues to work towards an agreed resolution for customers with affected 3.0L TDI V6 diesel engines.

USA - Audi of America joins forces with Traffic Technology Services to alert drivers when traffic lights turn red/green.

• New Traffic light information system communicates with municipal traffic signals to inform the driver when traffic lights turn from red to green.
• Traffic light information system is first step in vehicle to infrastructure
  (V2I) integration, set to launch in select smart cities this fall in the U.S.
• System will be available on select 2017 Audi Q7, A4 and A4 allroad® models with Audi connect®.

Audi of America in conjunction with Traffic Technology Services (TTS) will be launching the first V2I technology called Traffic light information that will be arriving on select 2017 Audi Q7, A4 and A4 allroad® models this fall.

“Continuous innovation in connected car services and advanced driver assistance systems that enrich and improve the customer experience is at the core of the Audi brand and our collective future,” said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America.

Traffic light information, an Audi connect PRIME feature, enables the car to communicate with the infrastructure in select cities and metropolitan areas across the U.S. 

The car receives real-time signal information from the advanced traffic management system that monitors traffic lights. The link between vehicle and infrastructure is routed via the on-board LTE data connection and Traffic Technology Services, Inc. servers.

While waiting at a connected traffic light, the driver information system in the instrument cluster, as well as the head-up-display (if equipped), indicates the time remaining until the signal changes to green.

"This feature represents Audi’s first step in vehicle-to-infrastructure integration," said Pom Malhotra, General Manager, Connected Vehicles. 

"In the future we could envision this technology integrated into vehicle navigation, start / stop functionality and can even be used to help improve traffic flow in municipalities. These improvements could lead to better overall efficiency and shorter commuting times."

Audi of America will begin to roll out the new Traffic light information as part of its suite of Audi connect PRIME services later this fall in select smart cities and metropolitan areas across the country through 2017 and beyond. The feature is available on 2017 Audi Q7, A4 and A4 allroad® models built after JUNE 1st, 2016.

Traffic light information is the latest in a line of pioneering connected car innovations by Audi. In 2010, Audi was the first manufacturer to offer a broadband enabled vehicle. Since then, Audi connect® has continued to expanded on its industry-leading services and capabilities. 

In 2014, Audi was the first manufacture to offer 4G/LTE Broadband connectivity. Strategic partnerships and a proprietary scalable infotainment architecture has allowed Audi to continuously offer our customers the latest in mobile connectivity solutions.

Dont know what to get as that perfect gift for an AUDI fan - Well, take a look at this.....

New format driver tuition programme puts stars from S1 to R8 in the hands of Audi enthusiasts keen to hone their skills in safety

• Get to grips with the 367PS RS 3 Sportback, 310PS TTS Coupe and 231PS S1 for just £299
• Move up to the 560PS RS 6 Avant and 610PS R8 V10 plus for £749
• quattro experience using Q3, SQ5 and Q7 focuses on SUV control on road and in the rough
• Instruction on Silverstone’s Stowe Circuit and off-road facilities involves a wide variety of dynamic disciplines to build knowledge and experience
• Selected course dates running through to October 2016

Indelibly memorable, immensely rewarding and edge-of-seat exciting – these come close to describing the all-new Audi R8, but they apply just as much to the 2016 Audi Driving Experience in which the 205mph super sports car plays a starring role. 

From this month the spectacular R8 and an all-star supporting cast of Audi performance cars will be seen, heard and thoroughly enjoyed as part of a restructured ADE programme of high performance driver tuition taking place at  Northamptonshire’s Silverstone Circuit.

The 610PS R8 V10 plus tops the bill in the fleet that will be lapping the hallowed venue’s Stowe Circuit as part of the full-blown Audi Sport Experience, but Audi enthusiasts will also have access to an Introductory Experience costing under £300 that puts them in the driving seat of a trio of powerhouses including the 367PS RS 3 Sportback.

Open to UK driving licence-holders aged 21 and over*, irrespective of the car they own, the latest Audi Driving Experience has been condensed into three core modules - the half-day Audi Sport  Introductory experience, half-day quattro experience and full-day Audi Sport experience. All are available on selected dates running through to October.

Costing £299, the morning or afternoon Audi Sport Introductory  experience includes instruction on cornering techniques and management of fast lane changes, plus a challenging slalom course, and enlists the help of the 231PS S1 quattro, the 310PS TTS quattro and the 367PS RS 3 Sportback quattro.

The Audi Sport Experience, costing £749, ramps up the excitement several notches further still by pitching the RS 3 Sportback in with the 560PS RS 6 Avant and the 610PS R8 V10 plus for a full day of clipping apexes and perfecting racing lines. During this high-octane session delegates focus on everything from cornering and high-speed lane changes to braking at speed, and are then treated to a high-speed passenger ride in a R8 V10 plus with an expert Audi instructor.

The increasing number of fans of the flourishing Audi SUV family are also taken care of at Silverstone by the quattro Experience, available for £349. This half-day module divides time between special handling areas within the circuit and its purpose-built 4x4 area.

The Audi Q family on parade

Tackled in the Q3 and the potent 326PS SQ5 TDI, the ‘hard surface’ elements of the quattro Experience allow drivers to develop their confidence in the on-road control of these agile and imposing machines and to understand how that control is dramatically enhanced by quattro all-wheel-drive. Away from the asphalt, the challenging gradients and rough terrain of the 4x4 section are the domain of the latest Q7 with its height adjustable air suspension, and subscribers to this module are given plenty of opportunity to experience how adeptly this luxurious seven-seater with state-of-the-art quattro drive can iron out the undulations.

The half-day Introductory and quattro modules include breakfast and light refreshments, and lunch is also served during the full-day Audi Sport Experience. All delegates who complete their modules leave with a ‘graduation’ certificate.  

For an additional cost of £49 participants can invite a guest spectator, who can enjoy refreshments during the training and will also have the opportunity to try a ‘taster session’ on the off-road course in a Q model alongside an off-road driving expert. 

The thrilling Audi Sport Experience is included as part of the ‘standard equipment’ for customers purchasing a new R8 Coupe or Spyder, and is offered at reduced cost to recipients of a new RS 6 Avant or RS 7 Sportback (including 605PS performance versions).

The compelling Experiences at Silverstone don’t have to be the end of the action-packed journey for committed drivers. They can continue to hone their skills at an international level through exciting Audi driving experience programmes involving everything from ice driving in Finland to conquering the 170+ corners making up Germany’s gruelling Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit.

To purchase a voucher for the Audi driving experience visit https://www.audi.co.uk/about-audi/audi-driving-experience.html

* With fewer than 9 driving licence penalty points. For some of the European ADE courses, customers will need to be over the age of 25.

Audi plans to dominate the luxury market with a huge push towards having more than double it's currant SUV Range.

Audi is revving up its effort to topple BMW as the world’s top luxury-car brand with new SUVs ranging from the tiny Q2 to the full-size Q8.

After falling to third place behind Mercedes-Benz last year, Audi is seeking to reignite flagging growth and overcome the emissions scandal that tarnished the image at parent company Volkswagen Group.

Audi, which struggled last year because it had the oldest lineup among the three competitors, aims to regain an edge in 2016 by introducing new cars as BMW’s offerings age.

The two cars above are what the new Q2 and Q8 might look like, however we will not have long to wait until the concept cars for both are launched, the three cars below are the current "Q" range, Q3, Q5 and Q7, Audi have plans to fill all nine number 1-9 with a Q derivative.

“The competition with our rivals will remain a neck-and-neck race,” Audi sales chief Dietmar Voggenreiter said in an interview at the company’s headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany. “We should get a tailwind from our new models.”

Audi is presenting the urban-focused Q2 at the Geneva auto show next week. The SUV will become the brand's smallest crossover and is aimed at a younger audience. With the little Q2, Audi has zeroed in on a segment BMW and Mercedes haven’t touched. The car is designed to lure young city dwellers who require less space than in the larger Q3 sister model.

Audi will also see its SUV plans tested as the revamped Q7 hit U.S. showrooms in January. The full-size SUV went on sale in Europe last summer. It will compete with the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and newcomers such as the Maserati Levante in an increasingly crowded segment.

Audi is VW Group's biggest earner and its success is crucial to fill the group’s coffers as the embattled automaker searches for its footing amid the six-month-old emissions-cheating scandal.

Market leader BMW used SUVs to maintain dominance for a decade, and all three competitors have rushed to fill niches in the market.

While Europewide deliveries of subcompact SUVs such as the Q2 will more than double to about 2.1 million units in the five years to 2022, Audi’s growth will still lag rivals, said Tim Urquhart, a London-based analyst with IHS Automotive. IHS estimates Audi will remain in third place through 2022 and end this year with a 1.2 percent sales gain to 1.83 million cars, slower growth than either BMW or Mercedes.

Regaining ground

In addition to the new models, Audi’s chances of upending that prediction hang on China, its biggest market. Car sales there will probably start growing robustly again, and Audi stands to benefit from the new version of its best-selling Q5 SUV set for a production start by the end of the year, said Sascha Gommel, a Frankfurt-based analyst for Commerzbank.

“I expect Audi to start regaining some ground, in particular compared to BMW,” Gommel said. BMW has fewer new cars in the pipeline. It has also been unusually assertive in boosting U.S. deliveries by paying dealers to put new models in their service fleets, people familiar with the practice said this month.

After rolling out the Q7, Q5 and Q2, Audi plans to introduce its first all-electric crossover in 2018, followed by a new full-size SUV dubbed the Q8 a year later. Also on the table is a higher-riding crossover version of the TT sports car.

U.S. diesel cheating

The strategy is key for the bottom line. Audi’s SUV buyers spend about two-thirds more on extra features than buyers of a comparable sedan, the company said. They’re also loyal. Two out of three Audi SUV customers buy another crossover as their next car.

Protecting Audi’s sales and profits is vital as the VW Group faces billions of euros in costs triggered by its admission last September to cheating on emissions tests. Audi hasn’t been untouched, accounting for some 2.3 million of the diesel cars affected across the group. It also developed an engine that came under U.S. regulators’ scrutiny a few months after the scandal first broke. Talks in the U.S. are still going on, and Audi has remained tight-lipped about the anticipated financial impact.

“We do see a certain effect from the U.S. sales stop on diesel models, but we remain optimistic,” Voggenreiter said, adding that in Europe, the brand expects to see the scandal resolved by the end of the year. “This issue won’t set us back, particularly in the long term.”

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The range topping Audi Q7 e-tron opens it's UK order book in May, with 156mpg and 34 mile electric range.

Plug-in hybrid with 34-mile electric-only range and 156mpg capability makes Swiss curtain call before UK ordering begins in May

• First plug-in hybrid model from the Audi Q family for the European market
• Expected to open for order in the UK in May priced at circa £65,000 OTR
• Spacious five-seater with SUV agility and remarkable hybrid efficiency

The Audi Q7 e-tron will soon be a familiar sight on UK roads, albeit often without a familiar sound as it travels in near silence for up to 34 miles under electric power alone. 

Ahead of next week’s Geneva Motor Show, in which the premium plug-in hybrid will play a starring role on the Audi stand, pricing for the German market has just been confirmed ready for ordering to commence in March. 

The UK will follow suit in May, with pricing set to start in the region of £65,000 OTR.

Combining a powerful V6 TDI engine with a 94kW electric motor and quattro all-wheel-drive, the Q7 e‑tron 3.0 TDI quattro sets standards with 275 kW (373 hp) of system power and 700 Nm (516.3 lb‑ft) of system torque. 

It accelerates from a standing start to 62mph in 6.2 seconds and returns up to 156.9mpg based on NEDC test results. Its lithium-ion battery can be charged from the socket and stores 17.3 kWh. With its electric range of up to 34 miles, the SUV delivers compromise-free everyday mobility.

The e-tron badge stands for innovation and the pinnacle of technological sophistication, so the Q7 e-tron 3.0 TDI quattro has been equipped for the UK to reflect this. Highlights will include LED headlights, MMI navigation plus with MMI all‑in‑touch, the fully digital Audi virtual cockpit with its incredible flicker-free digital rendering, the Audi smartphone interface embedding Apple Car Play or Google Android Auto functionality in the car’s onboard infotainment system via a compatible connected handset, and Audi connect bringing the many benefits of internet access to the car.

The Audi connect module links to the Internet via the high-speed LTE standard, and with the help of the Audi MMI connect app, it enables owners to use a smartphone to remotely control the charging process and interior climate control, and to access data relating to previous journeys.

Predictive efficiency assistant

One particular standard feature that will be of particular relevance to the Q7 e-tron 3.0 TDI quattro with its focus on optimal energy usage will be the Predictive Efficiency Assistant. 

This innovative system has the potential to reduce fuel consumption on interurban roads by as much as ten per cent by using the route data from the navigation system to alert the driver to situations in which it would make sense to reduce speed, such as before bends, towns or speed limit signs that are not yet visible.

Working with adaptive cruise control (ACC) and traffic sign recognition, it adapts the preselected speed to the route and the speed limits, and can also take over predictive control of the free-wheeling function of the eight-speed tiptronic transmission.

In the UK, charging of the new Q7 e-tron 3.0 TDI quattro will be taken care of using one of two cables. A 16A 3.6 kW version will be included as standard and will provide a full charge in as little as 4 hours and 45 minutes when connected to a domestic wall box or public charging point. Alternatively, an optional 23A 7.2 kW cable will be available for faster charging where the infrastructure permits this.

The standard thermal management system with integrated heat pump has been specially developed for the plug-in hybrids of the Q7 family. 

This makes it possible for the waste heat from the electrical drive components to be made available to the interior of the Q7 e-tron 3.0 TDI quattro. Audi is the first manufacturer worldwide to introduce this technology in series production in a plug-in hybrid and is thus setting new standards in the areas of interior comfort, climate control efficiency and range in EV mode.

The US Justice Dept has filed a civil suit against Volkswagen AG for allegedly violating the Clean Air Act.

The U.S. Justice Department today filed a civil suit against Volkswagen AG for allegedly violating the Clean Air Act by installing illegal devices to impair emission control systems in 600,000 vehicles.

The allegations in the lawsuit carry penalties that could cost Volkswagen billions of dollars, a senior Justice Department official said.

"The United States will pursue all appropriate remedies against Volkswagen to redress the violations of our nation's clean air laws," said Assistant Attorney General John Cruden, head of the departments environment and natural resources division.

The lawsuit will be filed in the Eastern District of Michigan and then transferred to Northern California, where class-action lawsuits against Volkswagen are pending.

The Justice Department lawsuit accuses Volkswagen of four counts of violating the U.S. Clean Air Act, including tampering with the emissions control system and failing to report violations.

"We're alleging that they knew what they were doing, they intentionally violated the law and that the consequences were significant to health," the senior Justice Department official said. 

The Justice Department has also been investigating criminal fraud allegations against Volkswagen for misleading U.S. consumers and regulators. Criminal charges would require a higher burden of proof than the civil lawsuit.

The civil lawsuit does not preclude the Justice Department from pursuing criminal charges against Volkswagen, said the Justice Department official. 

Material omissions

The suit details VW’s environmental violations and alleges that VW tried to hide them from regulators.

“Volkswagen AG knowingly concealed facts that would have revealed” that about 500,000 2.0-liter diesels contained two emissions calibrations -- one for the road and another for the test lab, the complaint said. The government’s efforts to “learn the truth” about the excess 2.0-liter emissions were “impeded and obstructed by material omissions and misleading information provided by VW entities including at least VWoA and Volkswagen AG.”

The complaint also made similar charges against Volkswagen AG and Audi AG for their roles in the government’s probe into “irregularities” in the 3.0-liter diesel used mainly in SUVs and larger sedans from Audi.

Volkswagen acknowledged the suit in a statement, but stopped short of responding to specific claims, which it noted were included in the EPA and California Air Resources Board violation notices issued last fall.

“Volkswagen will continue to work cooperatively with the EPA on developing remedies to bring the TDI vehicles into full compliance with regulations as soon as possible. In addition, we are working with Kenneth Feinberg to develop an independent, fair and swift process for resolving private consumer claims relating to these issues,” VW said in its statement. “We will continue to cooperate with all government agencies investigating these matters.”

Legal implications

Volkswagen's earlier admissions eliminate almost any possibility that the automaker could defend itself in court, said attorney Daniel Riesel of Sive, Paget & Riesel P.C, who defends companies accused of environmental crimes.

To win the civil case, the government does not need to prove the degree of intentional deception at Volkswagen -- just that the cheating occurred, Riesel said. "I don't think there is any defense in a civil suit," he said.

Instead, the automaker will seek to negotiate a lower penalty by arguing that the maximum would be "crippling to the company and lead to massive layoffs," Riesel said.

Ryan Beene of Automotive News contributed to this report.

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