Monday, March 24, 2008

New Forza Motorsport 2 Downloadable Audi Vehicles

A new downloadable content pack for Forza Motorsport 2 has been released. 13 stunning new and customizable rides have been added to the game's robust 340+ car roster.

Available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 400 Microsoft points, the March Car Pack's 13 vehicles include an Xbox 360-themed Peugeot 207 Super 2000, the brand new Audi S5 and 2008 BMW M3, and kings among super cars, the Lamborghini LP640 and the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. Additional cars from renowned makers like Porsche, Maserati, and Mitsubishi round out the list.

The complete new car list:
2008 Audi S5
2007 Audi TT Coupe S-Line
1971 BMW 3.0 CSL E09
2008 BMW E92 M3
1989 Ferrari F40 Competizione
1996 Ferrari F50 GT
2007 Ferrari 430 Scuderia
2007 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640
2007 Maserati GranTurismo
2006 Maserati MC12 Corsa
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR
2008 Porsche 911 GT2 (997)
2007 Peugeot #1 Peugeot 207 Super 2000 (Xbox liveried 2007 IRC championship winner)

Dollar halts U.S. retail sales of Audi Q7 hybrid


Audi has apparently decided that its new Q7 hybrid will not come to the U.S. after all, citing a slow economy and a weak dollar as the main culprits.

In an interview with Automotive News, Audi U.S. Executive Vice President Johan de Nysschen stated that the German automaker could not make a legitimate business case for the importation of Audi's hybrid flagship SUV on a consumer level.

He did however mention that Audi will be selling a "very low volume of cars" to the commercial market. Audi's hybrid powetrain is also a possibility for the smaller Q5 crossover scheduled for debut next year, but a hybrid Q5 would probably not a candidate for the U.S. market either.

Aud is hoping its coming 3.0-liter V-6 diesel version of the Audi Q7will help the automaker to stem the vehicles slowing sales in the U.S. There is still no official word on the price for the Q7 diesel option. De Nysschen said diesels are a more logical product to offer U.S. consumers and have a higher volume potential compared to the hybrid niche market.