New Audisport DTM Chassis?

The International Superstars Series will get an Audi Italia version and with BMW entering the M3 coupe. DTM is changing rulings, so are saloons going bye bye?

Audi A3E

Luxury automaker Audi announced a battery-electric A3 called the e-tron at TED2012 in Long Beach, CA. today - but you can’t get one, not yet, anyway. The A3 e-tron pilot program will take place in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Denver markets, where Audi engineers and technical experts will explore EVs in a real world-setting and monitor how e-tron technology operates in everyday use.


Carbuyers have increasingly become more receptive to electric vehicles as the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf and other made their public debuts in recent years, and this is Audi’s first foray into the field. By studying e-tron use across multiple geographical regions, Audi will monitor the effect of climate conditions, driving patterns and energy performance and use insight gained in the final development of future EV technology applications, and base whatever, if any, electric vehicle it eventually produces partially on this data.

That’s when you can, in theory, think about buying one.

The pilot will run throughout the year, Audi says.

“As part of the long-range Audi corporate goal of moving toward CO2-neutral mobility, there will be e-tron plug-in vehicle products exhibiting all of the performance and design attributes Audi drivers have come to expect,” said Johann, President of Audi of America. “Audi is committed to refining Audi e-tron technology and we expect our plug-in vehicles to become a significant choice for our buyers within a growing line of advanced, efficient Audi powertrains over the coming years.”

Based on the award-winning Audi A3, currently sold to U.S. consumers in gasoline-powered and clean diesel TDI configurations, the Audi A3 e-tron features a fully electric powertrain with a 26kw lithium-ion battery, and zero driving emissions. Providing a sporty driving dynamic, Audi A3 e-tron has 199 lb-ft torque, a battery range of approximately 90 miles and a top speed of 90 mph, all while retaining the full interior space and versatility of the A3.

Audi also is working on standardizing peripheral technologies that have to be taken into consideration for wide spread EV adoption and use, including the setup and running of “stations” where you can charge up a car away from your home or office. Otherwise, long-range trips aren’t possible unless you buy two cars, one electric one and one hybrid or gas-only vehicles if you want to drive, say, cross-country.

Source - NY DailyNews

Why Audi?!?

What happened to the RS4? Seriously....
444Bhp?!? are you kidding me when there are B5 RS4's that have 800Bhp?!?!?

Thankyou Audi...er Porsche

I can already see 400bhp RS3's....
2.5 litres of Pain.
Sadly though once again the NorthAmerica market probably won't see this $60,000 vehicle. Atleast young Chinese millionaires will have something to goto work in.

Audi Quattro Concept

I'm going to say what needs to be said...it's going to remain a concept.
Oil prices have stabilized for now but we will begin seeing fuel shortages in the near future.
As stunning as the AQC is, the Audi E-Tron would be a direct competitor for the Quattro concept(Also the RS5), and seeing as fuel will be the number one issue. Audi has been smart in the past with keeping concepts as just a glimmer of what is really going into production. The Audi E-Tron platform is a realistic view of the future.

It's set in stone DTM will be in the US..

The DTM is officially headed for the United States.

The 12-race US-based championship for the extreme DTM cars will begin in 2013 -- one year after GRAND-AM's flagship Daytona Prototype class undergoes a serious remodeling project -- that will serve as a sprint racing support show for GRAND-AM, NASCAR Sprint Cup and the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

“Only days after BMW officially announced its commitment to the DTM from 2012, this is more good news concerning the future of the DTM”, said Hans Werner Aufrecht, chairman of the ITR group that runs the DTM.

“Internationalisation has been our goal, in order to ensure that cars to DTM regulations can be used in more countries all over the world. We have had very constructive talks with the GRAND-AM organisation and we are very excited with this new partnership.”

GRAND-AM president Tom Bledsoe says he expects the new venture with the DTM to serve as a major boost for his series.

“We are proud to forge these new relationships with the many manufacturers choosing to embrace the DTM vision, and we look forward to welcoming these exciting cars to the USA. With these announcements, we can begin planning with our media partners, race tracks and teams. The addition of a DTM-style sprint race will increase the attraction for our fans and help grow all GRAND-AM series.”

Ekstrom on the future of DTM -
"I am convinced that 2012 is going to be the start of an era for DTM not seen since the glory days of Super Touring. With Audi, Mercedes, BMW and perhaps one or two more manufacturers entering, plus the expansion to USA and Asia - that is the future of touring car racing. I am really looking forward to race the new cars with a lot more opponents."

Sources - Speedtv
TouringCarTimes

VW's Audi to Beat Target for Mini-Rival A1 Subcompact

Audi AG, Volkswagen AG’s luxury-car brand, will probably beat its target for A1 deliveries next year and may further increase production to meet demand for the subcompact, the unit’s sales chief said in an interview.

Audi anticipates selling 120,000 A1s in 2011, compared with a previous projection of 100,000, and may boost the goal again, Peter Schwarzenbauer said by telephone. Audi plans to use about 20,000 of the 50,000 units built in 2010 to promote the model at dealerships and for demonstrations.

“After getting feedback from our dealers, it’s clear that our production rates may need to be increased again to satisfy demand,” the executive said. “We are extremely confident that the A1 will be a huge success for us and are running far ahead of plan in some markets,” including the U.K. and France.

Audi, which aims to topple Bayerische Motoren Werke AG as the luxury leader by 2015, is targeting record worldwide deliveries this year of more than 1.08 million cars and sport- utility vehicles, an increase of 14 percent from 2009. Eleven- month sales climbed 15 percent to 1 million vehicles, surpassing Audi’s previous full-year record set in 2008.

Source - Bloomberg

Reboot - Audi Motorsport Video STW/BTCC Saloon

Rob Austin Racing confirms Audi B8 Chassis BTCC Program

Rob Austin Racing has confirmed that it will be entering the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship in 2011 with the purchase of two new Audi A4 Next Generation Touring Cars (NGTC). The cars are on order with GPR Motorsport Ltd for delivery in early March 2011 in time for the start of the 2011 season.

Commenting on the move Rob Austin said, “This is a great step for us and a fantastic challenge. We are convinced that the NGTC concept is going to make the BTCC even more competitive and exciting and that the Audi will be a race winner.”

Commenting on the deal Gary Blackham of GPR Motorsport said, “We are pleased that Rob has made the decision to join the BTCC. We are delighted to be building the cars and are sure that they will be competitive from the outset.”

Discussions are taking place with potential drivers and sponsors and the team hopes to be in a position to confirm the line up at the Autosport Show in January. However, the team will welcome enquiries from interested parties. Please note that it must be stressed that the picture included is merely a rough artist’s impression and not necessarily representative of how the car will appear under NGTC regulations.

Sidenote - It is unclear if they will use a NA BPY code derivative engine. The older Audisport engines were 2.0 litre NA High Rpm engines which made power from 4500k-9000k range. The current 2.0T engine is in the old BTCC Audisport format - 2.0 litre 16valves.

Source - Rob Austin Racing

VW the join F1 with 4-5 cylinder

The engines will reduce fuel consumption by 35 percent, series ruling body Federation Internationale de l’Automobile said.
Formula One is courting auto companies with rules that are more relevant to road car research after Honda Motor Co., Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and Toyota Motor Corp. stopped funding teams in the last two years as the credit crunch reduced sales, said Mark Gallagher, general manager of engine-maker Cosworth Ltd.’s Formula One Operations.

Volkswagen executives sat in on as many as 20 meetings at the FIA’s Paris headquarters in the last year to help come up with the engine rules, said Gallagher, who was also present. Volkswagen’s interest in the sport was confirmed by another meeting attendee, who declined to be identified because the company hasn’t made a final decision.

With VW helping with the Rules its pretty much a big yes for their entry and the unamed Company could be GM.

Source - Bloomberg