Audi A5 Selected by Automobile Magazine as 2009 Design of the Year

- Editors cite "perfect execution" of interior and exterior, as well as coupe's "elegance" - Recognition comes as the Audi A5 continues to set U.S. sales records - This marks the second consecutive Automobile Design of the Year win for Audi Audi accepted Automobile Magazine's 2009 Design of the Year Award for the Audi A5, solidifying its position at the leading edge of automotive styling. The recognition for the A5 marks the second consecutive year that Audi has earned the top design award from one of North America's leading automotive publications. The Audi R8 sports car won the magazine's Design of the Year and Car of the Year awards for 2008. Editors praised the restraint, elegance and the "perfect execution" of the Audi coupe's design. Seeing the overall design quality of the A5 on the road cinched the decision for Automobile's editors. "Audi," the magazine noted, "has indeed created a beautiful car." "The first point of appreciation comes upon approaching the car," said Automobile Magazine Design Editor Robert Cumberford. "The second comes when the door is opened to one of the best interiors offered today, in any car at any price. The A5's elegance, stability, and sheer visual presence make it a clear winner." Automotive design often succeeds best when all of a car's elements fit with seamless proportions and careful attention to details. This was the case with the A5, the first coupe offered by Audi in the U.S. in nearly a generation. "The graceful, yet precisely drawn, lines of the A5 epitomize the way a progressive coupe should look," said Johan de Nysschen, Audi of America's executive vice president. "All of its elements - powerful surfaces, a front end that speaks to pure performance, lighting that blends style with function among many other features - unite Audi style and dynamic performance." Consumers are recognizing the A5's merits, too. October sales of the coupe in the U.S. set a record for the third consecutive month. The A5, which first arrived in U.S. showrooms late last year, comes with the powerful and highly efficient 3.2-liter FSI engine. It produces 265 hp and has a 0-60 mph time of 6.1 seconds.

 

Four Audi Models Earn Top Safety Marks in 2009 Awards from IIHS

- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recognized the Audi A3, A4, A6 and Q7 - Audi has earned multiple IIHS Top Safety Pick awards the past three years - Audi wins more awards than competitors BMW, Mercedes and Lexus HERNDON, Va., Nov 26, 2008 - Audi's reputation as a leader in automotive safety gained added validation with four of its best-selling models claiming Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick awards for 2009. Winning the highly sought safety award were the Audi A3, the all-new Audi A4, the Audi A6 and the Audi Q7. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting passengers in front, side and rear collisions. All of the winners also had to have electronic stability control, which IIHS credits with significantly lowering crash risks. "Protecting the drivers of our vehicles, and their passengers, is at the top of Audi's priority list and we're delighted to clearly stand above other European luxury carmakers," said Johan de Nysschen, executive vice president, Audi of America. "Safety is woven into the earliest consideration of how our different models should look and perform. We're grateful the Insurance Institute has recognized this singular focus of ours." This marks the second consecutive year that four Audi models have earned this important safety award. The Audi Q7, Audi A6, Audi A4, and Audi A3 all received the IIHS Top Safety Pick Award in 2008. The Audi A6 and A4 received the IIHS Top Safety Pick Award in 2007. IIHS launched the safety awards in 2006. The four awards collected by Audi models exceeded the number of awards given to BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Lexus models. Additionally, some Audi models, including the Audi R8 sports car, the Audi A5 coupe, and the Audi A8 luxury sedan did not fall within the IIHS test program at this time. IIHS evaluates each vehicle for front crashworthiness following a 40 mph offset collision. Calculations are made on the level of intrusion the crash causes in the occupant compartment and the impact recorded by crash test dummies. Side impact evaluations involve crashing a barrier into the side of a vehicle at 31 mph. Rear crash protection involves measuring the geometry of head restraints. Vehicles with good or acceptable measurements are then struck in the rear at 20 mph. For more information on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the 2009 Top Safety Pick awards, please go to www.iihs.org.

 

Audi Q7 Coastline: Avant-garde contribution at Design Miami/ 2008

Audi automotive sponsor of Design Miami/ for third consecutive year The "Audi Coastline Marina" demonstrates individual design Community commitment: Audi redesigns Simpson Park Audi will be the exclusive automotive sponsor and exhibitor of innovative design for the third year running at the leading global forum for high-end design in Miami. Design Miami/ will take place from December 2 through 5. This event is a highlight in the world of design. During the same week, Audi will participate for the first time at Art Basel Miami Beach, a key U.S. art show. Audi will thus sponsor the two most important events for contemporary art and design. By playing an active role on the design world's center stage, Audi will be able not only to inspire others, but also observe and learn from tomorrow's trends. The exhibition stands of the automotive manufacturer from Ingolstadt always act as a magnet for artists, designers, and the general public. The theme of Design Miami/ 2008 is "Beyond organic: Design in the state of nature". The "Audi Coastline Marina" installation will offer an avant-garde interpretation of this theme. Situated atop white wood planks underneath palm trees, the Audi Q7 Coastline takes center stage and pays homage to exclusive sailing yachts. Functional, sporty design is coupled with classic elegance. Precious materials in the vehicle's interior include aluminum, wood, and leather. During Design Miami/ and Art Basel Miami Beach, a fleet of 70 Audi vehicles will whisk guests from one event to the next. The fleet will feature seven Audi Q7 TDI SUVs, with the world's cleanest diesel engine: the TDI with ultra low emission system. During the Audi Mileage Marathon in the United States – spanning some 8,000 kilometers (4,970.97 miles) from the East Coast to the West Coast – this model averaged excellent fuel consumption of just 7.1 liters per 100 kilometers (33.13 miles per U.S. gallon). As an expression of its social and cultural involvement, Audi will also enrich the lives of Miami residents this year. The brand with the four rings served as main sponsor of the "Re:design Simpson Park" project. With the support of Enzo Enea (Italian landscape architect) and Chad Oppenheim (Miami's leading architect and project initiator), the nearly forgotten city park is about to be reborn. Miami's mayor, Manny Diaz, will ceremoniously open the park to the people of Miami at a celebration during Design Miami/.

 

Audi Motorsport Based on Three Pillars in the Future

- New LMP1 sports car for the Le Mans 24 Hours - Development of the Audi A4 for the DTM - Customer sport programme with the Audi R8 LMS In future, the AUDI AG motorsport programme will be based on three pillars: During the 2009 season, the brand with the four rings will compete once again in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the DTM. Additionally, with the new Audi R8 LMS, Audi Sport offers for the first time a racing sports car specifically developed for customer use. "We know just how important motorsport is for the success of the brand," emphasises Michael Dick, who as Chairman of the Board for Technical Development is responsible for the AUDI AG motorsport programme. "Therefore it goes without saying that Audi must also be present on the race track in economically hard times. It is all the more important for us to enter a motorsport category in which the cost-benefit calculation is positive." Audi therefore continues to support sport prototypes and the DTM. With the Audi R8 LMS, Audi also offers customer teams a racing car incorporating high-quality technology and the typical Audi traits but which is, however, also easy to operate. New diesel sports car for Le Mans Audi aims to demonstrate "Vorsprung durch Technik" specifically in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Audi is just one victory behind Ferrari in the French endurance classic's all time winners' list following its eighth victory last June. Only Porsche has more wins at Le Mans. Audi targets the ninth victory in probably the world's toughest car race, in which the development of alternative and fuel-saving power concepts are the focus of attention, in June 2009 with a newly developed LMP1 sports car. The Audi R15 TDI differs significantly from its predecessor, the R10 TDI, at first glance and features many technically innovative details with which Audi aims to maintain its supremacy in Le Mans. The new Le Mans prototype is equipped with a smaller, lighter and even more efficient TDI engine. During the chassis and aerodynamic development Audi Sport engineers followed similar routes to those exhibited on the current Audi A4 DTM. "It was clear to us that we must develop a new car if we wanted to continue to be successful in Le Mans," explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. "The Audi R15 TDI is the result. The step from R10 to R15 is significantly larger than it was from the R8 to the R10." Only the basic concept was carried over from the predecessor model: The R15 TDI is also powered by a TDI engine and is an open-topped roadster. Audi does not wish to release any further details at this time. The first private tests with the new Le Mans sports car are scheduled for later this year. The R15 TDI will only be presented to the public immediately before its race debut in the 12-hour race in Sebring (USA) on 21 March 2009. Audi Sport Team Joest will field three new R15 TDI prototypes in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Development of the 2008 championship winning DTM car Audi competes in the DTM as defending champions with a development of the 2008 championship winning car and with an ambitious target: Audi aims to be the first automobile manufacturer in the history of the "new" DTM to win the title three times in succession. The DTM version of the new A4, which set the standards during the 2008 season with eight pole positions and six victories, is optimised in every area and carries the project name "R14 plus" internally. Four new A4 cars and up to five 2008 cars will be fielded by the proven teams Abt Sportsline, Phoenix and Rosberg. Audi also relies on known quantities for its driver squad: Every driver will be recruited from the driver line-up seen in action during the 2008 season in the DTM and R10 TDI. GT3 race version of the Audi R8 With the GT3 race version of the R8, Audi has specifically developed a racing sports car for customer use for the first time. The Audi R8 LMS is powered by a 500 hp plus V10 engine and is available from autumn 2009 for a proposed price of 262,000 Euro plus VAT. The new Audi R8 LMS will be seen in action on the race track during the 2009 season: Up to eight customer cars will compete in different European race series and in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, for which Audi Sport develops an endurance version of the R8 LMS. The factory itself does not plan to enter any races with the new GT3 car. The experienced drivers Christian Abt, Frank Biela and Frank Stippler are involved in the Audi R8 LMS development. Audi adds another pillar to its existing motorsport programme with the customer programme, which should be self-financing in the medium term. The new customer sport centre in Ingolstadt is conceived as a profit centre. Motorsport represents huge value for Audi "2008 was the largest and most successful motorsport programme in AUDI AG history," explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. "We want to continue this in 2009. In view of the international economic and financial crisis, it is clear that motorsport must also make a contribution to reduce costs further. It is all the more pleasing that we have found a way to continue our two large projects, the new Le Mans sports car and the DTM, and added another string to our bow with the GT3 customer sport programme. This demonstrates just how valuable motorsport is for Audi."

 

Lightweight Design - It’s an Art: The Audi ASF Design Principle

Most manufacturers' cars have grown heavier as the years have gone by. This isn't true of Audi. Quite the opposite: more than ten years ago the Audi A8 and the Audi A2, with their aluminum bodies, put a stop to this never-ending spiral of increased weight. Since then, Audi has developed this pioneering weight-saving technology more and more. Today ASF (Audi Space Frame), as it is now known, is used for four Audi models: the TT, TT Roadster, R8 and A8. ASF: the three letters stand for Audi Space Frame – the technology with which Audi has completely reinvented car body construction. ASF is a breakaway from the problem of spiraling weight that has its origins in the growing demands that a modern car must satisfy. The new principle makes a major contribution to the dynamic performance and high efficiency of these Audi models. The TT 2.0 TDI quattro, for example, with its 125 kW (170 hp) diesel engine, sprints up to 100 km/h from a standstill in 7.5 seconds, and has a top speed of 226 km/h. Yet its average consumption is only 5.3 liters of diesel fuel per 100 kilometers, a sensationally low figure. ASF technology can look back on a development process that has brought Audi a three-figure collection of patents and the "European Inventor of the Year 2008" award from the European Patent Office. The brand now possesses broad-based know-how covering everything from the best metal alloys through casting and forming to suitable component joining techniques. The framework of an ASF body consists of extruded aluminum sections and pressure castings. This frame carries the sheet aluminum elements, for example the roof panel, which are rigidly connected to it and help to withstand loads on the body. The elements of the Audi Space Frame are very varied in shape and cross-section, depending on the tasks they have to perform. Like the bones of a human skeleton, they combine optimal function with low weight. The big advantage of extruded sections is their design flexibility. The side sills of the Coupe and Roadster bodies, for instance, look identical, and the same tools and machines can be used to produce them. Inside, however, they are topology-optimized using bionic principles, and the ribs that govern their rigidity therefore have different patterns – the Roadster needs greater rigidity in this area than the Coupe. In all cases, the extruded sections used for the TT's body are made from advanced aluminum alloys, to increase their strength still more and lower their weight at the same time. The castings, which withstand extremely severe loads, are primarily deployed where high forces are introduced locally and where intelligent multifunctionality is required. A good example is the A-post node, a hi-tech multifunctional component that links the side member, sill, A-post and wind-shield cross-member together. Like all these aluminum castings, it is notable for precision geometry and maximum use of the available space. The TT Coupe and Roadster introduced a new variant of ASF technology, with steel used in addition to aluminum at certain points. This innovative hybrid construction principle cuts the car's total weight by as much as 100 kilograms compared with the previous models, which relied entirely on steel. At the rear of the floor pan in particular, for the doors and for the trunk lid, these compact Audi sports cars contain fully galvanized steel elements. Although these steel components weigh more than aluminum, they help to achieve well-balanced front and rear axle load distribution. The TT 2.0 TFSI weighs only 1,260 kilograms unloaded – a splendid figure for a sports car. Its body weighs a mere 206 kg; this figure is made up of 140 kg of aluminum (68 percent) and 66 kg of steel. An equivalent body built in steel by conventional methods would be almost 100 kg heavier. The aluminum used in the body consists of 63 kg of sheet, 45 kg of castings and 32 kg of extruded sections. The Roadster tips the scales at 251 kilograms. Audi's wealth of experience is invaluable when aluminum and steel components have to be joined. Various methods are employed: punch riveting, clinching and adhesive bonding. The problem of contact corrosion between these two metals has been solved by choosing adhesives that form an isolating layer. Camera systems monitor their correct application. A fourth joining technique is new: self-tapping screws inserted by robots generate friction that melts the surface of the component, so that they can penetrate completely into the material and form a rigid connection. Another innovative concept used on the TT is the aluminum zero-gap joint between the roof and the side section, which is produced by laser welding. The Audi TT with its hybrid ASF, constructed in Ingolstadt, Germany, but shipped to Györ in Hungary for final assembly, has characteristics that suit a sports car outstandingly well. Compared with the previous model, the Coupe's static torsional rigidity is about 50 percent higher, while that of the Roadster in fact more than doubled. At the same time, however, there is a high level of freedom from bothering vibration and excellent crash impact absorption. Low weight is one of the keys to captivating road dynamics and high efficiency. To reduce a car's weight by 100 kilograms is to improve its fuel consumption by about 0.3 l/100 km, and also to emit between 7.5 and 12.5 grams less of CO2 per kilometer. Customers and trade experts alike have praised this tendency: at the end of 2006, Audi's new hybrid body design principle received the Euro Car Body Award, the most important European trophy for innovation in body construction. Audi has already gained this award in 2003, for the ASF used for the Audi A8. Audi Technology ABC • Aluminum is an element frequently found in chemical compounds in the earth's crust. It is obtained from bauxite, an ore, and is suitable for a large number of applications. Its characteristics make it ideally suitable for vehicle bodies: thanks to its low density it is two-thirds lighter than conventional grades of steel, and since it is a relatively soft metal, it is easy to machine. For high strength, it is alloyed with magnesium and silicon. If aluminum can be recovered without being mixed with other materials, it can be recycled most effectively, which improves its energy balance sheet still further. • Audi is continuing to shape the future, in lightweight design and elsewhere too. Inaugurated in 1994, the Aluminum and Lightweight Design Center in Neckarsulm, Germany, employs more than 120 specialists to work on new joining techniques, body structures, materials and construction techniques. They also look into the use of high-strength and ultra-high-strength grades of steel. In the area of fiber composites too, Audi acts as an innovative pioneer and trend-setter.

 

Audi S3 and S3 Sportback with S tronic

di,A milestone in transmission technology is now available in the Audi S3 and S3 Sportback sporty compact models. The S tronic dual-clutch transmission unites the powerful two-liter TFSI engine with the road in a manner that is both sporty and efficient. This ensures quicker acceleration, high agility and ride comfort along with improved fuel efficiency. A genuine marvel of engineering, the revolutionary S tronic dual-clutch transmission has been a sensation ever since it debuted in the Audi TT 3.2 quattro in spring 2003. It combines the advantages of a compact six-speed manual transmission with the qualities of a modern automatic. The driver thus benefits from enormous agility and driving pleasure with acceleration that is both harmonious and dynamic, without any perceptible interruption in the power flow. This is coupled with good economy thanks to low fuel consumption, and convenient operation. The ultracompact S tronic with twin multi-plate clutch can simultaneously preselect two gears. With its ingenious electrohydraulic operation, it shifts from one gear to the next in a split second. It can thus enable engine torque as high as 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft). The powerhouse engine in the S3 is an ideal partner: the 2.0 TFSI has already won the "Engine of the Year Award" four times. It supplies 195 kW (265 hp) and maximum torque of 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft), which remains constant from 2,500 to 5,000 rpm. At a weight of just 152 kilograms (335.10 pounds), this turbocharged direct-fuel-injection engine propels the Audi S3 and the S3 Sportback into the exclusive class of compact sports cars. The S tronic makes the dynamic spearhead of the A3 family even speedier. It further reduces, by two-tenths of a second, the time required to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h (0 to 62.14 mph). More specifically, in just 5.5 seconds for the S3 and 5.6 seconds for the Sportback. At the same time, fuel consumption has improved to 8.3 liters/100km (28.34 mpg) with CO2 emissions of just 193 g/km (310.60 g/mile) (A3 Sportback: 8.4 liters/100km (28.00 mpg) and 195 g/km (313.82 g/mile). Both of these sporty models are now available at dealerships: the S3 for €38,900 and the S3 Sportback for €39,800.

 

Production at Audi characterized by uncompromising perfection

- Strict quality-consciousnes - Efficient use of resources - Needs of employees taken into consideration Automobiles from Audi are front-runners in their market segments – thanks to Vorsprung durch Technik, the technological lead that also extends to the field of manufacturing. The Production operation at Audi is innovative, and is characterized by uncompromising precision and strict quality-consciousness. It takes into consideration such aspects as the needs of our employees and efficient use of resources. And today, in a media workshop at the Ingolstadt site, Audi will be demonstrating all of these strengths of its manufacturing operation. The dynamic, elegant design of the Audi models stems from Audi's high competence in the use of steel and aluminum. The presses operate with the utmost precision – even a hair's-breadth deviation would not be tolerated. High-tech sensors check every sheet metal blank for potential flaws before it ever reaches the press – a technology in whose evolution Audi played a crucial role together with young scientists. Press-hardened steels – a further pioneering achievement – lend the body maximum strength and impact resistance, while simultaneously reducing its weight. And Audi is also at the cutting edge when it comes to engines. The cylinder barrels of the V6 and V8 TDI engines are exposed with laser light. This process, which displays precision ranging down to thousandths of a millimeter, makes diesel engines even more efficient and longer-lived. Laser exposure is one of numerous Audi production technologies that are already being used in mass production today. Manufacturing at Audi is innovative. The first step in creating every new production line is to plan it on the computer as a 'Digital Factory'; it is designed for high efficiency and flexibility. A textbook example is the way doors are manufactured in the Body Shop operation at the Ingolstadt site, where the Audi A4 Sedan, the Audi A4 Avant and the Audi Q5 run on a single production system. Throughout the entire Production operation, Audi places tremendous emphasis on the efficient use of energy; the company's own cutting-edge power plant supplies portions of the Ingolstadt site with electricity, heat and refrigeration. The logistics chain, too, is highly efficient and designed throughout with an eye to resource conservation – from shipment of the components to the factory right through to rail distribution of the finished automobiles. The Audi Production System (APS) guarantees the high level at which Audi builds cars. It defines the manufacturing rules with the objective of maximum efficiency: it describes the standardizations, the materials management systems, the quality processes, the way the workstations are organized and the Continuous Improvement Process (CIP). The CIP is an instrument that ensures that progress never stops at Audi. The focus of the entire production process is on people – on our customers, who receive the utmost in quality and innovative technology, as well as on our employees, for whom the ergonomic manufacturing concepts are designed; in fact, Audi has even developed special shoes for the assembly workers. And when it comes to the sum total of improvements stemming from the initiative of our employees, the brand with the four rings is at the forefront of its competitive field – a concrete manifestation of the high levels of motivation that prevail throughout the entire Audi family. source Audi press release