Audi

World's Most Stylish Superyachts Set Sail for Perini Navi Cup

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Yachts & Sailing, Events, Wealth

The Perini Navi Cup, an annual super-luxe regatta in Sardinia dedicated to the world's most stylish sailing superyachts built by the famed Italian boatyard Perini Navi, is gearing up for its biggest year ever with an extra day of racing and help from some big-name sponsors.

Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of yachts, from the megabucks Maltese Falcon to the Lord Foster-designed Panthalassa and founder Fabio Perini's own Elettra are slated to make the scene and compete for the top prize under the auspices of the ultra-exclusive Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.

Set to take place September 1–4 in the waters around Porto Cervo, big ticket sponsors include Rolex, Audi and Champagne Pommery.

Want to compete in the Cup? There are six Perini Navi yachts available for sale via global online luxury marketplace JamesList, ranging from the 131-ft. Clan VI built in 1983 for $7.3 million, to the 184-ft. Salute built in 2008 for $50 million. There are also six Perini beauties for charter on JamesList, from the 110-ft. Heritage M built in 2000 for $95,000 per week to an impressive 164-ft. cruiser built in 2001 for $195,000 per week.

Gallery: The Perini Navi Cup

Tags: Audi, JamesList, Maltese Falcon, Panthalassa, Perini Navi, regatta, Rolex, sailing yachts, Sardinia, sports, yacht charter, yachts

Audi R8 GT Coming to America for $200K

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Exclusive. Fast. Stylish. Few cars are as eminently desirable as the Audi R8. More desirable still is the V10-powered R8 5.2 FSI. But at the top of the heap is the R8 GT. Unveiled at the Paris Auto Salon last year, the R8 GT packs the same V10 engine, but tuned to 560 horsepower and with 180 fewer pounds to drag around, it's that much faster.

Only 90 examples of this raw performance machine will be coming to the United States, each carrying a price tag of $196,800, making it the most expensive car Audi offers, and probably the most expensive it ever has.

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Tags: audi, audi r8, audi r8 gt, luxury car, r8, r8 gt, vehi

2011 Geneva Motor Show: The Luxury Sedans & SUVs

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Every year the Geneva Motor Show features a staggering array of new luxury sedans, estate wagons, crossovers and sport-utility vehicles on display. And this year's show, still ongoing at the Geneva Palexpo, has proven no exception.

Among the production and concept debuts in these diverse categories were new vehicles from Audi, BMW Alpina, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Saab and Volvo, as well as the return of De Tomaso. Follow the jump to see what these European automakers had in store for us this year.

Tags: 2011 geneva motor show, alpina, alpina b5 biturbo, alpina b5 biturbo touring, audi, audi a3, audi a3 sedan, audi a3 sedan concept, bertone, bertone b99, bmw, bmw alpina, bmw alpina b5 biturbo touring, detomaso+geneva+concept, detomasogenevaconcept, geneva, geneva 2011, geneva motor show, geneva+auto+show+2011, geneva+motor+show+2011, genevaautoshow2011, genevamotorshow2011, jaguar, jaguar b99, land rover range rover autobiography ultimate edition, land rover range_e, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz c-class coupe, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate, porsche, porsche panamera, porsche panamera s hybrid, range rover autobiography ultimate edition, range+rover+ultimate+edition, rangeroverultimateedition, range_e, rolls-royce, Rolls-Royce 102EX, Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric, rolls-royce phantom, saab, saab 9-5, Saab 9-5 SportCombi, volvo, volvo v60, volvo v60 plug-in hybrid

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Audi to Unveil New A3 Concept in Geneva

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Audi's A3 line used to be its smallest, but with the A1 hatchback slotting in beneath it, Audi looks eager to differentiate the A3 from its smaller sibling. And to that end, it is planning to unveil a new concept car at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.

Bearing a four-door coupe shape similar to the larger Mercedes-Benz CLS but in a smaller form with a "nothback" rear profile, the A3 concept is slightly longer than the current five-door A3 Sportback but shorter than the A4 sedan. The 408-horsepower turbocharged five-cylinder engine from the mighty TT RS has been shoehorned in under the hood driving to all four wheels courtesy of Audi's trademark Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

So far Audi's only released sketches of the concept car, but we'll bring you more from the floor of the Geneva show next week.

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Tags: 2011 geneva motor show, a3, a3 concept, adui a3, audi, audi a3 concept, geneva, geneva 2011, geneva motor show

Audi Unveils the New Armored A8 L Security

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

In hostile parts of the world, there can be no greater luxury than security. And the Audi A8 L Security has both in spades.

Based on the company's flagship long-wheelbase luxury sedan, the A8 L Security upgrades with enough armor plating and bulletproof glass to earn German VR 7 ballistic certification and withstand barrage from everything from assault rifles to anti-tank mines.

To help extricate itself from sticky situations, the A8 L Security is equipped with a 500-horsepower W-12 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission. But don't expect it to come cheap. The previous model cost about $685,000, and we wouldn't expect the new version to cost much less.

Tags: a8, Audi, Audi A8, Audi A8 L Security, geneva motor show

Carbon Ski Concept by Audi and Head

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

Audi has culled its experience from motorsports and its partnership with the German Ski Association to design a fresh take on the downhill ski.

Built around a wooden core, sandwiched with aluminum and titanium and coated in carbon fiber, the Audi Carbon Ski concept is said to be some 200 grams lighter than a comparable conventional design. And though the design remains a concept for the time being, Audi and sports equipment firm Head are testing the skis for production potential.

Tags: audi, audi carbon ski, head, ski, skis, winter sports

Ranking The Luxe Car Super Bowl Ads

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi all advertised in the Super Bowl this year, and all three took very different creative strategies.

Mercedes-Benz ran a 60-second ad that tried to call attention to its entire current lineup of vehicles by juxtaposing them against decades of classic Mercedes-Benzes. In the ad, classic Mercedes vehicles start themselves and drive themselves en masse to a place where they can see the new Mercedes vehicles. Hip Hop star Sean John appears in the ad, having had his silver Mercedes start-up on its own and leave his driveway.

BMW ran two ads, one that showcased its all-new X3 crossover, and the fact that all X3 are built at the company's Spartanburg, SC plant. The other ad featured BMW's clean diesel vehicles, contrasting them to the image many have of diesel cars--sooty, stinky and loud.

Audi ran an ad for the new A8 sedan (pictured) depicting a prison break in a fictitious prison for the white collar criminals who are mostly the epitome of affected wealth. Audi, which likes to use comedy in its Super Bowl ads, hired Kenny G for a cameo as a riot suppressant warden.

Tags: audi, bmw, clean diesel, mercedes-benz, super bowl ads, Super Bowl XLV

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BMW Advertises Diesel Cars in Super Bowl

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

For the second year in a row, a German luxury carmaker used the Super Bowl to push "clean diesel" powered cars.

BMW's ad in the big game on February 6 contrasted the clean burning, performance oriented engines with those of sooty tractor trailers and diesel cars of yester-year. Music for the Super Bowl spot is David Bowie's "Changes."

Tags: Audi, BMW, clean diesel, green police, Super Bowl ad

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Audi's Super Bowl Ad Feature Kenny G and Prisons For The Rich

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Audi today announced that Grammy-winning saxophonist Kenny G will make an appearance in the company's 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLV. The ad will feature an adventurous prison escape scene that culminates with a cameo by Kenny G as the luxury prison "Riot Suppressor."

The gGrman automaker launched an online teaser video on youtube featuring an adventurous prison escape scene that shows the storyline of the ad. The prison is one for white-collar criminals, and obvious "prisoners" of "old" luxury notions.

This video and ad comes on the heels of an ad launched by Audi that pays homage to the children's book "Goodnight Moon," and tries to contrast Audi (defined by the company as "progressive" luxury against "old" luxury like Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Audi also kicks off Super Bowl® week online with multiple social media elements that allow fans to join the movement to re-define luxury. Starting today, fans can visit Facebook at audi.us/EstateSale and Twitter at http://audi.us/ProgressIs to RSVP to Audi's two social media contests aimed at saying goodbye to old luxury and hello to Progressive Luxury.

Tags: audi, bmw, kenny g, mercedes-benz, super bowl ads, superbowl ads

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Mercedes-Benz C Class Diesel Coming To U.S. in 2012

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Mercedes-Benz's U.S. divisionis expanding its clean diesel BlueTec lineup to include its C-Class for the 2013 model year, so it will be arriving in showrooms in 2012.

Ernst Lieb, CEO of Mercedes-Benz North America, also said the German automaker intends to bring a diesel version of the GLK-Class crossover. The German carmaker this year has already announced the addition of a diesel S Class.

Clean diesel sales are mounting among German automakers, which sell more of the vehicles in Europe, are pushing the vehicles in the U.S. Diesel accounted in 2010 for 53 percent of Audi A3 deliveries and more than 43 percent of Audi Q7 registrations. The A3 TDI diesel won the 2010 Green Car of The Year Award.

Tags: audi, bluetec, bluetec-diesel, bmw diesel, diesel, mercedes c class, TDI

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Audi Tops Among Luxury Cars for "Total Value."

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Four Audi models earned the highest scores in their categories, according to the newly released Strategic Vision 2010 Total Value Index.

The Total Value Index measures the total value of a vehicle from the ownership experience to financial considerations, such as fuel economy, resale value and reliability. It's a comprehensive study that Strategic Vision has issued for 14 years.

In the 2010 report, Audi had more segment leaders than any other luxury car maker. For the third consecutive year, the Q7 (pictured) took the top position in the luxe SUV category. The Audi A8 won the luxe car category, while the Audi A5 Cabriolet was named the top model among convertibles costing more than $30,000. The Audi TT turned in the best score in the category for Premium Coupes costing more than $28,000.

"Overall value is a key factor with today's luxury car buyers," said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. "We recognize that future success depends on meeting the short-term and long-term value expectations of our customers."

Tags: A5, a8, audi, audi tt, q7, Strategic vision, Total Value Awards

Audi Super Bowl Ad Bashes "Old Luxury"

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

German automaker Audi is taking on not only Mercedes-Benz in a new ad it plans to run during the 2011 Super Bowl, it is taking on traditional symbols of luxury.

The ad, created by San Francisco ad agency Venables Bell & Partners, is a play on the children's book "Goodnight Moon." The voiceover in the ad backs up a camera shot that winds its way through a mansion of rooms. We see the mansion's exterior, a decadent table set complete with candelabras, some sort of exotic animal sleeping around the neck of a sleeping woman decked out in a party gown, and a fox-hunter lamp comes to life and turns its own light out. "Good night old luxury and all your wares....Good night bygones everywhere (the camera fixes on a Mercedes)." The video for the commercial is after the jump.

Audi of America chief marketing officer Scott Keogh says that his brand represents "progressive luxury," while brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW are "old luxury." In an interview with Luxist, Keogh even referred to BMW as suffering from "Snookization," a reference to the fact that the Snooki character from MTV's Jersey Shore bought a BMW 3 Series in the show's second season.

Tags: Audi, BMW, Jersey Shore season 2, Mercedes-Benz, Snooki, Super Bowl ads

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Audi Displays Type C e-tron at International Toy Fair

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Luxury Cars & Autos

Last year Audi became the first automaker to display at the International Toy Fair. But as fun as their cars can be, it wasn't their full-size automobiles that were on display at the Nuremberg expo: it was their range of toys, of course, including a children's pedal car styled after the iconic Auto Union Type C "Silver Arrow" grand prix car, only about half the size.

This year Audi came back with an electric version bearing the same "e-tron" label as its full-size electric concepts. The "Type C e-tron study" packs a 1.5-horsepower electric motor to drive the little car up to 18.64 miles per hour with a range of over 15 miles on a single charge, which takes two hours on a standard 230-volt European socket. Best of all, while it's designed for children, it can accommodate an adult up to 5'11".

Unfortunately it appears to be just a concept at the moment, but with enough enthusiasm Audi could very well put it into production, perfect for scooting around the grounds of a private estate or gated community.

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Tags: audi, audi e-tron, Audi Type C, Auto Union Type C, e-tron, international toy fair, pedal car, silver arrow

Audi Wins World Snow Polo Championship in Aspen

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Sports

Audi's team of aces beat out the Beluga Vodka squad from Russia to capture the World Snow Polo Championship in Aspen the other day after a fierce battle. The conditions at Aspen's Wagner Park were not ideal this year; thin snow cover prevented organizers from being able to properly pack and groom the field with heavy equipment, the Aspen Times reports. "Players spent much of the day at a standstill, trying to dig the ball out of the snow or muffing shots as the half-buried ball refused to budge, even after a hard strike," the paper notes. "Several point-blank scoring opportunities were lost as players were unable to get a clean strike." Bombardier Jets' team took third place. Meanwhile, competition is heating up for the St. Moritz Polo World Cup (above) taking place later this month in Switzerland, which will no doubt offer better conditions.

Tags: Aspen, Audi, Bombardier, equestrian, horses, polo, Russia, Snow Polo, sports, St. Moritz, winter sports

2012 Audi A6 Arrives in the New Year

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Audi AG has taken the covers off the 2012 Audi A6, which will go on sale early next year.

The German automaker also announced that both hybrid and diesel versions of the luxury sedan will be produced.

The redesign of the A6 has been done to fit into the new design family at Audi, exemplified by the 2011 A8 sedan. Among the interior changes to the new A6: a new interior with a wrap-around dashboard, wood paneling and seats that are heated, cooled and able to massage the driver whilst driving.

The diesel engine choices will include a 2.0-liter turbo diesel that Audi is claiming will get 48 miles to the gallon. Audi will also continue to offer the 3.0-liter TFSI engine from the current A6 with 300-hp and 27-mpg.

The new A6 will also be available with a hybrid drivetrain. The 2012 Audi A6 hybrid will be Audi's second hybrid model after the Q5, and will be powered by a 2.0-liter gasoline engine coupled to an electric motor and an eight-speed transmission.

Tags: Audi, Audi A6, Audi A8, Audi diesel, Audi hybrid