Tag Archives: Audi

Audi Thinks You Need To Be Making $120k To Afford A 2022 A3

October 20, 2021 admin

Many of us are happy to accept that we’ll never be able to afford a fancy European supercar. It’s why posts about mid-engined exotics can often generate less reaction than ones on cars like the BMW M3 and Audi RS3, which might seem almost as unattainable today, but could well be a realistic ownership proposition at some point in the future.

And while you’re waiting for the financial stars to align so you can buy that RS3, you can always make steps down that road by buying an S3 or a regular A3. I mean, the A3’s just a slightly nicer VW Golf, so you wouldn’t need to be that wealthy to afford one, right?

Wrong, at least according to data Audi released for the North American launch of the 2022 A3, S3 and RS3. The company provided sample customer profiles for the three versions of its compact that included gender, age, and marital status, but the thing that really stood out to us was the median household income (HHI) for each vehicle.

Audi expects even customers buying the regular A3 to have an HHI of $120,000, which rises to $150,000 for the sporty S3. And if you want the Nürburgring-monstering RS3 and its fancy new drift mode, you better be bringing in a serious $200k a year or you’re not on Audi’s radar and the salesmen may well redirect you to the nearest Kia showroom.

Driven: The 2022 Audi S3 And A3 Are Your Fast And Sensible Baby Executive Sedans

For context, the median HHI across the U.S. was $67,521 in 2020. Which means you need to be making about twice the national average just to get yourself into a 2.0-liter front-wheel-drive sedan with four rings on the nose by Audi’s calculations, and more than three times the average to take an RS3 home.

The 2022 A3 starts at $33,900 for a basic FWD car, but prices rise to $43,200 for the Prestige with Quattro transmission. From there it’s only a small jump to the $44,900 S3, whose Quattro system is tested by a more powerful 306 hp 2.0-liter motor, while the 401 hp (394 hp in Europe), five-cylinder RS3 is likely to cost around $60,000.

Still want to be able to stick that Audi fob on the bar but can barely afford a drink let alone make enough bread to hit Audi’s outrageous $120k HHI target? We got you covered with this Copart find. A 2006 2.0 Premium located in Des Moines, IA, it’s currently bid to just $500 and looks fine…apart from the zombie ice pick dents in the hood.

R8 Vs. RS E-Tron GT Drag Race Shows Us Which Audi Is The Quickest

July 31, 2021 admin

The Audi R8 and RS E-Tron GT are both high performance cars, but one is a mid-engine V10 supercar, while the other is an electric sports sedan. Regardless of their differences, both are cars designed for speed, so that begs the question: which one is quicker? That’s what Carwow attempts to find out in their latest video as the two are pitted against each other in a series of challenges.

The R8 in the video is a pre-facelift model, but its 5.2-liter V10 engine has been tuned to make the same 612 hp (620 PS / 456 kW) and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of torque as the current model. The RS E-Tron GT, on the other hand, is powered by two electric motors producing 637 hp (646 PS / 475 kW) and 612 lb-ft (830 Nm) of torque.

On paper, the two seem evenly matched, with both having all-wheel drive and similar power figures, but there are other factors at play that will determine the outcome of the challenges. For instance, the E-Tron has the additional benefit of instant electric torque, but it also weighs 1,468 lb (665 kg) more than the R8.

In the first drag race, the E-Tron GT left the R8 in its dust and just kept widening the gap until the finish line. In the second, the R8 actually got the better launch, but the E-Tron ultimately took the win by a sizeable margin. The third and final drag race was the most evenly matched of the bunch, with both cars neck and neck until the E-Tron managed to eek out the win at the very end.

We won’t spoil the other two challenges, so to see the results of the roll races and braking tests, you can check out for yourself the video right below.

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BMW M4 Vs. Mercedes-AMG C63 Vs. Audi RS5: Which Is The Quickest Premium Sports Coupe?

April 11, 2021 admin

The BMW M4, Mercedes-AMG C63 and Audi RS5 are all great compact premium coupes with lots of performance, but which one takes the prize when you pit them against each other?

One might argue that the Quattro all-wheel drive system of the Audi is hard to beat. Some might say that the twin-turbocharged V8 engine of the Mercedes is simply superior here, whereas others would defend the BMW simply because it is arguably the most fun to drive.

Driven: Here’s Why The 2021 BMW M4 Competition Is Great – And How It Could Be Better

Okay, that obviously does not answer the question, so it’s time to see them in action, in a video that focuses solely on the straight-line performance, from a standing and a rolling start, and includes brake tests too. But before doing that, let’s see what the spec sheets say, starting with the Audi, which uses a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 that makes 444 HP and 442 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque. It can hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds and up to 174 mph (280 km/h) with the optional RS Dynamic Package.

The C63 S, on the other hand, which is the pinnacle of the previous-gen C-Class lineup, has a 503 HP and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and will do the 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h). And the new M4 Competition uses a twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six with 503 HP and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm), for a nought to 62 mph of 3.9 seconds and a maximum speed of 180 mph (290 km/h).

On paper, then, they are almost inseparable when it comes to straight line speed. However, 0-60 times are one thing; how they actually perform in the real world can be quite another. So, which comes out on top?

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BMW Wins U.S. Luxury Sales Crown By Less Than 4,000 Units

January 8, 2021 admin

2020 was a year most automakers would like to forget and that’s especially true in the luxury segment as every single brand posted a decline in U.S. sales.

However, the luxury sales crown is a closely watched contest and only a few thousand units separated BMW, Mercedes and Lexus last year.

BMW took top honors as they sold 278,732 vehicles in the United States. That’s a drop of 17.5%, but it’s worth noting the automaker was fined $18 (£13.3 / €14.7) million by the Securities and Exchange Commission for inflating their sales between 2015 and 2019.

Also Read: 2020 Was Brutal For Automakers As Many Post Decline In Sales

Second place went to Lexus which sold 275,041 vehicles last year. That’s a decline of 7.7% and the drop can be partly attributed to weak sales of the ES and RX.

Rounding out the podium is Mercedes. They sold 274,916 passengers vehicles – excluding vans – for a drop of 13.0%. C-Class sales plummeted 46.5% for the year, while sales of the E-Class / CLS and S-Class were both off by more than 30%.

Over at Audi, sales dropped 17% to 186,620 units. Their big losers were the A4, A6 and A7 which all saw declines of between 31-42%. On the bright side, Q3 sales skyrocketed 84% for the year.

Acura came in fifth place with sales of 136,983 units. That’s a decline of 13.5% and that can be chalked up to weaker demand for the outgoing TLX and MDX. However, both models are new for 2021.

The final two spots go to Cadillac and Lincoln. Cadillac sales were down 17.1% to 129,495 units, while Lincoln sales were off 6.1% at 105,410 units.

Lincoln sales will likely drop again this year as the brand has axed the MKZ and Continental. While they were Lincoln’s slowest selling vehicles, aside from the MKT, they still contributed 17,780 units to the bottom line last year.

Lastly, Infiniti sales were down 32.5% to 79,502 units. The drop was largely due to a decline in Q50 and QX60 sales which were off 36.4% and 47.0%, respectively.

2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback Is All About Refinement, Not Neck-Snapping Performance

November 2, 2020 admin

A couple of months after customer deliveries of the 2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback kicked off in the UK, Carfection had the opportunity to put the all-electric SUV through its paces.

UK buyers can choose between three distinct variants. The entry-level model is the 55 quattro S line, while sitting above it is the 55 quattro Launch Edition. The range is topped out by the 55 quattro Vorsprung, although as the ‘55’ badge in the name suggests, there are no powertrain differences between the three.

As such, all come with a 95 kWh battery pack that powers a pair of electric motors which produce 355 hp and 414 lb-ft (561 Nm) of torque. The SUV does also features a ‘Boost Mode’ that increases those figures to 402 hp and 490 lb-ft (664 Nm) of torque, allowing Audi‘s EV to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in 5.5 seconds.

While the E-Tron Sportback features a Quattro all-wheel drive system, it operates primarily in rear-wheel drive mode and the front axle is engaged only when needed, giving the SUV a nice rear-wheel drive bias.

One interesting driving quirk of the E-Tron Sportback is the fact that, while it has plenty of horsepower and torque, it doesn’t fire off the line and push you into the back of your seat like so many other electric vehicles. Instead, Audi has calibrated the electric motors to provide a more gradual power band that adds to the pleasant driving experience.

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Lexus LFA Vs. Audi R8 V10 Spyder Drag Race Could Go Either Way

September 6, 2020 admin

The Lexus LFA is regarded as one of the best supercars ever made, yet ever since it left production at the end of 2012 after only two years and 500 units made, the automotive industry has stepped up its game with significant advancements in aerodynamics and powertrain development.

So, can it still hold its ground in a direct battle with more modern machines like the Audi R8? That is what we are about to find out in the next few minutes, as the Japanese exotic faced the Spyder version of the German supercar in a quarter-mile sprint.

The R8 V10 Spyder seems to have the upper hand in this test, as its naturally aspirated 5.2-liter ten-cylinder engine puts out 611 HP (620 PS / 456 kW) and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of torque. According to Audi Sport, this translates into a nought to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) acceleration of just 3.2 seconds and a 204 mph (328 km/h) top speed.

The LFA also packs a V10, but with a smaller displacement of 4.8 liters. Co-developed with Yamaha, the engine pumps out 552 HP (560 PS / 412 kW) and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque. It needs 3.8 seconds to hit the 62 mph mark and will max out at 202 mph (325 km/h).

However, despite being less powerful, the Lexus is around 640 lbs (290 kg) lighter than the R8, which tips the scales at 3,900 lbs (1,770 kg). This levels the playing field somewhat and, thus, makes the outcome of this drag race far from a foregone conclusion.

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