2010 Audi TT RS Prototype

Following the success of the Audi R8 LMS, Audi is set to expand their customer sport program's lineup with a new race car, this time based on the Audi TT RS. Jointly developed by the Technical Development and Production divisions of AUDI AG and quattro GmbH, the new TT RS race prototype uses a five-cylinder TFSI engine and features new racing-specific body, suspension and aerodynamic developments along with some components from the R8 LMS.

Making its test debut in the SP 4T class, Team Raeder Motorsport will contest the Audi TT RS prototype in the last two rounds of the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring on October 16th and 30th.

1908 Sizaire-naudin 12HP

Sizaire-Naudin was a small French manufacturer founded in 1905. The cars were design by Maurice Sizaire and built by his partner, Louis Naudin. With racecars, much like the one featured here, Sizaire-Naudin won the Coupe de l'Auto races in 1906, 1907 and 1908.

This particular model features one of the most powerfull single cylinder engines for its period. Thanks to the power, and unusual independant front suspension, the 12HP won many class victories.

1935 Audi 225 Front Special Roadster

Ingolstadt – The museum mobile in the Audi Forum Ingolstadt has organised a spectacular exhibition to commemorate the centenary of the Audi brand. For this unique event, which is entitled "From Horch to Audi – The history of perfection has a new name", historic cars have been collected together from all over Europe. From March 11 to July 16, 2009, visitors to the Audi museum mobile will be able to see thirteen cars dating from before the Second World War, including the first model to bear the Audi name, a 1911 Audi Type A, and a world premiere – the 1935 Audi 225 Front Special Roadster which was recently rebuilt. Both these cars, and many other exhibits as well, are the only examples to be seen anywhere in the world.

Car enthusiasts will welcome the chance to see outstanding examples from Audi’s early history, above all the timelessly elegant Audi Front Roadster, on display for the very first time. Only two specimens of this prototype were built in 1935, and both have disappeared. Audi Tradition therefore supplied an original chassis to the specialist Zinke company in Zwönitz, which built a replica body with only photographs as a guide. Now this roadster, a "dream in white", is making its world premiere at the Audi museum mobile.

1981 Audi Quartz Coupe

The Coupé Quartz, designed by Studio Pininfarina, used the underpinnings of the Audi quattro. Its outside skin was made from aluminium and Kevlar composite.

Audi e-tron Spyder

Audi presents the Audi e-tron Spyder, the study of an open sports car, at the fall 2010’s largest auto show. The show car, with plug-in hybrid drive, is 4.06 meters (13.32 ft) long, 1.81 meters (5.94 ft) wide and only 1.11 meters (3.64 ft) high. The two-seater is equipped with a 221-kW (300-hp) twin-turbo V6 TDI at the rear axle and two electric motors producing a total of 64 kW at the front axle.

The Audi e-tron Spyder’s low total weight of only around 1,450 kilograms (3,196.70 lb) combined with the high-torque TDI and the two electric motors results in respectable performance. The car accelerates to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 4.4 seconds, and top speed is electronically governed at 250 km/h (155.34 mph).

The Audi e-tron Spyder requires on average just 2.2l diesel/100 km (106.92 US mpg), corresponding to CO2 emissions of 59 g/km (94.95 g/mile). A range of more than 1,000 kilometers is possible with the 50-liter (13.21 US gallons) tank.

The Audi e-tron Spyder features what is without a doubt the most advanced and simultaneously the most consistent evolution of the current Audi design language, while also providing initial hints at the design language of future Audi sports cars. It reinterprets the most important design elements that already characterized the previous e-tron concept vehicles. This also ensures the necessary formal differentiation to the purely electric-powered Audi e-tron shown at the 2010 Detroit Motor Show.


The flanks sport familiar contours in a new form. Unusually sharply defined edges frame the smooth side surfaces while simultaneously separating horizontal from vertical areas.

The shoulder line frames the lines of the strongly contoured wheel wells even more distinctly than in the Audi R8 and combines them with the upper edge of the vehicle body. Particularly when viewed from the back, the e-tron Spyder appears even more pronouncedly horizontal and more strongly oriented toward the road.

An impression that is also created by the characteristic sills with a new cut and is picked up by the spoiler and diffuser at the front and rear of the car. Carbon elements borrow from motor sports to set special accents here as well. Carbon is also used on the engine cover in the rear and in license plate and lighting frame, which also includes the air outlets below the lateral light units.

The contrast of materials is reminiscent of a race car. The essential functional elements of the chassis and the vehicle body are done in carbon, while the body as a cover sports a classic paint finish. This illustrates the formal "shell-and-core" principle that defines the e-tron Spyder particularly clearly.

Thanks to an opening in the hood, even the longitudinal TDI mid-engine is a visible technological element surrounded by matt and glossy carbon surfaces, aluminum and leather. This combination of materials links the exterior with the interior of the vehicle.

Behind the seats are two cowls that gradually taper toward the rear and also flank the opening for the TDI engine and the implied cooling fins of the engine cover. They also contain the normally hidden rollover bars, which like in the production R8 Spyder shoot up within milliseconds and lock into place in the event of an emergency.

Interior
Visual and functional references to the fundamental concept of lightweight construction characterize the purist interior design. They establish a connection between proven Audi genes and new formal hallmarks. Typical for the Audi design idiom is the reduction of the architecture, controls and information output to the essentials in favor of a tidy overall impression.

The slim dash has a curve that extends laterally into the door panels. With no need to allow for a transmission, shifter and cardan tunnel, the designers again took advantage of the opportunity to create a particularly slim and lightweight center tunnel and convex, arching center console for the e-tron Spyder with hybrid drive. The only control element other than that of the MMI is the flush-mounted selector lever for the automatic transmission, which extends upward from the tunnel when the vehicle is started.

ASF body
In ASF technology, the body's supporting structure is made of extruded aluminum sections and die-castings. Aluminum panels are incorporated into this skeleton to form a positive connection and perform a load-bearing role. Each individual component of the ASF space frame is optimized for its specific task by the use of widely differing shapes and cross-sections, combining maximum stability with minimal weight. Despite the complex drive system layout with two electric motors and their respective drive systems plus the TDI engine, the Audi e-tron Spyder show car only weighs around 1,450 kilograms (3,196.70 lb).

Engines and transmissions
Audi has long proven the perfect synthesis between a highly advanced sports car and TDI technology. With the TT, Audi become one of the first manufacturers anywhere in the world to successfully bring a diesel sports car to market, a decade after the Audi Cabriolet paved the way for diesel engines in this segment. And the Audi R8 TDI Le Mans concept car was the first supercar to be fitted with a twelve-cylinder diesel engine with 500 hp and 1,000 Newton meters (737.56 lb-ft) of torque.

The Audi e-tron Spyder also draws on this recipe for success – albeit in a revolutionary new combination. This marks the first use of a new generation of the six-cylinder, 3.0 TDI that breathes through two turbochargers and produces 221 kW (300 hp). That is another 50 hp more than the previous stage, which debuted a few months ago in the new Audi A8.

Another innovation is the coupling of the TDI with the electric drive of the front axle. Two asynchronous electric motors with a total output of 64 kilowatt (88 hp) and peak torque of 352 Newton meters (259.62 lb-ft) combine with the 3.0 TDI to give the Audi e-tron Spyder the performance of a high-performance sports car. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 4.4 seconds. Top speed is electronically governed at 250 km/h (155.34 mph).

The drive’s characteristic is even more exciting than the abstract numbers. Thanks in no small part to the fact that the peak torque of the electric motors is available immediately, the e-tron Spyder accelerates with catapult-like thrust. Short passing maneuvers on interurban roads can be pulled off as spurts that are every bit as relaxed as they are fun, even without having to downshift.

The noise level of the low-revving TDI is typically low. The six-cylinder unit behind the occupants issues a sonorously sporty growl under load, but never becomes loud. A surprising effect also present in the Le Mans-winning Audi R10 and R15 race cars, which are also powered by TDI engines.

The benefits of this special form of hybrid drive – the coupling of a high-torque, high-efficiency TDI engine with the electric motors – are by no means limited to the dynamic potential of the Audi e-tron Spyder, however. The open two-seater also sets new standards in its class for fuel consumption and environmental characteristics. The 300-hp TDI consumes on average just 2.2 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (106.92 US mpg), which corresponds to CO2 emissions of only 59 g/km (94.95 g/mile).

The full-hybrid Audi e-tron Spyder has also mastered the discipline of zero-emission driving. In residential and other urban areas, the driver can activate the electric drive by itself. The 9.1-kwH battery at the front of the car has enough power for up to 50 kilometers (31.07 miles). And with a top speed of up to 60 km/h (37.28 mph), the e-tron Spyder is also able to move along smartly in city traffic.

Chassis
The normal distribution of the tractive power is clearly biased toward the rear axle in accordance with the weight distribution of the e-tron Spyder and the dynamic shift in axle load during acceleration. Similar to with a pure mid-engine sports car, roughly 75 percent of the torque goes to the rear and 25 percent to the front. If an axle slips, this balance can be varied thanks to the central control of the entire drive system in combination with the ESP. The hybrid vehicle from Audi thus enjoys all of the advantages of quattro technology.


As befitting its status, the Audi concept car rolls on 20-inch tires with a new blade design. 245/30 tires up front and 265/30 tires in the rear provide the necessary grip.

Audi TT GT4 Concept

On the occasion of the DTM race in Shanghai, Audi presented the concept of a GT4 car based on the Audi TT. The TT, developed by the Technical Development and the Production divisions plus quattro GmbH, is intended to extend Audi's new modular customer sport program from 2012 forward.

With the production-based TT GT4, Audi wants to offer potential customers a base option for affordable motorsport. The vehicle's platform is a motorsport body with a roll-over cage, a safety-optimized fuel tank box and further modifications which will be identical for all future customer sport versions. The Audi TT is equipped with a TFSI engine delivering about 250 kW (340 hp). The front apron, rear apron and the rear wing stem from the production Audi TT RS. The hood, doors and trunk lid are made of CFRP and the windows of plastic. The TT is fitted with a S-tronic transmission with a differential lock, a modified production suspension with adjustable dampers, plus 9.5 x 18 inch light alloy wheels.

The Audi TT GT4 is planned to sell for about 120,000 euros. Audi is not only targeting Europe but also the Asian market. On the occasion of the DTM race in Shanghai the Audi TT is being launched in the Chinese market as well.

The five-time Le Mans winner Frank Biela did some demo laps in the new Audi TT on the street circuit in Shanghai. Other cars that could be seen in action in Shanghai as well were the SP4T version of the TT RS and the Audi R8 LMS.

2011 MTM Audi TT RS

Wettstetten/Ingolstadt-based Audi tuning and refining company MTM announces that it can break the 300 km/h with less than 500 horsepower, using the Audi TT RS. This seems a very difficult job for most tuners. What MTM does is it modifies the vehicle's electronic control unit and equips it with MTM's own turbocharger and a whole new set of MTM exhaust system. The tuning company's aim is to increase driving dynamics, acceleration and maximum speed.

 And the result is incredible. The refined Audi TT RS achieves 472 horsepower with 7000 rpm, accelerates 0-100km/h in just under 4 seconds coupled with a top speed of 312 km/h. It is worth noting that the standard Audi TT RS has a 2.5 liter inline-5 engine. As for the wheels, MTM has replaced the standard with Dunlop Sport Maxx tires. The tuned vehicle achieves 188.8 horsepower per liter. Costs for this MTM upgrade get quite pricey.

2011Wheels and more AUDI R8 V10.6

The German luxury tuning company for sports cars, Wheels and more, introduces their latest conversion of an Audi R8, simply named V10.6. The standard R8 is on a 5.2 liter FSI V10 2xDOHC; and Wheels and more increased the engine's serial power by doing some tweaks. Under the hood, they made a valve controlled exhaust system, special stainless steel and an ECU upgrade. The tuned Audi R8 can now have a whooping 600 horsepower and 590 pound of torque. It then runs at 115.4 horsepower per liter.
 
 To increase the agility of the R8, Wheels and more replaced its standard wheels with their own three-piece wheels. They are available with a wide choice of surface and color combinations, using a C-Sport 9,0 x 20 model with Continental Sport Contact III tires 235/30/20 at the front and 295/25/20 at the back. This adds an eye-catching visual appearance and sportier look to the Audi R8, making a car worth checking out.

2011 AUDI R8 GT

The limited-production Audi R8 GT boasts of a 5.2-liter V10 engine with an output of 560 hp and top speed of 320 km/h. The engine is positioned 90 degrees, lowering the center of gravity. The weight has been reduced to 100 kg, having now a weight of 1525 kg, thus, an improvement in aerodynamics. The power-to-weight ratio of 2.72 kg/hp and the Quattro’s permanent all-wheel drive provide a high-performance sports car.

The wheels are planted firmly on the asphalt since it has been reduced to 19 inches, and the carbon fiber ceramic brakes handle with ease, keeping the power under control. The R8 GT also uses light-emitting diodes (LED) for its headlights, generating a bright yet energy-saving, homogenous light. The interior of the R8 GT was developed to minimize the weight through the use of fiber glass reinforced plastic chassis on the bucket seats. The R8 GT has an R-tronic on board, which comes into two manual and two fully automatic modes.