2011 Audi Cars

 2011 Audi A3

 The 2011 A3 is a 4-door, 5-passenger luxury wagon, available in 6 trims, ranging from the 2.0T Premium Manual... read more to the 2.0T Premium quattro S tronic.

Upon introduction, the 2.0T Premium Manual is equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, I4, 200-horsepower, turbo engine that achieves 21-mpg in the city and 30-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard. The 2.0T Premium quattro S tronic is equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, I4, 200-horsepower, turbo engine that achieves 21-mpg in the city and 28-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. 

2011 Audi A4  

The 2011 A4 is a 4-door, 5-passenger luxury sedan, or luxury wagon, available in 4 trims, ranging from the... read more 2.0T Premium Sedan FrontTrak Multitronic to the 2.0T Premium Avant quattro Tiptronic.

Upon introduction, the 2.0T Premium Sedan FrontTrak Multitronic is equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, I4, 211-horsepower, turbo engine that achieves 23-mpg in the city and 30-mpg on the highway. A variable speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. The 2.0T Premium Avant quattro Tiptronic is equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, I4, 211-horsepower, turbo engine that achieves 21-mpg in the city and 27-mpg on the highway. A 8-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. 

2011 Audi S5 

The 2011 S5 is a 2-door, 4-passenger sports coupe, or convertible, available in 3 trims, ranging from the... read more 4.2 Premium Plus Coupe quattro Manual to the 3.0T Premium Plus Cabriolet quattro.

Upon introduction, the 4.2 Premium Plus Coupe quattro Manual is equipped with a standard 4.2-liter, V8, 354-horsepower engine that achieves 14-mpg in the city and 22-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard. The 3.0T Premium Plus Cabriolet quattro is equipped with a standard 3.0-liter, V6, 333-horsepower, supercharged engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 26-mpg on the highway. A 7-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. 

 2011 Audi A6 

 The 2011 A6 is a 4-door, 5-passenger luxury sedan, luxury sports sedan, or luxury wagon, available in 4 trims,... read more ranging from the 3.2 Premium Sedan FrontTrak Multitronic to the 4.2 Prestige Sedan quattro Tiptronic.

Upon introduction, the 3.2 Premium Sedan FrontTrak Multitronic is equipped with a standard 3.2-liter, V6, 265-horsepower engine that achieves 21-mpg in the city and 30-mpg on the highway. A variable speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. The 4.2 Prestige Sedan quattro Tiptronic is equipped with a standard 4.2-liter, V8, 350-horsepower engine that achieves 16-mpg in the city and 24-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.

2011 Audi A7 Sportback

  

Audi will initially offer the Audi A7 Sportback with a choice of four powerful and cultivated V6 engines: two gasoline and two TDI units. Their power output ranges from 150 kW (204 hp) to 220 kW (300 hp), and their efficiency sets impressive new standards in the vehicle class. The new 3.0 TDI with 150 kW (204 hp) and multitronic consumes on average just 5.3 liters of fuel per 100 km (44.38 US mpg), corresponding to CO2 emissions of just 139 g per km (223.70 g/mile). All engines use Audi’s innovative thermal management system, a recuperation system and a start-stop system.

2011 Audi A8 

The 2011 A8 is a 4-door, up to 5-passenger luxury sedan, available in two trims, the 4.2 Sedan quattro and... read more the 4.2 Sedan L quattro.

Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 4.2-liter, V8, 372-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 27-mpg on the highway. A 8-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.
 

2012 BMW 3-series Adds a Turbo Four and Hatchback to the Range

The current E90 BMW 3-series has been on the market since 2005, so it’s only fitting that details about the next-gen model are beginning to circulate. Most agree that the next model will feature styling lifted, at least in part, from the Concept CS, though also expect to see a healthy dose of the new corporate styling debuted on the latest 7-series.

Due in 2012, the next BMW 3-series will pay special attention to efficiency and it will achieve that goal through extensive use of BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology. Low drag aerodynamics, smaller engines, and high-tech electronics will combine to make the next 3-series a step above the current car.

Aesthetically, designers will attempt to address criticisms of the current car’s awkward styling and lack of interior space. The bonnet will likely sit much higher than on the current model to improve pedestrian safety, while the sides will be marked with a prominent character line and high beltline. Proportions will remain much the same as the current model but weight will be reduced thanks to the increased use of aluminum and other advanced materials in its construction.

A huge change for the 2012 car could be the addition of three-cylinder engines to the lineup, according to Autocar. Though these wouldn’t likely be seen in the U.S. during the first half of the next 3-series model life, they could eventually make their way across the pond if fuel efficiency and emissions regulations continue to tighten past 2016.

With a single turbo and 1.5L of displacement – effectively half of the current twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine – the cars would be good for anywhere from 150-170hp and 150-220lb-ft of torque, with the gasoline models weighing in lower on the torque scale than the diesel models. Paired with an ultra-efficient 8-speed transmission and more efficient auxiliary systems such as heating and cooling, the next-gen 3-series is expected to deliver some seriously impressive economy.

One of the new advanced EfficientDynamics technologies to make its way into the next 3-series will be a so-called ‘air curtain’. Using a special series of ducts and vents, the system directs air in a manner such that it slips neatly over the wheels, which are normally an area of high turbulence, and therefore energy-sapping drag.

In addition to making the car more efficient overall, BMW is looking to make the next 3-series less expensive to build and therefore to buy as it aims for larger volumes. Whether that will mean compromises in terms of total feature set or simply a lower-end range of models to entice entry-level luxury buyers is not clear, but pushing the 3-series so far down-market could step on the toes of the 1-series range and any future city cars coming from the Project i initiative.

Finally, as yet another measure to enhance efficiency while still delivering a BMW driving experience, expect to see the hybrid technology debuting on the X6 and 7-series to eventually make its way to the 3-series, albeit in somewhat reduced form. This technology will likely be especially targeted at U.S. buyers, since even by the car’s mid-cycle revamp in 2016, there isn’t likely to be widespread adoption of diesel-engined cars.

Of course, all of these details are still speculative at this point, but it’s clear that BMW is pushing its mainstream offerings in a more efficient direction while still trying to maintain their engaging, driver-focused character. It is a difficult balancing act, but one that enthusiasts will enjoy seeing played out over the years to come.

2011 BMW 335is Coupe – First Drive Review

To fill the gap in the 3-series lineup between the 300-hp 335i and the 414-hp M3, BMW is introducing the new 335is coupe and convertible. We were unaware that said gap needed to be filled, but we’re told that the 335i is seen in the U.S. as just an ordinary 3-series, and, as such, there’s room for something more exotic than a 335i but less outlandish than an M3. Now that we’ve been given the chance to drive the 335is coupe, we’re coming around to accepting this whole gap idea.

More Power and a Body Kit and …

Conceptually similar to the 330i Performance Package model that was available as part of the previous-generation 3-series lineup, the 335is doesn’t go so far as to threaten the M3’s supremacy, but it definitely ups the sportiness quotient. To that end, the 335is gets 320 hp and 332 lb-ft torque from the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine, and an overboost function allows for seven-second blasts of 370 lb-ft of torque. Unlike the regular-grade 2011 335i, the 335is sticks with the older twin-turbo engine for the simple reason that BMW engineers had more experience tuning it. This same engine can also be found in the Z4 sDrive35is that was introduced at this month’s Detroit auto show. In the Z4, the engine makes 335 hp; a more restrictive intake on the 3-series accounts for the 15-hp difference.

To make the 335is a track-worthy vehicle, BMW upgrades the cooling system with an additional radiator and beefs up the engine mounts. Inside are standard sport seats, steel pedals, an M Sport steering wheel, and textured aluminum trim. Between the seats sits the familiar six-speed manual, but modified here to have shorter throws. For those who prefer to not shift for themselves, BMW is offering its seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The DCT system is identical to the one in the M3 and comes with steering-wheel-mounted paddle-type shifters.
Exterior styling builds on that of the 3-series’ 2011 freshening and adds an aggressive M Sport body kit. The kit has a more aggressive front fascia that ditches the coupe’s fog lamps in the interest of increased cooling capacity; the 335is convertible keeps its fog lamps. A new rear bumper incorporates a diffuser-style piece and the twin exhaust pipes are finished in matte black. New grey-painted, split-five-spoke wheels are the only change to the chassis despite the extra power—there are no tweaks or modifications to the suspension or brakes.

Same Poise, Even Better Soundtrack

Immediately upon starting the engine, you detect a more noticeable hum from the new exhaust system. Less-restrictive mufflers snarl menacingly and only get angrier once you mat the throttle and the revs rise. As we’ve seen with other applications of the twin-turbo six, power is delivered with the immediacy of a large-displacement, naturally aspirated engine. The extra horsepower bestowed upon the 335is isn’t exactly massive, but the car will still quickly shrink a straightaway, and it rockets into triple-digit speeds as if towed by a Boeing 747. Indeed, a few laps around Portugal’s Estoril racetrack revealed this car to be exactly what’s suggested by the spec sheet: A powerful 3-series with a fantastic soundtrack. As one might expect from the carry-over chassis, the balance, predictability, and unflappable poise that make the 3-series one of our favorite cars are all there in spades.

The 335is doesn’t exactly threaten the M3 performance-wise, and with a starting price of $50,525, the is coupe costs $8750 less than an M3 coupe. But compared to the M3 sedan, the 335is coupe saves only $5750; faced with that choice, we’d pony up for the four-door M3. Convertible versions of the 335is start at $59,075, or $8850 less than the M3 convertible. The 335is convertible will arrive in April, while coupe buyers will have to wait until June. But don’t go looking for the 335is at dealerships outside of North America; for once, BMW is building something just for us.