Strictly limited second run of UK specification 340PS RS compact hatchbacks is now available to order

• Audi RS badge returns to compact hatchback class in strictly limited numbers priced at original £39,930 OTR – 250 remaining build slots available
• Turbocharged five-cylinder TFSI engine linked to standard seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission delivers 340PS and 450Nm of torque”
• 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds, governed 155mph top speed, 31mpg capability, 212g/km CO2 output
• quattro drive, 19-inch alloy wheels, flared lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced polymer wings, widened track, sport button controlling throttle response and exhaust note

Following its initial sell-out performance in the UK, the Audi RS 3 Sportback is making a comeback, albeit one that is likely to be fleeting. In response to consistent demand, an additional, strictly limited production run has been secured, and just 250 slots now remain for UK customers. These examples will be available at the same £39,930 OTR price as the original 500 car quota which was rapidly snapped up in 2011.

A turbocharged 2.5-litre petrol engine punches the RS 3 Sportback at the horizon to the tune of a rich, bass-heavy five-cylinder soundtrack that can be further intensified at the touch of a dashboard-mounted Sport button. A total of 340PS and 450Nm is split between the four driven wheels thanks to quattro all-wheel-drive, and passes through a standard seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission with rapid fire shifts.

As befits an RS model the impressive output of this engine is reflected in an exceptional 0-62mph sprint time of just 4.6 seconds and an electronically governed 155mph top speed. Yet less predictably, this rapidity doesn’t rule out the potential for up to 31mpg according to the combined cycle test.

Carbon fibre aids weight reduction

A delivery on demand oil pump and a regeneration system that recovers energy during deceleration help to shore up the engine’s impressive economy performance. Equally importantly, features such as the vermicular graphite engine block and carbon fibre-reinforced polymer front wings work in favour of a relatively modest 1,575kg kerb weight and a suitably strong 216PS per tonne power-to-weight ratio.

The benefits of these measures can be felt not only in the intensity of the RS 3 Sportback’s pace, but also in the agile and animated handling delivered by its lowered McPherson strut front and four-link rear suspension. Its balance is boosted by a widened, 1,564 millimetre track, and its grip is maximised by 19-inch alloy wheels shod with 235/35 series tyres at the front and 225/35 at the rear. The quattro permanent all-wheel drive system with its electronically controlled multi-plate clutch also oversees proceedings, granting the RS 3 Sportback an extra measure of traction, composure and stability.

The RS 3 Sportback can also move more freely thanks to its specially developed electronic stability control (ESC). It features a Sport mode that activates later intervention of the braking and acceleration retardation functions to enable greater adjustability without compromising safety, and can be switched off entirely for circuit use.

Highly efficient electromechanical rack-and-pinion steering provides a suitably direct gear ratio of 16.2:1 for keen turn-in, while internally ventilated disc brakes with four-piston fixed calipers modulate speed powerfully and progressively.

A deeper front apron that incorporates enlarged air intakes, an anthracite coloured single-frame grille and xenon plus headlamps indicate to drivers in front that the RS 3 Sportback is a force to be reckoned with.

Its side view is dominated by its flared, lightweight front wings covering 19-inch alloy wheels, prominent sill extensions, mirror housings in matt aluminium look and a large roof spoiler. A high-gloss black diffuser insert and two elliptical exhaust tailpipes on the left accentuate the styling at the rear.

Inside, Fine Nappa leather-upholstered sports seats with silver contrasting stitching, Piano black or Aluminium Race look inlays, a flat-bottomed RS steering wheel and RS-specific instruments highlight this car’s status. Its Driver’s Information System is also unique to the RS 3 Sportback, displaying boost pressure and oil temperature and doubling as a lap timer.

Standard equipment includes acoustic rear parking sensors, electronic climate control, DVD-based satellite navigation with MMI (Multi Media Interface) functionality and xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lights. Optional features include front bucket seats, roof rails in matt aluminium look and styling packages in black or matt aluminium. Five exterior colours are available, plus an unlimited selection of custom paint finishes.

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

Sports car sets a new lap record for electrically powered production vehicles on famously challenging circuit.

• Racing driver Markus Winkelhock pilots new electric sports car with 280 kW (equivalent to approximately 380PS) output to new lap record

• R8 e-tron will enter production in late 2012

• Michael Dick: “To us, electric mobility means dynamics and driving pleasure”

During preparations for its production debut in late 2012, the all-electric Audi R8 e-tron has just set a world record for a production vehicle with an electric drive system on the Nürburgring Nordschleife – the toughest test track in the world. Racing driver Markus Winkelhock piloted the high-performance, all-electric sports car around the demanding 12.92-mile track in 8:09.099 minutes. With this Audi has achieved yet another milestone in its history, following overall wins at the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and Le Mans.

“The R8 e-tron has given a magnificent demonstration of its potential on the toughest race track in the world,” said Michael Dick, AUDI AG Board Member for Technical Development. Dick, who completed a fast lap himself in the R8 e-tron, added: “The record-setting drive confirmed that we are on the right track. To us, electric mobility has never been about sacrifice, but rather is about emotion, sportiness and driving pleasure.”

A comparison with the current record lap driven by a production car with a conventional combustion engine shows just how impressive the 8:09.099-minute time really is. The record time of 7:11.57 minutes was achieved by a Gumpert Apollo Sport, which is powered by a 700PS Audi V8 petrol engine.

The drive system of the Audi R8 e-tron that Markus Winkelhock drove to the world record is identical to that of the road-going model that will enter production towards the end of the year. The car’s electric motors generate a combined output of 280 kW and 820 Nm of torque; more than 4,900 Nm (3,614.05 lb-ft) is distributed to the rear wheels virtually from a standing start.

The Audi R8 e-tron accelerates from zero to 62mph in just 4.6 seconds. Its top speed is normally limited to 124mph; 155mph was approved for the record-setting lap.

133-mile range

The R8 e-tron’s rechargeable lithium-ion battery stores 49 KWh of energy – enough for a distance of about 133 miles. Its “T” shape allows it to be installed in the centre tunnel and in the area between the passenger compartment and the rear axle. It is charged by energy recovery during coasting and braking.

The ultralight body of the Audi R8 e-tron is made primarily of aluminium, along with CFRP components; this is the main reason why the high-performance sports car weighs just 1,780 kilograms, despite the large battery.

In order to further underscore the production-relevance of the R8 e-tron and the capability of its drive technology, Audi has set another record on the Nordschleife in addition to the single lap record time. Immediately afterwards, Markus Winkelhock drove two fast laps in one go in a second R8 e-tron that was limited to 124mph. At 8:30.873 and 8:26.096 minutes, both laps were well under the important nine-minute threshold.

“The record drives were a fantastic experience for me,” said Markus Winkelhock. The 32-year-old, who lives near Stuttgart, has a high standard for comparison – the Audi R8 LMS ultra, in which he, along with Marc Basseng, Christopher Haase and Frank Stippler, won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring a few weeks ago.

“Of course, the R8 e-tron is a production car, not a racing car with the assistance of aerodynamics,” Winkelhock emphasized. “But with its low centre of gravity and rear biased weight distribution, it brings with it a lot of sporty qualities. The torque with which the electric motors propel the car uphill beats everything that I know – even if they make hardly any noise in the process, which at the start was really a completely new experience for me. In places where I really need traction, the torque vectoring – the displacement of the torque between the powered wheels – really helps me.”

Michael Dick proudly summed up events after the record-setting drive at the Nürburgring. “Within just a few weeks we’ve taken on some big challenges and in the process we’ve shown that we are at the forefront with all of our drive concepts,” he said, adding: “We won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in May in the Audi R8 LMS ultra with a ten-cylinder engine. In mid-June we triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro – the first overall victory for a hybrid-electric vehicle in the toughest race in the world. And now we’ve set another record with the all-electric-drive R8 e-tron on the most demanding track there.”

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

Award winning security measures and competitive repair costs cut insurance premiums for Audi drivers

• Average 50 Group ratings for Audi models are lower than equivalent models from key premium sector competitors
• Competitive repair costs calculated following crash tests conducted by Research Council for Automotive Repairs contribute to low ratings
• Vehicle purchase prices, replacement part costs and theft of/from security protection measures also factor in determining insurance group ratings

Audi drivers can expect to pay considerably less to insure their cars than owners of equivalent models from the German premium sector brands, according to data sourced from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) group ratings database.

Managed by the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre in Thatcham on behalf of the ABI and Lloyds Syndicates, the insurance group ratings database has been updated monthly with new car insurance rating data since the 1980s, and includes all trim levels, variants, body styles and engine types. This data has been used to calculate average insurance group ratings for Audi models and their equivalents wherever applicable from German premium sector competitors. In virtually every range, Audi models post considerably lower average ratings than competitors, meaning that owners will generally pay lower insurance premiums.

These ratings are defined using a system which allocates penalty points to each vehicle based on a number of factors, including the purchase price, the cost of key parts and the ease, and cost, of repair following an independent crash test undertaken by the Research Council for Automobile Repairs (RCAR). The higher the outright purchase price or parts and labour charges, and the more costly and labour intensive the crash repair, the higher the points tally, and consequently the higher the insurance group rating.

Crucial security performance

Security performance is of course also a critical factor in determining each rating, and four British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards and three What Car? Magazine Security Awards for ‘Best Overall Manufacturer’ attest to Audi expertise in this area. Held by Audi for four consecutive years since 2006, the top BIVSA award for ‘Best Overall Manufacturer’ highlights the fact that the brand offers more ranges in which every variant has achieved the maximum five star rating for ‘theft of’ security and of at least four stars for ‘theft from’ security than any other entrant.

Award-winning security protection is achieved right across the Audi range through features including Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser technology with interior ultrasonic protection and anti-tow sensors, Thatcham Category 4 locking wheel bolts and extensive covert and overt marked parts.

Article source: www.audi.co.uk