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Filed under: Motorsports , Hybrids/Alternative , Green , Supercars , Audi In the world of alternative power, not all fuels are created equal. This fact is true with ethanol, where the alcohol can be made using fairly inefficient processes, some of which involve corn, or using more advanced cellulosic methods which do not use a foodstock. Diesel too can come from either petroleum or from non-dino sources. You're probably aware that Audi has been assaulting various race tracks using its advanced diesel powered race cars, specifically its two-time Le Mans-winning R10 TDI , which has so far been running on what is known as gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel fuel. With the 24 Hours of Le Mans just around the corner, Audi and Shell, the fuel provider for Audi's race team, have announced that the team will be blending a small amount of biomass-to-liquid (BTL) fuel into its secret mixture. Shell's BTL fuel is made from materials such as wood chips and will make its on-track debut on Sunday...
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Green , Audi , Volkswagen Following the lead of Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota and Nissan , Volkswagen has announced a major deal with Sanyo to produce lithium-ion batteries. The two companies already have ties, as VW uses Sanyo's nickel-metal hydride batteries in its current hybrid vehicles, such as the upcoming Audi Q7 hybrid. Li-ion batteries are the current cream-of-the-crop when it comes to storing electricity and VeeDub has plans to begin offering vehicles with the high-tech copper tops as early as 2009. Unlike Toyota and Nissan, which have created jointly run manufacturing plants with their battery suppliers, Sanyo will be going it alone with an 80 billion yen, or $769 million, investment in order to expand production of its li-ion batteries by 2015, at which time it plans on producing 15-20,000 units per year. Sanyo also happens to provide nickel-metal hydride batteries for the Ford Escape Hybrid and the Honda Civic Hybrid. [Sources...
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , SUVs , Green , Audi While premium hybrid SUVs haven't proven their worth in the U.S. market yet, automakers will have a good fix on whether or not offering a gasoline-electric hybrid 'ute is good business sense in the coming years. Audi has apparently already made the call, and after studying the business case and watching the U.S. dollar tank, it's decided that the Q7 hybrid SUV is not bound for U.S. shores. "It was a very hard car to make the numbers work," according to Johan de Nysschen, Audi's brand head in the U.S. "We will not do the hybrid Q7 as a conventional product offering," de Nysschen continued, saying only that a few hybrid Q7s will make the trek across the pond and find their way into the hands of "commercial" entities. However, all is not lost for a fuel-sipping version of Audi's land yacht, with the eminent arrival of the diesel Q7 in the next year or so, the SUV will spearhead Audi's...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Coupes , Hybrids/Alternative , Geneva Motor Show , Euro , Audi Click the image above for a high-res gallery of the Audi TT 2.0 TDI quattro. Audi has been on a diesel-fueled kick in the last couple of months, first with the unveiling of the R8 V12 TDI concept in Detroit and then followed earlier today by the R8 V12 TDI Le Mans . Both pieces of oil-burning exotica stoke the flames in our diesel-desiring hearts (through compression ignition), but they remain - for the time being - unobtainium. However, Audi maintains that diesel power and driving prowess aren't mutually exclusive, so to prove the point, Audi unveiled the TT 2.0 TDI Quattro. The iconic coupe and roadster are both equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo diesel producing 170 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, with power transmitted through a six-speed manual gearbox and through Audi's legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Puttering along on the U.S. combined cycle in the coupe will net you 44.3 mpg...
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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , Convertibles , Coupes , Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , SUVs , Geneva Motor Show , Paris Motor Show , Crossovers/CUVs , Hatchbacks , Supercars , Audi The Audi Club of North America puts out a publication aptly titled the Quattro Quarterly that gives Audi owners the inside skinny on everything from future products to how to swap bigger brakes into their B5 S4. One of our intrepid readers, Kevin, sent us a few scans of the QQ's latest issue, where it outlines Audi's product plans for the next five years. While some of it has already been confirmed, other interesting factoids, including the future of the R8, RS-TT and the development of an R4, have long been rumored on these very pages. Follow the jump for the full breakdown on what Audi has in store, but be aware that we're handing out grains of salt below the fold. Continue reading Quattro Quarterly lays out Audi's five-year plan for world domination Read | Permalink |...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Hybrids/Alternative , Wagons/Estates , Audi Click the image above for a duo of high-res shots of Abt's AS6 Avant. When we envision the most quintessential European conveyance we normally imagine something diesel-powered...
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Marketing/Advertising , Crossovers/CUVs , Audi Audi is going to put off the launch of three new SUVs into its arsenal until the end of the decade, primarily for marketing reasons. Really, it's only one new model - the...
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