| 29 Mar 2005 | Premiere for the new Audi A4 DTM: During the official DTM tests at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Audi unveils the successor of the DTM winning car for the first time in public. For two days, Audi works driver Martin Tomczyk will collect valuable data with the new race car for the Belgian round of Europe’s most popular Touring Car series which will be held on May 15.
A completely new car was developed at Audi Sport for the 2005 DTM season because of the production car model change. The 2005-spec Audi A4 DTM distinguishes itself at first glance from last year's championship winning car through its prominent single-frame radiator grille and the new bodywork shape. However, over the winter a great deal was done underneath the skin. "We have tried to include all the positive experiences gained from our first DTM season to build the best car possible,” explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich.
The single-frame radiator grille necessitated the redesign of the air flow at the car's front section. At the same time the entire aerodynamic configuration of the A4 DTM was optimised in the wind tunnel and numerous innovative detail solutions added, which are not standard on a touring car. The loss of rear wing efficiency, stipulated by the regulations, has, to a large extent, been compensated for by the Audi engineers.
Weight reduction, improving the centre of gravity height and weight distribution was the main focus of attention on the chassis. The 2005 A4 DTM can be setup more easily to suit the various circuits and is even more user friendly. The Audi drivers are glad about the improved level of comfort, particularly the reduction in cockpit temperature. Numerous details of the Audi A4 DTM V8 engine were reworked, which led to a noticeable increase in power, especially in the lower and mid rev range.
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline will run four new A4 DTM cars in the 2005 DTM. Audi Sport Team Joest competes with four cars from last year. All eight Audi works drivers will take part in the DTM tests at Spa in order to get used to the track which will host a DTM race for the first time.
During the tests, the new Audi A4 DTM sports the livery of SONAX and S line, the sport and tuning kits from quattro GmbH, as it will be raced by six-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen in the 2005 season. At the official presentation of the 2005 DTM in Hamburg on April 4 and 5, Audi will unveil the design and the sponsor partners of the other cars. |
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| 18 Feb 2005 | Audi A8 - market leader for 8 and 12-cylinder cars
Success for Audi in the range-topping engine segment for luxury-class saloons: the Audi A8 is by far and away the market leader for eight and twelve-cylinder engines in Western Europe. Around 6,800 of the Audi A8 powered by the eight-cylinder engine and 1,180 by the 12-cylinder version were sold to customers in this region in 2004.
Comment by Ralph Weyler, Member of the Board for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG: “The fact that in only a few years the Audi A8 has been able to attain the leading position for prestigious top-range engines in the luxury-class saloon segment in Western Europe is testament to its huge appeal. This is underlined by the many awards the A8 has received over the past few months”. A 12-cylinder engine has been available for the Audi A8 since mid-2001.
In the online edition of the Capital business magazine, car industry expert Prof. Ferdinand Dudenhöffer underlines the significance of this top segment within the luxury class: “There is a name for tradition, prestige and innovation in engine design – the twelve-cylinder engine. Whoever offers these engines is competing at the very highest level.” (Article dated 4.2.04)
The Audi A8 captured its latest award, along with three other Audi models, in the readers’ poll conducted by auto motor und sport: for the 108,000 readers of the car magazine who took part, the sporty Audi A8 defines the benchmark in the luxury class. In the US, the long-wheelbase version of the Audi A8 was voted “America’s Best Luxury Car” by the AutoWeek trade magazine. And in India, even before its official market launch, it received the highest accolade in the car industry, the CNBC-TV 18 Autocar Award as “Best Import Car of the Year”. |
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| 12 Jan 2005 | A further triumph for the Audi A8: over 50,000 users of the Internet voted the 12-cylinder top version of the sporty luxury saloon "Car of the Year 2004". Emerging as the overall winner, the A8 6.0 quattro streaked ahead of all other German and international competitors in a total of six categories. The contenders comprised new cars, but also models that had undergone a comprehensive product update in 2004.
In the "Luxury / Executive Class Category", t-online users placed two Audi models on the winner's rostrum. The triumphant A8 6.0 quattro was joined by the new Audi A6, which achieved an outstanding second place. Other Audi models sharing in the honours as runner-up in their respective categories were the A4 (Midsize Category) and A3 (Compact Cars/Lower Midsize Category).
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| 11 Jan 2005 | CHICAGO, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The new vehicle introductions at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit are reflective of the state of gas prices, as analyzed.
"The horsepower war among high-profile super-cars suggests total disregard for issues of fuel economy," says Joe Wiesenfelder. "But the effects of sustained high fuel prices are clear amid the focus on cars and lighter people movers, the conspicuous absence of monster SUVs and the spread of fuel-saving technology."
Detroit Show Highlights
Several category introductions observed from the Detroit Auto Show support this theory, noted Wiesenfelder:
-- Mightier Horsepower: The engines and power ratings in the news keep growing -- above 500 and even 600 horsepower -- so cars like the 500- horsepower 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 seem moderate.
"Environmentalists need not be terribly concerned," said Wiesenfelder,"because these are mostly concept cars and low-volume cars priced around $100,000 and well above. Compared to a decade's worth of truck-based SUVs, this is hardly a problem."
-- Large Cars Sustain Momentum: With several models updated, such as the 2006 Toyota Avalon, and new ones introduced, like the 2006 Dodge Charger, large cars continue a revival. Joe noted, "We tired of them years ago, but after driving large trucks, even large sedans seem reasonable, comfortable and are still more fuel efficient than SUVs. "
-- The New People Movers: "Large-SUV sales are so poor that automakers have idled some factories," said Wiesenfelder. "Truck-based SUV news out of Detroit consists mainly of redesigns of existing models. Conversely, manufacturers have introduced nine all-new 'crossover' vehicles that are lighter and more fuel and space efficient than truck-based SUVs, some with three rows of seats. The 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca seats seven, and concepts such as the Mercury Meta One show what upcoming crossover models will look like in the 2007 model year."
-- Flirting with Diesel: Fuel-saving technology is a hot topic, mostly in the form of gasoline-electric hybrid promises. In the meantime, diesel engines keep popping up in concepts, such as the Ford SYN, as automakers strategize for 2006's more stringent EPA restrictions. The higher-quality diesel fuel required will dramatically reduce tailpipe pollutants. Joe commented, "With this issue addressed, inherently more fuel-efficient diesel engines look mighty attractive." |
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