Audi R8 V12 TDI Le Mans - ‘08 Geneva

Audi has just unveiled their latest R8 concept especially designed for the Le Mans endurance race. Of course the 2008 Geneva Motor Show has been the host for this red beast, which features a 6.0L V12 engine that produces a whopping 500hp and a torque of 737 lb-ft. There isn’t much difference from the V8 version, but the 0 - 62mph has dropped to 4.2 seconds and the top speed increased at 186mph.

The car is finished in Brillian Red which makes it more attractive and it looks like a furious beast. But along with this, it’s also green, being Euro 6-compliant.

PPI Audi R8 Razor

It seems like everybody loves Audi R8. After we presented you the R8 tuned by ABT, today we bring in front of you another R8 tuned by PPI. It was presented at the Essen Motor Show last year, but now PPI made a series of changes and upgraded once more the R8.

It’s called Razor. The engine is a 4.2-liter FSI and it was improved with 40 HP and 26 lb-ft of torque reaching a total of 460 and 343 respectively. This powertrain drives the Razor to a top speed of 192 mph and it boosts from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds flat. Enough about the engine, let’s get to the design section. A fully carbon-fiber aero kit, larger air intakes(this is the latest fashion and everybody is doing this), black magnesium 19-inch rims and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup rubber.

Follow the gallery below and the press release.

Audi R8 Receives Special Attention from ABT

ABT Sportsline is a tuning and motor racing company but today we will talk about the tuning part. For many years ABT reworked Audi’s cars and others related with Audi.

If you are a fan of the R8, if you imagined what would be like to modify it yourself, you don’t have to think for long, because the German tuner made an incredible job redesigning the R8. New skirts and rear spoiler, both made of carbon-fiber, front and rear clips replaced, new angle of the front openings, new rear bumper, smaller vents and the diagonal exhaust is cream of crop for the ABT R8.

All these new features deserve a special tint so the tuned Audi R8 received a custom-made black color along with red shades. I have nothing more to say because the gallery below should speak for itself.

Chicago ‘08: Audi A4 Special Edition

For the Chicago Auto Show, Audi brought the Special Edition of A4 “special” for customers fond of luxury sport sedans. This model features sport front bumper and grille, 17-inch 9-spoke wheels, leather interior and heated front seats. The car will be powered by a 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder engine and it should compete against BMW, Lexus and Mercedes.

The Audi A4 Special Edition will be available in mid March. I think Audi is a great automaker and its starting to pose a big threat to the luxury companies which are mentioned above.

2008 Audi's S5: A Muscle Car With Class

Back in the 1980s, when Audi's coupes were secret pleasures adored by just a few enthusiasts, the classic high-school car was one of two machines: Mustang or Camaro.

So, as my life has usually ended up, I drove in from left field when I bought an Audi Coupe GT. A trim four-seater with great handling, but not much power (five cylinders and counting), it was the pick of the top car mag's editors -- and it was quite different from the V-8-powered domestic iron. Make that two of us that didn't fit into any crowd.

So it's a little ironic driving Audi's gorgeous, supersonic new S5 coupe, that what comes to mind instantly is a Chevy Camaro Z28. The hotted-up V-8 version of the A5 two-door introduced last year throbs with musclecar power -- and especially from the rear, it's more than a passing resemblance to the coming 2009 Chevrolet Camaro.

Audi R8 Modified to Have 888 Horsepower

The garden variety Audi R8 supercar is already fast enough as is, but it still wasn't fast enough for the kooks at MTM. They've decided to build their own version of the R8 for the Dubai Motor Show and this car rocks 888 base horsepower. That's a lot of ponies!MTM is based out of Germany and it is the same firm that was responsible for creating the twin-engine 740hp Audi TT Bimoto. Their take on the Audi R8 isn't a far cry from the regular R8 in terms of outward cosmetics, but when you peep the powerplant, things change. They've added a specialized turbocharger system to the 4.2L V8, bumping the horsepower to 888 and the torque to 641 lbs-ft.With this modification, the R8 is now capable of doing the 0-60mph run in 3.0 seconds flat before topping out at 223mph. MTM has christened this beast as the Audi R888 and it's a one-off creation for an unnamed European customer. He or she paid 280,000 Euros for the car.

2008 Audi RS4 Cabriolet

This fabulous 420-hp, 4.2-liter direct-injection V-8 car is smooth and has a broad torque curve. It weighs 4100 pounds (120 pounds more than the sedan) and should sprint to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, 0.2 second slower and it costs 85,000 dollars.The convertible has aggressive good looks as well as diagonally connected shock absorbers that work extremely well. This shock arrangement produces a forgiving ride along with buttoned-down responses. However, the relaxed ride does come with some quivers and shivers felt through the steering wheel and chassis that are much more pronounced than those in the BMW 3 series.

Through twisty mountain roads, the RS 4 proves to be a worthy dance partner with oodles of grip, goof-proof handling that’s more neutral than expected for a car that carries almost 60 percent of its weight over the front wheels, strong brakes and pedals set up for heel-and-toeing. It’s true it can’t match the tenacious turn-in of Audi’s fabulous R8, which was also on hand for back-road and on-track abuse, but no one expected it to.The Cabriolet also features 35-series tires, 19-inch wheels and larger 14.4-inch front and 12.8-inch brake rotors, a six-speed manual transmission, and Quattro all-wheel drive.Audi claims it has no intention of switching to a folding hardtop convertible, as have many entries in the premium segment.

The steering of any RS4 is a revelation. The RS4s helm is better weighted and makes the car easier to place through fast corners.The slatted front bumper and polished metal windscreen surround help you identify it from other models in the range. Inside, you’ll find the usual high-quality trim, while on the centre console is a starter button for the car’s stand-out feature – its engine. The RS4 convertible is probably pitched towards a slightly more relaxed crowd.

Audi A3 Cabriolet Unveiled

Audi has unveiled the A3 Cabriolet today at its Györ plant in Hungary, ahead of next week’s Bologna Motor Show in Italy. As you’d expect with all Audi convertibles, the A3 Cabriolet sports a light weight fabric soft top that can be opened hydraulically at speeds of up to 18 mph. The body structure of the A3 Cabriolet has also been strengthened and contains a high proportion of high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel for low weight and maximum rigidity. The roof frame and roll-over bar also incorporates hot-formed steels to maximize saftey .

The A3 Cabriolet will be available in two four-cylinder petrol and two four-cylinder TDI engine versions, all of which feature turbochargers and direct injection. These include the newly developed 1.8-liter TFSI petrol engine that produces a maximum power of 160 hp and 185 lb-ft. of torque; the larger capacity 2.0-liter TFSI petrol engine that produces a maximum power of 200 hp and 206 lb-ft. of torque; the 1.9-liter TDI diesel engine that produces a maximum power of only 105 hp but a huge 185 lb-ft. of torque; and the 2.0-liter TDI diesel engine that produces a maximum power of 140 hp and 236 lb-ft. of torque.

All models will be available with six-speed manual transmission, except the .9-liter TDI which will have a five-speed manual transmission, and all, with the exception of the 1.9-liter TDI, will be available with optional S Tronic dual-clutch transmission.

The Audi A3 Cabriolet goes on sales in Germany in the first quarter of 2008, with no work yet on its availability in the U.S.