Autonomous Audi Q5 Completes 3,400-mile Road Trip Solo

Posted on by Imagine Lifestyles
autonomous Audi Q5

Audi has been occupied perfecting its new direction on the autonomous vehicle route. The autonomous Audi Q5 just completed a coast-to-coast solo trip from San Francisco to New York, a quest totaling 3,400 miles. The vehicle managed the entire trip driverless, save a 50-mile span through a construction zone. There was a likely nervous human being riding shotgun.
The clip above offers some shots of the journey:

The autonomous Audi from auto supplier Delphi Corp. embarked on the journey for strategic testing purposes equipped with cameras, powerful laser sensors, radar and other fun gadgetry. The trip was a landmark success, leaving Audi with the knowledge of what aspects of the driverless car are working and where there could be improvements. The sheer mileage that the Q5 was able to navigate solo actually took the company by surprise, as they had anticipated a bit less. According to Jeff Owens, Delphi chief technology officer: “We expected we would be in autonomous mode most of the time, but to be in it close to 99% of the time was a pleasant surprise. The equipment was flawless.” While 99% is not the universal definition of flawless, it is most impressive. read more

Look for the Next-Gen Audi R8 in New ‘Avengers’ Movie

Posted on by Imagine Lifestyles
next-gen Audi R8

The next-gen Audi R8 will be gracing the silver screen in the next ‘Avengers’ film, Avengers: Age of Ultron. It would seem that Tony Stark has a passion for the model and it will provide plenty of eye-candy among the action!

The 2016 Audi R8 will be flanked by other new family members in the movie, including the 2015 Audi TTS and the Audi A3 cabriolet. The Audi R8 and the much-loved Marvel series have quite a cute history, with the original R8 hitting the screen way back in 2008 for the first ‘Iron Man’. According to Loren Angelo, director of marketing at Audi of America:  “After eight years of successful partnerships with Marvel, Audi aligns with the evolving narrative of the Tony Stark character to showcase the all-new, redesigned 2016 R8. Having been part of the character’s storyline for the past three Iron Man films, it is a perfect fit for Audi to return in Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron with Tony Stark driving the iconic supercar in its next generation.” Tony Stark certainly is a perfect fit for the ideal Audi R8 owner, perhaps right up there with Christian Grey of the infamous ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’? You know, the youthful, wealthy and easy-on-the-eyes types! read more

2016 Audi: The Big Brand Is Set to Launch 10 New Rides

Posted on by Imagine Lifestyles
2016 Audi

Amid the fierce competition throughout all markets, for 2016 Audi is poised to bring it on by releasing ten new rides. While that seems like quite a tall order, it may be a must in order to stay on top of the game against big players like Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Audi plans to unleash some fury in the form of tons of new vehicle options. With a healthy bank account and ample able engineers on their team, it will be an exciting few years to come.

The often-comical competition between the leading three continues as Audi announces intentions to introduce the ten new models as early as this very year. The endeavor is much less dramatic because many of those will be revamped versions of their predecessors, though there will be new models involved in the mix. It is armed with that endearing Audi attitude and an ample and enviable budget that the brand presses forth in the competitive arena to further the fleet. Just how enviable is their budget? That would be to the tune of approximately 24 billion euros by 2019. That should get some engines revving and raise the pulses of all rivals! read more

The Audi R8 Continues to Transition and Change Gears

Posted on by Imagine Lifestyles
Audi R8

The deservedly popular Audi R8 continues to evolve into new variants. Rolling out in 2007 as an exotic sports car that truly does possess the capacity to serve as a daily driver, it is now even more versatile in 2016 format. While the outward appearance of the R8 has received minimal updates over the years, it is certainly up-to-date under the hood.

The 2016 Audi R8 at a glance:

  • The chassis is the new Audi Space Frame. It is comprised of durable and lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber and tips the scales at a scant 3,205 pounds dry. To get the true running weight, add fluids and an average sized driver.
  • That makes for an impressive 110-pound weight loss for the nice lady since the previous model year. The new frame provides a 40% increase in strength.
  • Engine configurations this year are as follows: A 5.2-liter V10 standard at 532 horses or an R8 V10 Plus version kicking out 602 horses.
  • The V10 Plus sibling nails the 0-60 mile per hour jump in 3.2 seconds with a top speed of around 205 miles per hour. These specs put it nearly head-to-horn with the vicious Lamborghini Huracan, with the Audi R8 Plus being a single horse stronger and 3 miles per hour faster. This would, of course, depend on who was behind the wheel of each car during a race because with such close specs, it may come down to pure driving skills.
  • The gearbox is a specialized 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch with new features added for 2016. It boasts launch control, manual paddle shift, comfort, auto and dynamic driving modes.

Overall, the key changes to the Audi R8 have maintained a steady and respectable pace over the years. The brand has beautifully managed to maintain the integrity of the look and feel while continuously keeping her updated in all of the important areas. read more

Audi Autonomous Cars Get Green Light: Lookout, California!

Posted on by Imagine Lifestyles
Audi autonomous cars

Google made headlines and struck fear and awe in the hearts of Californians when it received a permit to test autonomous vehicles in the state. Audi autonomous cars will now be on the roads alone, too, as they have been given the green light to test their own versions of driverless cars in California.

Audi’s permit in California will allow them to test their driverless automobiles on the roadways. The brand has already been testing its wares in Europe and a couple of other states in the U.S., but California is where the Audi Electronics Research Lab is located, making the location ideal. The research lab is owned by Volkswagen, which is the parent company of Audi. read more

The Audi R8 LMX Has Laser Beams: Checkmate BMW?

Posted on by Imagine Lifestyles
Audi R8 LMX

Now the BMW i8 will not be the only exotic sports car with lasers. The Audi R8 LMX is getting laser high beams. This will make the limited edition Audi R8 a smidge cooler than it already was and will be the first production model fitted with laser high beams, according to the brand. Likely due to the production timelines for each company and which model will be officially released first.

While it is a bit unclear which company had what laser in production form first, one thing is crystal clear: laser beams on cars is awesome. Should Audi beat BMW to the punch, it does seem fitting because Audi was the first to roll out with all LEDs nearly a decade ago. Audi prefers to remain ahead of the curve and began implementing Matrix LEDs last year, and lasers are apparently the next step. read more

Audi Investing Billions for New Lineup

Posted on by Imagine Lifestyles
Audi

Word on the street is that luxury carmaker Audi is poised to invest billions in its next-generation of vehicles. And by billions we mean around $30 billion over the next five years. The results will certainly be exciting and full of unexpected futuristic powertrain surprises!

With the competition gearing up in performance, powertrain options, looks and technology, it comes as little shock that Audi is willing to invest in its future. The investment could also aid in the company’s goal to enjoy 2 million annual sales by 2020…which seems a bit insane, but kudos for having the drive. It also helps to know that Audi did unload 1.5 million units in 2013, which is quite impressive. read more

Look Out, Siri! Audi and Google are Teaming Up

Posted on by Imagine Lifestyles
Audi and Google

The battle between tech tycoons Apple and Google rages on, and now Google is taking aim at Siri, the disembodied voice that Apple users have grown to love. Because Apple has partnerships with around nine automotive companies to integrate their iOS devices, Google has now paired up with Audi to unleash a direct threat to Siri in the form of Google’s Android operating systems in new Audi cars.

Which will be better, Apple iOS devices linking to infotainment systems or Google Android software coming with new cars? Oh how far we have come from pulling off the lot with a shiny new tape deck! read more

Audi Cylinder on Demand Option Offers Greener Power

Posted on by Imagine Lifestyles
Cylinder on Demand

Audi is joining the ranks of companies offering cylinder deactivation options. With its Cylinder on Demand (COD) feature, fuel economy is improved by up to 20% when deployed.

The Audi Cylinder on Demand system can improve fuel economy by up to 20 percent compared to fully active mode.

The company will release the COD system in three of its gasoline engines, including the following: The 1.4-liter TFSI COD 4-cylinder, the 4.0-liter TFSI COD 6-cylinder and the W12 COD 12-cylinder of the latest Audi A8 L. read more

Want to Know More About Your Audi? Audi eKurzinfo App

Posted on by Imagine Lifestyles
Audi eKurzinfo App

Technology is everywhere. It is increasingly incorporated into our lives in unexpected places, like automobiles. While technology certainly makes our lives more streamlined, it can be frustrating for some to adjust. Audi has introduced an application that can assist with those issues! The Audi eKurzinfo app serves to replace that bulky user’s manual.

Gone are the days of frantically flipping through a car manual searching for an answer. The Audi eKurzinfo will be available for the following models: The A1, A3 and S3 from 2012 forward. This is such a simple idea, I think all vehicles should come with a searchable manual created specifically for the model. read more