Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, Racing

The 24 Hours of N

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Coupe, Budget, Hybrid, Performance, Etc., Hatchback, Audi, Chevrolet, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen, Ferrari, Citroën, Design/Style

Awards season is finally winding down with the 2010 World Car of the Year and World Performance Car of the Year being handed out this morning at the 2010 New York Auto Show. After whittling the fields down to three finalists in each category, the panel of 59 international journalists voted one last time to crown the World Car of the Year.

While the Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Polo and Mercedes-Benz E-Class were nominated, it was the Polo that took home the gold for 2010 World Car of the Year.

On the performance vehicle front, the nominees were the Audi R8 V10, Porsche 911 GT3 and Ferrari California, with the Audi winning top honors.

They also handed out a Design award for a group of finalists including the Citroen C3 Picasso, Kia Soul and Chevrolet Camaro. That honor went to the Camaro. (U-S-A! U-S-A!)

The Green category saw Volkswagen‘s line of diesel-powered BlueMotion vehicles beat out the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight hybrids. (Die-sel! Die-sel!)

Click below for a gallery of all the winners.

New York 2010: Volkswagen Polo wins 2010 World Car of the Year award originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Apr 2026 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Crossover, Audi, Electric

Thanks to the Volkswagen Group’s strategy to be the leading player in the alternative-powertrain market within the next decade, Audi has announced a rapid expansion of hybrid and electric vehicles over the next few years. The German automaker wants to improve efficiency of its internal combustion engines (both gasoline and diesel) by 30 percent - and it wants five percent of the brand’s model line to be electric. “In the future, our customers will be able to choose from an increasingly broad range of driveline technologies,” said Audi CEO Rupert Stadler.

Report: More hybrids, EVs coming from Audi originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2026 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Europe, Audi, Luxury

Check out what a very cold spy photographer snapped some pictures of. This car could very well be the upcoming Audi S8. Of course, as the car in the photos is totally unmarked, this could just be another variant of the big Audi. We’ve suspected for some time that a new S8 is coming, and we hear that it’s most likely headed over to our shores. However, we’ve know next to nothing about what type of terror resides under the hood. Until today.

Unlike the last (frankly underpowered) S8, this new big-fast sedan is dropping the choked-off, Lamborghini-derived V10 in favor of a new twin-turbo V8. The good folks at Car and Driver are claiming the unit will displace 4.0-liters. Our source at Audi wouldn’t confirm that displacement explicitly, but did say that C/D is, “on the right path.” This same source noted that BMW’s been using a smallish displacement twin-turbo V8 (4.4-liters) in the 7 Series for the past year and that Audi intends to stay competitive.

Our Audi source also noted that the new V8 will be offered in many flavors, and will allow Audi to meet all the emissions and mileage standards coming down the pike in the next five years. We’re told to expect a wide range of configurations, similar to what Audi/Lamborghini did with their shared V10. That means different states of tune for different cars, as well as naturally aspirated and force inducted version. As for power, our source once again confirmed that Car and Driver knows what they’re printing. Meaning that the 450 horsepower/450 pound-feet of torque neighborhood isn’t a bad guess, though the final numbers could be higher.

Back to the car in the heavily cropped photograph (check out Autocar for the complete set of pics), we’re still not 100-percent sure it’s the S8. First of all, there are no visual cues to distinguish this black car from a regular A8, save for the requisite four tailpipes. However, as Autocar notes, the new S8 is said to have bold new bodywork to set it apart from the standard car. Also, examine the brakes. They appear to be larger diameter than the standard brakes, yet they aren’t drilled or slotted. One would think (and we would agree with him) that an S vehicle would have a more serious set of stoppers. After all, even the A8 Hybrid “Concept” has fancier discs. Of course, maybe these are just placeholders used during cold weather testing. Yeah, we’re pretty sure this is the new Audi S8.

[Sources: Autocar, Car and Driver]

Spy Shots: Are you the next Audi S8? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Mar 2026 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the Them’s Big Words department, Audi is calling its A8 Hybrid “the efficiency standard.” And it’s not exactly untrue since the top-of-the-peak, 211-horsepower V6 sedan boosted by a 45-hp electric motor has more power than an A3 TDI and a faster 0-to-60 sprint, yet the gas mileage comparison isn’t unfavorable: the A3 gets 34 miles per gallon combined, the A8 Hybrid does 38 mpg. And you get all that A8 size and panache. And 21-inch rims. Responsibly.

All that is certain to cost you come negotiating time: It remains a concept so Audi hasn’t released a price, but when you’re talking about getting the moon, it’s safe to figure it’ll cost you a few stars.

No, Wankel is not really a verb. At least, not that we know of. But it is the last name of the man who designed the rotary engine, and we think our man Felix would be more than pleased with the latest application of his barrel-shaped internal combustion powerplant. In case you missed it before, that would be as the range-extender buried inside Audi‘s new A1 e-tron electric vehicle, which is currently on display at the Geneva Motor Show.

As we told you before, Audi’s smallest e-tron features a 12-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack that feeds a steady stream of electrons to a front-mounted electric motor with 102 peak horsepower. The aforementioned Wankel rotary engine features one lone rotor, displaces 254cc and sits just aft of the battery pack under the rear seat. Why a Wankel? Audi says the complete package weighs in at just 154 pounds and puts out a nice, steady stream of power at a constant 5,000 RPM.

Filed under: Budget, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Hatchback, Audi, Diesel

We’ve just returned from Audi‘s press conference here at the Geneva Motor Show, where Justin Timberlake has laid claim to one of the first A1 hatchbacks that comes off the line. Funny thing is, even with his undoubtedly massive bank accounts, the pop star won’t be able to get one - at least not to park in front of any of his U.S. cribs. That’s because Audi has announced that the entertaining-looking three-door isn’t headed to the States. Given how the A3 has festered in darkened showroom corners in the American market, we can’t exactly blame them for not importing an even smaller hatchback, but somehow we think this Mini Cooper-fighter might just find a market where the frumpier, more conventional A3 has stalled.

Available in Europe with four turbocharged, direct-injected engines (two TDI diesels, two gasoline), the A1 will be available with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic gearbox with optional paddle shifters. Thanks to standard start-stop and energy recuperation among other fuel-saving tricks, the A1 is estimated to reach between 44 miles-per-U.S.-gallon and 62 mpg on the European Cycle.

Audi is also showing an electrified concept version of the A1 as the latest in its e-tron family. Packing a t-shaped lithium-ion battery and a single-rotor Wankel rotary IC engine(!) along with a few external cues to hint at its extended-range hybrid technology, it also drew more than a few eyeballs.

Interestingly, Audi’s press materials (available after the jump) make no mention of the availability of Quattro all-wheel drive. Whether the option will come later remains to be seen, but for now, the A1 picks up where the not-for-U.S. A2 left off.

Photos by Chris Paukert and Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Geneva 2010: Audi A1 to hatch jealousy in the eyes of Americans

Geneva 2010: Audi A1 to hatch jealousy in the eyes of Americans originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2026 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Audi, Electric

After teasing us with a few goodies yesterday, Audi has just released technical details on its new A1 e-tron concept that debuts later today at the Geneva Motor Show. As we already knew, the A1 uses an extended range electric architecture like the Chevrolet Volt, but with a compact and power-dense Wankel rotary engine/generator to keep the battery alive after power from the grid is depleted. The diagrams released by Audi show that the Wankel is mounted in the car’s rear behind the T-shaped battery pack that sits mostly under the rear seat.

The lithium ion battery pack has a capacity of 12 kilowatt-hours, which is claimed to provide about 30 miles of range on a charge. Unlike the 1,000+ pound pack in the original e-tron concept, this unit weighs in at just 330 pounds. The electric motor provides a standard output of 45 kW or 61 horsepower, though peak power of 75 kW or 102 hp is available in short bursts and keeps the car’s 0-62 mile-per-hour time around 10 seconds. The motor and all of the power electronics reside in the car’s front where the internal combustion powerplant of a conventional A1 would normally be found.

The Wankel weighs in at just 154 lbs and displaces just 254 cc of volume in its single rotor. The whole unit is small enough to sit below the cargo floor of the A1. Running at a constant 5,000 rpm, the rotary motor can extend the A1 e-tron’s range to 130 miles. Why not longer? The fuel tank holds only 3.17 gallons. With the Wankel running, Audi says the A1 e-tron will return about 124 miles per gallon U.S.

Of historical note, the first ever production car with a Wankel rotary engine was introduced by NSU back in 1964. NSU later merged with Auto Union, which also included Audi, the sole surviving brand of the group.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi A1 e-tron runs like Volt, advances ER-EV concept

Audi A1 e-tron runs like Volt, advances ER-EV concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Mar 2026 23:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Audi, Luxury

In addition to the interesting electrified A1 e-tron concept, Audi is also showing off a hybridized version of its range-topping A8 sedan at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, which it claims offers V6-levels of power with four-cylinder fuel efficiency and emissions. Backing up that claim are reported power figures of 245 horsepower (45 of which can be supplied from the electric motor) and 354 pound-feet of torque. The run to 62 miles per hour is said to take about 7.5 seconds and fuel mileage comes in at 38 miles per gallon on the EU cycle. That’s about a 20-percent improvement over the standard car.

As a full hybrid, the A8 design study can run on electricity only for up to 1.2 miles at speeds of 40 miles per hour or less. Above that, the 2.0-liter TFSI engine takes over. A lithium ion battery pack of unknown capacity resides in the trunk, but Audi makes sure to point out that there’s still over 14 cubic-feet of space back there for storage. The German automaker also makes pains to assure that the A8 Hybrid is still “an extremely dynamic car” - one that just so happens to return good fuel efficiency.

Check out our gallery of high-res images below, and be sure to note the Prism Silver paint with Spectra Flair (yes, really) rainbow effect and 21-inch two-color wheels. Also, check out the prominent hybrid badging on each front fender along with the door sills (illuminated, naturally) and inside on the new Powermeter in the instrument cluster. Still want more? Click past the break for the complete press release.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi A8 Hybrid ‘design study’ being shown in Geneva

Audi A8 Hybrid ‘design study’ being shown in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Mar 2026 23:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’ve never heard of Hispano Suiza, you’re not alone. The Spanish automaker hasn’t been producing its own vehicles since World War II and later returned to its aerospace roots in the 1950s, merged with another firm in 2005 and had a few prototypes running around a few years back (the oft forgotten Mazels). But that’s the past and this is apparently the automaker’s future: A rebodied Audi R8 V10 packing a supercharger and the possibility of a hybrid system.

According to AutoBild, the Hispano Suiza’s return will take place at next week’s Geneva Motor Show, with the introduction of this €700,000 coupe. As you’d expect from a hastily resurrected marque, the details are as shady as the renderings in the gallery below, with Hispano Suiza claiming that the 750-horsepower R8-based show car is good for a run to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds (grip is obviously an issue) and a top speed of 205 mph. There’s also a talk of an additional 150 hp from a hybrid drive system, with the ability to travel on electricity along for an unspecified range. Skeptical? Of course, but we’re looking forward to seeing it in person in less than a week.

[Source: Autobild via Autoblog Spanish]

Geneva Preview: Hispano Suiza is back and packing Audi R8′s V10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Feb 2026 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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