GREASED LIGHTNING: AUDI EV STRIKES

It’s not the destination, it’s the journey, so the saying goes: and there is no better way to sum up Audi’s new all-electric supercar, the RS e-tron GT. With a limited top speed of 250km/h (the destination) and a sprint from zero to 100 kilometres per hour (the journey) in 3.3 seconds in boost mode, both are unlikely to be called on in full off track. Claimed is a range of 488km (WLTP). However, this is no scary monster on the high street. Around town, the sleek grand tourer is… Read more

AUDI Q5 DRIVES UP TO THE AUTO HOLY GRAIL

Could it be that auto giant Audi has grasped the Holy Grail of the industry with its most popular vehicle, the Q5? The most desirable, yet elusive, automotive properties claimed by the Q5 plug-in petrol / electric hybrid – outstanding performance coupled with miserly fuel consumption – stand as the chalice of Arthurian legend. The new Q5 55 TFSI e quattro S line showcases the manufacturer’s expertise in electrification and highly efficient internal combustion engine technology with a claimed sprint from zero to 100 km/h in a sizzling 5.3 seconds,… Read more

MORE THAN A FIGURE OF SPEED FROM AUDI

One of the most popular pastimes in the world, Monopoly, and the Audi RS Q3 sports utility vehicle have much in common. The board game deals with high finance and real estate, the SUV high performance motoring; both rely heavily on figures. The latter has just added a lot more of the latter to the list with its RS Q3 Sportback Edition 10 Years, as the suffix suggests with reference to its decade of success. Audi is making only 555 specials in celebration, with a ‘healthy number’ slated for Down… Read more

END OF THE ROAD FOR ICONIC AUDI TT

Audi Australia will mark the end of production of its iconic TT sportscar with a special limited edition model. The TT was launched in 1998 and arrived here the following year, initially in coupe form and shortly afterwards as a convertible. Almost all loved its bold shape that combines modern design with 1930’s roadster images. That design proved to be timeless making it instantly recognisable throughout its 25-year lifetime. The aptly named TT Final Edition is based on the Audi TT 45 TFSI quattro but with its own distinctive styling… Read more

Q4 BECOMES AUDI’S THIRD EV

Audi’s third and most affordable EV will be the Q4 e-tron in Australia. Q4 will join the Audi Q8 e-tron (formerly named the Audi e-tron) and gorgeous e-tron GT. It will be available as both SUV and Sportback form and is set to join the lineup by the middle of next year. The pair will be a key to the brand’s electrification strategy as they are parachuted into the rapidly growing compact SUV segment. First unveiled at the beginning of 2019 in Europe, the two EVs bring into series production… Read more

AUDI RS 6 AVANT QUATTRO

Strewth! Audi’s RS 6 Avant is formidable. In fact, it’s almost too much car — correction, wagon. It’s right up there in terms of the high-performance stuff that we’ve driven over the years and should not be underestimated. I remember driving its little brother, the RS 4 Avant, on the track at Sydney’s Eastern Creek, one hand on the wheel, drifting effortlessly around a left-hander. It was an amazing experience and I can only imagine RS 6 would be even more rewarding driven flat out in an environment that can… Read more

AUDI S8 V8 QUATTRO

It’s probably close to 10 years since I last drove an Audi S8 and not much has changed in that time. It’s got a bit more power and technology, but still looks pretty much the same and the basics are still there. And it’s still the car I’d buy if I was lucky enough to win Lotto. Big, prestigious and powerful, the S8 is a lot of car, almost too much I thought, as it snapped sideways when I made the mistake of punching the accelerator on a wet road…. Read more

AUDI A3 2008 – 2021

  German automaker Audi is often ahead of the pack when it comes to new ideas. In Europe  the Audi A3 is often used as a family car, but in Australia it’s more likely to be bought by  singles or couples.   The A3 created quite a commotion when it was first released in the small car market way  back in 1997. Some felt prestige cars should be large, imposing and expensive – certainly  not small and relatively affordable. They were wrong and Audi has since been joined by  other… Read more

AUDI E-TRON GT QUATTRO

The first Audi E-Tron I drove was a hybrid A3 way back in 2015. It could run on electricity alone, so qualified as an EV. It was Audi’s first electrified offering, but certainly not its last. The game has moved on since then, with fully electric cars that now bear the E-Tron badge, not the least of which is the E-Tron GT that we drove this week. I hadn’t ventured forth from Audi’s Sydney bunker before a customer in a Ferrari jacket accosted me, wanting to know all about the… Read more