Audi CEO Stadler gets 5-year contract extension

Audi CEO Rupert Stadler will keep his seat at the top thanks to a contract extension. Volkswagen didn't divulge the length of the new contract, but German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said the term is five years. Stadler took over the current position in 2007 when current VW CEO Martin Winterkorn left it. That year the brand sold 93,506 in the US and 964,151 in total worldwide; last year it sold 158,061 in the US and 1,575,480 in total worldwide.

Even though the brand has managed only about half the US sales of its two main rivals, it led the charge globally through the first two months of this year. Over the next few years we'll see its US efforts increase with a $30.3-billion investment, 11 new models and the opening of its first North American plant. And right now it can make hay with its World Car of the Year award winner, the A3.

In addition to Stadler, VW sales boss Christian Klingler is said to have received a five-year contract extension, and VW China head Jochem Heizmann has earned another two years on the job.
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Audi UK in hot water over dealer safety claims

Car salesmen don't exactly have a reputation for being in the most truthful profession, and it appears that several Audi showrooms in the UK are playing into that stereotype. A BBC investigation found that multiple dealers told buyers that the company's models scored well in Euro NCAP crash tests. No big deal, right? The problem was that the vehicles were never actually evaluated.

The report began after an R8 buyer sent in a tip that his UK dealer claimed the sports car had received top Euro NCAP scores. However, it has never been tested by the organization. The BBC called 10 dealers inquiring about the A5 (pictured above), which also wasn't assessed. Nine said the coupe had been checked out, and six claimed it had a five-star rating - the best available.

Euro NCAP is funded by governments and motoring bodies, like the ADAC in Germany and the FIA. According to its website, the organization selects some of the most popular new models each year to crash test, and, the BBC claims, automakers can also pay to evaluate their cars. The last Audi tested was the A3 in 2012. The A6, Q3, A1, A4 and Q5 have also been tested since 2009, and they all received five-star ratings. However, the A5, A7, A8 and R8 have not been tested.

Audi UK responded to Autoblog's questions by emailing a prepared statement, saying that there was no "deliberate intent to mislead." The company is now reviewing its training procedures. This case demonstrates that it's probably best to double-check anything salespeople tell you, regardless of what they are selling. Scroll down to read the full response.
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Audi details updated 3.0L V6 TDI engine

The brands in the Volkswagen Group have shown that they can develop some of the world's best diesel engines for passenger cars. At the Vienna Motor Symposium taking place May 8 and 9, Audi has an updated one to add to its lineup. It's launching a new version of the 3.0 TDI V6 with better efficiency and more power than the version currently in the US.

The new diesel will be offered in two tunes: 215 horsepower or 268 hp. However, Audi isn't giving away all of the new engine's secrets just yet. It says "depending on model" the mill makes as much as 442.5 pound-feet of torque and gets as much as 13 percent better fuel economy. That likely means the more powerful version gets the twist, and the other one has the better consumption, but we'll have to see.

To compare, the current 3.0 TDI offered in the US produces 240 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque. In the A6, it's rated at 24 miles per gallon city, 38 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined, according to the EPA.

To achieve these improvements, Audi packed the engine with technology. It has low-friction piston rings and pins. There are separate coolant loops for the crankcase and the redesigned cylinder heads. Likely the biggest change is that the NOx storage catalytic converter, diesel particulate filter and SCR injection system are combined into a single assembly, which the company claims is a first for automobiles. The upgrades allow it to meet Euro 6 emissions standards.

Audi is also showing a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission for models with longitudinal engines and front-wheel drive in Vienna. The company doesn't say when either product would find its way into new models, though.
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Audi commits two R18 E-Tron Quattros to final Sebring race for LMP1 cars

We were baffled a few weeks back when the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series announced new classes that will make up their combined racing program in 2014. Gone from the list is the Le Mans Prototype class, otherwise known as LMP1. The LMP1 class has long been the top dog of endurance racing, both in Europe and the US, so we couldn't figure out why this newly minted racing series was jettisoning it like yesterday's donuts. 

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Audi, BMW and Mercedes to Introduce Hatchbacks on Indian Market

After a less-than-flattering reception from China, for their 'premium hatchbacks', the big three from Germany have now set their sights on the promising Indian market. First on the market will be Mercedes-Benz, with the all-new A-Class, by the middle of this year. They will be followed by BMW, with their new 1-Series, and there is a high likelihood of Audi joining in, with the A3 hatchback, some time in 2014.

According to Neelesh Hundekari, the head of a Mumbai-based consultancy firm, “If you have scale aspirations, then it’s important to succeed with the right models at the right price points [ . . . ] India is a poor country but people still want a piece of luxury, and at the right price point, they will buy a BMW or a Mercedes.”

The German want to take advantage of the newly-created middle class, from India, which has arisen after a decade of extreme economic growth. Now, “Indians are looking for affordability, even in the luxury segment" and "once a customer buys a BMW or Mercedes, he’s not going to go back to a lower brand,” according to Deepesh Rathore, the New Delhi-based managing director in India for IHS Automotive.

Keep in mind that the Indian luxury car market is expected to place third in the world rankings, by 2020, and by that time it will have quadrupled from the level recored in 2012.

Via Bloomberg

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Bentley SUV Very Close to Getting Green Light for Production

Bentley wants to make an SUV, and they undoubtedly want to follow along the same lines as the hugely-successful Cayenne, which is now Porsche's main money maker. However, they have not been completely sure about making it, what it would look and be like.

They tried the water with the EXP 9F concept, but it received mixed reviews, when it was first revealed at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. Bentley admitted that they were not planning on showing the final styling direction for the vehicle, and it was made purely to see how people would react to seeing it.

The Bentley SUV, which will share its platform with some other similar Volkswagen group offering, is now closer than ever to getting the green light, according to europe.autonews.com. The information comes from the company CEO, Wolfgang Schreiber, who answered a few question at the Detroit Motor Show.

Regarding what the SUV will be like, he said: "Bentleys are luxury cars, but people like this effortless acceleration and torquey engines." It is expected that the future SUV would get a twin-turbocharged V8, as well as a twin-turbo W12 as an option, just like on the Continental models.

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What Will the Next-Gen 2014 Audi TT Be Like

You can tell the TT wasn’t a success for Audi because of the fact that they haven’t bothered giving it a facelift yet. The small coupe earned itself a reputation as a hairdresser’s car, and while they might have fixed that with this much faster and sleeker second-generation model, it’s still nowhere near perfect.

Early reports suggested the next one would be fun to drive and light. But it seems the direction they’re taking is altogether different rote.

At the 2013 NAIAS, Audi’s chief designer Wolfgang Egger told Car & Driver that the next TT will be sharper and more angular than the current one. It will become an upmarket coupe and will offer LED headlights. That sounds nothing like the Golf-based car it used to be.

The TT-RS range-topping model will still have a 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo, but this is being re-engineered to produce more power while also consuming less fuel.

Audi is targeting a fast turnaround for this car, with the replacement coming as early as 2014.

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