Audi has chosen to change things up for the New Year due to the increasing competition from BMW and Mercedes. Audi may have a hard time selling the new sedan though because of the high price that is attached to it.

The 2008 Audi RS 4 is a compact ultra-performance car based on the Audi A4, and it’s available in sedan and convertible body styles. Standard features include 19-inch wheels with 255/35 high-performance tires, Dynamic Ride Control suspension, xenon headlights, Recaro sport seats with power adjustment and front seat heaters. Silk napa leather upholstery, carbon-fiber cabin trim, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 10-speaker audio system with six-disc CD changer, a sunroof and rear park assist are also standard.

A 4.2-liter V8 engine powers the RS 4. Equipped with direct fuel injection and sporting a 12.5:1 compression ratio, this powerhouse makes 420 hp and 317 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual gearbox (the only transmission offered) sends the power to all four wheels through Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which has a 40/60 front-to-rear power split in this application. During instrumented testing, an RS 4 sedan shot to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and ran the quarter-mile in 13 seconds at 107 mph.

The navigation system isn’t the most user-friendly design, though. As a serious performance car, the S4 sedan has been given standard Recaro front seats, which feature aggressive bolstering to hold one in place when zipping around corners. Although the rear seat is fine for small children, adults seated back there will likely complain about a shortage of legroom. Of course, it’s a welcome amount of space compared to sports cars that offer similar performance.

With more than 400 hp and the grip of all-wheel drive, the 2008 Audi RS 4 has no problem driving in and out of tight spaces. With a broad torque spread, there’s always power on tap. Apart from the incredible acceleration, the RS 4 makes a strong showing in the braking and handling departments. Through the curves, the RS 4 is a composed master despite its hefty curb weight.

For those of you who don’t prefer a sedan you can always choose the convertible model. The interior of the convertible will be slightly different as will the chassis (though not dramatically changed) – but the power will be the same.

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Here are the top vehicles that received the highest scores:

The WRX features race car-like handling and a relatively good ride. For 2006 the updated 2.5-liter turbocharged engine adds more power and provides quick and effortless acceleration. Subaru’s well-tuned suspension offers a compliant ride, but it can easily slide its tail at its limits. The standard all-wheel drive provides secure all-season traction.

The Miata won drivers over with its balanced handling, quick and precise steering, and crispshifting six-speed manual transmission, all available at a reasonable price. The manual top can be lowered and raised with one hand from the driver’s seat, making open motoring a snap. An optional power folding hard top was introduced for 2007.

Audi’s S4 is a high-performance version of the A4. Power comes from a smooth 340-hp, 4.2-liter V8 engine that drives all four wheels. A six-speed manual transmission is standard; a six-speed automatic is optional. We found the ride stiff but not punishing, unlike the ride in other sports cars. Handling is very capable and secure. The interior is well-finished and nicely appointed. The power-operated leather Recaro racing-style seats are supportive and comfortable. Crash-test results for the sedan are excellent.

The updated G35 successfully blends sportiness and luxury. Available in rear- or all-wheel drive, it has an exuberant powertrain, agile handling, and a reasonably comfortable ride. The interior is nicely finished with much improved ergonomics.

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“We had a very extensive programme on our agenda, which we managed to work through almost completely,” Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang wrapped up the positive outcome of the tests. “In the end, we were lacking merely ten minutes, otherwise we could have even completed the final tyre test we’d been planning to do. I think we’ve worked out a good base for the race today.”

A strong impression was left by the four newcomers to Audi Sport Team Joest. In his Le Mans début at the wheel of an LM P1 sports car, Mike Rockenfeller (23) set the third-best time of the day behind Sébastien Bourdais (Peugeot) and Frank Biela (Audi). Lucas Luhr was the quickest driver of the number 3 Audi R10 TDI, while his team-mates Alexandre Prémat and Mattias Ekström, were only slightly slower.

At 3m 28.277s (237.362 kph) Frank Biela, managed the fastest lap so far of an Audi R10 TDI at Le Mans. That last year’s lap times were clearly beaten, however, cannot only be attributed to the evolution of the cars: With 13.629 kilometres, the circuit is 21 metres shorter than before and, particularly due to a modification in the “Tertre Rouge” sector, almost two seconds faster, as data logs have shown.

More than 20,000 spectators witnessed the test day at Le Mans, which took place without record winner Tom Kristensen. The Dane continues to recover from the injuries he sustained in the serious accident during the DTM season opener. Whether or not Kristensen will be able to compete at Le Mans on 16/17 June will be decided, at the latest, at the beginning of the race week.

To be optimally prepared even in the event that Kristensen should not be fit for racing, Audi Sport Team Joest changed the driver teams before the test day: Mike Rockenfeller and Mattias Ekström swapped cars because Rockenfeller, in terms of body size, is better matched with Dindo Capello and Allan McNish, while Ekström is more compatible with Lucas Luhr and Alexandre Prémat.

Up to the race, the three Audi R10 TDI cars will stay at Le Mans for trackside preparation for the week of the race by Audi Sport Team Joest. The race week will start for Audi on Tuesday afternoon with the public Technical Scrutineering on the Place des Jacobins. The first qualifying practice is scheduled to start on Wednesday (13 June) at 7 p.m. (local time).

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The Audi S5 is an extra sporty offering to complete the new series. A powerful V8 FSI engine gives the S5 a dynamic edge, which underscores its athletically accentuated design. The A5 and S5 are available to order from 6 March 2007 with the first vehicles due for delivery from June.

The Audi S5 is an unique competitor among high-performance coupes, thanks to its combination of V8 FSI technology and quattro permanent four-wheel drive. The eight-cylinder engine with its superb power delivery has worthy counterparts in the specially tuned sports suspension and high-performance brakes. Subtle, but clear design elements inside and out serve to distinguish this coupe as a high performance athlete in a league of its own. The Audi S5 goes on sale with the launch of the Audi A5 series.

The figures alone are interesting, but they only hint at the impressive driving experience the S5 offers. The eight-cylinder engine has a rated power output of 354 bhp. Its peak torque is 325 lb-ft, which it already delivers at 3,500 rpm. Within just 5.1 seconds the Audi S5 can sprint to 62 mph.

But no figures can adequately describe the supreme free-revving character, the spontaneous response, the continuous power build-up, or the thrilling sound of this eight-cylinder engine. The V8 naturally derives its enormous power potential from the innovative FSI direct injection technology with high compression and optimum fuel mixture formation.

While the design of the Audi A5 creates a balanced synthesis of sportiness and elegance, the Audi S5 displays the more vigorous features of a powerfully built athlete: the radiator grille possesses the specific look of an Audi S model, painted in platinum grey and fitted with vertical chrome inlays. The front and rear bumpers have a more pronounced outline and the air inlet grilles are more striking.

The aluminum-look exterior mirror housings make an overtly sporty impression, as do the color-keyed door sill trim and the dual-branch exhaust system with four oval tailpipes. Nevertheless, the model’s sporty attributes always have a functional aspect: for instance, the more pronounced spoiler in the boot lid yields additional aerodynamic downforce.

The interior design of the Audi A5 thoroughly underscores its athletic character. The sports seats, sports steering wheel, instruments with grey dials and aluminum door sill plates provide a dynamic and refined atmosphere. The program does, of course, provide ample scope to fulfil individual interior design wishes: the inlays are one example, here the choice is between carbon, aluminum, stainless steel or wood.

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It also has Audi’s direct-injection system, called FSI. Maximum output is down from 493 horsepower at 7800 rpm in the Gallardo to 444 at 7000 rpm in the S8, and torque is up 22 pound-feet (398 pound-feet total), peaking 1000 rpm earlier at 3500 rpm. Interestingly, 444 horsepower is precisely the output of the 12-cylinder engine (the W-12) in the long-wheelbase A8L and 114 more than offered in the base 4.2-liter V-8.

Other modifications include a stiffer version of the four-position adjustable air suspension found on other models, a steering ratio that is 10 percent quicker, and rear-biased Quattro all-wheel drive. It rides stiffly on Germany’s well-kept roads; here, even with four suspension settings, the ride may prove jarring. European-market S8s have optional ceramic brakes, and we may get that option sometime in 2007. For now, it shares the W-12’s hardware.

The biggest drawback is probably the six-speed automatic, the same mechanism used in all A8s, that shifts prematurely into the upper gears. To enhance acceleration, the final-drive ratio is shorter, and after driving the car, we’re confident it will reach 60 mph in less than five seconds, making it the quickest big Audi. But the result is an off-the-line jumpiness that causes the S8 to lurch forward, immediately followed by a shift to second, causing double the head bobbing. Too bad Audi’s excellent automated-manual DSG transmission wasn’t adopted.

This S8’s most noticeable exterior mod is the addition of vertical chrome struts that adorn the oversize, single-frame grille. That was done to satisfy U.S. buyers who want their lavish purchases to be noticed. Other differences include a subtle trunklid spoiler, quad exhaust pipes, unique 20-inch wheels, and, of course, silver mirrors and a few badges.

The S8 is available only on the short-wheelbase A8 platform, which is more than 100 pounds lighter than the stretched version, but it still comfortably seats four adults taller than six feet. Its equipment levels are similar to those of the range-topper A8L W-12 and include amenities such as sumptuous Valcona leather seats with heavier bolsters and an Alcantara headliner.

The options list is short, with two new choices: A back-up camera is now part of the $5000 Premium package, and Audi has gotten rid of the distorted fisheye look that plagues many other manufacturers’ displays with post processing. There’s also an astonishing 1100-watt Bang & Olufsen 14-speaker stereo that, for $7800, brings lifelike sound to the cabin.

With a base price of $94,420, the S8 is a bargain when it goes on sale in October. That undercuts competitors like the BMW 760i and upcoming Mercedes S63 AMG, as well as Audi’s own A8L W-12, by about 20 large. Collaboration with Lamborghini is not over, as Audi is planning to launch an entry into the two-seat supercar arena early in 2007 with a 2008 model called the R8, which will also be powered by the V-10. At least for now, Audi isn’t stepping on Lambo’s toes.

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Using a less potent versoin of the V10 in the previously announced S8, the S6’s 5.2-liter engine produces 420 hp at 6,800 rpm and 398 pound-feet of torque. That’s 70 hp shy of BMW’s M5 engine, but Audi promises more of a bias towards luxury. Audi says the S6 will sprint to 62 miles per hour from a standstill in 5.2 seconds.

A six-speed automatic is the only transmission available. Quattro all-wheel drive comes standard, with a 40/60 front to rear torque split that enables a combination of rear-wheel drive dynamics (preferred by enthusiasts) and all-weather security. Audi will also offer an S6 Avant wagon.

Audi says it will hit 62 mph in 5.3 seconds, which would make the Avant the quickest wagon sold in North America. Sedan and wagon versions of the S6 will go on sale this spring, while the larger S8 is set to arrive in the fall.

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Continuing the civilized-sports-car theme, the engine is ignited by turning a key rather than by pressing a race-car-style button. The 420-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 engine is smooth and quiet at low speeds, the steering is direct without being nervous, and wind noise is muted in everyday driving, although, as with most mid-engined sports cars, poor rear visibility makes parking a challenge.

The R8’s character changes at higher speeds on open roads, but it’s never raw, like a Porsche 911 GT3’s. Thanks to the modified air intake and exhaust system, the R8 engine delivers its maximum torque between 3500 and 7600 rpm, a higher figure than in the RS 4, which shares the same powerplant. At 5000 rpm, two valves in the intake manifold open and the engine note becomes more aggressive while the car surges forward impressively, despite a claimed curb weight of 3450 pounds.

The V-8 FSI engine sits 4.7 inches lower than in the RS 4, thanks to a dry-sump oil system. The engine is mated to a short-throw six-speed Graziano manual transmission. A hydraulic clutch system is optional, using paddles for manual shifting. Audi calls this R tronic, whereas Lamborghini names it e-gear in the Gallardo.

Like the Gallardo, the R8 has all-wheel drive. A minimum of 60 percent of the engine’s torque is delivered to the rear wheels. The upshot is safe, balanced handling: Initial understeer can be countered with the throttle, and it’s possible to break the tail loose if the driver is brave on corner exit. The R8 uses adaptive damping, as in the TT, and it’s precise and easy to drive fast, if a little bland. It’s also stable at speed, thanks to careful aerodynamic management a rear spoiler deploys at speeds above 75 mph, and there’s a flat underbody.

Audi claims a top speed of 185 mph, which means the R8 is faster in a straight line than a 911 Carrera S. Yet it’s not as sporty as the Porsche and is likely to cost a lot more money in the U.S. we estimate about $110,000. That’s still way cheaper than a Gallardo or Ferrari F430, its closest mid-engined rivals, and will make the R8 an alternative for prospective 911 Turbo and Aston V-8 Vantage buyers when it goes on sale in the fall of 2007 in the U.S.

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Johan De Nysschen, head of Audi in the United States, told consumers that the A5 will be positioned above the current A4 Cabriolet when it debuts late next year and it will use Audi’s 4.2-liter FSI V8. Three different transmissions will be offered: manual, automatic and DSG and all of them will send power through a quattro all wheel drive system.

Not much ground breaking news there, but de Nysschen also told us that the A5 would introduce an all-new chassis design for Audi that would eventually filter through every other model in the lineup. Unlike current Audi models which hang their engines forward of the front axle, the A5 will put its V8 directly over the front axle center line.

This will not only give the A5 better balance, it will allow Audi to meet pedestrian crash safety standards without resorting to ridiculously ill proportioned front end designs. De Nysschen also confirmed that a cabriolet version of the A5 would follow about a year after the coupe’s fall 2007 U.S. launch.

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Like the model it replaces, the new A4 Cabriolet features an insulated power-operated roof with a glass rear window that can be raised or lowered while driving at speeds up to 19 mph. An optional acoustic roof makes use of denser fabrics to further reduce road noise Audi claims a Cabriolet fitted with the optional headliner is as quiet as the sedan, even at highway speeds.

The A4 convertibles feature an occupant-protection system in which two protective bars located behind the rear seats pop up within milliseconds if sensors detect the vehicle is about to roll over.

Fuel economy on the A4 ranges from 23 mpg city/34 mpg highway with the most efficient front-drive, manual gearbox 2.0T, to 17 mpg city/27 mpg highway with the least efficient 3.2 with quattro AWD and the six-speed manual. A four-link front suspension and a sophisticated self-tracking trapezoidal-link design at the rear provide a well-balanced ride and handling. An optional S Line Sport Package includes upgraded suspension components and performance-oriented tires to sharpen handling, particularly when teamed with the quattro AWD.

Four-wheel disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and the latest version of Audi’s stability and traction control systems are standard and work to help drivers retain control under slippery conditions or during extreme handling maneuvers. Front side and side-curtain airbags that cover all outboard passengers are standard.

The A4 comes well-equipped with a full assortment of amenities. Noteworthy options include adaptive high-intensity headlamps that pivot to help illuminate the road around curves as well as a navigation system with Audi’s Multi-Media Interface that incorporates various system controls. While the latter can be difficult to operate and may distract drivers from watching the road, it’s less annoying than similar systems offered on other luxury cars and does a particularly nice job of keeping radio channels organized with the optional XM satellite receiver.

Sporty S4 sedan, convertible and wagon derivatives equipped with a 340-hp V8 offer improved performance and handling at the expense of ride comfort. For those who crave even more power, an ultra-high-performance RS4 version with a 414-hp V8 is also offered.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the A4 sedan a four-star rating for driver and front-passenger frontal crash protection.

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