Audi RS4 Avant review

Fast RS models have propagated throughout Audi’s range, but the Audi RS4 still holds a special place in the memory of enthusiasts.The RS2 estate of 1994 was the first Audi to wear the RS badge, and it was a corking car to drive. It was succeeded by the second Audi RS model, the RS4, in 2000. That was less rewarding but incredibly usable, and really kick-started the RS spawning process. The RS4 of 2006, however, still shines brightest, and is remembered for its fluid ride, engaging handling and superb powertrain.MattPriorRoad test editorThe RS4’s ability to find grip in the wet is almost without peerThere are some things you can predict about an RS Audi. That it will have monster performance and traction will be a given. That it will retain all the interior furnishings of its lesser siblings is taken as read, too.But just what kind of dynamic demeanour it will take on is harder to imagine. Some RS models have ridden well, some dreadfully, some have been engaging and some utterly inert, while some are a complex mix of all the aforementioned. All of which goes to make a test of the new RS4 a particularly intriguing one.Promisingly, RS Audis of late have been getting more consistent, and getting better. More promisingly still, the best of the breed has, to date, been the previous-generation RS4 – a car that many of our testers would have chosen over a BMW M3 at the time.And now it’s back, in its third generation, retaining a high-revving, naturally aspirated powertrain rather than following the rest of the industry’s inevitable progression towards blown motors. That was one of the high points of the most recent Audi RS4, so it sounds promising again. Let’s see if it delivers.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Audi RS6 Avant review

Ah, an Audi RS6. By definition a car interesting enough to set the Autocar-to-Mira test track hotline ringing, but not the unknown quantity it once was. RS Audis have become more consistent of late; have found their own character. No more the unexpected extremes of brilliance in the 2007 RS4, but neither the shocking brittleness of the 2004 RS6 Plus. MattPriorRoad test editorThe hottest variant of Audi’s executive saloon arrives in the UK in Avant form only, about which we have no qualms at allInstead, the silver-mirrored performance benchmarks have adopted a more coherent theme: fast, undoubtedly, and with a minor reduction in their feeling of heft in the nose, while without ever seriously challenging for class honours in the markets in which they compete.Until now? We’ll see. The hottest variant of Audi’s executive saloon arrives in the UK in Avant form only, about which we have no qualms at all because, ever since Volvo launched the 850 T5 wagon, quick estates have given us quite the giggle.But Audi hasn’t been alone in enjoying fast big estates – you can’t get a Touring BMW M5, but every one of Audi’s other major rivals offers a car in this class. And some of them are very good.Audi’s first flirtations with fast estates cropped up in the earily 1990s (the ’93-’96 RS2), but the first RS6 appeared in 2002. Powered by a twin-turbo 4.2 V8, it was fast in a straight line but not especially loveable. Neither, to be fair, was the replacement that appeared, after an RS6 absense of three years, the 2008-released sporting variant of the big wagon.What did strike a chord, though, was the allure of a turbo V10 powerplant. The RS6 was fitted with a 5.0-litre V10 (mainly unrelated to the one in a Lamborghini Gallardo, contrary to popular belief) giving it a titanic 571bhp.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Audi A3 Saloon review

The A3 saloon is a natural extension of Audi’s premium hatchback. It’s based on the A3 Sportback, but has been subtly redesigned to give more presence on the road. As a consequence, the A3 Saloon shares no body panels with its Sportback sibling. It’s easy to mistake the A3 saloon for the A4, at least in terms of size. That said, Audi is keen to point out the differences between the new A3 saloon and the now somewhat dated A4. The new car is 24cm shorter than the A4, which is important for markets such as China where the A3 saloon will find good service as a first company car for junior executives. Naturally, such customers must have a smaller car than their bosses. DarrenMossDigital ReporterThe A3 saloon might be pricey, but it's a natural extension from the successful hatchback.While Audi won’t confirm that this was a major influence in its design of the A3 saloon, it’s hard to ignore that China is its single biggest market, followed by the US.Two trim levels, Sport and S-line, are available, with S-line modles coming at a £2150 premium. For the extra money, drivers get 18-inch alloys over the standard car's 17-inch wheels, as well as S-line body styling and Xenon headlights. The premium trim is expected to account for 50 per cent of sales.Three engines currently power the range: a 1.4-litre TFSI and 1.8-litre TFSi lead the petrol contingent and a 2.0-litre TDI stands as the sole diesel option for now. Two more units, a 104bhp 1.6-litre TDI and 181bhp 2.0-litre TDI, launch in December this year and spring next year respectively to bulk out the range.The 138bhp 1.4-litre TFSI base engine comes with cylinder-on-demand technology, which shuts down two cylinders under low engine loads to improve fuel economy.It’s a gutsy engine and gives good pull, but the trade-off between better economy and performance is noticeable at higher speeds. For better performance we’d recommend the 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesel, which is £25,755 to the 1.4’s £24,305 but gives much better acceleration. It’s expected to take the biggest chunk of A3 saloon sales and it’s easy to see why: the engine is very refined and quickly settles down into a quiet rumble during motorway cruising.To turn the A3 into a proper performance saloon your best engine option is the 1.8-litre TFSi, which puts out 178bhp and 184lb ft. The extra acceleration on offer really impresses, particularly from low down in the rev range, but high-speed refinement does suffer slightly. Two gearbox options are available on the A3 saloon, either a six-speed manual or seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic. We’ve tried both, and while there’s nothing wrong with the manual option our pick would be the automatic. It’s a £1480 option but gives short, clear upshifts and picks up on small pedal movements well. There’s some jarring with performance downshifts, but switching to paddle mode quickly negates it.The A3 saloon uses the same electromechanical steering set-up as the Sportback, and like its sibling gives a light, well weighted feel. There’s very little feedback from the road, though, which in a performance-focused A3 saloon would become a drawback.The interior and cabin will be familiar to anyone driving a current-generation A3 hatch. There’s a premium feel, especially on S-line trim models. Audi’s MMI navigation/multimedia system continues to perform well and impresses even more thanks to the addition of Google Earth imagery.New to the A3 saloon is Audi’s Drive Select system, which allows the driver to alter throttle response and suspension set-ups. The usual options are available, including Dynamic, Economy and Comfort.The A3 saloon is pricey, but works well as Audi’s first entry into the compact saloon class. It’s clearly aimed at bigger markets than the UK, and whether motorists here will be tempted by the sSaloon’s styling remains to be seen. It’s a competent cruiser, though, and a worthy opponent to rivals such as BMW’s 120i M Sport, Lexus’s IS 250 and Mercedes’ CLA 220 CDI Sport.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

BMW 3-series review

The BMW 3-series is not so much a range of cars as a statement of intent. While an ever-increasing number of models may swirl around the peripheries of the marque, the 3-series has been BMW's rock-solid nucleus since 1975.If a Martian fell to earth and asked what a BMW was, an introduction to a 320d would be all an alien species would need to understand the essence of the brand. Which is why BMW may feel free to play fast and loose with some of its more, eclectic, niche models, but never with the 3-series. It must simply be as good as it can possibly be.MattSaundersDeputy road test editorThe world’s top-selling premium-brand car now targets sporting sophisticationWhich is not to say BMW is unaware that, even within the bedrock, some flexibility can reside. On the contrary, when you have a commodity as universally respected and revered as the 3-series, you want to make sure that asset is exploited to the very limit.Which is why, when the Three was first launched, there was only a two-door saloon; today, there is a saloon, estate and that curious construct the 3-series Gran Turismo hatchback. In the meantime, the long-serving coupé and convertibles have now been rebadged as the 4-series, but underneath it all it’s still the same car.But amid all this brand manipulation, one key quality has come to characterise the 3-series, almost regardless of which model is under the microscope: class leadership.While the Mercedes-Benz C-class or, less often, the Audi A4 may in one specific guise or another give the equivalent 3-series an unexpectedly good run for its money (on occasion it’s even been beaten), the general picture not just of recent times but of the past few decades is that the 3-series as a range has sat unchallenged and indomitable at the top of the pile.Put another way, it has developed what can almost be described as a sense of entitlement to be thought of as the most coveted medium-sized car that mere mortals could ever hope to own.But none of us must ever assume any car’s position at the top or bottom of the class. When it comes to assessing a new product, the past is irrelevant. The only question in need of an answer is how the 3-series stacks up as proposition today.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

#EANF#

#EANF# #EANF#[EXTRACT]#EANF#

He is the Jaguar XE Latest Sightings

British car manufacturer, Jaguar, recently released some official photos of the production version of the Jaguar XE is scheduled to debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. Reporting from Autocar.co.uk, the photos, which was released to initiate a promotional campaign titled Jaguars 'Feel XE', revealed that the design of the front of this production version differs only slightly from the rendering of the concept car, which has been displayed at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The photographs were released showing the S XE version

 which will be one of the three models available at the time of its release. Two other models, namely XE standard and high performance versions of Xer son-S will be introduced in the model line-up after the launch next October. Jaguar XE will be equipped with four-cylinder engine with a 2.0-liter powerplant Ingenium's latest from Jaguar Land Rover. In the economical version, the Jaguar XE will have a fuel efficiency of 75 mpg with CO2 emissions of less than 100g / km. For a high-performance version, XE is believed to reach a top speed of 186 mph or 300 km / h. In addition, the Jaguar XE will also be available with a supercharged V6 engine capacity of 3.0-liter which is also used on the F-Type sports car. This machine is capable of producing power dikaim 375 bhp at 339-ft.lbs torque. XE is built with a new body structure is made from 75 percent aluminum material, making a lighter weight. XE is predicted to be advantageous in competition with several cars in its class such as the BMW 3 Series.

Audi S4 review

The Audi S4 is one of those curious cars that appears to have lost its place in the world order.Not long after the turn of the century its role was clear: it was Audi’s answer to the likes of the BMW M3 and AMG versions of the Mercedes C-class, and to that end it enjoyed the memorable services of a mighty V8 motor under the bonnet.AndrewFrankelSenior contributing writerAudi's S4 features a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 that produces 328bhp and 324lb ftProblem was the car wasn’t any good, and Audi knew that if it were to be taken seriously as a manufacturer of supercar-slaying compact family cars it would need not just a different approach but a different badge.Up stepped its Quattro GmbH tuning division with its RS branding and the rest, including the rather more cheerful tale of the RS4, is a different story.Audi could have just killed the S4, of course, but that would not have appealed to its sense of order and the fact that S versions were either planned or already existed for every other mainstream model in its line-up.So instead of being beefed up even further, it was put on a diet. The V8 became a V6 and the car remarketed as a head and heart kind of machine, one still worth taking out on a Sunday morning but which was also sensible to live with day to day both in terms of general civility and running costs.Which is where we find the S4 today, costing upwards of £39k in four-door form or over £40k as an even more attractive, more practical and, frankly, more desirable estate.Each Audi S4 can also be had in ‘Black Edition’ specification, offering a whole raft of chintzy design details inside and out majoring on a highly polished black theme, but with some useful additional hardware and software, too, including automatic headlights and wipers, a digital radio, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, 19in rims, a parking camera and a multi-function steering wheel. For an additional £1250, that sounds like conspicuous value.[EXTRACT]#EANF#