2012 Audi A1 Sportback First Drive: Two More Doors and a Trick New Four-Cylinder

Audi has added two doors to its A1 hatchback, a car that competes head-on with BMW’s Mini, yet does without any retro touches or excessive cuteness. This five-door derivative is called the A1 Sportback and is significant not only for its styling and added practicality, but also for a new engine that’s available on this car first.

Cylinders: Deactivate!

That unit is a new 1.4-liter TFSI making 140 hp. It features cylinder-deactivation technology, a first in a nonhybrid four-cylinder. Only when needed, all four cylinders work together to move the car forward in a hurry or to provide engine braking; at partial loads, two cylinders are deactivated by pushing zero-lift cam profiles over the valves of cylinders two and three.

Cylinder deactivation is standard on Audi’s and Bentley’s 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V-8. Those cars get some high technology to go along with it: active engine mounts, which counteract vibration using out-of-phase counter-oscillations, along with a speaker-based noise-cancellation system. When changing between the two modes, extra fuel is injected to smooth out the transition.

With the 1.4 TFSI, Audi does without those active systems because they would be far too expensive for this class. Nevertheless, the engine works great. It is not only powerful and responsive with very little turbo lag, but also fuel-efficient. Cylinder deactivation helps reduce consumption by roughly ten percent, according to Audi. The transition from four- to two-cylinder mode is announced in the instrumentation, which is helpful, as it is virtually undetectable to the driver. We saw indicated fuel consumption in the low-40-mpg range, all the while appreciating the sonorous quality of this utterly enjoyable powerplant. The 1.4-liter will surface in Volkswagen models soon. Continued...

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-audi-a1-sportback-first-drive-review

Audi may announce Ducati purchase next week, sources say

FRANKFURT/MILAN (Reuters) -- Audi plans to announce the acquisition of Ducati next week, having completed a due diligence assessment of the Italian motorcycle maker, two people familiar with the matter said.

Audi encountered no major stumbling blocks when checking Ducati's books, the people said today. The purchase could be announced as early as April 18, the day before VW's annual shareholders' meeting in Hamburg.

One of the sources said that Ducati's main shareholder, Italian buyout firm Investindustrial, agreed to talk with Audi exclusively.

Volkswagen, Audi and Investindustrial declined to comment.

A successful deal would fuel Audi's long-standing rivalry with BMW in superbikes, and add expertise in high-revving light engines to VW's engineering portfolio, which ranges from cars and heavy trucks to ship engines.

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera also reported today that an accord between Ducati and Audi was expected to be signed next week, citing no sources.

The paper noted that Audi had the right to negotiate exclusively until April 15, after which Investindustrial was free to talk to other potential buyers.

In 2005, Audi tried to buy Ducati from former owner Texas Pacific Group but was trumped by rival bidder Investindustrial, Corriere della Sera added.

Ducati was founded in 1926, and over the past 60 years it scored 17 manufacturer's World Championship titles, most recently winning the 2011 World Superbike Championship title.

Investindustrial's chairman Andrea Bonomi told The Financial Times in February the firm was looking to sell Ducati.

Last month the paper cited sources as saying the price could be about 850 million euros ($1.1 billion) including 800 million in acquired debt.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20120411/COPY01/304119857#ixzz1rvprNuvl

Chicago Audi

New Audi A5 TV advertisement

The charming new film - The Swan - tells the story of how the cutting-edge Audi concept vehicles of the 1920s have progressed into the stunning and aerodynamically efficient cars of today.

A witty take on the classic children's tale - The Ugly Duckling - and featuring the original Danny Kaye song of the same name, the new ad shows an early teardrop-shaped Audi driving through a period Bavarian town.

Designed by the pioneering Audi engineer Paul Jaray, the prototype car was ahead of its time and its idiosyncratic styling was too futuristic for onlookers. Its plight is reflected in the film as we witness the lonesome 'Jaray Audi' scaring the horses, drawing disapproving looks from the townspeople and receiving angry honks from other drivers.

Audi, however, understood the potential of the concept's aerodynamic technology and engineering, and Jaray's influence has been evident in all models from the brand ever since. This is emphasised in the film when the historic car draws up at a lake and sees its reflection in the shape of today's stunning new A5.