Top 5 Station Wagons we’d Love to Own & Drive

While I figure that I still have a few years in front of me until I settle in, open up a house, get two or three dogs, make a couple of kids and if all goes well, get married too (…), I’ve spotted a few station wagon models out there that I wouldn’t mind at all owning right here, right now. First of all, it goes without saying that just because you want a practical station wagon model, it doesn’t mean that it has to look like your uncle Tom’s Buick Roadmaster…

With that said, I picked out the two most beautiful SWs in my opinion: the Audi A4 Avant and the Alfa Romeo 159 SportWagon. While both models are available with punchy V6 gasoline engines, I’d opt for a diesel version and in particular, the 240 Hp 3.0 TDI quattro for the A4 Avant and the 200HP 2.4 JTDM Q4 (AWD) for the utterly sexy Alfa 159 SW (in Ti spec).

If money isn’t an issue, then all roads point to the trio of German powerhouses: the 507 Hp V10-powered BMW M5 Touring; the 580 Hp twin-turbocharged V10 Audi RS6 and the 453 Hp 6.3-liter V8-powered Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Estate (it looks so much better than the E 63 AMG). Now, would you have a problem tying the knot if your future father in law promised you one of these supercars dressed in sheep’s skin? That is, unless you have reasons to beleive that the bride is in fact a wolf dressed in a sheep's clothing... (Pics edited by Carscoop)

Audi Releases Details on 3.0 TFSI V6 Compressor with 290Hp

Following several months of number-speculations, Audi has released official details on its highly anticipated 3.0 TFSI V6 engine that will power several vehicles in its line-up. The 3.0 TFSI V6 engine that combines the use direct injection and compressor supercharging is rated at 290Hp at just under 5,000 rpm while it delivers its maximum 420Nm (309.78 lb-ft) of torque at 2,500 rpm and maintains this constantly until 4,850 rpm.

Comparatively, BMW’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six develops 306hp and 400Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque between 1,300 - 5,000rpm. However, have in mind that it is common in the Audi/VW Group, to offer engines –especially those turbocharged- in various outputs. -Continued

Audi says that extensive comparative tests revealed the mechanical supercharger to be superior to a biturbo concept for this engine. The compressor in the 3.0TFSI engine (a Roots blower that can deliver 1,000 kg - 2204.62 lb of air per hour and force it into the combustion chambers at a boost pressure of up to 0.8 bar) is so compact that it easily fits inside the 90-degree V of the cylinder banks, in place of the intake manifold. The Germans support that because it is driven by the engine via poly-V belt, its full thrust is available from idle speed upwards, producing huge pulling power when driving off.

According to Audi the new 3.0 TFSI will offer an average fuel consumption of well under 10 liters per 100 km (23.52 US mpg) in virtually all longitudinally engined Audi models, the concept for which it is envisaged.

From what we know, the 3.0TFSI will make its debut on the 2009 S4 and S4 Avant models at the Paris Show this fall; however what we don't know is the exact output of the supercharged V6 as there's a strong possibility it could deliver well over 290Hp.

2009 Audi S4 Avant 3.0TFSI CGIs

In a couple of months time, we should have the first official pictures of the new Audi S4 Sedan and Avant models in our hands as both versions are slated to make their worldwide premier at the Paris Auto Show in October. Until then, we’ll have to do with spy shots and CGIs like the ones featured on Audiblog.

Shown here is a computer generated image of what the station wagon version of the S4 might look like. As we’ve told you before, the 2009 S4 will be equipped with Audi’s all-new 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine with direct injection delivering something north of 330 Hp. -One more pic after the jump

Pics via: Audiblog

2009 Audi S4 3.0TFSi Scooped Undisguised

The folks over at Dutch magazine “Autoweek” have managed to snap the forthcoming Audi S4 Sedan and Avant models totally undisguised at an Audi parking lot. In exchange for the current model’s naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 engine, the 2009 S4 will receive Audi’s new 3.0 TFSi engine, a supercharged 3.0-litre, direct-injection V6 unit that is rumored to produce about 333Hp –some say it will deliver around 350Hp. The V6 engine will me matted to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed dual clutch semi-auto transmission.

As with its predecessors, the 2009 S4’s exterior looks are some what understated which isn’t a bad thing in our opinion. It’s most distinguished features include the cool LED front lights, the deep front spoiler, chunky alloy wheels and the quad exhausts pipes. The new S4 is due to make its official appearance at the forthcoming Paris Auto Show this fall, with sales starting shortly after. -Continued

Via: Autoweek.nl

Jealous Vandals Destroy Brand New Audi A4 with Paint Stripper

About a week ago and after three months of waiting, “Detailingworld” forum member “Cl0nd0n” received his brand new 2009 Audi A4 2.0TDi S-Line in the UK. As soon as his cherished possession arrived, “Cl0nd0n” went immediately to work detailing his beautiful white 2009 A4 to near perfection. A week later and to his misfortune, “Cl0nd0n” saw his £35k (about $70k!), 6 days old and with, just 580 miles on the odometer Audi completely covered in some kind of paint stripper that deteriorated the car’s paintjob causing serious damage.

Apparently, some utterly sick folks got really jealous and decided to destroy “Cl0nd0n’s” A4 right under his own house. Even though the poor chap had a closed circuit security TV system, he was unable to detect the anything more than a couple of shadows lurking in the dark. Just breaks your heart doesn’t it… -Continued

Link: Detailingworld

Euro NCAP: Five-Star Rating for Audi A4 & Skoda Superb

As anticipated, VW Group’s newest sedan offerings, the Audi A4 and the Skoda Superb achieved a maximum five-star rating for adult occupant protection in Euro NCAP’s latest tests. Both sedans also managed to get four stars (out of five) for child occupant protection while in terms of pedestrian protection, both got a mediocre two out of four stars, something that displeased Euro NCAP officials who reported that no clear progress was seen in Pedestrian Protection despite approaching legislation. -Details and pics after the jump

Euro NCAP Comments:

Audi A4

Front impact: There was negligible distortion of the passenger compartment in the frontal test. Adapative airbags and seatbelts tailor the timing and the degree of restraint to suit the size of the occupant and the severity of the impact. In this case, the both the driver and passenger were well protected.

Side impact: The A4 scored maximum points in the side impact and pole tests.

Child-protection: The A4 scored maximum points for its protection of the 1½ year old infant and the 3 year old child based on dummy responses in the full scale tests. There was no label clearly warning of the dangers of using a rearward-facing child restraint in the front passenger seat but the presence of ISOFIX markings was clearly indicated in the rear outboard seats.

Pedestrian protection: The bumper scored maximum points for its protection of pedestrians' legs but the front edge of the bonnet scored none. The bonnet was rated as predominantly poor for the protection it offered to the head of a struck adult.

Skoda Superb

Front impact: The passenger compartment remained stable in the impact. Dummy readings indicated good protection of the front seat passengers' knees and femurs. Skoda showed Euro NCAP that occupants of different sizes, or those sat in different seating positions, would be equally well protected.

Side impact: The Superb scored maximum points for its performance in the side impact and pole tests.

Child-protection: Based on dummy responses in the dynamic tests, the Superb scored maximum points for its protection of the 1½ year dummy. The passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. However, information provided to the driver regarding the status of the airbag is not sufficiently clear. There was no adequate warning of the dangers of using a rearward facing child restraint without first deactivating the airbag. The presence of ISOFIX and top-tether anchorages in the rear outboard seats was not clearly marked.

Pedestrian protection: The bumper scored maximum points for the protection offered to pedestrians' legs. The bonnet surface provided mostly fair protection in the area where a child's head might hit. However, the bonnet was rated as predominantly poor for the protection offered to an adult's head and the front edge of the bonnet scored no points.

Rieger Tuning Audi A4 3.0TDI 297Hp

Making its world premiere at the 2008 Tuning World Bodensee show in Germany, the new Audi A4 3.0 TDI from Rieger Tuning has received both styling and mechanical upgrades. The German tuning firm’s aggressive bodykit consists of a front lip spoiler, a carbon-fiber rear diffuser that incorporates four exhausts pipes, side sills and an understated boot spoiler along with 20-inch alloys available in various designs. -Continued

Rieger Tuning has also supped up the 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel engine which now develops 297 Hp (vs 240 Hp) while the suspension and brake system have also been upgraded.

Via: Autoblog.nl , Source: Rierger Tuning

Audi A5 Sportback: Coming in 2009?

With carmakers searching to cover every single niche, we can’t say that we’re surprised with the Audi A5 Sportback shown here in an artist’s impression from Car magazine. The Brits support that the development of the hybrid coupe-station wagon-hatchback model is well underway with production slated to begin as soon as early 2009.

Slotting between the A4 and the A6, the Sportback depicted here combines styling elements from the A5 Coupe, A4 Sedan and A4 Avant with a low roofline, frameless side windows and a liftback-style slopping tailgate. When (or if - take your pick), the A5 Sportback enters the market it will available with the same turbocharged 4-cylinder 2.0 TFSI and V6 FSi units offered in the A4/A5 models.

Via: Car

ABT AS4 Avant: New Tuning Program for the 2009 Audi A4 Avant

ABT, the German tuning firm that specializes on Audi and Volkswagen models has released a new tuning program for the 2009 Audi A4 Avant that was unveiled at the Geneva Show earlier this year. Appearance-wise, ABT has dressed the A4 Avant with an aggressive bodykit that consists of a brawnier front bumper, side skirts, a roof spoiler, fender air-vent inserts and a rear skirt incorporating a 4-pipe exhaust system along with new alloy wheels.

Apart from the sport suspension and brake system, ABT also offers a variety of engine upgrades including two different programs for the 1.8 TFSI unit that boost output from the stock 160 Hp to 200 or 240 Hp. You can check out all the details on ABT’s power upgrades after the jump. -Continued

Current available power upgrades for the A4 Avant

1.8 TFSI
Serial: 160hp (118kW) 250Nm
ABT Power: 200hp (147kW) 280Nm
ABT POWER S: 240hp (177kW) 310Nm

2.0 TDI
Serial: 143hp (105kW) 320Nm
ABT POWER: 170hp (125kW) 370Nm
ABT POWER S: 200hp (147kW) 400Nm

2.7 TDI
Serial: 190hp (140kW) 400Nm
ABT POWER: 230hp (162kW) 450Nm

3.0 TDI
Serial: 240hp (176kW) 500Nm
ABT POWER: 282hp (207kW) 550Nm
ABT POWER S: 310hp (228kW) 610Nm

Top 5 Station Wagons we’d Love to Own & Drive

While I figure that I still have a few years in front of me until I settle in, open up a house, get two or three dogs, make a couple of kids and if all goes well, get married too (…), I’ve spotted a few station wagon models out there that I wouldn’t mind at all owning right here, right now. First of all, it goes without saying that just because you want a practical station wagon model, it doesn’t mean that it has to look like your uncle Tom’s Buick Roadmaster…

With that said, I picked out the two most beautiful SWs in my opinion: the Audi A4 Avant and the Alfa Romeo 159 SportWagon. While both models are available with punchy V6 gasoline engines, I’d opt for a diesel version and in particular, the 240 Hp 3.0 TDI quattro for the A4 Avant and the 200HP 2.4 JTDM Q4 (AWD) for the utterly sexy Alfa 159 SW (in Ti spec).

If money isn’t an issue, then all roads point to the trio of German powerhouses: the 507 Hp V10-powered BMW M5 Touring; the 580 Hp twin-turbocharged V10 Audi RS6 and the 453 Hp 6.3-liter V8-powered Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Estate (it looks so much better than the E 63 AMG). Now, would you have a problem tying the knot if your future father in law promised you one of these supercars dressed in sheep’s skin? That is, unless you have reasons to beleive that the bride is in fact a wolf dressed in a sheep's clothing... (Pics edited by Carscoop)

Top 5 Station Wagons we’d Love to Own & Drive

While I figure that I still have a few years in front of me until I settle in, open up a house, get two or three dogs, make a couple of kids and if all goes well, get married too (…), I’ve spotted a few station wagon models out there that I wouldn’t mind at all owning right here, right now. First of all, it goes without saying that just because you want a practical station wagon model, it doesn’t mean that it has to look like your uncle Tom’s Buick Roadmaster…

With that said, I picked out the two most beautiful SWs in my opinion: the Audi A4 Avant and the Alfa Romeo 159 SportWagon. While both models are available with punchy V6 gasoline engines, I’d opt for a diesel version and in particular, the 240 Hp 3.0 TDI quattro for the A4 Avant and the 200HP 2.4 JTDM Q4 (AWD) for the utterly sexy Alfa 159 SW (in Ti spec).

If money isn’t an issue, then all roads point to the trio of German powerhouses: the 507 Hp V10-powered BMW M5 Touring; the 580 Hp twin-turbocharged V10 Audi RS6 and the 453 Hp 6.3-liter V8-powered Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Estate (it looks so much better than the E 63 AMG). Now, would you have a problem tying the knot if your future father in law promised you one of these supercars dressed in sheep’s skin? That is, unless you have reasons to beleive that the bride is in fact a wolf dressed in a sheep's clothing... (Pics edited by Carscoop)

Top 5 Station Wagons we’d Love to Own & Drive

While I figure that I still have a few years in front of me until I settle in, open up a house, get two or three dogs, make a couple of kids and if all goes well, get married too (…), I’ve spotted a few station wagon models out there that I wouldn’t mind at all owning right here, right now. First of all, it goes without saying that just because you want a practical station wagon model, it doesn’t mean that it has to look like your uncle Tom’s Buick Roadmaster…

With that said, I picked out the two most beautiful SWs in my opinion: the Audi A4 Avant and the Alfa Romeo 159 SportWagon. While both models are available with punchy V6 gasoline engines, I’d opt for a diesel version and in particular, the 240 Hp 3.0 TDI quattro for the A4 Avant and the 200HP 2.4 JTDM Q4 (AWD) for the utterly sexy Alfa 159 SW (in Ti spec).

If money isn’t an issue, then all roads point to the trio of German powerhouses: the 507 Hp V10-powered BMW M5 Touring; the 580 Hp twin-turbocharged V10 Audi RS6 and the 453 Hp 6.3-liter V8-powered Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Estate (it looks so much better than the E 63 AMG). Now, would you have a problem tying the knot if your future father in law promised you one of these supercars dressed in sheep’s skin? That is, unless you have reasons to beleive that the bride is in fact a wolf dressed in a sheep's clothing... (Pics edited by Carscoop)

2009 Audi A4 Avant: New High-Res Image Gallery

Since we’re quiet sure that the five images of the all-new 2009 A4 Avant that Audi released in its initial press kit (click here) weren’t enough for you to fully appreciate the stylish Deutsch-o-Wagon, we’re updating our story on the car with the addition of 23 high-resolution pictures that you can check out after the jump.

Like its predecessors, the estate version of the new A4 is focused more on sporty style side rather than practicality and functionality, but we don’t mind at all, and we don’t think that buyers will either. The new Audi A4 Avant will be launched on the European market this spring, with the rest of world following shortly after. -Continued