Although the U.S. market won't be getting the Audi A5 Sportback, based on the reaction here on the floor in Frankfurt, Audi won't have any problem moving them in Europe. It took us longer to get clear shots of the A5 than any other car at Audi (even the R8 Spyder), and when we returned at the end of the day there were still numerous fascinated Euro types examining the car like it was CSI evidence.
The A5 is so beautiful on its own we weren't sure how the Sportback appellation might distort, but like the BMW 5 Series GT, it makes friends with the eyes in person -- and in fact, it's better. The S5 is the top of the heap model, and it will sport a supercharged, 3.0-liter V6 with 333 hp and 325 lb-ft. Just 5.4 seconds takes you to the 60, but whatever speed you travel, you shouldn't be disappointed with how you look doing it. At least, if you're not in the U.S...
Audi will be launching at least three new models next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show, two of which seem like they have a good chance of coming to North America and one that doesn't. The A4 TDI clean diesel will make its debut at the German show with the latest edition of the firm's 3.0-liter diesel V6. While the TDI V6 has been available in the current generation A4 since it launched early last year, the new one adds the same 2,000 BAR common rail fuel system and urea injection found on the Q7 and VW Touareg now available in the U.S. market. The V6 TDI A4 has always seemed like a natural fit for the torque loving American market and it now seems likely to arrive, especially since the gas V6 was discontinued for 2010. In sedan form, it's rated at 34.6 mpg (U.S.) which is consistent with what we've seen driving the existing A4.
The A3 gets a new 1.2-liter TFSI (turbocharged and direct injected) gas engine with 105 horsepower and 129 lb-ft of torque. This little engine gets the A3 to 42.8 mpg (U.S.) although the 0-62 mph time is a more relaxed 11.1 seconds. This one could probably pass U.S. emissions with ease, but given Audi's premium position in the market, they are less likely to offer it here anytime soon.
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Most people don't pay it any mind, but car accidents and pets don't mix. Just like with humans, wrapping your car around a telephone pole can kill Fido dead. Or really injure the cute little guy. To draw attention to this issue, a website called Bark Buckle Up has teamed up with Edmunds.com to bring us their Top 10 Pet Safe Vehicles.
As Bark Buckle Up points out, "If you have an accident at 35 mph while toting your 60-pound unrestrained dog, your pet is capable of causing an impact of up to 2,700 pounds, slamming into the seat, the windshield, or even a passenger." Ouch. Now of course, if you have an eight pound pooch, that's only a 360 pound impact. We say "only" to illustrate how violent car crashes can be. And just imagine if you had a really big dog, like a Dogo Argentino. Assuming you got a big 160-pound satin-white boar hunter, the impact would be near the four ton range.
What do the following ten vehicles do to address pets flying through the windshield in a crash? Very little, and we don't want to get into the delusion that CUVs are somehow safer than cars. But they all offer nice amenities for pets -- stuff like room to stretch out, tri-zone climate control, fold flat rear seats, side impact airbags and rear back up cameras. As for an accident, you might want to invest in a doggy seat belt. Says Bark Buckle Up founder Christina Selter, "In the event of a sudden stop or accident, the animal can injure other passengers or be thrown through the windshield, then hinder the efforts of rescue workers or even cause another accident by escaping into the street."
With the cars' European launch looming in Q2 '09, Audi has flooded its media site with new glamour shots of the Audi A5 and S5 cabriolets. The press release detailing the Euro-market lineup is pasted after the jump. Across the pond, the A5 range will include a 160-horsepower 1.8 TSI; two flavors of the 2.0 TFSI (180 and 211 horsepower); the 265-horsepower 3.2 FSI V6; a 240-horsepower 3.0 TDI; and a 190-horsepower 2.7 TDI. The S5 gets the new, supercharged 3.0 V6 making 333 horses. Other Cabrio-specific touches include an optional head-level heating system and leather that's specially coated to help keep the ladies from scorching their gams in the summer. The U.S. models arrive in Fall '09 with fewer engine selections. Same sexy bodywork, though.
As we mentioned yesterday, the Autoblog team watches a lot of motorsports, but NASCAR isn't usually one of them. None of us found ourselves in front of the TV for yesterday's running of the Daytona 500, the sport's biggest race and inaugural contest to kick off the season. From what we're told, we didn't miss too much. There were left turns (lots of them), crashes and the race was cut short with 48 laps left to go on account of rain. Who was out front when the rains came?
It's not much of a secret that many of us here at Autoblog don't follow NASCAR very closely. That said, we don't presume the same of you guys and gals in Readerland. So, if you're presently tuned in to the race and want to chat about the proceedings amongst yourselves, head on down to the comment section below. As always, we'll have a wrap-up post on the race either later tonight or sometime tomorrow. Keep it civil and enjoy the race.
Skoda's mainstay model has hit the half-century mark, celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year. The original 1959 Skoda Octavia was so named because it was the eighth model produced by the Czech automaker, at the time a state-owned enterprise until the Volkswagen Group came in and acquired the company in 1989. Developing a new Octavia was the first order of business for the German engineers who marched on the Czechoslovakia, which debuted in concept form in 1992 just before the communist state fell. The upheaval would mean the new Octavia wouldn't hit the market until four years later, and Volkswagen has overseen a succession of facelifts and updates since.
The Daytona 500 has been paced by Corvettes the last two years in a row, but there's a new breed of performance car in the bowtie barn; thy name is Camaro. This past weekend Chevy's modern muscle car was officially announced as the pace vehicle for the 51st running of the famous Daytona 500, replacing its big bro' and becoming the first Camaro to earn the honor since 1969 and only the third overall. The pace car will be an SS model brandishing a 426-hp 6.2L V8 and special Cyber Grey (and Orange) paint scheme developed by PPG. It will also be outfitted with a fully integrated strobe system to help light the way for dozens of NASCAR cars that will be following its every left turn.
Last year, Audi announced it was killing off plans to offer a hybrid Q7 in the U.S. and several months later the automaker exacted the same fate on its little brother the Q5. Now, word comes from Wolfgan Hatz, head of powertrain development for the Volkswagen Group, that Audi will begin offering a hybrid version of the Q5 in the States late next year. Hatz makes it clear in his interview with Automotive News that the Audi Q5 hybrid aims to compete with the Lexus RX450h and the forthcoming BMW X6 hybrid, but it's not part of a full-scale assault on the luxury gas-electric CUV set. According to Hatz, diesel technology makes more fiscal sense due to the costs associated with developing a hybrid system -- somewhere between three to four times more -- when compared to adapting a standard drivetrain to accommodate a diesel. Naturally, Hatz hopes that once development of the hybrid setup is complete it can proliferate throughout the Audi lineup. The 2011 Q5 will initially be launched in the U.S. and if it proves to be a success, hybrid Q5s could be sold in Europe.
Thanks to your suggestions, we added a Google Calendar after the jump so you can bookmark it and constantly receive updates as we add them. We appreciate all of your input and hope you find our calendar a useful tool. We also appreciate your comments listing events we might have overlooked or that are just near-and-dear to your hearts. Event cancellation notices are also greatly appreciated. Highlights for February include the Chicago Auto Show, which we will be covering obsessively from McCormick Place; the kickoff of the NASCAR and NHRA seasons with the Daytona 500 and the Winternationals, respectively; and the RetroMobile show in Paris. There's plenty of other fun stuff scheduled all over the country and indeed around the world. As always, we want to give a shout-out to our two favorite sources; The New York Times automotive calendar for national and international stuff, and for local stuff here in Southern California, our buddy Dave Lindsay's SoCalCarCulture pages. Dave's photographic coverage of these local events is fantastic.
