After the 720HP BMW 750Li from Tuninwerk that we told you about earlier today, Hofele Design has presented a similar but less powerful tuning package for the latest Audi A8 saloon [D4 series]. The German company's offering is called "SR 8" and it includes both styling and performance modifications.
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The A8 Hybrid will go on sale on 2012 and unusually for such a big car, it features a relatively small-capacity four-cylinder gasoline engine coupled to a hybrid system. In reality, the A8 Hybrid is anything but underpowered: The 2.0-liter TFSI and the electric motor develop a combined output of 245 HP and 480 Nm (345.03 lb-ft) of torque for short periods of time.
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As it holds the title of being the 'Big Daddy' of Audi's S range, it was only appropriate that the S8 receive a more powerful version of the newly revealed 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine than on the S6 and S7 models.
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So, what’s the worst car one could imagine? Well, if we played around with the above statements, we’d say one designed by Japanese, engineered by Americans, built by Italians and marketed by Germans.
But UK insurance firm Warranty Direct had something a little bit different in mind. Instead of playing the origin card, the company decided to check out its database of 50,000 live policies on cars aged five years on average to part the UK’s most unreliable vehicle that would break down every other month and cost an average of £2,050 (equal to US$3,270 - €2,330) to fix each year.
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If you’re still with us, the top 10 winners for 2011, in alphabetical order, are:
Audi A8Read more »
BMW X3 xDrive35i
Chevrolet Cruze 2LT RS
Dodge Charger Rallye Plus
Ford Focus Titanium
Honda Odyssey Elite
Hyundai Elantra Limited
Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit
Kia Optima EX
Volvo S60
To the untrained eye, the 5.27 meters (208 inches) long sedan is almost identical to the standard A8, but looks are definitely deceiving as the Security is said to comply with the strictest standards in ballistic protection and can even withstand an explosion and still offer adequate protection for its passengers.
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The T-shifter was born in the 1960s, as American automakers moved away from the steering column mounted automatic and towards a system that reduced complexity and design differentiation between its automatic and manual models. As the ‘80s moved into the ‘90s, automakers - for whatever reason - moved away from the T-shift and toward the semi-ubiquitous, upright “drumstick” shifter.
Ingolstadt's flagship limo has an overall length of 5,267 millimeters (17.28 ft), meaning it's 130 mm (0.43 ft) longer than the regular version. The wheelbase has grown by the same amount, to 3,122 mm (10.24 ft) while the height has increased by 2 mm (0.08 in) to 1,462 mm (4.8 ft). Width remains unchanged at 1,949 mm (6.39 ft).
All that extra length benefits rear-seat passengers who also get longer rear doors to further ease access.
The A8 Hybrid is a good example of Audi's downsizing philosophy mating a 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder gasoline engine with 211HP and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) to an electric motor delivering 45HP and 211 Nm (155.63 lb-ft) of torque.
Audi says that the system's combined output is 245HP and 480 Nm (354.03 lb-ft) of torque. Since the numbers don't add up, we're assume that the electric motor's output is limited when combined with the TSI.
It's touted as "the first Audi with a combination of gasoline engine and electric motor". Cool, but far from thrilling. Next up, for the executive hippie segment, is the world debut of the marque's A8 hybrid "engineering study" at the Geneva Show on Tuesday. People will be able to order Audi's green luxo-cruiser sometime come late 2011.
One of the first (if not the first) tuners to launch a dedicated programme for the 2011 A8 sedan is Germany's Hofele Design that will present its proposal to the public at next week's Geneva Motor Show.
Hofele Design has readied power kits for both engines that will be available at the new A8's launch. The 4.2-liter V8 petrol gets a jump from 372HP and 445Nm to 400HP and 475Nm, reducing the 0-100km/h sprint time from 5.7 seconds to 5.3 seconds.
Unless Audi has some sort of top secret website that it is only known to a couple of journalists around the world and has somehow escaped our attention -you'll be the judge of that, we're obliged to treat these teaser sketches depicting the German firm's future models which first appeared on the Dutch site Autoweek, either as a leak or as non official. Just for the record, Autoweek vaguely states "there are sketches of future Audi models around the web" - whatever that means. -Continued In any case, the grayscale sketches showcase Audi's future portfolio including the 2009 A5 Cabriolet and its 5-door hatchback-coupe sibling called the A5 Sportback, the 2011 A7 four-dour coupe which is based on the A6 platform and will compete against Merc's CLS along with the next generation 2010 A8 luxury sedan.
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Via: Autoweek.nl
A faulty automatic transmission locking cable is to blame for the recall of 13,900 MY 1996-2003 Audi A8 vehicles equipped with a 5-speed automatic gearbox. According to NHTSA, the locking cable may move out of position over time therefore allowing the shifter to be moved out of the "PARK" position even if the ignition key is not in the ignition lock. Audi said that its dealers will modify the automatic transmission locking cable by installing an adjusting piece securing the locking cable in place. The recall is expected to begin this month (September 2008). For more detailed information, owners can contact Audi at 1-800-822-2834. 
