Audi sets 2012 A7 prices for U.S.

Audi has released 2012 Audi A7 USA Price for USA Market.

The four-door is largely unchanged from 2011. An eight-speed automatic transmission is paired with a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 310 hp. With standard all-wheel drive, the car is rated at 28 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg in the city.

18-inch rims with all-season tires come standard.
Also new on the 2012 A7 will be the Audi Connect system which allows functionality such as voice activated Google Earth, Google search, and rolling Wi-Fi hotspot access.




Press Release

Audi sets U.S. prices for all-new 2012 Audi A7

• U.S. pricing for all-new Audi A7 starts at $59,250
• Iconic design and industry first innovative technology combine to deliver emotion, prestige and functionality
• All models feature supercharged 3.0L TFSI® V6 engine producing 310 hp

HERNDON, Va., Apr 4, 2011 - Audi announced that pricing for the all-new 2012 Audi A7 will begin at $59,250 with the first of the elegantly designed models reaching U.S. showrooms later this month.

The 2012 Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price for the all-new Audi A7 is as follows:

2012 Audi A7 pricing (excluding $875 destination charge, taxes, title, options, and dealer charges):

A7 3.0T quattro® Tiptronic® $59,250

The all-new Audi A7 is a design icon, with technology to match its emotional styling. The A7 combines prestige, sportiness and functionality into a five-door coupe with seating for four. Through its emotion-evoking exterior and interior design as well as industry-first technology, the Audi A7 is sure to continue to attract new customers to the Audi brand.

The interior of the Audi A7 is a bold expression of contemporary design that matches the exterior of the vehicle. With impeccable attention to detail and craftsmanship, the wraparound sky-liner dashboard envelops the driver and front passenger and is a testament to the Audi legacy of inspirational interiors, providing exceptional fit and finish, comfort and luxury.

2011 Audi A7 | Highlights

While the coupe design of the Audi A7 attracts the eye, the aluminum-hybrid lightweight construction, with aluminum body panels and a steel frame, provides excellent handling, safety and fuel economy. The 3.0L TFSI V6 supercharged engine generates 310 horsepower and is paired with an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission yielding impressive fuel economy ratings (18 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, according to the U.S. EPA, for a combined fuel economy rating of 22 mpg) with quattro all-wheel drive standard.

The A7 delivers excellent performance characteristics with usable functionality. The integrated rear spoiler automatically deploys at higher speeds to achieve maximum down force and improved aerodynamics.

Continuing to take a leadership role in bringing progressive, innovative technologies to our customers, the Audi A7 is available with the latest MMI® technology that provides a user-friendly interface for navigation, audio, phone and vehicle customization functions. In addition, the MMI touch handwriting recognition system allows customers to enter destination or telephone information with the touch of a finger.

The MMI system also serves as the interface with the industry-first Audi Connect system, which brings a whole new level of real-time user-relevant information into the vehicle. With first-to-market voice-activated Google EarthTM, Google Local search, and, for passenger use, rolling Wi-Fi® hotspot functionality (first-to-market as Factory-installed option with integrated mobile broadband connectivity), the A7 enables new, progressive ways of interacting with the vehicle and its surroundings.

For more information regarding Audi Connect, please go to http://www.audiusanews.com/pressrelease/2286//what-audi-connect.

The A7 introduces an available Audi-first headup Display with a high-resolution, full-color display, as well as many innovative technologies which were recently introduced in the Audi A8 flagship, including available full LED headlights, Night vision assistant, Audi pre sense plus and the unmatched Bang & Olufsen® Advanced Audio System, which delivers 1,300 watts of audio bliss through 15 perfectly tuned speakers.

Design | highlights:
• Iconic 5-door coupe design utilizing aluminum hybrid lightweight construction.
• 4-seat configuration with folding rear seats
• Xenon plus headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights
• Unmistakable Audi Singleframe® grill design
• 7-inch Driver Information System
• 8-inch MMI screen with MMI touch technology
• Frameless side windows appropriate for coupe
• Ambient lighting plus using LED lighting technology

Engine/drivetrain | highlights:
• V6 3.0L TFSI supercharged engine delivering 310 hp and 325 lbs-ft of torque.
• 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission
• Legendary quattro all-wheel drive with 40:60 rear-bias torque split

Standard equipment | highlights:
• 18-inch wheels with all-season tires
• Xenon plus headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights
• Leather seating surfaces
• Power, heated front seats with driver lumbar support
• Automatic power tailgate
• Audi drive select
• SIRIUS® satellite radio
• Audi Music Interface
• Bluetooth® telephone and music player connection
• Homelink®
• Keyless go
• Power sunroof
• 3-zone automatic climate control
• Automatic headlights with light/rain sensor

Optional equipment | highlights:

Premium Plus includes:
• 19-inch 10-spoke wheels with all-season tires
• MMI navigation plus with MMI touch and Google Earth
• Audi Connect with 6 month complimentary data trial period
• Front and rear parking sensors and rearview camera
• 7-inch Driver Information System and 8" MMI screen
• HD Radio, CD changer and Jukebox

Prestige includes Premium Plus items and:
• S line® exterior (bumpers, grille)
• BOSE® surround sound system
• Advanced key (keyless entry)
• 4-zone climate control
• Ventilated front seats
• Adaptive headlights and cornering lights
• Power adjustable steering column
• Ambient lighting plus (LED interior lights)

Innovation Package:
• Full LED headlights
• Audi pre sense plus
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go
• Audi side assist
• Head Up Display
• Night vision assistant

Sport Packages:
• 19-inch or 20-inch wheels with performance tires
• Sport suspension
• 3-spoke sport steering wheel with shift paddles

Driver Assistance Package:
• Audi pre sense plus
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go
• Audi side assist

Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System (similar to A8 D4):
• 15 speakers including subwoofer and center speaker
• Acoustic lens emerging tweeters
• Speaker covers are polished aluminum
• 1300 watts of B&O® ICEpower®

2011 BMW M3 Pickup

The presence of the BMW M3 Pickup be a surprise BMW M for his fans. Global Introduction of the BMW M3 on Nordschleife Pickup performed (Nürburgring), 1 April 2011.

The BMW M3 Pickup has undergone extensive testing on the Nurburgring, and even though we do not have an official lap time yet, the automaker informs that this baby can reach speeds of up to 300 Km/h.

The M3 pickup comes with a 309 kW/420 PS (414 bhp) power plant and a rear payload capacity of 450 kg - which sounds realistic enough. It's cd quotient (aerodynamic flow) in the wind tunnel is the same as on the M3 Coupe and its top speed is 300 km/h (186 mph).




Press Release

Unique: BMW M GmbH Develops The World's Fastest Pickup.

Drive and suspension technology from the BMW M3 - comprehensive testing completed on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife - 420 hp and 450 kg load capacity - world premiere on 1 April 2011.

Following the BMW M3 Coupe, BMW M3 Convertible and BMW M3 Sedan, a fourth body variant of this globally successful high-performance sports car is about to cause a stir. Under the strictest secrecy, the world's first high-performance pickup has been created at the BMW M GmbH development centre. The sportiest example by far in this vehicle category, the BMW M3 Pickup will fire the imaginations of all motorists with a deep appreciation of top performance matched by a keen practical bent. 309 kW/420 hp under the bonnet and a rear-axle load capacity of up to 450 kilos take the hallmark BMW M relationship between race-oriented driving pleasure and everyday utility to an entirely new level. This unique vehicle has already completed extensive test and set-up drives on the Nürburgring's Nordschleife in advance of its global unveiling on 1 April 2011.

With this vehicle, BMW M GmbH once again furnishes evidence of its exceptional competence in developing and building high-grade, individual dream cars. With a high-revving V8 engine at the front, a generously sized load area behind and a removable Targa roof above, driver and passengers in the BMW M3 Pickup will relish an unprecedented take on the familiar M feeling. Yet this spectacular new development is unmistakably recognisable as a member of the BMW M3 model family. Corroborating this kinship are not just the inimitable power of the engine, but also fine-tuned aerodynamics and a tailored suspension set-up. Measurements in the wind tunnel at the BMW Group's Aerodynamic Test Centre showed a Cd factor on a par with that of the BMW M3 Coupe. Like every BMW M model, the BMW M3 Pickup has also demonstrated its dynamic potential on the North Loop of the Nürburgring. Official lap times have not yet been released, but the needle in the dial vouched for a top speed of 300 km/h.

The kerb weight of the world's fastest pickup undercuts that of the BMW M3 Convertible by around 50 kilograms. Removing the Targa roof shaves off a further 20 kg while at the same time lowering the car's centre of gravity.

This most unusual experience of top-down driving pleasure in a BMW M3 thus goes hand in hand with further optimised dynamic handling.

The practical features of the BMW M3 Pickup are no less impressive. Maximum load capacity has been raised to 450 kilograms. The load bed of the BMW M3 Pickup is clad in high-grade structured aluminium sheeting and provides the biggest cargo capacity ever offered on a BMW M vehicle. In terms of the unit of measurement generally applied to premium automobiles, that gives the loading area of the BMW M3 Pickup the capacity to carry up to 20 standard 46-inch golf bags. What's more, the BMW M3 Pickup is the first BMW M3 variant in the 25-year-plus history of this model range to come with a trailer tow hitch.

Notwithstanding these unquestionable stand-out qualities, the BMW M3 Pickup will not be heading for the golf course or series development, but will retain its status as an exclusive one-off. It is earmarked for use as a workshop transport vehicle for BMW M GmbH. With this in mind, the current BMW M3 Pickup - unlike a similar predecessor built back in the 1980s - has gone through the requisite procedures to earn its road certification. Which makes it officially a truck - but one that puts a whole new spin on the meaning of the word.