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Audi A6 and A7 Selected by Car and Driver as ‘2012 10Best’ Winners
· In its 30th year, the ‘10Best’ award highlights top picks under $80,000
· 2012 A6 and 2012 A7 chosen for superior technology and design
· 2012 Audi A8L and 2012 R8 recognized as ‘Favorites Over $80K’
Herndon, Va., December 6, 2011 – Audi today announced that the 2012 Audi A6 and 2012 Audi A7 vehicles have been named by Car and Driver, the world's largest automotive enthusiast publication, to the 30th annual “10Best” list. In its 30th year, “10Best” by Car and Driver recognizes the best all-new cars on the market under $80,000.
“As in years past, the cars on this year’s list represent the best overall vehicles on the market today,” said Eddie Alterman, editor-in-chief, Car and Driver. “Out of 68 contenders, these are the ones that consistently perform the best, are a good value and are engaging, fun-to-drive vehicles.”
The all-new 2012 Audi A6 boasts an all-aluminum Audi 3.0 L TFSI® supercharged V6 engine with 310 horsepower. One of Audi’s most innovative and technologically-advanced models to date, the A6 makes up to 2,000 decisions per second to assist the driver. Safety in the all-new Audi A6 is enhanced by a thermal imaging camera with Night Vision Assistant as well as the Audi Pre-Sense Plus safety system. Other intelligent features include head-up display and a MMI® Touch pad that recognizes handwriting in multiple languages. Audi is the first company worldwide to feature factory-installed wireless internet, enabling features such as Audi connect™ for real-time weather, traffic news and live fuel prices, and MMI Navigation with 3-D Google Earth™ images.
The Audi A7 is the epitome of high style and artistry, with a five-door coupe design that is both sporty and elegant. The Audi A7 can also boast being the first car in the world to feature factory-installed Wi-Fi with Audi connect™ and navigation with 3-D Google Earth. From the groundbreaking MMI® touchpad and its gracefully integrated display screen, to the state-of-the-art head up display, the Audi A7 is the perfect marriage of progressive design and sophisticated engineering. The A7 also sets a high standard for performance, handling and efficiency with an all-aluminum Audi 3.0 liter TFSI® V6 engine, 310hp and 325 lb-ft. of torque.
Nominees for the 30th annual “10Best” list consist of all new cars, 2011 10Best winners, cars that were not available for the 2011 competition, and those with significant updates. All cars must fall under the base-price cap of $80,000 and be on sale in January 2012. Full coverage of the 2012 Car and Driver 10Best awards can be found in the January issue, on newsstands December 6, and online at http://www.caranddriver.com/201210best
In a companion piece in the January issue, Car and Driver also named the 2012 Audi A8L and 2012 Audi R8 as ‘Favorites Over $80K.’ The A8L, Audi’s flagship sedan, was chosen for its imposing, luxurious design as well as its powerful 372 horsepower, V8 engine. The sporty R8 was selected for its supercar styling and “sci-fi bodywork.”
ABOUT AUDI OF AMERICA
Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. During 2010 Audi was the top performing luxury brand in Europe, and broke all-time company sales records in the U.S. Over the next few years, AUDI AG will invest nearly $16 billion on new products and technologies. Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.
ABOUT CAR AND DRIVER
Car and Driver (http://www.caranddriver.com) is known for its expert editorial team that is highly regarded by car enthusiasts and automotive manufacturers for their integrity, engineering backgrounds, and high standards. The magazine is published monthly by Hearst Magazines (www.hearst.com), boasting the largest audience of any monthly automotive magazine. The Car and Driver brand is a leading source of information for automotive enthusiasts and in-market car buyers. The brand also extends to many platforms, including websites, mobile sites, radio, iPhone/iPad apps, events, custom marketing programs, and integrated marketing databases.
Full coverage of the 2012 Car and Driver 10Best awards can be found in the January issue, on newsstands December 6, and online at www.caranddriver.com
Audi Wins Three 2012 Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards
· Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Best Resale Value Awards honor 2012 vehicles predicted to hold value best down the road
· 2012 Audi Q7 and 2012 Audi A5 receive recognition
HERNDON, Va., November 17, 2011 — Audi today announced that it received three 2012 Best Resale Value Awards from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, the leading provider of new and used vehicle information. The annual Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards recognize vehicles expected to maintain the greatest proportion of their original list price after five years of ownership. The 2012 Audi Q7 received two awards, and the 2012 Audi A5 also received recognition.
“At Audi, it is always our goal to produce dynamic, top performing vehicles that retain their value. We’re proud that the 2012 Audi Q7 and A5 have received a stamp of approval from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America.
The 2012 Audi Q7 was named Best Resale Value in the Luxury Utility Vehicle class, and was one of the Top 10 cars with Best Resale Value according to Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. The seven-passenger Audi Q7 exceeds driver and passenger expectations for functionality and comfort. Q7 customers have the option of a gasoline turbocharged, fuel-injected 3.0 liter TFSI engine, or a powerful yet fuel efficient V6 turbocharged direct injection TDI clean diesel engine. The Audi Q7 features a luxurious, premium interior including heated and available cooled, twelve-way power front seats, fore and aft adjustable rear middle seats, and foldable seats in the third row. For maximum comfort, an available panoramic roof gives the cabin a light, open feeling. The 2012 Audi Q7 offers the most advanced Audi technologies available, including Audi connect with a rolling Wi-Fi® Hotspot for up to eight devices and Google Voice Local Search. The Audi music interface with iPod®/iPhone® connectivity ensures user friendly perusing of play lists and song titles via the Audi MMI system. A full complement of airbags, including Sideguard® head curtain airbags for all three rows of seats ensures passengers stay safe.
The 2012 Audi A5 was named Best Resale Value in the Luxury Car class by Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. The A5, available in Coupe and Cabriolet models, offers drivers and passengers exceptional performance and safety. The A5 is equipped with the award-winning Audi 2.0L TFSI® engine, a fuel-sipping, yet torque laden powerplant that generates 211 hp at 4,300 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 rpm. The Coupe offers the choice of a precise six-speed manual transmission or an available Tiptronic® eight speed automatic transmission, while the Cabriolet model comes standard with an Audi FrontTrak® front-wheel drive, multitronic® continuously variable transmission, with a Tiptronic eight-speed available on quattro® models. The 2012 Audi A5 features unmistakable LED daytime running lights and an ergonomic interior designed around passenger comfort. Available driver convenience technologies, such as Audi MMI® Navigation plus, Audi MMI Radio plus, and Audi music interface, add pure enjoyment to the driving experience. A full complement of airbags and electronic stability control ensures passengers stay safe.
Kelley Blue Book’s Best Resale Value Awards are based on projections from the Kelley Blue Book® Official Residual Value Guide, determined by a skilled staff of automotive analysts. Kelley Blue Book examines current vehicle data, sales data, market conditions for each vehicle, competition within vehicle segments and expectations of the future economy. This year’s awards are based on 2012 model-year vehicles.
About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the industry. Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website www.kbb.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In and Retail Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new cars this week. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies as well as governmental agencies. Kbb.com provides consumer pricing and information on minivans, pickup-trucks, cars, hybrids and SUVs. Kelley Blue Book Co. Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AutoTrader.com.
About Audi of America
Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. During 2010 Audi was the top performing luxury brand in Europe and broke all-time company sales records in the U.S. Over the next few years, AUDI AG will invest nearly $16 billion on new products and technologies. Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.
Audi of America Communications
Mark Dahncke
Tel: +1.703.364.7414
Mobile: +1.703.229.2549
E-Mail: mark.dahncke@audi.com
AUTOMOBILE Magazine Selects A7 and TT RS to Receive Awards
· A7 Receives as 2012 “Automobile of the Year”
· TT RS Receives the 2012 “All-Star” Award
Herndon, Va., November 9, 2011 – Audi today announced that AUTOMOBILE Magazine has selected two Audi models to receive awards for 2012. The Audi A7 will receive the 2012 “Automobile of the Year,” and the TT RS will receive the 2012 “All-Star” award. The Magazine’s President and Editor-In-Chief Jean Jennings will present the awards during the Los Angeles International Auto Show next week.
Dealers can visit Audi of America on Facebook and AUTOMOBILE Magazine on Facebook to “like” the awards and post comments, and also encourage their friends, fans and enthusiasts participate.
AUTOMOBILE Magazine editors called the TT RS powerful, refined, and emotive – an exhilarating driving experience.
“The Audi TT RS is not just a beautiful machine inside and out, but a soul-stirring one; the epitome of everything that Audi means to us. It’s a perfect tool for driving perfectionists, worthy of a choice parking spot in the dream garage,” said Jean Jennings, AUTOMOBILE Magazine editor-in-chief.
The four-door luxury A7 was chosen for its sleek, striking design, innovative use of a hatchback, cutting-edge technology and powerful engine. AUTOMOBILE editors cited the A7’s effortless acceleration provided by an all-wheel-drive supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 and eight-speed transmission, as well as the car’s deft handling. The A7 was selected for its embodiment of everything a luxury buyer would want in a car – design, performance, and technology.
“The Audi A7 is the sort of car that, when you look at it, you want it,” said Jean Jennings, AUTOMOBILE Magazine editor-in-chief. “The closer you get to it, the more you love it. Every mile you drive, you cannot believe how beautiful it is inside. Audi has positioned it perfectly between the A6 and A8 as a great all-around car providing class-leading storage space, a great powertrain, and really compelling design.”
ABOUT AUDI
Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. During 2010 Audi was the top performing luxury brand in Europe, and broke all-time company sales records in the U.S. Over the next few years, AUDI AG will invest nearly $16 billion on new products and technologies. Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.
About AUTOMOBILE Magazine
AUTOMOBILE Magazine, part of Source Interlink Media, LLC, is America's leading automotive lifestyle publication and reaches 4.6 million readers monthly; through its print, online and digital components the brand counts an audience of over 6 million. Automobile Magazine, which presents annual All-Star and Automobile of the Year awards, is written for the sophisticated enthusiast and profiles high-end vehicles with compelling editorial and photographic content. For more than 25 years, AUTOMOBILE Magazine has set the standard for automotive journalism, maintaining its devotion to auto adventure and an editorial approach that emphasizes "No boring cars!"
About Source Interlink Media
Source Interlink Media is the premier source of special interest media in the United States. With more than 70 publications, 90 websites, 400 branded products, 65+ events, and TV and radio programs, SIM is the largest provider of content to enthusiast communities interested in automotive, action sports, marine and other niche activities. The division's strategy is to wholly focus on targeted audiences by leveraging and expanding upon its core market-leading brands through a multiplatform media approach.
Autos
The Most Value-Packed Cars
Hannah Elliott, 02.22.11, 4:30 PM ET
Things are looking up for the auto industry this year: Global new car sales are expected to rise 6% over 2010, which would beat the record 70 million units sold in 2007. J.D. Power and Associates has said U.S. auto sales will reach 13 million units this year, an increase of 12% over 2010.
But a lot could happen to derail the rosy forecasts. Unrest in Egypt and the Middle East has the oil market on edge, and higher prices or the fear of them directly affects how and when consumers spend money on a new car--and which type they choose.
The main thing drivers want these days is something they can trust for the long haul, says David Wurster, head of product development and analysis for the automotive analytics firm Vincentric. An unstable outlook for fuel costs affects more than you might think--in everything from compact cars to SUVs.
In Pictures: The Most Value-Packed Cars
"If fuel jumps up to $4 a gallon, now all of a sudden nobody will want trucks," Wurster says. "Then the residuals will start to fall and as a result the deprecation will go up and the cost of ownership will go up."
These days, compacts are some of the safest bets when it comes to getting the most value for the money. The Mazda2, Nissan Versa and Chevrolet Cruze take three of the first four spots on our list of the most value-packed cars on the market.
Behind the Numbers
To compile our list, we used cost-of-ownership data from Vincentric, which is based in Bingham Farms, Mich. We first selected the 114 vehicles that received overall value ratings of "excellent." We then ranked them based on the manufacturer suggested retail price and how overall ownership costs over five years are affected by depreciation, taxes and fees, fuel costs, insurance, interest, maintenance, opportunity costs and repairs. We chose the top 10 vehicles from that "excellent" group with the lowest cost of ownership to be on our Most Value-Packed Cars list.
The data assumes an annual rate of 15,000 miles driven per vehicle and fuel outlays of $2.899 for regular, $3.189 for premium and $3.186 for diesel fuel. Fuel prices are a weighted average of national fuel prices from the previous five months that is skewed toward the more recent months. All costs are plotted as projections based on forecasts by Vincentric analysts, and gas prices include a 3.5% inflation rate.
Depreciation is the biggest factor in determining how much a vehicle will cost the owner. Most new cars lose anywhere between 10% and 20% of their sticker price the moment they leave the lot--luxury cars tend to depreciate more than others, thanks to price premiums based on brand image, interior trim and newfangled technology rendered obsolete by the model's next generation.
One of the reasons the Toyota Prius made our list is because of its outstanding depreciation ratio. Alt-fuel vehicles in particular do well with on resale lots.
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"Diesels and hybrids have excellent resale values," says Jake Fisher, the senior automotive engineer at Consumer Reports. "If you want to go out and buy a 60,000-mile Prius, you'll pay top dollar for it."
It's Hard to Beat a Low MSRP
Cars made by non-luxury manufacturers have something else going for them when it comes to a list like this: They simply cost a lot less than a new Porsche 911 or a BMW M3.
In fact, no vehicles on our list cost more than the $26,850 Prius--though the $26,645 Honda CR-V comes close. Four of the 10 models on our list are made by Honda, and two by Toyota, both companies known for inexpensive-but-reliable cars.
"It's a general rule that the cost of ownership number is going to be a lot higher for an expensive vehicle," Wurster says. "Think about sales tax. Since you're not looking at ratios or percentages--it's just gross tax--the number is going to be higher on something expensive. "
Of course, a low initial price doesn't guarantee a good value. The $11,965 Chevrolet Aveo, $13,255 Toyota Yaris and $13,320 Ford Fiesta, for instance, all cost less than the $14,180 Mazda2 and the $20,825 Honda Element--both of which made our list. But their relatively high depreciation rates and proportionate repair costs shot their overall cost of ownership much too high to qualify as good values.
Still, a low MSRP helped several pickup trucks and crossovers make the list, like the $19,745 Hyundai Tucson and the $22,515 Toyota Tacoma. They both demand a bit more for fuel costs over five years than their smaller counterparts, but their reliability (low maintenance and repair costs), low MSRPs and--most importantly--current low depreciation rates qualify them as value-packed vehicles.
Now if only more of their big-rig brethren could follow suit.
