The highly anticipated Audi RS3 is soon to become a reality. After years of speculations and spy shots we can now confirm that the Audi RS3 will hit Audi dealers across the globe some time next year.

Audi headquarters have made no official announcement yet on the matter but recent and more convincing spy shots took at Audi’s official testing ground, the Nurburgring racing track, leave us with no doubt that Audi is running the final tests on what is set to be the fastest and most powerful Audi A3 to date.

Like every other Audi wearing the RS badge the Audi RS3 is being developed by Quattro GmbH. As afore mentioned, no official data has been published yet but it is known that the RS3 will be propelled by a 2.5 litre 5-cylinder turbo engine from the Audi TT RS capable of delivering a staggering 335bhp output.

Our sources in Ingolstadt suggest the RS3 can charge to 60mph in just 4.5 seconds, before heading on to a 175mph top speed (where derestricted).

- We could clearly hear that it was the new RS3 as it sped past – reported a spy photographer of Pro-Street.dk.

These latest spy shots confirm that the RS3 will incorporate the Sportback concept in its design with robust front bumpers and larger air intakes.

There will also be stiffer suspension, up-rated brakes and bigger wheels, while the twin pipes on the prototype are expected to be swapped for the typical twin RS oval exhausts. Prices for the RS3 are expected to start at over £32,000.

Images sourced from: http://www.autoweek.nl/autonieuws/14699/Komst-Audi-RS3-nabij & http://ekstrabladet.dk/biler/bil_nyheder/article1377188.ece

To begin this article I would like to quote a phrase from legendary oil baron Paul Getty “if it appreciates, buy it. If it depreciates, lease it”. This quote reflects with perfection the state of the automotive market these days, whereas when you buy a new car the minute you drive out of the dealer it starts to depreciate.

Depreciation is one of the worst nightmares for fleet managers across the globe. Car leasing and other auto finance options like contract hire, lease purchase and hire purchase are solution to this problem. In short, when you lease a car you will pay a set monthly fee for something that is depreciating.

It is arguable that car leasing is not as good as it seems, paying for something that is not actually yours and is loosing value either way might not sound like the brightest idea. But there are other benefits that make car leasing for business owners more attractive than actually buying a new one.

First you can renew your fleet every 2 to 4 years depending on your leasing contract, monthly payments are on average 40% lower than a normal car loan, there is no need for huge up-front deposit, just to highlight a few.

Now that the benefits of business car leasing are highlighted I will get down to the real purpose of this article. Here is a list of what I think are the best Audi Models business owners and fleet managers alike should consider leasing.

Audi A3

Offering one of the most extensive variety of models from all the Audi range the Audi A3 has all the practical benefits a company car should have. The Audi A3 offers luxury combined with sportiviness mixed with the latest fuel efficiency technologies developed by Audi, not to mention the lowest CO2 emissions rates in the premium segment. Audi A3 leasing prices start at around £240 a month.

Audi A4

Another vehicle from Audi with an extensive range of models that go from the traditional saloon all the way to ultra-sportiviness of the RS family. The Audi A4 boasts modern, ultra-stylish looks and advanced technology. Audi’s traditions of perfect performance, luxurious interiors and high safety levels are perfectly displayed on the Audi A4. Leasing an Audi A4 starts at around £300 a month.

Audi A5

For many, the Audi A5 revolutionised the whole Audi Range. Never a model received so many variants in such a short period of time. In less than 3 years the Audi A5 range was extended all the way to newly launched Audi RS5, including two cabriolet versions, A5 and S5. The Audi A5 is the ideal vehicle for the new generation of young business owners who are looking for an executive mid-size vehicle that has all the luxurious features of bigger models with the power and performance of a sports car. Leasing an Audi A5 could cost as little as £350 a month.

Audi A6

The Audi A6 offers unrivalled beauty, cutting edge technology and the powerfulness a high-end business man vehicle should have. In all areas, from styling, performance and handling to value, safety and environmental responsibility, it simply excels. Depending on the year and model you could lease an Audi A6 for only £329 a month.

Audi A8

One of the most luxurious saloons in the world, a car perfectly made for business men that are on the move constantly. Equipped with all the latest Audi driving enhancing technologies the Audi A8 redefines luxury and comfort in the premium segment. The new Audi A8L W12 has definitely set new luxury standards with its reclinable back seats that provide more space for the rear passengers not to mention the optional factory installed WLAN hotspot for Wi-Fi access. Leasing an Audi A8 for your business could cost a bargain of only £629 a month.

To learn more about Audi Lease & Audi Contract hire and other Audi Finance options please contact Audi Nationwide or follow us on Twitter

Audi range insurance premiums are lowest of the ‘Big Three’. Award winning security measures and competitive repair costs cut insurance premiums for Audi drivers

Audi drivers can expect to pay considerably less to insure their cars than owners of equivalent models from the German premium sector brands, according to data sourced from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) group ratings database.

Managed by the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre in Thatcham on behalf of the ABI and Lloyds Syndicates, the insurance group ratings database has been updated monthly with new car insurance rating data since the 1980s, and includes all trim levels, variants, body styles and engine types. This data has been used to calculate average insurance group ratings for Audi models and their equivalents wherever applicable from German premium sector competitors. In virtually every range, Audi models post considerably lower average ratings than competitors, meaning that owners will generally pay lower insurance premiums.

These ratings are defined using a system which allocates penalty points to each vehicle based on a number of factors, including the purchase price, the cost of key parts and the ease, and cost, of repair following an independent crash test undertaken by the Research Council for Automobile Repairs (RCAR).

The higher the outright purchase price or parts and labour charges, and the more costly and labour intensive the crash repair, the higher the points tally, and consequently the higher the insurance group rating.

Crucial security performance
Security performance is of course also a critical factor in determining each rating, and four British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards and three What Car? Magazine Security Awards for ‘Best Overall Manufacturer’ attest to Audi expertise in this area. Held by Audi for four consecutive years since 2006, the top BIVSA award for ‘Best Overall Manufacturer’ highlights the fact that the brand offers more ranges in which every variant has achieved the maximum five star rating for ‘theft of’ security and of at least four stars for ‘theft from’ security than any other entrant.

Award-winning security protection is achieved right across the Audi range through features including Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser technology with interior ultrasonic protection and anti-tow sensors, Thatcham Category 4 locking wheel bolts and extensive covert and overt marked parts.

To learn more about Audi Lease & Audi Contract hire and other Audi Finance options please contact Audi Nationwide or follow us on Twitter

Currency exchange rates necessitate adjustment of Audi pricing which in a number of cases is offset by enhanced equipment.

With effect from Tuesday May 25, retail prices for most models within the UK Audi range will increase as a result of prevailing currency exchange rates. Their impact has necessitated an average rise of around two per cent, which in some cases will be partially offset by specification improvements.

New customer orders placed up to, and including, May 24 will be fixed at currently advertised 2010 Model Year prices.

Among the core models in the Audi range, the three-door A3 and five-door A3 Sportback hatchbacks are subject to an increase of 1.9 per cent, the A4 Saloon and Avant rise by 2.4 per cent (in SE form) and the Audi A6 Saloon and Avant by 2.0 per cent.

Audi A5 Sportback, Coupe and Cabriolet models increase by 2.5 per cent, 2.4 per cent and 2.2 per cent, Audi Q5 and Audi Q7 by 2.0 per cent and 0.6 per cent, TT Coupe and Roadster by 0.9 per cent and Audi R8 V8 and Audi R8 V10 by 3.0 per cent. Recently announced prices for the A1 hatchback, the R8 Spyder, the RS 5 Coupe and the A8 remain as before.

In a number of cases the increases go hand-in-hand with improvements. The TT range, for example, has been visually enhanced for the 2011 Model Year, and features a newly introduced and significantly more efficient Turbo FSI petrol engine and recuperation technology that boosts economy virtually across the board. The Q5 adds an engine start-stop system for four-cylinder models that also works in favour of improved fuel economy, and the Audi Q7 is revitalised by even more frugal new petrol and TDI engines and a new eight-speed tiptronic transmission.

For Audi lease and contract hire for company cars contact Audi Nationwide.

The boys in blue are coming, or in this case, the boys in green as Audi launch the new Audi A3 with a creative campaign – centring on a fictional authority called the Green Police – aired during last night’s Super Bowl.

In marketing terms the campaign is a big deal when you consider the Super Bowl provides advertisers with the prime chance to reach an enormous audience in one hit (last year’s event was seen by 151 million people). On top of that, according to advertising trade press, a 30 second spot this year cost between $2.5m and $3m. Meaning a considerable slice of a brand’s marketing budget – even a brand of Audi’s stature– goes into their Super Bowl spot(s).

Over the years, the Super Bowl has become an occasion for mega brands to unveil their latest product or announce a new direction, and for advertising agencies to show off their creative muscle. It seems Audi’s green police campaign went down a treat with American audiences as USA Today’s Ad Meter – a focus group led survey – shows that the campaign gained an average score of 7.35 (out of 10) making it the joint 4th favourite ad shown during this colossal event.

10 most popular
Advertiser	Description	Sec.	Qtr.	Score
Mars Snickers	Octogenarian actors Betty White and Abe Vigoda play in a casual football game.	30	1st	8.68
Doritos	Dog with bark collar rules.	30	1st	8.27
Bud Light	Man builds a house out of beer cans.	30	1st	7.91
Anheuser-Busch	Clydesdale’s friend.	60	4th	7.82
Coca-Cola	Sleepwalker going through rough terrain gets cold Coke.	60	3rd	7.36
Audi A3 TDI	Audi diesel pleases green police.	60	4th	7.35
E-Trade	Talking baby tries to explain to jealous girlfriend why he didn’t call.	30	3rd	7.34
Budweiser	Teamwork helps beer truck.	60	2nd	7.29
Bridgestone	Guys have an unexpected passenger: a killer whale.	30	1st	7.24
Monster Worldwide	A woodland beaver has exceptional musical talent with a fiddle.	30	1st	7.19

But just who are the Green Police? The Green Police are caricatures of today’s Green Movement; dedicatedly striving to help turn everyday consumers into environmentally responsible citizens and by any means necessary! Employing the skills of an anteater to sniff out contraband and sifting through domestic waste for misplaced recyclables.

The Green Police certainly don’t take any prisoners, but their reasons are noble; inspiring naive (or just downright lazy) consumers towards finding green enlightenment – or through fear of getting cuffed at their local supermarket!

Either way, the ad is doing a great job cementing Audi’s “Green” credentials in the States and winning over new fans by not taking themselves too seriously. Interestingly, Audi have chosen the Audi  A3 TDI to front the campaign, which was recently awarded the 2010 Green Car of the Year Award at the LA Auto Show by Green Car Journal. Suggesting that the A3 TDI’s outstanding fuel efficiency is the standard to which Audi is now setting its sight with all their exclusive models.

What do you think? Does the idea of the next Q7 model having a CO2 output of 99g/km seem feasible, or the stuff of fantasy?

And off course we saved the best for last, here it is this year’s Audi Super Bowl Ad starring the new highly efficient Audi A3 1.6 TDI.

This week sees a newer, more efficient version of the Audi A3 1.6 TDI become available to order. The new A3 significantly undercuts the original on emissions and boosts emissions due to it aerodynamic modifications, start-stop recuperation technology along with advance common rail fuel injection – a remarkable feat considering the A3 1.6 TDI is already the most economical car, in terms of CO2 output, within the premium car sector.

According to Audi, the A3 1.6 TDI’s CO2 output has been cut down to 99g/km, boosting its combined economy to 74.3mpg, which is significant step up from current variations of the 1.6 TDI which offer a class-leading combination of 69.9mpg and 109g/km CO2 output.

From what we can gather, the key reason for the new A3’s increased efficiency can be attributed to its refined standard five-speed manual transmission, a reduced ride height, a revised under body that reduces aerodynamic drag and lighter 15-inch alloy wheels.

Although minor by themselves, these alterations are synergised perfectly with Audi’s innovative Start-Stop technology and energy recuperation system to deliver its remarkable combined economy figure.

The best part is that these improvements are at no expense to the established A3 versions. The Audi A3 1.6 TDI carries the same 105PS power output and 250Nm torque peak as other versions. Meaning the new version can match performance, clearing 62mph from rest in 11.4 seconds and offering the option to continue to 121mph.

Overall, the A3 is another worthy ambassador of Audi’s Vorsprung durch Technik ideology; championing the cause with boundary pushing efficiency.

The Audi A3 and the Audi Q7 V12 added two more awards to the huge collection of accolades Audi models have amassed this year. The A3 was named UK’s Executive Used Car of the Decade by CAP while the Q7 was elected SUV of the year by Top Gear’s Team.

CAP is a leading vehicle valuation body that supplies substantial data to finance institutions, contract hire, leasing companies as well as insurance companies. According to Mark Norman from CAP the Audi A3 range pioneered the concept that a small vehicle can succeed in the premium sector, “true benchmark vehicle” and a “genuine pioneer” was Norman’s exact words for the Audi A3.

One of the main reasons the Audi A3 was named executive car of the year was the fact that models like the 2.0 TDI retains 43% of its value over 3 years – highest for a premium compact hatchback. The fact that the A3 1.6 TDI led the way in its segment when the fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions factor helped the A3 grab one more accolade to Audi.

With a CO2 output of only 109g/km the A3 1.6 TDI can save serious money in road car taxes add that to Audi leasing and contract hire options and you have of the most cost effective vehicles on the market today.

In the mean time the Audi Q7 V12 6.0 TDI quattro was named by Jeremy Clarkson & Co as SUV of the Year. The 2009 Top Gear’s Car of the Year award that is coming in this month’ issue of the Top Gear magazine will have the Audi Q7 V12 TDI as the best SUV of 2009.

Audi Q7 V12 – a magnificent whirlwind of sins – our SUV of the Year

TopGear Team

Vorsprung Durch Technik means “progress through technology” and a literal translation would be ‘advancement through technology’. This strapline has been used by Audi since the 80’s to highlight the company reputation for technical expertise.

Progress through technology has not only been Audi’s ad strapline but has also been the company’ working philosophy since its creation back in 1909. Since then, Audi has contributed to a number of milestones for the auto industry.

Over the past decade, Audi has revolutionised the auto industry with a number of technological advancements that prove performance and efficiency can be combined without sacrificing one or the other.

When Audi’s engineers develop a new technology, they have only one thing in mind: increase vehicle efficiency without sacrificing performance – hence Audi Space Frame and the ultra-precise S-tronic transmission.

ASF (Audi Space Frame) is an innovative way to build a vehicle’s body with a lightweight high-strength aluminium frame that gives a car outstanding safety, excellent performance and phenomenal efficiency, while the S-tronic transmission – with its shorter gear changes increase fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions – combines the agility and responsiveness of a manual gearbox with the convenience of an Automatic.

With the TDI engines, Audi simply redefined the diesel engine; with its unique common rail system for more efficiency and power delivering better performance along with a 15% reduction in fuel consumption while the TFSI engines where the first to combine petrol direct injection and turbocharging to provide greater power with reduced fuel consumption.

On the new TDIe engines, the ‘e’ stands for efficient. These engines are without a doubt the most efficient diesel engines in the world and it’s already on the roads running models such as the Audi A6 2.0 TDIe and the Audi A4 2.0 TDIe (with remarkable CO2 emissions of only 139g/km, resulting in an annual road tax of just £120 and a competitive 18% company car tax rating).

Audi is cleaning up the premium sector with its highly efficient models. The new Audi A3 1.6 TDI has the lowest CO2 emissions in its class with just 109g/km. For Audi, good efficiency means low emissions and low emissions means cheaper road tax, making the A3 range one of the best choices for a company car. Add that to the Audi contract hire and leasing options you can potentially save thousands of pound each year.

One of Audi’s most innovative and economy focused technologies is the Recuperation Technology, which recycles the energy used to brake to lighten the engine’s load reducing fuel consumption by up to 3%. Already making the difference in models like the new Audi A8 and the next gen of Audi A3s.

As you can see, Audi follow the “Vorsprung Durch Technik” strapline from the design to the quality inspection process each vehicle goes through. Such attention to detail coupled with a genuine environmental concern has earned Audi a series of awards over the years. The most recent high-profile accolade going to the Audi A3, which has been named 2009 Green Car of the Year by the Green Car Journal. Another massive award coming from What Car? Magazine, who have given the title of “Most efficient luxury car” to the A8 2.8 FSI.

Now its time for you to have your say about Audi highly efficient models, if you had to choose which Audi model would you crown the most Highly Efficient of them all?

A week after we announced that Audi was cleaning the premium sector with the next gen of Audi A3 with array of highly efficient diesel and also petrol engines comes the first accolade for this eco-friendly generation of Audi A3s.

The Audi A3 TDI earned the prestigious title of 2010 Green Car of the Year. The announcement was made yesterday morning during the L.A Auto Show as Ron Rogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and editor of Greencar.com presented the award to Audi of America President, Johan de Nysschen.

Since 2005 the Green Car Journal has been awarding manufacturers who are working hard towards developing vehicles with an environmental concern. This year the Audi A3 TDI emerged victorious among five other finalists.

The trailblazing TDI 2.0 engine powering the A3 delivers 140hp with an impressive 236 lb-ft of torque, yet achieves a remarkable 50 mpg (42 mpg US) fuel efficiency, lowest in its segment. That means the Audi A3 TDI achieves 50% better fuel economy than a comparable gasoline engine.

“We consider the Green Car of the Year® title one of the most important industry accolades. It is of paramount importance for us to develop vehicles that achieve the very touchstones this award stands for: fuel efficiency and environmental impact. Rather than novelty features, we consider these attributes imperative to the future of automobile design. We are honoured with this recognition for the Audi A3 TDI.” said Johan de Nysschen, President Audi of America.

The Audi A3 TDI was not the only model to take an accolade back to Ingolstadt, the Audi A5 was named 2010’s Best Resale Value Award luxury car winner by Kelley Blue Book’s (www.kbb.com) and was honoured in two categories: Top 10 Model overall and Best Luxury Car. Not only did the Audi Q7 take home the Earth, Wind & Power(SM) environmental award, it was only named Most Environmentally Progressive Truck of the Year.

Audi A3 2.0 TDI, with its start-stop technology, has become the most efficient and economical option in its segment. An opinion, of course, but an opinion supported by stats and facts that speak for themselves.

Back in October Audi announced that the next gen of Audi A3 will feature both start-stop and recuperation system: two of the company’s most economy focused technologies and for optimal results; the high-tech S-tronic will be available for an extra £1,420.

At the time test figures were impressive and, as usual, performance and efficiency were kept at the highest possible levels while emissions were reduce considerably with the Audi A3 1.6 TDI registering a sector-leading figure of only 109g/km of CO2.

The ongoing Audi crackdown on emissions has yielded yet another efficiency breakthrough within the A3 range, this time for the Audi 2.0 TDI models, which became the cleanest at their level within the premium sector this month.

Thanks to the addition of start-stop and recuperation technology, the ever-popular diesel three-door and five-door A3 Sportback and A3 Cabriolet variants now benefit from major CO2 cuts of up to 20g/km or around 16 per cent, bringing output down to as little as 115g/km for three-door and Sportback versions.

The improvements apply immediately to all Audi A3 2.0 TDI models equipped with six-speed manual transmission. They help to increase economy by at least 8mpg across the board and cut CO2 output by up to 20g/km (16%), boosting the three-door and five-door A3 2.0 TDIs from a combined total of 55.4mpg to 64.2mpg, thus cutting emissions from 134g/km to 115g/km. The Cabriolet benefits from an 8.1mpg increase to 61.4mpg and a 20g/km CO2 reduction to 119g/km, another lowest-in-class figure in the premium Cabriolet category.

In terms of company car taxation, this significant downward shift repositions the A3 2.0 TDI in the 13% BIK category, the movement from its original 18% position equating to a saving in annual tax liability of £373 for the three-door standard hatchback model, which will now cost a [40%] tax payer £972.

The new technology which they adopt from these highly focused alternatives has had no bearing on their prices, which for fixed head Audi 2.0 TDI 140PS versions range from £18,860 OTR to £23,630 OTR, and for Audi A3 Cabriolets from £22,635 OTR to £26,865 OTR.