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

The readers of Sport Auto, a German automotive magazine, declared the Audi R8 Spyder best in its class in the “Sportiest Cars of 2010” survey. All in all, Audi took eight awards.

The Audi R8 Spyder left its category’s competitors in the rear-view mirror by capturing 17.3 percent of readers’ votes. This high-performance sports car featuring a lightweight soft top dazzles thanks to the synergy of its technologies – such as an ASF body made of aluminum and carbon fiber; quattro permanent all-wheel drive; LED headlights; and an innovative seat-belt microphone.

In addition, three Audi models finished in second place. The Audi A5 Coupé 3.0 TDI quattro, the TT RS Roadster and the Audi R8 4.2 FSI quattro all won silver medals in their respective classes. Further impressive achievements: the Audi S3 2.0 TFSI, the RS 6, the TT Roadster 2.0 TFSI and the Audi TTS Coupé 2.0 TFSI came in third, respectively.

In the “Sportiest Cars of 2010” survey, 8,674 sport auto readers chose their favorites in 15 categories of series-production vehicles and ten tuning classes.

Source: Audi Worldwide News

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.

High-revving V8, S tronic twin-clutch transmission, upgraded quattro system and impressive specification grace latest RS flagship

Audi UK has today confirmed an OTR price of £57,480 for the UK-bound RS 5 high performance coupe. Featuring a high-revving V8 FSI petrol engine delivering 450PS through rapid-fire S tronic twin-clutch transmission, and anchored by the very latest Audi driver aids, including a new iteration of the quattro system, the new RS flagship will open for order in the spring. First customer deliveries are scheduled for October.

The V10 FSI engine from the R8 5.2 FSI quattro provides the technological basis for the new hand-built, 4.2-litre V8 FSI engine that delivers its 450PS peak output at a heady 8,250rpm in the RS 5, along with a torque maximum of 430Nm at between 4,000 and 6,000rpm. Helped by fast-paced shifts from a specially reinforced version of the seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission, which makes its RS debut here, it enables the Audi RS 5 to power to 62mph in 4.6 seconds and continue to an electronically governed 155mph top speed. Its impressive efficiency, bolstered by on-demand oil pump operation and energy recovery during coasting and braking, also makes up to 26.2mpg possible.

New quattro technology

This remarkable engine and transmission pairing has the very best habitat in which to demonstrate its capabilities thanks to the integration of the Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) adaptive damping system adopted from the RS 6, the sport differential which already brings acute adjustability to the S4 and S5 and the latest generation quattro all-wheel-drive system with crown gear differential.

The self-locking crown-gear centre differential can widely vary the distribution of torque between the front and rear axles. If necessary, up to 70 per cent can flow to the front or as much as 85 percent towards the rear. The 40:60 ratio of the standard rear-biased configuration ensures highly responsive handling.

Audi drive select

The Audi drive select vehicle dynamics control system is a standard feature of the new RS 5. It allows the driver to switch between three modes of operation – comfort, auto, and dynamic – to adjust the steering weighting, the shift points for the seven-speed S tronic, the sport differential, Dynamic Ride Control, the engine and the exhaust system. And if the car is equipped with the optional MMI navigation system, a fourth mode allows the driver to customize their own profile. Audi drive select also controls the exhaust system’s two throttle valves and the sound flaps, enabling the exhaust note to be varied at will.

With its RS-specific spring, damper and anti-roll bar settings, the RS 5 chassis sits 20 millimetres lower than that of the Audi A5 on 19-inch five-spoke Aero design alloy wheels fitted with 265/35 tyres. Its purposeful body is also embellished by adaptive swivelling xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights, a speed-activated rear spoiler and the now trademark oval RS tailpipes.

Inside, black Silk Nappa leather upholstery is complemented by carbon fibre and aluminium elements and additional oil temperature and lap timer gauges for circuit use. Electrically adjustable super sports seats with pronounced side sections and integrated head restraints are standard, as of course are comforts such as a 180-watt CD sound system, deluxe three-zone climate control, the Audi Parking System Plus with front and rear sensors, tyre pressure monitoring and an RS multi-function steering wheel with aluminium-look gearshift paddles.

Key options will include 20-inch alloy wheels, a sports exhaust system, HDD-based satellite navigation, adaptive cruise control and a 505-watt Bang & Olufsen audio system.

Audi’s four-wheel-drive-system Quattro is celebrating 30 years of existence. Back in the 80’s Audi revolutionised road and rally driving with the Audi Quattro (Ur-Quattro) and 30 years the Ingolstadt company is about to do it again with the Audi RS5 that will incorporate the newly developed centre differential for Quattro drivetrain, with the acclaimed Quattro sport differential on the rear axle, the latest in four-wheel-driving.

Following the tradition of a lineage dating back over 15 years ago to the illustrious Audi RS2, the Audi RS5 was developed by Audi high performance engineering and styling subsidiary Quattro GmbH. The RS badge on an Audi means ultra-high performance and sportiveness combined to top notch styling features.

With its hand-built, high-revving 4.2-litre V8 FSI engine the Audi RS5 has a maximum output of 450PS when the engine hits the 8,250rpm mark. A torque maximum of 430Nm is available between 4,000 and 6,000rpm, helping to power the new, Audi RS 5 to 62mph in 4.6 seconds and to an electronically governed 155mph top speed.

For Audi performance is nothing without efficiency that is why the RS5 engine has been fine tuned to maximise performance and also economy. Drivetrain friction was minimized, the oil pump operates on demand, the dual-branch intake and exhaust system were tuned to allow the engine to breath freely, four adjustable camshafts and tumble flaps in the intake manifold facilitate mixture formation and Audi’s energy recovery system assure a fuel efficiency of up to 26.2mpg.

Making its RS debut, the high-tech seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission will be a standard specification for the RS5. This specially reinforced S tronic transmission consists of two clutches and two subsidiary transmissions. Both subsidiary transmissions are continuously active, but only one is powered at any given time by the engine. Gears are alternately shifted by the two clutches – at lightning speed, smoothly, and almost imperceptibly.

Presenting the brand new Quattro technology with crown-gear differential

If it has an RS badge it sure has Quattro four-wheel-drive. Like all Audis in the RS lineage the Audi RS5 will be equipped with Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive but not any Quattro. This latest generation model has evolved further through a next generation centre differential known as a crown-gear differential; expect to hear more about that on future posts.

With such a wide array of innovations it’s hard to mention them all in only one post. So if you want to know more about the Audi RS5 don’t miss our next post about it on Monday when we will explain in detail the new Quattro technology as well as the new Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) and the more acutely controllable Audi drive select.

Before we end this post we want to know. Will the Audi RS5 be the most successful vehicle in the RS lineage?

Audi officially confirmed that the Audi RS5 will be released at the Geneva Motor Show this week but last week and Australian motoring blog leaked images from the forthcoming Audi RS5 sales brochure and we managed to get our hands on some of those images.

In total there are 28 images but little written information, there are not shots of the engine bay so we can only speculate on what powerplants will propel the RS5. Experts believe that power shall fall between the 420 hp of the Audi RS4 and 571 hp of the current Audi RS6. A V10 engine has been ruled out because it wouldn’t fit into the A5’s engine bay.

Speculations are that maybe we could see a turbo or supercharged version of the 4.2 litre V8 used in the Audi S5 or a severely amplified version of the 3.0 litre TFSI V6 from the Audi S4.

Either way the Audi RS5 is set to be one of the stars of this year’s Geneva Auto Show and we can’t wait to see it on the roads.

Audi won Germany’s most prestigious design award for the fourth time; this time the with the Audi A5 coup. The German Design Council will present the Audi A5 Coupe with the 2010 Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany during the opening ceremony of the International Ambiente Fair in Frankfurt on February 12, 2010.

The Audi A5 Coupe joins the Audi A4 Avant, the Audi A3 and the Audi A2 as the forth Audi model to win Germanys most prestigious design award.

Stefan Sielaff, Head of Audi Design, said:

Audis Design team and I are thrilled by this accolade. It convincingly acknowledges the Audi brands design excellence. The A5 Coup boasts the genes of a design icon, and it’s great that the judges also see it that way.

Since its launch back in June 2007 the Audi A5 sold 112.000 units worldwide with largest markets being Europe and North America.

Over the past 15 years, Audi has been experimenting and implementing the ASF principle in some of it vehicles. ASF stands for “Aluminium Space Frame”, with this technology Audi can reduce the weight of the car body by 40%. Already in use in models like the Audi A8, the Audi TT and the company’s flagship car the Audi R8. Audi decided it is time to extend this technology to other models and it is starting with an Aluminium Bodied Audi A5 Prototype.

By implementing the ASF principle in an Audi A5 coupe, Audi shed away 242 Lbs by swapping steel for advanced aluminium and carbon fibre construction in the interest of fuel economy, emissions reduction and handling agility. The A5 project is the latest example of the pioneering work undertaken by the Audi to extend efficiency optimisation measures well beyond the engine bay. This shows in a kerb weight of 2,888 Lbs for the aluminium Audi A5 prototype, versus a total of 3,100 Lbs for the equivalent steel-bodied series production model.

Thanks to the significant weight loss, achieved by mounting aluminium and carbon fibre-reinforced plastics onto the aluminium Audi Space Frame (ASF), the Audi A5 prototype is able to use a four-cylinder engine with its attendant economy and emissions advantages to deliver the performance of a higher output V6.

With the acclaimed 2.0-litre, 211PS Turbo FSI engine, the A5 achieves a power-to-weight ratio of 161PS per tonne. For comparison, the ’standard’ A5 3.2 FSI V6 quattro with 265PS, which tips the scales at 1,540kg, shades it only by a fraction at 172PS per tonne.

The lightweight design of the Audi A5 lightweight prototype not only enables a smaller engine to supplement a larger one with no impact on performance and gains in economy and emissions, but also has a knock-on effect on ancillaries such as the brakes and transmission, which can also be reduced in size and weight. It also enables the car to change direction noticeably more keenly and nimbly and, thanks to the reduction in unsprung weight, to ride with even more refinement.

Audi’s stunning new A5 Cabriolet has arrived in Australia, offering a choice of three sporty engines, quattro all wheel drive and S tronic transmission as standard.

This brand new four-seater convertible combines its distinctly sporty character with the added benefit of open-top driving, high levels of comfort and everyday versatility.

Joerg Hofmann, Audi’s managing director says the new A5 Cabriolet will appeal to customers who appreciate the stylish design of the coupe model, but still want the added engagement of top-down driving.

Hofmann said: “The A5 Coupe has been very successful to-date and we expect this version to have a similar loyal following which will have a positive impact on our sales results.”

The exterior silhouette of the new A5 Cabriolet is elegant, yet sporty, with sculpted body surfaces.

Fourtitude report that like all Audi convertibles, the open-top A5 has a classic lightweight fabric roof with a flat clear glass window that shouts dynamic elegance.

The new Audi A5 Cabriolet is expected to follow in the footsteps of its successful predecessors. The brand has offered a premium mid-sized convertible since 1991, with around 227,000 units sold to-date.

The Audi A5 Cabriolet truly is in a class of its own, for a full specification of the A5s available here at Audi Nationwide please visit the website.