Technology awards celebrating the best in-car tech on the market recognises the virtues of the ‘hugely adaptable’ Audi virtual cockpit

• Tech of the Year Award: Audi virtual cockpit
• Most user-friendly tech – cars under £25,000: Audi A3
• Best in-car connectivity – cars under £25,000: Audi A3

The pin-sharp graphics, rich array of on-board driving data and split-second response rates of the all-digital Audi virtual cockpit have earned it the coveted title of ‘Tech of the Year’ in the inaugural Car Tech Awards, adjudicated collaboratively by a panel of automotive and tech journalists from leading digital brands, Carbuyer and Alphr.

First introduced on the Audi TT in 2014, the highly functional Audi virtual cockpit is now an established feature of the premium brand’s interior architecture, extending to more than half of the model range from the spine-tingling R8 to the newly introduced Q2 compact SUV. It also can be specified across the new Audi A3 range, which has been separately praised in two more Car Tech Awards categories for its switched-on approach to user friendly tech and connectivity in the under £25,000 bracket.

Editor of CarBuyer, Stuart Milne explained the rationale behind the win: "We were endlessly impressed with virtual cockpit, and the more you use it, the better it gets. Its performance is outstanding, graphics are crisp and when the 12.3in screen is given over to navigation functions, mapping has never been clearer. With all this in mind, virtual cockpit is a must have feature across most of Audi's models."
"If there’s one piece of in-car technology that defines 2016, and will lead the way over the coming years, it’s Audi virtual cockpit."

The truly innovative instrument panel

The Audi virtual cockpit comprises a TFT display with a 12.3-inch diagonal and a resolution of 1440 x 540 pixels. It displays exceptionally sharp and highly detailed graphics. Working in the background for the cockpit is a high-performance Tegra 30 processor supplied by Audi’s partner NVIDIA. The fully digital display enables a wide range of information to be presented clearly and directly in the driver’s field of view. This includes the classic values for speed and rpm, but also navigation, communication and entertainment information.

The driver can switch between two views by pressing a button on the steering wheel. In Infotainment mode, a central window dominates the view. It offers plenty of room for lists in the Phone, Radio and Media areas or for the navigation map that can furnish practically the entire screen when desired. The tachometer and speedometer are displayed as small dial instruments on the right and left. In a second, classic view, they appear about as large as analogue instruments, and the middle window is smaller. For the Audi S and RS models as well as for the Audi R8, there is a third screen with a dynamic emphasis. It is dominated by the tachometer and provides additional technical information.

The driver operates the Audi virtual cockpit from the multifunction steering wheel. Using switches on the left spoke, the driver pages through the menus for the on-board computer, audio system, and – depending on the installed features – the phone and navigation system. Located on the right side of the steering wheel are the volume control, the voice control button, telephone express controls and the skip function for quickly changing the radio station or song.

In keeping with its MMI logic, Audi modifies the colour scheme of the display according to the base menu being used – orange for the Media menu and green for the Phone menu, for instance. At the lower edge are permanent displays of outside temperature, time of day and odometer readings as well as warning and information symbols.

The latest Audi A3 range encapsulates Vorsprung durch Technik with a host of standard and optional equipment at the forefront of in-car infotainment and connectivity. Connecting an iPhone or Android handset seamlessly to the car is now instantaneous thanks to the standard Audi smartphone interface, and for all SE Technik models upwards, SD-card based MMI navigation is supplemented with a three-month free trial of the comprehensive Audi connect infotainment portfolio. This opens up a wealth of information accessible directly from the MMI screen, covering news, weather and travel updates, Twitter integration, Google Earth and Street View and useful information such as a fuel station price checker.

The audio-visual experience can be enhanced even further with options such as the wireless charging facility of Audi Phone Box, MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch and a high-performance Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

Popular Black Edition specification reaches Audi compact SUV as part of a package of range-wide styling and equipment enhancements

• Revised Q3 range priced from £26,600 OTR to £36,945 OTR available to order from October 11, 2016 and due in the UK by the end of the year
• New specification line-up replaces SE, S line Navigation and S line Plus with Sport, S line Edition and Black Edition
• Exterior enhancements and equipment upgrades across the board
• Four TDI and TFSI engines offering up to 62.8mpg with CO2 of as little as 117g/km

The dark and brooding good looks of the Black Edition models that have been mainstays of the Audi A4, A5, A6 and A7 Sportback ranges have inspired a new Q3 Black Edition that spearheads a wholesale update of the perenially popular compact SUV line-up. The new top flight Q3 and the sharper, even better equipped versions that sit below it will become available later this month priced from £26,600 OTR, and will reach their first customers towards the end of the year.

As part of the programme of revisions the current Q3 specification structure, starting with SE, moving to S line Navigation and then on to S line plus, has shifted further upwards. At entry level, SE becomes Sport through the addition of SD navigation as standard and through styling enhancements that lend an even more purposeful air, including larger front air vents and a body-coloured front diffuser.

S line Navigation models become S line Edition by gaining standard interior features such as cruise control and the Audi Parking System Plus, and by adopting a new look for the front end, which now incorporates a distinctive horizontal strut spanning its full width, above which are air inlets with more pronounced surrounds and a new diamond-pattern mesh design. They flank a more eye-catching Single Frame grille with a new high gloss finish which is also shared by the air vents.

The main attraction in the range is now the Q3 Black Edition, which stays true to the concept introduced so successfully elsewhere in the Audi range. Replacing the S line plus model, it builds on that version’s already extensive specification with features such as standard metallic paint, privacy glass from the B pillar rearwards and a Bose sound system upgrade, but its key point of differentiation is of course the distinctive black treatment for many of its parts. These start in the cabin with piano black inlays, and continue outside to take in everything from the 19-inch alloy wheels, wheel arch cappings and Single Frame grille surround to the roof rails, rear spoiler and tailpipes, all of which are finished in gloss black.

Extensive specification

Aside from the now range-wide satellite navigation, standard equipment for all Q3 models is plentiful, and includes Audi Music and Bluetooth interfaces, sensor control for parking (rear only in the Sport, front and rear in the S line Edition and Black Edition), for lighting and for wiper function, dual-zone climate control and a Concert audio system with DAB radio linked to a 6.5-inch manually retractable colour monitor. Xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights and LED tail lights feature as standard in Sport versions, while S line Edition and Black Edition specification levels upgrade to all-weather LED headlights and dynamic ‘scrolling’ rear indicators which illuminate sequentially within two-tenths of a second from the inside out in the direction the driver intends to turn.

Under the skin, two TDI diesel and two TFSI petrol engines are available, depending on the chosen specification. The 1.4-litre TFSI with Cylinder-on-Demand technology brings 150PS and the option of either manual or S tronic twin-clutch automatic transmission. It gives the exclusively front-wheel-driven Q3 1.4 TFSI a 0-62mph sprint time of as little as 8.9 seconds (S tronic), but also 51.4mpg capability (manual) based on the combined cycle test. Above it in the petrol line-up is a 2.0-litre TFSI unit with 180PS, which can be linked to either manual or S tronic transmission and works with quattro all-wheel-drive without exception.

Forming the diesel contingent are two four-cylinder, 2.0-litre TDIs with outputs of 150PS and 184PS. When linked to manual transmission and Sport specification with its 17-inch wheels, the 150PS version has the potential to return up to 62.8mpg with CO2 output of just 117g/km.

The 2.0-litre 150PS TDI engine can work with either manual or S tronic transmission and can channel its output through either the front wheels only or through all four with the help of the quattro system. The 184PS version also offers two transmission options, but deploys its heightened power and torque solely via quattro drive.

Audi drive select as standard

The composed agility of the Q3 chassis imparts a nimble feel that belies its SUV dimensions, and the Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system - a standard feature of all Q3 models – enables drivers to make the most of it by adjusting throttle response, automatic transmission shift points and operating characteristics of other optional components such as the damper control system to suit personal preferences.

Up to five adults can enjoy the ride in comfort and with space to spare, and their luggage can be equally comfortably accommodated in the 420-litre load compartment, which in S line Edition and Black Edition versions is accessible at the touch of a button thanks to powered tailgate operation. When the back seat is free, its split backrest can be folded to liberate a total of 1,325 litres of cargo capacity.

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

Sharpened Coupé and Sportback models deploy an all-new platform and cutting edge infotainment to mix business with pleasure perfectly

• SE, Sport and S line specification available on both models
• Three TDI and two TFSI engines join the A5 Coupé range
• Five-door Sportback configurable with one TFSI and two TDI engines from launch
• Flagship S5 available in both body styles with 354PS and 500Nm
• Audi Drive Select, three-zone electric climate control, Twin leather upholstery, heated front seats, power-operated tailgate, Audi Smartphone interface and Audi connect Safety and Service comprise standard specification
• Wide range of technology available such as Matrix LEDs, Audi Phone Box, Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System, Audi virtual cockpit
• Pricing starts from £30,700 OTR for the Coupé in 2.0 TFSI form and from £38,005 OTR for the A5 Sportback 2.0 TDI quattro Sport (SE pricing will be announced at a later date)
• 4.7-second S5 Coupé and Sportback both priced from £47,000 OTR

Less than a month after its European debut at Paris, the successor to the five-door Audi acclaimed for wrapping high functionality in a captivating coupé-like silhouette is ready to order in the UK. Sporting a host of technological advancements that encapsulate Vorsprung durch Technik under its sharpened and toned skin, the A5 Sportback joins the equally attractive new Coupé which has been available since late September. It will touch down here a couple of months after its two-door relative in February 2017.

Heading up the highly intelligent new range, and available to order at the same time in both Coupé and Sportback form is an even faster, more powerful and more efficient S5 quattro, now featuring a turbocharged V6 TFSI. Power has ramped up to 354PS, propelling both three-door and five-door versions to 62mph in just 4.7 seconds.

Broad portfolio of powertrains

A choice of three TDI and two TFSI power units are available in the new A5 Coupé and Sportback. The four-cylinder 2.0 TFSI and 2.0 TDI both produce 190PS and can be configured with either a six-speed manual or 7-speed S tronic transmission. An ultra version of the TDI in the Coupé offers the same power, torque (400Nm between 1,750 and 3,000rpm) and 0-62mph performance (7.7 seconds), but combines this with the potential for even greater economy returns of up to 70.6mpg combined and 105g/km compared to the already impressive peak of 67.3mpg combined and 111g/km for the 'standard' 2.0 TDI.

A 2.0 TFSI producing 252PS and 370Nm of torque is mated exclusively to quattro all-wheel drive. In the Coupé, 0-62mph takes a mere 5.8 seconds (6.0 for the Sportback) and both top out at 155mph. The combined 47.9mpg potential and 136g/km is unchanged regardless of the silhoutte.

At the top end of the scale, a V6 TDI with 218PS is offered in conjunction with quattro drive and S tronic transmission in the Coupé, and appears in 286PS* form exclusively linked to an eight-speed tiptronic in the Sportback. The former boasts a 6.2-second 62mph sprint time and 155mph top speed despite CO2 of as little as 119g/km and up to 58.9mpg combined.

Drawing on a turbocharged V6 TFSI powerplant that delivers 354PS and 500Nm between 1,370 and 4,500rpm, the S5 Coupé and Sportback share 4.7-second zero to 62mph capability, and both can reach a limited top speed of 155mph. An integrated exhaust manifold, new combustion technology and a freewheeling function embedded in the standard eight-speed tiptronic transmission all contribute to lower consumption than that of the predecessor, resulting in 38.2mpg combined for the Coupé (37.7mpg for the Sportback) and a shared CO2 value of 170g/km.

SE, Sport and S line specification

In keeping with the rest of the Audi range, the hierarchy for A5 Coupé and Sportback consists of SE, Sport and S line specification levels. The lead-in SE option now features more equipment than ever, including a host of infotainment and driver assistance systems.

These range from the Audi Smartphone Interface connection hosting Apple Carplay and Android Auto, and the front and rear Audi Parking System Plus to the Audi pre-sense City which warns the driver of a imminent collision and can initiate emergency braking and the multi-collision brake assist, capable of reducing further impacts through full braking. Also new to the A5 range is the Audi connect Safety and Service package. Fitted as standard, an embedded SIM card enables occupants to dial an emergency or assistance call service with a one-touch button function inside the car.

All SE models are fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels, and come equipped with xenon headlights aided by LED daytime running lights. Further highlights include Audi Drive Select, a deluxe three-zone electronic climate control system and a power-operated tailgate for Sportback models (coupé models come fitted with an electric boot lid release mechanism).

Sport models build on this further by incorporating an LED interior lighting pack, electrically adjustable sports seats with 4-way lumbar support upholstered in Twin leather, SD card-based MMI navigation and a three-month free trial of Audi connect.

Standout features on the sharper S line in addition to the customary visual enhancements are 18-inch alloy wheels, sport suspension, LED front and rear lights with dynamic rear indicators and front sports seats upholstered in leather/Alcantara.

S5 Coupé and Sportback set the pace

On the top rung, the S5 quattro models are of course marked out by S specific upgrades that subtly convey their performance potential. In addition to the customary quad oval tailpipes and aluminium-effect door mirror housings, S5 logos adorn the grille, front wings and rear. Partly polished 19-inch alloy wheels conceal S sport suspension and specially tuned brakes, while a matt aluminium finish extends to the rear diffuser, inlays surrounding the air inlets and radiator grille. The vibrant Misano red and Navarra blue paintwork are also exclusively available for this model.

Inside, Fine Nappa leather extends to the front S super sports seats, combining lumbar support, pneumatic adjustment and a massage function. MMI navigation plus and a three-year subscription to the Audi connect suite round out the interior upgrades.

Separately on S5 models, a sport differential can complement the quattro drivetrain for more targeted torque distribution to the rear wheels, improving stability and agility in fast corners.

Progressive technology

Naturally, the most forward-thinking technological advancements can now supplement the already extensive standard equipment list, from the Audi virtual cockpit and Matrix LED lights to a head-up display and Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system. In terms of driver assistance, adaptive cruise control with Stop&Go incorporates a traffic jam assist function capable of taking over braking, acceleration and steering inputs at speeds of up to 37mph to take the strain off stop-start traffic. A similarly innovative feature is the predictive efficiency assistant, which uses route data to calculate when free-wheeling or engine braking can be automatically applied to boost overall mpg.

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

New Q5 sets standards in connectivity, ride comfort, handling dynamics, efficiency and driver assistance

• All-new version of the best-selling Audi SUV worldwide
• Up to 90kg lighter than its predecessor
• Luggage capacity increase of 10 litres
• Increased interior space, headroom and rear kneeroom
• One TFSI and two TDI engines, with up to 27PS more power
• Newly developed five-link suspension and optional adaptive air suspension
• Audi drive select fitted as standard, featuring lift/offroad and allroad modes
• quattro with ultra technology fitted as standard to four-cylinder engine
• UK ordering expected to open towards the end of this year with first deliveries anticipated in spring 2017

Ingolstadt/Paris, September 29, 2016 – Having already set the tone as a paragon of Vorsprung durch Technik and a long-standing best seller, the Audi Q5 is to be replaced by an all-new successor that is set to make its world debut at the Paris Motor Show. Its ground-up rework brings with it an intense focus on connectivity, driver assistance, aeroacoustics and driving dynamics. True to form, it sets new standards in its segment and steps up the game yet again.

“The first Audi Q5 was for many years the world's best-selling SUV in its class. It was no easy task to design its successor, but that is precisely why it is so very exciting,” says Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management at AUDI AG. “With the new Q5 we are setting the bar a notch higher. Among the great innovations are the quattro drive system with ultra technology, highly efficient engines, the air suspension with damper control and a comprehensive line-up of infotainment and assistance systems.”

The new SUV from Audi takes a defined and taut stance. A sculpturally flared Singleframe grille with a solid frame dominates its aerodynamically flat front end. It is available with Xenon headlights as standard and either LED or high-resolution Matrix LED with dynamic indicators as options.

Typically Audi: quattro design language

A distinctively curved and strongly undercut shoulder line gives structure to the side view. The strongly emphasised wheel arches are a reference to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, and the low greenhouse tapers back down early. Just as at the front, horizontal lines at the rear convey an image of width and presence. The tail lights are also available with optional dynamic indicators. The tailgate wraps around the C-pillars – a typical feature of the Q models from Audi. A diffuser insert integrates the exhaust tailpipes.

Weight saved: up to 90 kg lighter than the previous model

4.66 metres long, 1.89 metres wide and 1.66 metres tall with a 2.82-metre wheelbase – compared to the previous model, the new Q5 has grown in nearly all of its dimensions. Consequently, the unladen weight was reduced – depending on the engine – by up to 90 kg. Steels with maximum tensile strength and aluminium form an intelligent material mix in the body.

The new Q5 also stands at the top of its class in its aerodynamics. The four-cylinder versions attain a cd figure of 0.30 with the aerodynamically optimised roof. Wind noises are exceptionally low, and vibration comfort is high – the new SUV from Audi indulges the driver and passengers with the best interior acoustics in its class.

Spacious and wide: the interior

The interior offers a lot of space for five persons, and it surpasses the previous model and its competitors in key dimensions. Its horizontally oriented lines underscore the impression of width and comfort, and a three-dimensional trim strip runs across the entire width of the instrument panel. The new equipment lines concept offers customers a broad selection of colours and materials.

A three-spoke multifunction steering wheel is standard. When it is dark, the optional ambient lighting creates an attractive atmosphere in 30 different colours. The workmanship quality in the new Q5 is uncompromising.

The rear seat back of the new Audi Q5 is split into three segments. Longitudinal and seat back angle adjustment are optional. Depending on the rear seat position, the basic volume of the luggage compartment ranges from 550 to 610 litres, 10 litres more than in the previous model. When the rear bench is folded down, this volume grows to 1,550 litres. Cargo loading is simplified by a power-operated tailgate fitted as standard, an optional variably folding mat, optional hands-free control of the power tailgate and manual lowering of the body via the optional air suspension.

Simply coherent: controls and displays

Operation of the new Audi SUV is intuitive and is marked by three great new features. The optional Audi virtual cockpit presents brilliant graphics on its high-resolution 12.3-inch screen. The driver can choose from two views – a classic view with large round instruments and a mode in which the navigation map or lists dominate.

The MMI terminal in the centre console acts as the main control element. In the top infotainment system, the optional MMI navigation plus with MMI touch and an 8.3-inch display, a touchpad is integrated into the rotary pushbutton. It recognises handwritten entries as well as gestures familiar from consumer electronics such as zooming gestures. If the new Q5 has an automatic transmission, it also has the larger MMI all-in-touch including haptic feedback.

The MMI operating logic is based on the flat hierarchies used in today’s smartphones, and it offers such features as intelligent free-text search. The new natural-language voice control function also recognizes inputs from everyday speech.

Serving as an additional third operating level in the new Audi Q5 is the multifunction steering wheel plus. Audi can deliver a newly developed head-up display as an option. It projects relevant information onto the windshield – including from driver assistance systems – as symbols and numbers that can be perceived quickly.

Audi navigation: “Personal route assist”

The new Audi Q5, like the Q7 and the A4, has a self-learning “personal route assist” function. After activating this function, the navigation system learns the routes and destinations that the customer regularly selects, and it associates this information to the parked position and time of day.

For as long as it is active, the system therefore learns from the customer’s behaviour and uses this information to suggest optimised route planning for the next trip – even while navigation is inactive. The navigation system incorporates the three most likely destinations into the calculation, taking into consideration both the arrival time and current traffic levels. For instance, the system can suggest that the customer activate navigation to find out about potential alternative routes. The driver decides whether or not to activate the function. He also has the option of deleting saved destinations. If the function is deactivated, the system does not store the destinations and does not consider deleted destinations or the routes driven.

Online via LTE: MMI navigation plus

MMI navigation plus utilises the Audi connect module to integrate a LTE module and a Wi-Fi hotspot – this lets passengers go online with up to eight mobile devices. Audi connect enables convenient roaming in Europe for many Audi connect services with its permanently installed SIM card – the Audi connect SIM with a flat data rate.

The free Audi MMI connect app produces a close interconnection between the car and smartphone or a smartwatch and offers other services. They include remote checking of important vehicle states, online media streaming and transmission of a calendar from a smartphone to the MMI.

High-end option: the infotainment modules

The Audi phone box connects smartphones to the vehicle’s antenna for optimal reception quality; it also charges smartphones inductively according to the Qi standard. The Bang & Olufsen Sound System with innovative 3D sound introduces the spatial dimension of height. The Audi tablet, which is also new, serves as a flexible Rear Seat Entertainment device. The Audi smartphone interface also brings Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into the new Q5.

Driver assistance and safety systems

In its driver assistance systems, the new Audi Q5 also tops its segment with a broad range of high-tech options. In their intelligent interplay, the systems represent a next step towards piloted driving. They are bundled into three driver assistance packages – Tour, Parking and Parking Advanced.

The predictive efficiency assistant helps the driver save fuel by specific information on the car’s surroundings. Adaptive cruise control (ACC) including traffic jam assist can handle some of the steering work in slow-moving traffic.

Audi active lane assist makes it easier to stay in lane. Distance warning alerts the driver when the distance to a vehicle drops below a safe distance. Cross traffic assist rear, the exit warning system, collision avoidance assist and turn assist are other new features that perform excellently in pursuit of safety. The same applies to the pre sense systems – Audi pre sense city is a standard feature which warns of pedestrians and vehicles and may initiate automatic emergency braking within system limits. Park assist, the camera-based recognition of traffic signs and hill descent assist round out the features.

Powerful and efficient: TDI and TFSI engines

The new Audi Q5 is launching in the UK with a powerful 2.0 TDI engine producing 190PS. Fuel consumption for this model has been significantly reduced. Soon after the launch a 2.0 TFSI engine will also be available. The further developed 2.0 TFSI has an output of 252PS, yet it returns up to 41.5mpg combined, which equates to 154 grams CO2 per km. The also intensively revised 3.0 TDI, coming at a later date, increases output to 286PS with 620Nm (457.3 lb ft) of torque.

Versatile and efficient: drivetrain

The drivetrain of the mid-size SUV has been redeveloped from the ground up – this also applies to the six-speed manual transmission and seven-speed S tronic. The automatic transmissions integrate a fuel-saving freewheel function. The driver controls it by a selection lever or by shift paddles on the steering wheel; in both cases, the control signals are transmitted electronically.

The new quattro drivetrain with ultra technology is standard equipment for the 2.0 TDI with190PS, and for the 2.0 TFSI with 252PS. The quattro with ultra technology always disengages the rear-axle drive whenever it is not needed, and if necessary it can proactively re-engage it. The new concept boosts efficiency without reducing traction or driving dynamics.

For the V6 diesel, Audi can deliver an optional sport differential at the rear axle which distributes torque between the wheels as necessary and thereby provides a maximum of driving dynamics – this is another new feature in this model series and in the competitive field.

Torque vectoring gives handling a refined touch. The intelligent software solution always delivers a dynamic, precise and controllable driving experience.

Resolving contradictions: the chassis

The new Audi Q5 enables handling that combines very different strengths – it is sporty while being extremely comfortable. Creating the basis for this are the newly developed five-link suspensions and also the new electromechanical power steering system. Dynamic steering is available as an option; it varies its gear ratio according to the driving speed and steering angle.

Customers can choose from two extension stages of springs and damping. The chassis with damper control offers a very wide spread between comfort and dynamics, which the driver can select via Audi drive select. In addition to adjusting damper control, the new adaptive air suspension can be used to vary the ride height of the car body over five stages.

In the standard system, Audi drive select, which accesses various technical modules, the driver can select one of as many as seven driving modes. The two new modes, lift/offroad and allroad, emphasise the offroad character of the Audi Q5 optimally. The new Audi SUV comes from the factory with 18-inch alloy wheels. The Sport equipment line comes with 18-inch wheels, and the S line package with 19-inch wheels. Wheels up to 21 inches in diameter are available as options.

The new Audi Q5 is manufactured at a newly constructed plant in Mexico. It will arrive at Audi Centres in the UK in the spring of 2017.

Article source: www.audi.co.uk