For the first time in its 80^th run of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi will compete with a total of four LMP1 sports cars – with two to be equipped with hybrid drive.

Dr Wolfgang Ullrich, the head of Audi Motorsport, commented that the decision to introduce hybrid technology forLe Mans was both ambitious and challenging. He believes however, that the first test results have been highly encouraging and he is now intrigued to see how the technology will perform alongside the ultra lightweight vehicles on the race track atLe Mans.

In addition, Audi Sport Team Joest will take a two-pronged approach to the FIA World Endurance Championship. It plans to field additional cars at selected races, such as the 12hour Sebring race; and the six-hour Spa-Francorchamps race.  

Meanwhile, the new Audi sports prototype with hybrid drive for the Le Mans classic will be presented at the end of February ahead of its first competitive outing in the six-hour Spa Francorchamps on May 5.

Audi has added two new efficient engines to its A5 coupe and A5 Sportback models to drive emissions down as low as 115g/km CO2.

‘E’ stands for ‘efficiency’ according to the carmaker as it adds the new 136PS and 163PS 2.0 litre TDIe engines to the range and welcomes a new SE Technik specification. Available on both models, the 163PS version delivers fuel economy as strong as 64.2mpg.

Both four cylinder diesel engines are geared for economy, with low internal friction, variable turbine geometry and a new, lighter flywheel for improved engine response at low revs.

The A5 Sportback 2.0 TDIe 136PS can accelerate from rest to 62mph in 9.5 seconds, reach a top speed of 132mph and return up to 64.2mpg according to the official combined cycle test, equating to a low CO2 output of 117g/km. The 163PS version reduces the acceleration time to 8.7 seconds, increases the top speed to 137mph and yet is still able to achieve up to 62.8mpg with 118g/km CO2.

Additionally the Sportback 136PS version starts from just £27,320 OTR, making it the most cost-effective TDI in the new generation A5 range.

In the coupe the 163PS engine fares even better, pushing the TDIe to 62mph in 8.4 seconds up to a top speed of 140mph, raising economy to 64.2mpg and taking CO2 to 115g/km, the lowest level in the revised range. In each case these engines are linked exclusively to six-speed manual transmission. The 163PS TDIe is priced from £28,775 OTR for the coupe model.

In both the Sportback and Coupe models, all the four-cylinder TDI engines can be combined with the new, cost effective SE Technik specification seen first in the A4 Saloon and Avant ranges. Costing £1,000 on top of the SE model price for the Sportback or £500 on top of the SE price for the Coupe, it adds DVD satellite navigation, Audi Music Interface (AMI) iPod connection, the Audi Parking Plus system with front and rear sensors and cruise control to the familiar SE equipment list.

In both models, SE specification already includes 17-inch alloy wheels, Milano leather upholstery, three-zone climate control, Bluetooth mobile phone preparation and a colour Driver’s Information System (DIS). Both TDIe engines are also available allied to Standard, SE and S line trim in the A5 Sportback, and Standard and SE in the Coupe.

Remember when China was just an “emerging market” for automotive manufacturers? Well not only is it now the world’s largest car market – but for Audi it is its largest sales market worldwide.

The German carmaker sold 313,036 models in China and Hong Kong during 2011 – meaning that China took over as Audi’s largest sales market. It also means that Audi has again secured the position of China’s premium segment leader.

Imported models in China alone saw growth of 89 per cent; while locally built vehicles posted 252,000 units – that’s up 29 per cent. There are several models built in Changchun, but among them, the Audi Q5 remained the market leader in its segment with 54,260 units delivered. Meanwhile, sales of the Audi A6L totalled 113,232 units. In addition, among imported vehicles, the Audi Q7 led the way with 19,063 units – up 70 per cent. It was followed by the Audi A8L, which sold 12,425 units – indicating massive growth of 153 per cent.

According to Peter Schwarzenbauer, Audi AG board member for marketing and sales, the company had surpassed its sales forecast by a substantial distance. It stepped up its production capacity at its FAW-VW joint venture to 300,000 units last year and will commence production at a plant in Foshan from 2013 onwards with a volume of 150,000-200,000 units.

Leading carmakers are determined to strengthen their positions in the world’s largest car market, China– with Audi just the latest to announce it will increase its presence in the country.

Part of the Volkswagen Group, Audi will start production at a new plant in southernChinafrom 2013 with FAW-VW currently setting up a full production facility in Foshan, part of the Guangdong province. It will include a press shop, body shop, paint shop and assembly – with the Audi A3 expected to be produced at the site.

Audi already has a strong presence in China alongside FAW-VW and is the market leader in the premium segment. It has been building long-wheelbase versions of the Audi A4 and Audi A6, as well as the Audi Q5, in Changchun for more than 20 years. Its production there will increase to between 500,000 and 550,000 cars over the next few years.

Meanwhile, the Foshan plant is expected to have a production volume of 150,000-200,000 cars with around €3billion to be invested over the next five years. Together the plants will produce up to 700,000 cars a year.

German car brand Audi, a member of the Volkswagen Group, has set its sights on expanding its model range after acquiring a 49 per cent stake in the CSI group of companies.

Nothing to do with the TV show that shares its name, CSI’s workforce of around 250 focuses on interior and body development, as well as lightweight construction based on an innovative mixture of materials. It has a development centre in Neckarsulm, as well as operations in Ingolstadt, Sindelfingen, Munich, Winterberg, Wolfsburg, Weissach and Zwickau.

According to Michael Dick, a member of the board of management for technical development at Audi, the engineers at CSI have been a reliable partner for more than 10 years and now Audi hopes to use the acquired expertise to create additional capacity for the development of new models.

Currently, the investment in CSI is under examination by the relevant anti-trust authorities.

Scheduled to go on sale in 2012, the new Audi A1 Sportback will be a five-door version of the well-established three-door Audi A1 model; and will boast remarkable fuel economy figures.

European buyers will be able to choose between three TFSI petrol engines and three TDI diesel four-cylinder direct injection engines that can produce between 63kW and 136kW.

In the case of the base engine, the 1.2 TFSI offers 63kW with fuel consumption of 46.1mpg; while the two 1.4litre TFSI engines produce 90kW and 136kW. The top-of-the-line petrol engine is both supercharged and turbocharged producing 250Nm of torque; with the ability to race from 0-62mph in 7.0seconds and reach a top speed of 141mph. 

Meanwhile, the TDI engines consist of a 1.6litre engine available in two different versions – with 66kW and 77kW. Both versions have fuel economy of 61.9mpg on average and CO2 emissions of just 99g/km. Meanwhile, the 105kW 2.0TDI engine can accelerate to 62mph in 8.5seconds and yet has average fuel consumption of 57.4mpg.

In addition, Audi will offer the seven-speed S tronic as an option with the 1.4TFSI engine with 90kW and with the 1.6TDI with 66kW. It will come as standard with the top TFSI model. The S tronic has a number of advantages including hill hold assist.

The Audi A1 e-tron extended range electric vehicle is at the heart of a new fleet trial in Munich.

Run by Audi, E.ON, Stadtwerke Munchen and Technische Universitat Munchen, the project will see 20 Audi A1 e-tron vehicles used to test charging infrastructure installed within the Munich city limits and outlying areas. All electric fuelling stations offer power generated by renewable energy.

The trial is being supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development with the ministry providing the region with €10million for electric mobility. Its aim is to address a number of issues ranging from the power grid itself to data transfer between drivers and vehicles – for example, it will examine the use of a smartphone as a driver’s main interface.

As for the vehicle itself, the Audi A1 e-tron has been chosen because it has been designed for daily driving in metropolitan areas – it consumes 124mpg and has CO2 emissions the equivalent of just 45g/km. Its output of 75kW allows it to reach a top speed of 81mph and when its battery runs out of energy a compact combustion engine recharges it as needed to boost its operating range to 155miles. It is capable of 50miles on electric power alone.

During the trial, data will be collected on people’s mobility and in which situations people drive electric cars and to what degree. A study will also be conducted to ascertain suitable models for billing electric mobility customers.

According to Professor Markus Lienkamp, at TU Munich’s Department of Automotive Engineering, the fleet trial will allow them to learn about people’s mobility habits under a new set of circumstances which could serve as the basis for sustainable individual mobility.

Audi has revealed a raft of changes to its A4 as part of a midlife refresh. Cosmetically the designers have managed to give the executive car a fresh new look, with subtle changes to bumpers, grille, and headlights. However, perhaps the best news is that across the board the engineers have managed to reduce CO2 emissions by around 10%.

The greenest A4 will remain the 136PS 2.0 TDI powered variant which sees combined fuel economy improve from 61.4mpg to 67.3mpg and CO2 emissions drop from 120g/km to 112g/km. The German carmaker has also confirmed that start-stop systems and brake energy recuperation will feature across the range regardless of engine choice and trim.

Inside the car Audi has been keen to give it a more luxurious feel, so there’s new steering wheels, more use of chrome and high-gloss inlays, while Nappa leather replaces Valcona leather as an upholstery choice.

Even the swift S4 hasn’t escaped the need to green-up, with the 2012 model boasting a combined fuel economy figure of 35.3mpg, up from 30.1mpg for the current S tronic S4. This improvement hasn’t tamed the S4 however, with 0-62mph taking just 5.0 seconds. Top speed remains an electronically limited 155mph.

The revised A4 is expected in the UK early 2012.

The upcoming Audi S8, due on the market in early summer 2012, will feature a newly developed 4.0 TFSI twin turbo V8 engine which develops 382kW while consuming 23mpg.

Compared to the engine in the previous model, the normally aspirated 5.2litre V10, the new engine develops around 15 per cent more power and yet consumes 3.0litres less fuel per 100km – making it significantly more fuel efficient than its competitors.

According to Audi, the new engine delivers 650Nm of torque between 1,700 and 5,500rpm.

It features all of the typical features of the large Audi family of V engines. This means the included angle between cylinder banks is the classic 90 degrees and the chain drive is located at the rear of the engine as a space-saving measure. In addition, the cylinder case is made from an aluminium silicon alloy that uses a low-pressure chill casting process to achieve a high standard of homogeneity.   

In addition, the 4.0 TFSI engine will work alongside an eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission with its eight speeds tightly spaced with a high gear spread of 7.1:1 between the shortest and longest gears to reduce fuel consumption. It also benefits from an oil pump that reduces friction losses and a hydraulic impulse storage unit that enables the start-stop function.

Audi is to reveal a new electric car concept at Frankfurt Motor Show called the A2 Concept.

The new four seat model is actually smaller than the production A1 model despite its name. Just 3.8 metres long, 1.69 metres wide and 1.49 metre high, the diminutive model is designed to make smart use of energy.

Using the latest innovation in LED technology, the A2 uses a matrix beam of LEDs and micro-reflectors to generate a high-resolution and non-glaring high beam light. Intelligent tail lights adapt their illumination to the visibility conditions. The rear fog light, produced by laser diodes, is seen as a beam of light in fog and projects a red triangle onto the road as a warning.

Although Audi has released no drivetrain or performance stats on the new concept, what we do know is that the new car will also show a dark glass roof which can be switched to transparency at the touch of a button. This could, we suspect, incorporate solar cells to generate electricity to power heating and cooling functions.

Despite the car’s small size and need to integrate a battery pack, Audi says there will be enough room inside the car to fit a bicycle (front wheels removed), with the back seats down. The concept also benefits from a flat interior floorboard, so we suspect the battery pack will be behind the rear seats.

We’ll find out more about the concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which opens to the world’s press from September 13, 2011.