Market leading luxury automotive manufacturers Audi dominate the headlines this week thanks to their strive to enhance autonomous technologies of the future and the unveil of a much-loved model receiving an upgrade. Throw in an announcement from Alpine and it makes for an interesting week in the automotive world.
Audi make US advancement for autonomous driving
Constant innovators of the motoring industry, Audi, have taken a further step forward with the introduction of autonomous driving technologies into city cars. Making history, Audi are the first car manufacturer to connect the car to the city infrastructure – an important step towards autonomous driving. In Las Vegas Audi A4 and Q7 models are now able to display traffic-light phases directly in the car with further U.S. cities and eventually Europe to follow. Traffic Light Information optimises trafficflow, saves valuable time and reduces environmental impact.
Audi of America is cooperating with several cities in North America to upgrade the infrastructure for Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) technology. “For the first time, our cars are exchanging data with traffic infrastructure in real time. Drivers can adapt their behaviour to the situation and move through city traffic in a much more relaxed and controlled way,” says Andreas Reich, head of Electronics Pre-Development at AUDI AG. “We increase energy efficiency when we connect our Audi models to smart cities.Further V2I services will follow, making the car into an interactive mobile device. We see autonomous driving as the end of this development.”
As a first step, all Audi A4 and Q7 models produced for the U.S. market since June 2016 and equipped with Audi connect have this function on board. In the USA, municipal traffic management centres will communicate the traffic-light data to Audi’s project partner Traffic Technology Service sTTS. Here the data are prepared and sent to the on-board computer in the Audi via a fast Internet connection, for example 4G/LTE, in real time.
Introducing the all-new Audi TT Quattro
Fun, frugal and now driving all four wheels for optimal all-weather performance – the ever- popular TT 2.0 TDI with its blend of compelling pace and level-headed economy is now also available with the reassurance of quattro drive. Coupe and Roadster versions of the new TT 2.0 TDI quattro will become available for UK ordering early in 2017 and will reach their first customers here next spring.
The new quattro-equipped duo will complement the existing front-wheel-driven TT 2.0 TDI ultra models, which will continue alongside them. Where these are equipped exclusively with six-speed manual transmission, the new 2.0 TDI quattro variants use a six-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission without exception.
Alpine open reservations for exclusive model
Starting this week Alpine have opened reservations for its ‘Première Edition’ – an exclusive limited-edition version of its upcoming production car. Reservations can be made via Alpine’s bespoke app downloadable from Alpine’s official website: www.alpinecars.com. Production of the limited-edition version is restricted to 1,955 cars, a reference to the year when Alpine founder Jean Rédélé first established the company.
“Alpines made such a mark because of the elegance of their designs, their nimble handling and their memorable successes in world class motor racing and rallying,” says Alpine’s Managing Director Michael van der Sande. “The interest that the announcement of Alpine’s return has generated across the globe inspired us to give sports car enthusiasts and Alpine fans early opportunity to reserve the new car.
“The Première Edition versions of the new model will be the first to come off the line and we wanted to allow Alpine fans to choose the number of their car.”
The Alpine Première Edition will feature exclusive appointments, while its price and technical specification will be revealed in the first quarter of 2017. Its tax-paid price in France will be between €55,000 and €60,000.
