Ucarmagazine

Audi of America, Inc. announced today model year 2009 change points and early 2009 pricing on existing models.

“Our goal is to be the most respected premium car manufacturer by 2015, and we are well on our way,” said Johan de Nysschen, Executive Vice President of Audi of America, Inc. “Our continued dialogue between customers, dealers, and our stakeholders in Germany continues to bear fruit with our business results.”

Pricing and equipment have not yet been announced for upcoming all-new model year 2009 models, including the A4 sedan and Avant (September 2008), TTS coupe and Roadster (late 2008), Audi Q7 3.0 TDI with 50-State clean diesel emissions (Q1/2009), and Audi Q5 (late Q1/2009).

A3

MSRP
A3 2.0T Front Manual $26,920
A3 2.0T quattro S tronic $30,500
A3 2.0T Front S tronic $28,400
A3 3.2 quattro S tronic $36,975

- Exterior and Interior freshening including new wheels.
- 2.0T S tronic now available with quattro all-wheel drive.
- New simplified offer structure concept.

Standard Equipment Changes

- Hill-hold assist – now standard on 2.0T manual (already standard on S tronic models)
- Sirius satellite radio - now standard on all
- Leather seating surfaces - now standard on all
- Flexmetallic interior trim - replaces Matte interior trim on 2.0
- Leather steering wheel - now standard
- Aux audio input – standard on all
- Ashtray / Smoker pkg – deleted on all (replaced with storage tray)
- 3.2 only: Standard Bluetooth, Bi-xenon headlamps with LED DRL, and Open Sky
- 3.2 only: No longer standard Symphony, Sport Suspension, Sport Seats

Option Program Changes

- New offer structure concept
- Discontinued: iPod adapter (replaced by standard Aux-input), Wood trim, Sunshades for rear side windows, Premium Vienna leather
- New options: Audi magnetic ride, Sport package

A4 sedan/Avant

All-new 2009 A4 sedan/Avant arrives at U.S. Audi dealers in mid September 2008. Pricing will be announced at a later date. For more details, please visit audiusanews.com.

A4 Cabriolet

MSRP
A4 2.0T Front CVT $40,750
S4 quattro Manual $57,125
A4 2.0T quattro Tiptronic $42,850
S4 quattro Tiptronic $58,325
A4 3.2 quattro Tiptronic $48,800

Standard Equipment Changes

- Bluetooth - standard on all
- Sirius - standard on all
- S Line Exterior - standard on 2.0T and 3.2, greatly enhanced standard exterior appearance
- New 17″ 9-y-spoke bi-color polished wheel - standard on 2.0T
- 18″ 5-arm wheel (formerly S Line wheel) - standard on 3.2

Option Program Changes

- Wine Red interior color available for 3.2 with Pearlnappa Leather seats
- S Line Package discontinued, because S Line exterior is now standard
- New Sport Package (with summer tires) for 2.0T and 3.2
- Audio Package replaced by stand-alone BOSE Audio System option
- Rear Parking Sensors now available on 2.0T
- 18″ 15-spoke wheel (with all-season tires) available for 2.0T and 3.2

A5 / S5

MSRP
A5 3.2 quattro Manual $40,300
S5 quattro Manual $50,900
A5 3.2 quattro Tiptronic $41,600
S5 quattro Tiptronic $52,200

Standard Equipment Changes

- Auxiliary input - standard on all A5/S5. (Ordering Audi Music Interface deletes this.)
- Shift Paddles - no longer standard on 3.2. Now available in S Line package

Option Program Changes
- PTA Technology Package for A5/S5 now includes Audi side assist
- S Line Package now contains Leather/Alcantara seat fabric with embossed S Line logo and silver stitching. (The alcantara is perforated.)
- Navigation Package now includes Voice Control System
- Audi Music Interface is now available as stand-alone option on A5 and S5.
- Adaptive cruise control is now available for A5 and S5.
- New Audi drive select Package available for A5 and S5 (includes Audi Drive Select system, adaptive suspension dampers, and dynamic steering system)
- Aluminum hologram decorative inlays now available as no-cost option for A5. (Replaces standard wood decorative inlays.)

A8 / S8

MSRP
A8 4.2 quattro Tiptronic $74,050
A8L W12 quattro Tiptronic $120,100
A8L 4.2 quattro Tiptronic $77,900
S8 quattro Tiptronic $96,200

Standard Equipment Changes

Additional standard equipment on all A8 and S8 models:
- Advanced key
- Audi parking system advanced with rear view camera
- Power trunk opener
- Rear power sunshade and manual side rear door sunshades
- Power door closers
- Rear vanity mirrors (A8L only)
- 4 zone climate control (A8L only)

The following are now optional:
- Leather package 1 (center console and door handles)
- Rear heated seats (included in cold weather package)

Optional Equipment Changes

Premium Package no longer offered, as these items are now standard.

Sport Package revisions:
- 19” chrome wheel sport package canceled for MY 2009
- 20” sport package new wheel. 7 double-spoke wheel design remains, two tone finish is replaced by a high polished aluminum finish

New Cold Weather Package:
- Four spoke heated leather steering wheel with shift paddles
- Heated rear seats
- Ski sack with rear seat pass-through

New Technology Package:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Audi side assist
- Audi lane assist

Audi Q5

All-new 2009 Audi Q5 arrives at U.S. Audi dealers in late Q1/2009. Pricing and equipment will be announced at a later date. For more details, please visit audiusanews.com.

Audi Q7

2009 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI with 50-State clean diesel emissions arrives at U.S. Audi dealers in Q1/2009. Pricing and equipment will be announced at a later date. For more details, please visit audiusanews.com.

MSRP 3.6 PREMIUM PREMIUM PLUS PRESTIGE
Q7 3.6 5-seat $43,500 N/A N/A N/A
Q7 3.6 N/A $46,900 $50,150 $52,800
Q7 4.2 N/A N/A N/A $59,220

- Equipment changes on 3.6 Premium result in lower base price and improved value by nearly $1,000.

Standard Equipment Changes

- 3.6 model adds Audi Premium Sound System, SIRIUS satellite radio, Trip computer, and telescoping front sun visors over MY08
- 3.6 Premium model adds telescoping front sun visors, while front parking sensors and rearview camera was moved to Premium Plus model (rear parking sensors remain standard)
- 4.2 Prestige model adds Audi side assist and voice recognition, while Audi adaptive light was discontinued
- 4.2 V8 receives ULEV rating, and improved fuel economy (+1MPG)

Optional Equipment Changes

- MMI Advanced now available on Audi Q7 3.6 five-passenger model
- New 19″ wheel available (replaces seven-arm design)

TT Coupe/Roadster

All-new 2009 TTS coupe and Roadster arrives at U.S. Audi dealers in late 2008 calendar year. Pricing and equipment will be announced at a later date. For more details, please visit audiusanews.com.

MSRP PREMIUM PREMIUM PLUS PRESTIGE
COUPES:
TT 2.0T Front S tronic $35,200 $37,420 $40,500
TT 2.0T quattro S tronic $37,300 $39,520 $42,600
TT 3.2 quattro Manual N/A $42,070 $45,150
TT 3.2 quattro S tronic N/A $43,470 $48,770
ROADSTERS:
TT 2.0T Front S tronic $37,200 $40,420 $43,500
TT 2.0T quattro S tronic $39,300 $42,520 $45,600
TT 3.2 quattro Manual N/A $45,140 $48,220
TT 3.2 quattro S tronic N/A $46,540 $49,620

- 2.0T S tronic now offers quattro all-wheel drive.
- New simplified offer structure concept.

Standard Equipment Changes

- Aux audio input – now standard
- Sirius satellite radio – now standard
- Hill Hold Assist – now standard
- Multi-function steering wheel – now standard
- Roadster: Manual top is now standard on 2.0 models

Option Program Changes

- New Chrome 18” wheel available
- Bi-color 18” 10-spoke wheel now available on 2.0 models
- Meteor Gray pearl effect paint available
- New black Baseball Optic seat available for Coupe
- New Magma red nappa leather interior available for Roadster
- Power top is now optional on Roadster 2.0 models
- With the introduction of Aux input standard, iPod interface options with or without navigation are no longer available
- Navigation is available only on Prestige models

R8

MSRP
R8 quattro R tronic $121,500
R8 quattro Manual $112,500

Standard Equipment Changes

- 6CD changer – now standard
- Bluetooth hands-free phone interface – now standard
- Homelink garage door opener – now standard

Option Program Changes

- Audi Navigation plus is no longer a required option. Now order PND to get navigation.
- New high-gloss polished version of the standard 19” twin-spoke alloy wheel is available.
- Carbon fiber options are available for R8: Sideblade, interior inlays, engine compartment trim.

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Audi is increasing its lead in infotainment technology even further. A new generation of the MMI, the supreme solution for multimedia, communication and operation, has been announced. With a high-capacity hard disk, a DVD drive and fast processors, it is much more versatile and its performance is higher than ever before. The new MMI’s first appearance will be in the A8 luxury sedan, but before long it will also be available for two other model lines.

In 2002, when the Audi MMI (Multi Media Interface) was launched, journalists and the general public were unanimous: the new Audi concept was the best on the market. With its control knob on the center tunnel and large function keys to select the main operating areas, it was effortless to control, with self-evident logic that was repeated on the MMI display. Audio, TV, information, telephone and navigation – never before had the driver been able to control all these areas so intuitively.

MMI set new standards from the very start, and proved to be the yardstick the competitors had to equal. Its status was confirmed by many wins in comparative tests. The system was also adopted for the A6 and Q7 model lines, and for the new A4. In this area of technology, the brand with the four-ring emblem pioneered progress from the front.

Audi has been intensively developing every aspect of its MMI system. The full version, MMI navigation plus, is now a state-of-the-art high-end system. The basic operating principle has been retained, but the innovative joystick makes it even more convenient. This joystick is located on the central knob and can be moved in eight directions – with high precision and the sense of quality that the Audi driver expects.

Apart from the control terminal, the monitor screen is the second important interface between the system and its users. For the new MMI, Audi has provided a large TFT display measuring seven inches from corner to corner. It is located in an ergonomically favorable position high up on the center console. With the very high resolution of 800 x 480 pixels and LED backlighting, this monitor supplies an exceptionally sharp image with plenty of contrast. Even in poor light conditions, the colors are intense against the black background.

As before, there are elegant crossfades between the individual screen displays, an effect that makes the overall impression created by the graphics even more fascinating. If the driver alters the automatic air conditioning settings, the new ones appear in a small screen panel for several seconds. This pop-up window doesn’t occupy very much space, so that the MMI user can still see the main screen content at any time.

3D map displays

On the big screen, the stage is set for another of the new MMI system’s attractive innovations: the way that maps are presented when the navigation system is in use. The driver can choose between the conventional two-dimensional view and the new 3D images. These feature a birds-eye perspective of the map area, with plenty of carefully presented detail. As in an atlas, the various heights above sea level are shown in different colors, and the most important buildings in large cities appear in three dimensions.

Audi has extended many of the navigation system’s functions. For instance, additional detail maps are faded up at crossroads, with small extra arrows indicating the correct lane to follow. Whenever it seems sensible, the navigation system offers the driver a choice of three routes, including the one that’s likely to keep fuel consumption to a minimum.

If the driver uses voice input to load a destination into the navigation system, this can now be done without spelling out the individual letters. The new MMI understands complete words in a number of national languages. The same applies to the new high-performance telephone directory, which can store up to 5,000 entries each with five numbers for each user.

The technology used here is called “synthetic language”. In a studio, pairs of individual sounds – these are called “diphones” – are recorded and saved to part of the MMI’s memory as data sets. High-speed software identifies them in the driver’s commands, combines them and compares the complete words with the term in the list, for instance “August Horch Strasse Ingolstadt”. The same synthetic language principle is used in reverse for the audible guidance instructions, which sound smooth and natural. The driver can choose between detailed or compact audible guidance modes.

Music and entertainment: the DVD drive

In the entertainment area too, the latest Audi MMI sets new standards. It has an integral drive for video DVDs; the new joystick function on the control knob is especially practical for this. When played back with the optional sound systems, DVD soundtracks can be heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 multi-channel sound and other frequently used formats. For safety reasons, the picture is only displayed to the driver when the car is standing still. The system also plays music from CDs and SD cards, including those coded MP3, AAC and WMA.

Additional technical modules have made the MMI even more attractive. The optional Audi Music Interface makes a perfect connection with an mp3 player, for instance the customer’s iPod. The complete menu structures and contents appear on the MMI display, and control is at the MMI terminal or the multifunctional steering wheel. A universal socket in the glove box and an adapter can be used to connect various players with a USB interface, and analog audio and video equipment.

Another audio highlight is the option of DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) reception. Digital radio signals are far superior to the analog standard in quality. Audi always uses a DAB double tuner in the MMI. This concept has the advantage that the DAB reception frequency can be changed without any interruption. One tuner receives the music signal, while the second searches continuously for alternative frequencies on which the same program is being broadcast. If a changeover takes place, it takes only a fraction of a second. Another advantage is that the list of stations is continuously updated.

The MMI system’s modular structure makes it possible to integrate a CD changer and an analog/digital TV tuner. Audio quality is assured by a choice of sound systems. The top version in the Audi A8 comes as before from the Danish manufacturer Bang & Olufsen. With its rich, subtly differentiated sound spectrum and extended treble response from the tweeters, it provides pure delight for the ears.

The telephone is even more convenient to use with the new MMI. Using a Bluetooth chip, the system can fully integrate customers’ cell phones that support the SIM access profile. The MMI phone is ready for action as soon as the ignition key is inserted. It reads data from the SIM card and the memory into the A8’s own memory, then shuts the cell phone down completely. Telephone operation via the car’s antenna is the key to optimal reception quality. A digital voice processor ensures the best hands-free quality; voice outputs are through the car’s sound system.

In the background: concentrated hi-tech

The fantastic selection of functions that the new MMI offers is backed by hi-tech in concentrated form. The ‘main unit’ computer is installed in the center console, and integrates all the functions that were previously performed by five separate units, including the DVD drive. One of its key components is the hard disk; 10 GB of its 40 GB capacity can be used as a jukebox, to store up to 4,000 tracks, all sorted for easy access. The hard disk also contains navigation data and an electronic logbook for the car.

Two processors, an 800 MHz chip and a 500 MHz digital signal processor, allow all applications – navigation, voice input, telephone and audio functions – to operate simultaneously, although each of them needs high performance from the computer. Using the 3D graphics processor from Californian 3D chip manufacturer Nvidia gives the MMI access to the third dimension. Audi has used this chip’s outstanding performance with graphics for the first time to provide a genuine 3D map display – a ‘digital topographical model’. With this processor, the screen display sets new standards: it is attractive, with high resolution and presentation quality, smooth animation and crossfading.

A second block, the ‘radio unit’, combines the tuner and sound system functions. A central interface connects the two units with the rest of the car’s network. All the new MMI components have been developed to comply with strict specifications issued by Audi in Ingolstadt. Audi’s quality standards are as stringent as they always were. This is important because in-car operation, with extreme temperatures and vibration, imposes severe stresses on the electronics.

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At the moment, the Kempten designers indeed are working on the perfect body parts for the convertible AS3 at full speed, but already now it becomes apparent that the compact vehicle will become a feast for the eyes. The performance data of the engine versions stand for open-air driving pleasure: with ABT Power the 2.0 TFSI offers sporty 240hp (177kW) instead of 200hp (147kW); with ABT Power S 270hp (199kW) are provided. With ABT Power the serial 160hp (118kW) of the 1.8 TFSI can be increased to 200hp (147kW), or to 240hp (177kW) with ABT Power S.

What the famous car tuner from the Allgäu understands of a real sun-worshipping convertible already show the ABT Eos and the ABT TT Roadster: for the Volkswagen convertible as well as for the open version of the successful model from Ingolstadt, the ABT team developed body styling parts which accentuate the character of each vehicle and which let them appear even more distinctive from every perspective: the low front spoiler, the side skirts and the rear skirt inset with the typical 4-pipe rear muffler emphasize the sporty ambitions of the fancy ABT Eos and give it a self-confident appearance. Even more so with the BR wheel which seems to have the urge to move forward, even when standing still. It goes without saying that this wheel also fits the TT Roadster like a glove because this breathtaking vehicle appears very dynamical even without the Allgäu body kit. The team from Kempten turns the open-roof TT into a real athlete which looks like a 100-meter sprinter ready to start: the front skirt, the lateral body parts, the rear skirt inset and the rear wing are forming a successful unit, in every respect. With this modifications, the sports car does not only cut a good figure on country roads and motor-ways but also on the boulevard.

Either closed or opened, a real ABT does not only look fast, it is in fact fast. This ensure the diverse ABT POWER packages for the Eos and the TT Roadster which actually satisfy performance hunger: with ABT POWER, the 2.0 TFSI engine is increased from serial 200hp (147kW) to 240hp (177kW). With ABT POWER S even 270hp (199kW) or remarkable 300hp (221kW) are provided.

The sportiest version ABT offers is for the 6-cylinder engine with 3.2 liter cubic capacity: ABT POWER R stands for optimization of the motor management and for compressor conversion with water cooled intercooler. In figures this means a proud power increase of 120hp (88kW). 370 authentic horsepower (272kW) are offered with ABT POWER R. Also the 2.0 liter diesel engine in the Eos becomes sportier: the serial 140hp (103kW) can be increased to powerful 170hp (125kW). ABT Sportsline, of course, also offers perfectly adjusted suspension components and brakes for the fast convertibles. This enables the ABT Eos and the ABT TT Roadster to cope with every situation and to offer pure driving pleasure. These positive characteristics are exactly what also the new ABT AS3 Cabrio will offer - and hence will continue the success story of the open sports cars from the Allgäu…

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