Audi A4 is Germany’s most successful premium model in 2008

The latest vehicle registration numbers verify that the Audi A4 is Germany’s most successful premium automobile. No other model in the premium segment surpassed the 98,714 A4 models registered last year. The Audi A6 also topped its segment with 45,304 registrations. The second generation of the Audi TT design icon was registered 10,630 times in Germany – making it the most successful sports car in Germany in 2008.
AUDI AG was able to expand its market share on the domestic German market to 8.1 percent – an increase of 0.8 percent. In Western Europe, Audi boosted its market share by 0.4 points to 4.8 percent: No other premium brand succeeded in strengthening its market position this significantly.

“Audi is presently experiencing stronger growth than any other premium brand in the region – and thanks to new models we will maintain this dynamism,” says Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. “In a difficult market environment, we want to further expand our market share in Germany and Western Europe.”

The Audi A4 is presently undergoing further upgrading: The top versions of the model line – the S4 Sedan and Avant – are now arriving in Europe’s showrooms. The new A4 Avant was just launched in April 2008. In addition to the fleet award from Auto-Flotte magazine, Audi’s best-selling model has already won countless accolades and has beaten the competition in all relevant comparison tests.

The product improvement of the A6 was launched in September 2008. Also the winner of the fleet award in its class, today the A6 is Germany’s most successful business sedan.

With the Audi TTS, the top version of the TT line, Audi introduced the first S model in this class. The Audi TT TDI debuted as the first production sports car powered by a diesel engine.

Source: Audi AG

SEAT prices the old Audi A4 new Exeo

When SEAT announced it was to launch a new flagship that was little more than an old Audi A4 with some new trim, we were puzzled. Everyone was puzzled. Was this Volkswagen’s big plan to revive its Spanish subsidiary? Indeed it was, as we quickly discovered when we got to Paris to find it sitting there right in front of us. And now, the re-schnozzed A4 has a pricetag.

The Exeo will be offered in four trim levels and with three different engine options, including 141- and 168-horsepower versions of the group’s common-rail turbo-diesel, as well as a 198 hp turbo four gasoline engine, each mated to a six-speed manual transmission. So, just how much will it cost overseas buyers to buy an old Audi with a less prestigious nameplate? Pricing in the UK starts at £17,740 (around $25,600 USD). That’s a couple grand shy of what an A4 costs in the British market (or the list price what a then-new A4 ran a couple of years ago).

More details on Volkswagen’s next-generation Passat

New Passat will be positioned more upmarket in order to compete with the likes of BMW’s 3-Series and the Audi A4
Volkswagen's next-generation Passat is expected to up the stakes against Germany’s luxury carmakers, with the car’s developers hoping it will be mentioned in the same breath as the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes Benz C-Class and Audi A4.

Under the hood, a replacement for the VR6 engine will be in place, putting out close to 300hp (224kW) from a displacement of 3.0L. To improve mileage and maintain power, the new engine will also be using direct injection, and most of the next Passat’s model range is expected to use some form of forced induction as well. One of the variants will also be a hybrid model, and there is expected to be a 300hp (224kW) diesel variant with AWD and an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
To give the Passat some much needed panache, VW will be pulling out all the stops to make the next-generation a technological showcase, with features that should have the traditional German manufacturers looking a little worried.

Expected to debut in late 2011 as a 2012 model, the next-generation Passat will feature a host of new technologies, including airless tires, a wiperless window cleaning system and paramagnetic paint that can change color at the owner's will. There will also be an Electronic Stability system with a feature that automatically offers counter-steering assistance in adverse driving conditions.

In 2012 VW will launch the wagon model and this could also be the year that a new high-performance R36 model joins the lineup.