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Audi RS 5 – Express Train On The Road!

Audi RS 5 – Introduction

This summer, the new Audi RS 5 arrived at Swiss car dealers. We drove the top version a few weeks later and there is one thing for sure to announce: The Audi RS 5 goes off like an express train!

A[/ av_dropcap1]fter a wonderful trip through Argentina with weeks of straight driving on endless roads, about 60hp under the bonnet and pretty much no comfort, we came back to Switzerland. Facing the new version of the RS 5, sexy as never before shouts at us: Drive me! Either it’s the somewhat long absence of performance and comfort; or Audi has just launched one of the best coupés on the market.

schloss hürlimann

schloss sihlberg

audi coupé

A new Twin-Turbo V6 replaces the naturally aspirated V8

Instead of a naturally aspirated V8, a twin-turbo charged 2.9-litre V6 sits underneath the Audi RS 5. The power remains at 450 hp. The torque though increases from 430 Nm to 600 Nm. A slight push on the throttle, the Audi RS 5 goes off like a relentless express train. The twin-turbo charged V6 ensures a decent response and plenty of torque, it goes within 3.9 seconds from 0-100 km/h. Certainly, it’s rather difficult to keep the consumption below 10 litres per 100km.

Masculine and sporty look

With its thick 20-inch wheels, larger air intakes and a wider grille, the Audi RS 5 promises plenty of driving pleasure. The new Audi RS 5 lost about 60kg and now weights 1.6 tonnes. In addition, the look of the RS 5 is characterized by a lot of carbon and the unusual colour called ‘Nardogrey’.

All in all, Audi sticks to their edgy design language. The result? A tremendously good-looking coupé.

audi rs 5

neuer rs 5

The interior

Like a typical coupé, the RS 5 offers plenty of space in the front and a large boot with 465 litres volume. The rear seats are rather narrow, especially for everyone> 1.80m.

There is nicely finished leather, loads of alcantara and a some surprising technical gadgets. Among other things, the belts is provided by a robotic arm – great invention!

audi rs5 innenraum

audi rs5 kofferraum

The Audi RS 5 – Our conclusion

Meanwhile, I’m sure it was not the performance detox in South America. With the RS 5, Audi presents one of the best coupés ever. Disadvantages are hard to find, although I still have to get used to the fact that the great sound emotions of such a car are gone. We also noticed that there is quite a difference between Comfort and Dynamic Mode. It’s a bit like driving two different cars. Dynamic Mode is tough enough to feel in the back – even on Swiss roads. In comfort mode, the RS 5 is more comfortable to drive, but also a little less strict.

Audi RS 5 • Engine: V6-Biturbo • Size: 2,9-Litre • Power: 331 kW (450 hp) • max. torque: 600 Nm at 1900 to 5000 rpm • 0-100 km/h in 3,9 s • Topspeed: 250 km/h (optional 280 km/h) • Weight: 1655 kg • Consumption: 8,7 l/100 km • Price (this modification ): 147’000 CHF

audi rs5 heck

audi rs5 front

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10 Days With The Audi SQ7

Audi SQ7 – Introduction

So far, the Audi SQ5 was my favourite everyday car. But a couple of days ago, I picked up the brand new Audi SQ7 – pretty curious if it will change my mind.

So why am I not talking about the SQ5 and not the Q7?

  1. I didn’t drive the Q7 yet
  2. The former Audi Q7 didn’t attract me a lot (it somehow appeared big and clumsy & the consumption was huge)

Audi SQ7 – Pick Up ¦ Day 1 – 3

Audi just launched their brand new model: The Audi SQ7. My excitement was high, simply because it’s now the biggest Diesel engine you can get in an SUV.

Wait, seriously?

Audi is now using a 4 litre V8 Diesel engine – triple turbo charged. So the acceleration is very intense, despite the SUV is 2,3 tons heavy.

The Audi SQ7 in figures?

  • 900nm of torque (that’s totally insane and more than many supercars)
  • 435bhp
  • 4,8 seconds from 0-100

I’m reading triple turbo charged, how does that work?

Yes, there is an additional electric compressor (EAV in German), this particular addition supports the engine during the start & speed-up. An interesting method to get rid of the famous turbo lag.

EAV – Here is how it works:

Audi SQ7 – The Driving ¦ Day 3 – 8

Let me tell you, this is a new driving experience. I’m reviewing a lot of cars these days, but the Audi SQ7 kicked me into a new dimension. Why that?

The new Audi SQ7 is almost self-driving

24 (!) assistant tools are part of the SQ7. Let me list a few really interesting features:

  • Cruise- and distance control with a logic that analyses the signs and automatically adjusts your speed
  • The car takes over the steering & speed in traffic jam until 65km/h
  • Included lane departure system
  • Auto-breaking during dangerous situations
  • Control of the upcoming road and detection of pedestrians and animals in the night
  • Auto-parking

I’m pretty sure I could keep counting the endless options of the SQ7, it’s definitely the most advanced car I drove so far. But there is another benefit.

Audi SQ7 – Comfort & Space

Yes, Audi’s new SUV is huge! 5 meters long and 2,2 tons heavy – very spacious. An ideal everyday car for a family with 2-3 kids. I’m 6.4 tall and I still have a whole arm of space when sitting in the back, brilliant!

Audi SQ7 – My Résumé ¦ Day 8 – 10

Floating is the word that describes the driving experience with the Audi SQ7. There is a lot of power available if you need it, but usually you just float. There is really a lot of space and comfort, the perfect car for your holidays.

The self-driving is impressive and also for a ‘behind-the-wheel-enthusiast’ a very cool feature.

The colour you’re seeing here is called ‘sepang blue’ & you can get this model with all the fancy options for 145’000 CHF.

Any disadvantages?

Well, Audi claims the consumption is around 7 litres diesel, I didn’t make it under 10 though. You might have some difficulties to find a parking space in the city – but the assistant can fix that too. 145k is not cheap, but still the car delivers a lot of value.

Would I buy it?

Well, we don’t have kids yet. So it’s a bit ‘too big’ for us. But with a family? Absolutely yes.

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Audi TT RS – A Trip To Southern France

A Trip To Southern France

I’ve been desperately waiting for this trip and honestly, it’s one of our most beloved journeys ever. The idea to drive to Southern France has been in our heads since a while and finally we made it to this tremendous place.

It’s been years I visited and even more I felt in love with the region. It takes you 7 hours from Zürich and you’re in the middle of paradise. Endless fields of lavender and rosemary are turning this place into an absolute fairytale.

Provence seems to be the garden of Eden. Oleander, jasmine and roses cover the walls, houses and gardens. The food is beyond belief: organic meat with fresh spices, huge tomatoes and onions. A joy for every hedonist.

Provence is of course a very big wine region, so you have plenty of castles and wineyards to visit – a must-do for every wine lover.

During the night, the windows were open and the wind carried the scent of flowers into your room – incredible.

Driving through vineyards, uphill to small villages in Provence requires a cool sports car – the Audi TT RS

wine region france

airbnb provence

bnb provence

Audi TT RS – Have The Germans Fulfilled The Sports Car DNA?

Honestly, I didn’t like the former model of the Audi TT that much. But in 2016, the Germans presented the new Audi TT RS at the Beijing Motorshow which turned up my excitement.

I kind of expected it will be fun to corner it amongst the roads of Southern France – but it’s much cooler than I expected.
Let me explain why…

Audi TT RS – The Design

Yeah, the design was probably the aspect I didn’t like that much about the old version of the TT. But this little beast, looks way sharper than its predecessor.

An aggressive yet beefy front, bigger air ducts, a deep spoiler are giving the Audi TT RS a more masculine look. Further, the new TT RS comes up with more shapes and edges, aluminium and carbon fibre elements – super sharp!

audi tt coupe

audi tt 2017

Is it quick?

Most likely, you will hear surprising figures now. It’s runs from 0-100 within 3,7 seconds- that’s what you almost expect from a supercar!

The 5 cylinder engine delivers 400 bhp and 480 Nm of torque, that’s 60 hp more than the former model. The exhaust noise is superbly crisp and delivers the sports car DNA.

But what makes the Audi TT RS so fast and agile?

A few very important facts:

  • The coupé has a weight of 1440 kg
  • Underneath sits an Audi quattro all-wheel drive
  • The weight distribution is incredible

So, guess what’s the most fun? Exactly: a mountain pass.

Comparing the Audi TT RS to a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

That’s pretty interesting now, I will drive the Porsche Carrera GTS today. It has 50(!) hp more, comes up with 550nm torque and it’s just a very little more heavy. But still it takes the same amount of time from 0-100?

By the numbers, the Porsche should be quicker, but I have to admit: I have absolutely no idea why it’s the same result. Hopefully the Porsche team can explain it to me today. I’ll keep you posted.

Audi TT RS – Interior & Exterior

Its Colour

We talked a bit about the design, but you know what I love the most about this particular model? Its colour.

The colour is called  ‘Nardogrey’ – but at the end of the day it simply looks like a grey you’re expecting from a material called concrete. Huge thumbs up!

The Interior

Another bravo here and trust me, the interior delivers a lot of value for its price. The air vents look really cool! There is a net in the boot to fix the stuf in there – how good is that?

The seats are super comfortable, even after driving for 10 hours you’re still perfectly comfy in those seats!

However, I found two disadvantages.

  • I’m 6’4 tall, my hand was touching the steering wheel when cornering. Not sure if the car is made for people taller than me.
  • The screen is placed in front of the driver. So, if your co-driver wants to adjust something it can end up a bit odd

audi tt interior

audi tt rs trunk

What’s the price and am I happy?

The Audi TT RS Coupé you’re seeing here is 100 grand, that is 50k less than its competitor the Porsche Carrera GTS. Pretty big amount to be honest, again I’m excited to hear why.

And yes, I’m very happy and Audi managed to make me a TT lover. Also, there is a lot of love from pedestrians, I have not expected that!

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Driving The New Audi R8 V10 Plus

The New Audi R8 V10 Plus

Pictures and rights by Christian Schmid Fotowerk132

Audi R8 V10 Plus

Audi R8 V10 Plus – The Story

This year, Audi has presented their fastest series car in history. Of course that made me curious and totally excited to drive it for a couple of days.

So what’s the difference to the old version?

This particular model is born, developed and refined directly on the racetrack. You can absolutely imagine that these guys took the whole team to the track to constantly improve the car.

The new model comes up with a naturally aspirated 5.2 L V10 that produces 610bhp! In figures? 0-100 in 3.2 seconds & 0-200 in 10 seconds, those are figures you normally get out of a Lamborghini Huracan!

As well the whole design has been made more sharp and aggressive, it’s simply killing it!

Audi R8 Rückspiegel

Audi R8 V10 Heck

Audi R8 Front

Audi R8 V10 – Technical Details

Audi decided to use a 7 gear twin-clutch gearbox that works like a Swiss watch movement. It’s absolutely precise and responsive. The power is just always available. Due to the naturally aspirated engine, you have no turbo lag or anything similar. To make it even faster on the track, Audi is using the ‘quattro technology’, which is nothing less than a beautifully made four wheel drive system.

Small hint here: as experience teaches, a four wheel drive system usually makes the car a bit heavier but therefor faster on the track (bear in mind that’s not always the case).

 To experience and feel this immense power we made a couple of tests you can see in this video:

Audi R8 V10 Plus – Exhaust

Audi definitely didn’t make economies with this outstanding exhaust system! At the very moment you’re putting it into the sports mode it starts to spit fire and kills all of your sense of hearing.

We made two videos instead of talking a lot – hell what a sound!

Audi R8 V10 Plus – The Look

The new version of the Audi R8 looks very sharp and yet even pretty aggressive. The red colour with all the carbon fiber details (that makes the car lighter and more stable) gives it a supercar feeling.

Audi R8 Spoiler

Audi R8 Karbon

I’m sure that Audi has now well managed to enter the hall of supercars. While driving through Zürich, I had people taking pictures, waving and even young boys running behind me from one to the other traffic signal with their mobile phones. That only happens in a sportscar.

Audi R8 Interior

The interior is very sexy for such a sports car, you basically have everything you need. The satnav does its job smoothly and the Bang & Olufsen sound system is mind blowing – not sure if you will ever use it – because the engine is all you need to hear;)

Audi R8 V10 Interior

Audi R8 Glassabdeckung

The engine has a glass cover. One of the fine details I recognised: you can see the engine through the rear-view mirror – astonishing!

Audi R8 V10 Plus – Some More Personal Impressions

I had a great time with this car and of course a lot of fun. It’s to my surprise very comfortable to drive and pretty easy as well. From my perspective, Audi has made it into the very top cars of the world and that deserves respect.

Of course the V10 is consuming a bit, and yes the car is not that cheap at 250k… You can say the that it’s difficult to reach the seat belt and small details like this but at the end of the day it was an ultimate experience!

Audi R8 V10 Rear

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