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Various 2021 And 2022 Audi Models Recalled Over Rear-View Camera Issue

A multitude of 2021 and 2022 Audi models are being recalled in the United States due to an issue with the rear-view camera.

Audi says that it discovered an issue during regular quality assurance processes, noting there could be a delay in the rear-view camera response time under certain conditions. The German automaker says that as the rear-view camera picture may not be available when the vehicle is switched into reverse, the issue increases the risk of a crash.

It says that inappropriate software parameter settings are to blame as there are multiple running processes during the start-up of the infotainment system that might hinder each other and cause a delay in the activation of the rear-view camera picture.

A total of 2,857 vehicles are covered in the recall.

Impacted models consist of the 2021 Audi S8, 2022 Audi S5 Sportback, 2022 Audi A4 Sedan, 2021 Audi A8, 2022 Audi e-tron GT, 2022 Audi Q3, 2022 Audi Q5, 2022 Audi RS6 Avant, 2022 Audi A3, 2022 Audi A5 Sportback, 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback, 2022 Audi Q8, 2022 Audi Q8, 2022 Audi RSQ8, 2022 Audi SQ7, 2022 Audi SQ8, and the 2022 Audi A3 Sedan. Production dates of affected vehicles vary between June 5, 2021 and October 16, although we would encourage concerned owners to see all impacted production dates here.

Audi will resolve the issue with a simple update to the infotainment system at no cost to customers. Dealers and customers will be notified on or before December 17, 2021.

Want Your E-Tron GT To Look Like The Prototype? Audi Now Has You Covered – Literally

Before the Audi e-tron GT officially debuted, in every one of its public outings it wore a distinctive camouflage wrap. Now, it seems Audi has noticed people’s fancy for the design, as they are offering it as a car cover for the e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT.

The cover wears an identical camouflage livery to that of the prototype, which featured multidirectional striping and a repeating circuit board-like pattern made out of the signature e-tron “e”.

The design is black and grey, with bright orange accents highlighting the car’s trim pieces all throughout the exterior, and the cover replicates it to a tee, even going so far as to include the orange details on the wheels.

Audi says the cover is made from breathable and anti-static material and features “piping that has been carefully placed to highlight the shape of your Audi”. However, as a result of all that, they also note that it’s for indoor use only. The cover will be available from both Audi dealerships as well as Audi’s online store, and while it costs $785, we suspect those who have the $99,900 to fork over for a base e-tron GT won’t have any trouble purchasing the cover.

While we don’t know whether it will protect the electric saloon any better than a normal cover would, we can see the appeal of it as somewhat of a cool-looking collector’s item for e-tron GT owners.

This Shop Is Building A Diesel-Powered Audi R8, But Is Still Undecided On The Engine

The V8 and V10 engines that powered the Audi R8 over the years were perfect for the brand’s mid-engined supercar. Yet, despite how good these engines are, a shop in the UK is preparing to build an R8 with a diesel engine.

The shop in question is dubbed Darkside Developments and recently published a video discussing some of the options that it is considering in making its diesel R8 a reality. We’re sure that hardcore R8 enthusiasts may be disappointed to hear about a project like this but the result will certainly be unique.

One option that Darkside Developments is considering is a diesel V6 supplemented by a massive turbocharger. Another option it is pondering is a V8 diesel with two turbochargers hanging out from the back. However, this option seems slightly less likely as finding an appropriate manual transmission to mate to such a powerful engine could prove to be a difficult, and probably very expensive, endeavor.

Watch Also: Can The Audi RS E-Tron GT Outsprint An R8 V10 Performance?

The shop intends on using its diesel R8 as a top speed car, rather than one focused on track times, something that the R8 is probably more suited for.

While it would certainly be cool to see a diesel-powered Audi R8 on the road, such a vehicle wouldn’t be entirely without precedent. In fact, Audi famously unveiled the R8 Le Mans Concept back in 2008 with a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine producing 493 hp at 4,000 rpm and a monstrous 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque between 1,750 and 3,000 rpm. Audi gave serious thought to putting the car into production, but ultimately decided against it due to the costs involved.

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Most Disappointing Cars I’ve Driven #2: Audi RS 3

I took a long pause between writing the word ‘Audi’ at the top of this page, and ‘RS 3’ after it. Because this was nearly about the TT RS, and could easily have been about the RS Q3 crossover. Come to think of it, it could have been about the RS 5 or any number of other uber-fast Audis that aren’t the R8, which all suffer from the same affliction. They’re fast, attractive and desirable, but simply not as much fun to drive as they look like they should be.

But I’ve settled on the RS 3 because any moment now Audi is about to drop the next-generation 2022 RS 3 hatchback and the RS 3 sedan that’ll come to North America, and they look like they’re going to be a whole lot more satisfying to thread down a great road.

My last ‘disappointing cars’ piece was on the Alfa 4C, and it definitely got a few people upset, so I want to be clear that there is plenty I do like about Audi’s RS cars. In fact, I’ll happily admit to liking Audis, period. I’ve run two A6 Allroads, two A4 Avants and a Q5, and enjoyed them all. I’m a big fan of the regular A3 and Q7, and I’ve always thought the most basic TT, excused from the impossible task of trying to be a 718 Cayman rival, is actually okay.

Read: The Most Disappointing Cars I’ve Driven #1: Alfa Romeo 4C

But none of them made any promises of being great drivers cars. They were just nicely built, comfortable and capable premium cars. And I’ve always felt that was Audi’s sweet spot. The more they tried to push the performance angle, the less satisfying they become.

Which isn’t to say I don’t see the appeal of an RS Audi. I think Audi’s RS designers have got the visual attitude, the street presence, the swagger of their cars absolutely licked. Brands like Jaguar, that are great at the chassis stuff, always seem to make a mess of things when they push hard with the performance visuals, like a bunch of 60-year old men trying to work out why K-pop is so massive (to be fair, I don’t understand it either).

But Audi Sport is a master at the details. Everything from the design of the wheels to the stitching on the upholstery to the typeface on the dials is always on-point on an RS car. That stuff might not make a car better to drive, but it certainly makes it better to own, because whether you’re lifting the garage door, or just cruising in traffic enjoying another great interior, the feel-good factor is always sky high.

As it is when you thumb the starter button and hear the 2.5-litre five cylinder motor spin up. In Europe, where that engine is available in the TT RS and RS Q3 as well as the RS 3, particulate filters might have robbed some of the growl in recent years, but it’s still got a heap more character than any of its rivals.

Remember when you got to choose between a VTEC screamer, a punchy turbo motor, lusty six or loony rotary? There’s so much depressing uniformity about the engine offerings in modern small and medium cars, which are increasingly powered by four-cylinder turbo motors (and it’s only going to get worse with the switch to electric power), that it’s a real pleasure to come across something so unique as the RS 3’s straight-five.

So it’s great to hear that the EA850 inline five is carried over to the new RS 3. In Europe it’ll make the same 394 hp as before, but 250 rpm earlier in the rev range, and torque is up 15 lb ft to 369 lb ft. But in the U.S, presumably so Audi’s marketing department can crow about a power figure that starts with a 4, the sedan comes with 401 hp. Bank on getting to 62mph in around 3.8 seconds in both versions, and, if you pay extra to have the 155mph speed limiter raised, the ability to hit 180mph.

Brands like Jaguar, that are great at the chassis stuff, always seem to make a mess of things when they push hard with the performance visuals, like a bunch of 60-year old men trying to work out why K-pop is so massive (to be fair, I don’t understand it either).

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The downside of course, is that more cylinders means more weight on the nose. Not as much weight as the stodgy 2011 RS3, mind, thanks to a switch from a cast iron block to aluminium, but despite its fat front tires, the 2016 RS 3 was prone to understeer if you pushed too hard in situations where rivals would happily pivot. Factor in the slightly dead steering, and you had a car that could cover ground quickly and safely in all weather conditions, and was fun, up to a point, but which didn’t quite deliver the excitement or engagement it promised. It was good, but not Mercedes-AMG A45 good, or as good as the BMW M2 you could buy for a few dollars more.

Which is why news from Ingolstadt that the new RS 3 is the first of series of performance Audis to gain a new four-wheel drive system is so welcome. The key component is the new Torque Splitter, essentially a pair of electronically controlled clutches, one on each rear driveshaft, enabling swift torque distribution between the two rear wheels.

Much as I like a bit of oversteer, I’m not so bothered about the inevitable RS Torque Rear ‘drift mode’ because while those features sound good in test drive reports, and are probably fun in an empty parking lot, much like launch control systems, they’re almost completely irrelevant in day-today driving.

But the ability to send more torque to the outside rear wheel and help the car turn promises to make the new RS3 a much more dynamic machine, and maybe even give it some of that dancing-on-its toes feel that made the old Mitsubishi Evos such great fun to drive. Here’s hoping, because with that fantastic five cylinder engine and classy RS interior, it wouldn’t take much to turn the RS 3 from disappointing to downright brilliant.

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Audi RS6 And Mercedes-AMG E63 S Brawl For Family Car Supremacy

The Audi RS6 Avant and Mercedes-AMG E63 S are two of the fastest family cars on the market.

Both are powered by 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8s. In the RS6 Avant this engine is paired to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, for a total output of 591 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. This power is sent through all four wheels courtesy of an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF. By comparison, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 of the E63 S is slightly more powerful with 603 hp and 626 lb-ft (850 Nm). It too is all wheel drive.

Watch Also: Is A Brand New Mercedes-AMG E63 Worth The $95,000 Premium Over An 11-Year-Old One?

Admittedly, this isn’t a perfect apples-to-apples comparison as the E63 S tested was a sedan, which weighs roughly 240 lbs (110 kg) less than the Estate variant. Still, both cars are incredibly quick and to see just which of the two has the advantage, Car Buyers Guide in South Africa lined them up for a drag race.

Off the line, the duo both launch with exceptional poise but it is the Audi that carves out a slight lead as the Mercedes struggles to put all of its power to the ground. It initially seems as though the RS6 will walk away victorious but as the speeds start to build, the extra horsepower and torque of the E63 S allows it to claw its way back and ultimately claim the victory.

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Nissan GT-R Finds Out Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid And Audi RS6 Are No Easy Rivals

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In times gone by, the R35 Nissan GT-R was pretty much the quickest-accelerating production car on earth. However, considerably quicker supercars have come along in recent years, leaving the GT-R for dead. But, surely, with all of its power and traction, the GT-R will have no issues out-performing a couple of fast family cars, right?

Eager to answer that very question, CarWow lined up a Nissan GT-R Nismo against a Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid and an Audi RS6. The races from a standing start and a rolling race are very telling.

In the one and only race from a standing start, all three cars sprint off the line at impressive speeds and for the first few feet, are well matched. However, as the speeds start to increase, the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid and Nissan GT-R begin to eke out a lead. Eventually, it is the Porsche that stays ahead of the GT-R as the duo cross the finish line in a perfect demonstration of just how potent the Panamera is.

As for the rolling race, it was just as intriguing. With all three cars in their standard driving modes and with their transmissions in automatic modes, the RS6 gets off the line best but once again, the Porsche and Nissan soon leave it for dead. The main difference with this race is the fact that the Nissan started to pull away from the Porsche as the speeds increased.

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Audi Confirms Q6 E-Tron SUV Will Debut In 2022, Share Underpinnings With Electric Macan

Audi‘s first SUV based on the electric platform it is co-developing with Porsche will arrive in 2022, CEO Markus Duesmann said at the brand’s Annual General Meeting.

According to Auto Express, the executive confirmed that it will be named the Q6 e-tron and will be built in Ingolstadt, which Audi is converting into an electric vehicle facility. Duesmann also announced that the company will build a battery assembly facility in the vicinity of its Ingolstadt plant.

Based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, the Q6 e-tron is expected to share many of its components with the electric Porsche Macan in much the same way as the e-tron GT shares much of its parts with the Taycan. It will sit between the Q4 e-tron and the e-tron SUV in Audi’s lineup.

The PPE architecture will be the basis for the Volkswagen Group’s premium electric vehicles. Whereas the Q4 e-tron is based on VW’s MEB electric platform for volume vehicles, the Q6 will be more luxurious. The e-tron SUV, meanwhile, was built on a modified version of Audi’s existing MLB platform.

The PPE platform is already the basis for the Porsche Taycan and the e-tron GT sedans. In the Taycan 4S, the platform is good for 225 miles of electric range according to the EPA, though the e-tron GT is capable of more than 300 miles on the European test cycle. Its platform will also give the Q6 E-Tron access to 800V fast-charging.

The Q6 e-tron should be roughly the same size as the Q5. The SUV is one of the brand’s biggest sellers, so getting back into that market segment with an EV may prove crucial to Audi’s electric ambitions.

Photo Credit: CarPix for Carscoops

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Audi RS6 Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S And Taycan Turbo S, Who Do You Think Won?

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The Audi RS6 Avant is an absolute weapon in a straight line, but this video shows that it has no hope keeping up with the likes of the Porsche 911 Turbo S and Porsche Taycan Turbo S.

The RS6 is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with mild-hybrid technology that produces 591 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. It also utilizes an eight-speed automatic transmission sending power to the ground through a Quattro all-wheel drive system, allowing the super estate to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in the low 3-second range.

Watch Also: Practicality Versus Style In Audi RS6 Avant And RS7 Sportback Duel

There are few cars competing in the same segment of the market that are as accelerative as the RS6 Avant, but this video proves that if you venture into Porsche’s lineup, there are a handful of vehicles that can out-sprint the Audi.

First up is the Taycan Turbo S. It features a pair of electric motors that combine to deliver 750 hp on Overboost, allowing the car to accelerate with unbelievable ferocity. Then there’s the 911 Turbo S, complete with a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six rated at 641 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque.

In this race, the Taycan Turbo S gets a slight jump off the line and for the first few feet, the Audi and 911 Turbo S are neck-and-neck. Before long, however, the 911 opens up a gap to the RS6 and as the speeds continue to build, overtakes the Taycan.

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The Audi RS2 Is A Porsche-Built Amazing Oddity From The 1990s

The Audi RS2 is one of the automaker’s most intriguing performance models and Doug DeMuro recently picked up the keys to one.

In the 1990s, Audi was struggling and decided to launch a new performance car. To make the RS2 a reality, it recruited the help of Porsche and set about creating a go-fast version of the 80 Avant. This was the result.

Watch Also: The Audi RS2 Is An Incredible Machine That You Can Now Enjoy In The U.S.

Porsche outfitted Audi’s 2.2-liter inline-five engine with a larger turbocharger, a larger intercooler, a bespoke ECU and a new camshaft, among others. All up, it delivered 311 hp and 302 lb-ft (410 Nm) of torque, which were pretty impressive figures for a station wagon in the early 1990s. With a 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time of 4.8 seconds, DeMuro says it was so quick that it took Audi a decade to produce a road-legal car that could out-accelerate the RS2.

It’s not just the engine that Porsche worked on. The RS2 also features Porsche brakes, wheels from a 911 Turbo, and a bespoke suspension setup, again done by Porsche. In fact, the RS2 was actually built at Porsche’s factory.

So, why did Audi tap Porsche on the shoulder to build the RS2? Well, it’s quite simple. At the time, Audi didn’t have the reputation needed to produce a high-performance street car like the RS2, despite its motorsport success. By linking up with Porsche, it got the credibility it needed. As for Porsche, it agreed to the deal as it was near bankruptcy at the time and simply needed the money.

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Audi RS E-Tron GT Teased Before Pacing The Field At 24 Hours Of Spa

Audi has showcased a prototype of the RS E-Tron GT ahead of its public debut leading the field during the formation lap at the 24 Hours of Spa next weekend.

The German car manufacturer has teased its upcoming E-Tron GT on a number of occasions in recent months, but this is the first time it has previewed the flagship RS model. There are no apparent visual differences between this RS prototype and lesser E-Tron GTs, but under the skin, there will be changes.

As with lesser E-Tron GT variants, the RS model will use the same platform as the Porsche Taycan, but whereas the Porsche only two electric motors, some reports claim the RS E-Tron GT will have three, two at the rear axle and one at the front. These motors will reportedly combine to produce approximately 700 hp, allowing the EV to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3 seconds.

Powering the three electric motors will be a 95 kWh battery pack that will offer a range of approximately 250 miles (400 km).

“The Audi R8 and the RS e-tron GT prototype with its expressive design stand for sportiness in the present and the future, both on the road and in racing,” head of Audi Sport customer racing Chris Reinke said about the prototype’s presence at Spa. “The fascinating Audi RS e-tron GT prototype is the ideal basis for a promising concept with electrified drives in GT racing, as announced by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation with the GTX World Tour.”

“The Audi RS e-tron GT prototype is the first all-electric high-performance model from Audi and the next icon in the RS model portfolio,” added director of sales & marketing at Audi Sport Rolf Michl. “With it, we are heralding a new era of the two letters RS at Audi.”

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