Matte colors are becoming extremely popular lately among enthusiasts and this is something that doesn’t go by unnoticed from large tuning houses like ABT. The German customization firm not only presented a matte black film for the Q7 SUV but it also took a step further by introducing a new matte black carbon-fiber wrap that’s available for the AS4, AS7 and R8 ABT vehicles as well as for the standard factory Audi A4, Q7 and R8 models. In both cases the film covers the bodywork from top to bottom. Continued

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Why on earth would someone design a speedboat inspired from the Audi R8? Well, if we didn’t know better, we’d say that the catamaran’s designer probably wanted to style cars but instead ended up in the shipping business as the R8 Catamaran is Bo Zolland’s second automobile-inspired speedboat after the 1963 Corvette Stingray lookalike catamaran According to the Swedish designer, the 8.8 meter long R8 speedboat has been designed to use a V10 biodiesel marine engine or two smaller 320 HP diesel units helping it to achieve a theoretical top speed of 110 MPH. Continued

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Audi’s much lauded S-Tronic seven-speed twin-clutch transmission has found its way into the recently facelifted S3 that is offered in 3-door and for the first time, 5-door Sportback forms. Available for order in the UK from October 1st at an extra cost of £1,450, the ‘two pedal’ S3 models are priced at £28,920 for the three-door and £29,420 for the five-door Sportback with UK deliveries expected to start in mid-December.

When equipped with the S-Tronic, the three-door S3 sprints from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 5.5 seconds, 0.2 seconds quicker than the 6-speed manual version with which it shares its electronically governed top speed of 155mph or 250 km/h. Equally important, the twin-clutch transmission betters the S3’s combined fuel economy figure from 33.2mpg UK to 34mpg UK.

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he Audi RS6 is one of the most desirable cars on the market. Previously only available as a wagon, Audi gave us a sneak peek of the new RS6 sedan in Moscow ahead of its official unveiling next week in Paris. For those of you who cannot wait that long, Ingolstadt has come to the rescue with new images of the twin-turbo V10 speed demon, which we’ve added to our gallery below. Click away.

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After showing the A1 Metroproject concept at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show, Audi is reportedly planning to reveal a four-door variant in Paris next month. The production version of the A1 will go into production in 2009 at an Audi factory in Brussels, Belgium. Audi will be targeting the A1 at the premium small car segment to go up against the MINI. It’s unknown if the A1 will be offered in the U.S. market although the most recent reports have indicated that it would not. The A1 is also expected to form the basis for an upcoming electric car from Audi in the next few years.

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German tuning house ABT Sportsline has released details on its new sport package for the Audi Q5 compact SUV that will be available for order within the first months of 2009. The latest member to join the ABT family gets a new bodykit that makes it look brawnier than its original counterpart mainly due to the fender extensions and the aggressively styled front skirt and grille. The range of aero parts also includes side skirts, a roof spoiler and a rear skirt that incorporates the 4-pipe-rear muffler. The new 20-inch alloy wheels complete the Q5’s looks.

Underneath the skin, ABT offers a range of power upgrades with the base 2.0 TFSI gasoline engine delivering 240 HP instead of 211 HP and the 2.0 TDI turbo diesel unit, 190 HP from 140 HP. As for the 3.0 TDI turbo diesel engine that develops 240 HP in standard form, ABT offers two power kits boosting output to 287 HP and 310 HP.

Handling improvements include a new set of 380mm diameter brake discs, sport springs that bring the Q5 closer to the ground and the ABT Level Control, an electronic lowering for the CDC air suspension (Continous Damping Control). 

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