Το 2010 ήταν η χρονιά όπου η Audi γιόρτασε τα 30στα γενέθλια του συστήματος Quattro αλλά θα μείνει και στην ιστορία ως η καλύτερη χρονιά σε πωλήσεις τετρακίνητων μοντέλων αφού το 38% των αυτοκινήτων που πούλησε διέθεταν το σύστημα τετρακίνησης. Συνολικά 437.792 μοντέλα της που πουλήθηκαν μέσα στο 2010 ήταν τετρακίνητα κάνοντας έτσι την Audi, την αυτοκινητοβιομηχανία με τις περισσότερες πωλήσεις τετρακίνητων αυτοκινήτων μέσα στο έτος, διατηρώντας τον άτυπο τίτλο που είχε κατακτήσει επίσης το 2008 και το 2009.
Το δημοφιλέστερο σε πωλήσεις ήταν το Audi Q5 αφού πουλήθηκαν 155.025 μονάδες. Η Audi αναμένει για φέτος να αυξήσει ακόμη περισσότερο τις πωλήσεις του Q5 αφού σύντομα θα ξεκινήσει η πώληση του Q5 Hybrid. Η γκάμα των SUV της θα μεγαλώσει αφού στη Σανγκάη θα παρουσιαστεί και το Q3.
Τετρακίνητες εκδόσεις υπάρχουν σε όλη την γκάμα της από το Α3 έως το Α8. Η Audi δηλώνει ότι το 1/4 των πωλήσεων της σειράς Α ήταν τετρακίνητα. Συνολικά 130 τετρακίνητα μοντέλα υπάρχουν διαθέσιμα αν λάβουμε υπόψη τα διαφορετικά αμαξώματα, τα κιβώτια και τους κινητήρες. Η τελευταία και η πιο προηγμένη γενιά του Quattro έχει τοποθετηθεί στα RS5, Α7 Sportback αλλά και στο νέο Α6 και διαθέτει κεντρικό διαφορικό “crown-gear” με σύστημα “torque vectoring.”
Παρόλα αυτά όμως η BMW ήταν αυτή που απέσπασε το βραβείο του AutoBild “Four-Wheel Drive Car of the Year 2011” για την νέα X3 με την Audi να κατακτά το βραβείο “All-wheel Drive Cars of the Year 2011” για τα A4 και Α8.
[Πηγή: Audi, ΒΜW]
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Audi most successful premium brand in all-wheel drive segment
- 437,792 automobiles with quattro drive produced in 2010
- Broadest all-wheel drive model lineup in premium segment
- Audi A4 and Audi A8 “2011 All-wheel Drive Cars of the Year”
Audi once again sold more automobiles with all-wheel drive than any other premium manufacturer. The brand with the four rings produced 437,792 vehicles with quattro drive last year. In the year in which Audi celebrated “30 years of quattro,” around 38 percent of all cars produced worldwide were equipped with the all-wheel drive technology. With 74,262 new car registrations for all-wheel drive models, Audi also topped the competition in Germany.
The most popular Audi model with quattro drive in 2010 was the Audi Q5, 155,025 units of which were built. In the months ahead, the brand will further expand its all-wheel drive lineup in the SUV segment with the Audi Q5 hybrid quattro and the compact Q3. But it is not just SUV drivers who are turning to quattro; the all-wheel drive technology is a popular choice of Audi customers for all other model lines as well. From the Audi A3 to the A8, nearly one quarter of the automobiles produced in 2010 had quattro on board.
“quattro is one of the Audi brand’s greatest success stories, and today we are writing what may well be its most exciting chapter,” says Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG. “As we move down the road toward electric mobility, we see entirely new possibilities for quattro technology. The electric quattro of the future will be even more agile, safer and – above all – more efficient,” adds Schwarzenbauer.
Audi customers today can choose from more than 130 quattro model variants, taking all the different body types, engine versions and transmission options into account. Audi thus offers by far the widest range of all-wheel drive models in the premium segment. There are also a number of technical solutions for delivering power to all four wheels. Behind the successful quattro principle are four different technologies, which Audi is constantly refining in order to build the ideal all-wheel drive system for each vehicle concept. The latest evolutionary stage of the quattro system featuring a crown-gear center differential and torque vectoring is available in the Audi RS 5, A7 Sportback and the new A6.
The quattro drive system also recorded yet another success in the voting for the “2011 All-wheel Drive Car of the Year.” As in 2010, more than 119,000 readers of the trade journal Auto Bild Allrad chose the Audi A4 (“All-wheel drive cars from €25,000 to 40,000”) and the A8 (“All-wheel drive cars over €40,000”) as the winners of their respective classes. This marks the sixth year in a row that Audi has had two winners in this competition. Three second-place finishes round out the brand’s outstanding results this year. The readers of Auto Bild Allrad had a total of 136 vehicles in nine categories from which to choose. Dr. Hans-Peter Kleebinder, Head of Marketing Germany, accepted the coveted awards on behalf of Audi in Frankfurt this evening.
New BMW X3 voted “Four-Wheel Drive Car of the Year 2011”.
Munich . Amidst an impressive start on the international automotive markets, the new BMW X3 has rapidly become the shooting star in its segment. Winning the title of “Four-Wheel Drive Car of the Year 2011” awarded by the specialist car magazine “Auto Bild Allrad” is current proof of the new BMW X3’s exceptionally high degree of popularity. The success in the reader survey conducted by Europe’s biggest-selling specialist journal for four-wheel drive cars is already the BMW X3’s second title victory this year. Only a few weeks ago, readers of the magazine “Off Road” voted the Sports Activity Vehicle “Off-road Vehicle of the Year 2011”. With this double success, the new BMW X3 is quick in following the traces of its predecessor, which, in 2006 and 2007, was able to secure the readers’ vote of both periodicals twice in succession.
For the eleventh time now, readers of “Auto Bild Allrad” were asked to name their favourite models from those available on the German car market. In nine categories, there were more than 130 four-wheel drive vehicles to choose from. The new BMW X3 promptly secured first place in the category “Off-road vehicles and SUVs ranging from 25,000 to 40,000 Euros”. The associated title of “Four-Wheel Drive Car of the Year 2011” was awarded during a festive ceremony in Frankfurt on 24 March 2011.
With a captivating design, a unique combination of sportiness and efficiency as well as the largest and most variable luggage compartment in the competitive environment, the BMW X3, which has been on sale in Germany since November 2010, yet again sets standards in driving pleasure, versatility and premium quality. Compared to the predecessor model, with which BMW established the concept of the Sports Activity Vehicle in this segment, it offers a noticeable increase in space, even more efficient engines, optimum motoring comfort and a widened choice of innovative equipment features. Both at the front and at the rear the new BMW X3 convinces through outstanding travel comfort and a high-class ambience. With a 550-litre loading capacity, which can be increased to 1,600 litres, and 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats, the vehicle’s carrying capacities also set new benchmarks for the segment.
In the spring of 2011, the engine portfolio for the new BMW X3 will comprise two petrol engines and two diesel engines with a power output ranging from 135 kW/184 bhp to 225 kW/306 bhp. Depending on the engine variant, the new BMW X3 features an eight-speed automatic transmission either as standard or as an option. The still unique, intelligent four-wheel drive system xDrive has been optimised even further. Electronically controlled power distribution ensures not only supreme traction and maximum road stability on slippery surfaces, but also superior dynamics on the road, thus providing that unmistakable driving pleasure that is so typical of BMW. Moreover, the new BMW X3 shoots way ahead of competition thanks to an extensive choice of innovative equipment features, driving assistance systems and mobility services from BMW ConnectedDrive. For example, the new BMW X3 is the only model in its class to be optionally fitted with a Head-Up Display and offer in-car Internet access.
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