Our friends at ABT just announced they are turning out several variants of the Audi A4 and S4 with power up to 435 horsepower!  Of course, anything introduced by ABT has been endurance tested to ensure quality.  From the 3.0 l V6 engine they offer up to 435 hp (320 kW), up from the original V6 petrol engine’s 333 hp (245 kW): this fast ABT only needs 4.8 seconds to go to 100 km/h from a standstill and is very torquey indeed, with a top speed of 282 km/h. And the 3.0 TDI is a real fierce car: In its ABT POWER version, the turbo diesel engine shows 282 hp or 207 kW (serial version: 245 hp/180 kW). Its torque is 560 Nm, up from 500 and certainly enough for every situation. And the “little” four-cylinder version, the 2.0 TFSI, has also undergone an ABT POWER treatment. Up from 211 hp (155 kW), the petrol engine now shows 275 hp (202 kW). Whatever engine you may want to buy, you will always get a lot of added sportiness and agility.

ABT has developed body parts that accentuate the car’s character and make it self-confident and dynamic but without seeming arrogant, as it were. The front air dam is fully in line with the striking lights of the AS4 and nearly glues the car down onto the road. This sporty approach is continued by the ABT Sportslinedesigners in the side sills and wing inserts. Aerofoils, rear apron inserts and the two two-pipe exhaust systems round off this very, very sporty – and stylish – car’s design. And last but not least, there are the ABT alloy wheels: available in CR Silverlight or DR – they are all perfect for the new ABT AS4. Needless to say, they are also available in combination with high-speed tyres.

What a fitting tribute to the A4 as it has now been offered by Audi for 40 years! (of course, in the U.S., it wasn’t always know as the A4).

Power options offered for the AS4 include:

2.0 TFSI, 1.984 ccm capacity:       275 HP/202 kW (standard: 211 HP/155 kW)

3.0 TDI, 2.967 ccm capacity:        282 HP/207 kW (standard: 245 HP/180 kW)

3.0 TFSI, 2.995 ccm capacity:     435 HP/320 kW (standard: 333 HP/245 kW)

New from Audi: This is what it looks like when we sell and Audi R8 GT in your town: Note the caption at the bottom- Slow Traffic Keep Right…for those that remember the “ready the road” campaign, boy does this apply!

Jeremy Clarkson, the star of BBC's Top Gear program recently stated that "the cocks have moved to Audis" following on the heels of previous statements that arrogant drivers buy BMWs.  Let me start by saying that I think Jeremy Clarkson is fantastic...I can't get enough of Top Gear (the original British version on BBC).  The dynamics that exist between the cast of the show, the actors and guests often making fools of themselves on the track, and Jeremy's tell-it-how-it-is feedback is refreshing. That being said, I'm an Audi driver, I have always been and will always be one.  I currently have an S4 and original quattro coupe (UrQuattro). I remember a time not too long ago when it wasn't too cool to drive an Audi.  But those of us that did, knew Quattro gave us an unparalleled advantage.  I remember one snowy very early morning in Salt Lake City when the plows had not been out yet and I was behind the wheel of my quattro coupe and the only other vehicle that I saw out braving the storm was another quattro car. Now, Audi's are everywhere and yes, I agree with Jeremy that it has become somewhat of a status symbol.  I think most of us that drive Audis have also driven BMWs, Mercedes cars, and Porsches and have found Audi's superior.  For some reason, in Utah, most Jerk (the Utah term for cock) drivers that I have seen have been in Land Rovers. Perhaps one day Jeremy's attention will shift to them...In the meanwhile, I'm going to go out and wax my S4...

As Audi wraps up their last DTM season with the current A4 platform, it was a perfect 2011 DTM season. After Martin Tomczyk’s early win of the drivers title, the brand with the four rings at the Hockenheim finale in front of an impressive crowd of 120,000 spectators (throughout the weekend) secured the position of the runner-up in the championship and won the team classification as well. Edoardo Mortara had previously been determined as “Rookie of the year.”

“You can’t really wish for more than this,” commented Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich after the finish at the Hockenheimring. “It’s truly been a perfect year for Audi. And today we clinched everything we still had on our agenda: the runner-up’s slot for ‘Eki’ and the team classification win for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline – my thanks go to everyone who has had a part in this great success for Audi.”

In its 84th and – for the time being – last DTM race the Audi A4 DTM made another strong showing. With Martin Tomczyk, Miguel Molina, Mike Rockenfeller, Mattias Ekström, Timo Scheider and Oliver Jarvis on positions two to four and six to eight, six Audi drivers scored points. In its career the A4 DTM, since 2004, has clinched five out of eight possible champion’s titles, 44 pole positions, 31 fastest laps and 34 race victories

The decision at the finale at Hockenheim was made as early as at the start which Mercedes driver Jamie Green decided in his favor, followed by a lonely race at the front of the field. Similarly solid were the runs of Audi drivers Martin Tomczyk (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) and Miguel Molina (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) that ended on positions two and three.

Martin Tomczyk crowned his brilliant season with another podium finish. At all ten races the new DTM Champion scored points and mounted the podium eight times. The 29-year-old, who did not finish any event this year in worse than fifth place, took three race victories.

“The finale here at Hockenheim in front of this fantastic crowd was brilliant too,” said Martin Tomczyk, after receiving the champion’s trophy on the podium. “My A4 was perfect and my team did another great job. I wasn’t able to completely keep up with Jamie’s (Green) pace but that was only secondary today.”

Another overjoyed driver was the Spaniard Miguel Molina who despite not having been able to take advantage of his pole position at the start in the end managed to celebrate third place and the first podium in his still young DTM career. “Being on podium at the last race of the Audi A4 DTM is really special,” says the 22-year-old. “I’m very happy – particularly because Audi has clinched all the titles. That’s fantastic.”

Miguel Molina is thus the eighth Audi driver to have mounted the DTM podium this year, which proves the performance strength of the 2011 driver line-up that gives Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich a perfect base for the 2012 season.

Mike Rockenfeller and Mattias Ekström on positions four and six at the finale secured the team classification for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline that has won this title for the third time, after 2004 and 2007. Having started from position ten on the grid Mattias Ekström’s sixth-place finish sufficed to clinch the runner-up’s slot since the previous runner-up in ninth place scored no points.

“I’m even happier about the team classification than about finishing as the runner-up,” said Mattias Ekström. “The guys deserve this. And this year, including at this last race, we’ve learned a lot for 2012. I can hardly wait to drive the first race in the new Audi A5 DTM.”

At the end of their first DTM season the three rookies Filipe Albuquerque (tenth place), Edoardo Mortara (13th place) and Rahel Frey (16th place after jump starting) finished out of the points. Nevertheless, all three left a good impression in their first DTM year. Mortara had already secured the “Rookie of the year” title with a score of 21 points and ninth place in the standings before the final race.

Audi today reported its 11th straight record-setting month of sales for the year with 9,700 vehicles sold in November 2011, a 3.6% increase over the previous all-time record set a year earlier. Year-to-date sales ended the month up 15.2% with 104,906 vehicles sold, topping the previous annual U.S. sales record of 101,629 set at the end of last year.

  It’s very interesting to note that the A8 is by far the biggest factor in Audi meeting these numbers- with sales up almost 393%.  Perhaps the movie Transporter 3 convinced enough buyers to purchase an A8?

Gold Audi A8

“Having achieved our all-time sales record with a month to spare, we’re confident that the Audi momentum story will continue well into 2012,” said Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen. “Consumers clearly are responding to Audi’s superior product, unmatched engineering and progressive luxury positioning.”

For full press release and sales chart, click here.