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Audi halts car deliveries to the United States

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After Donald Trump announced that the United States had imposed new tariffs (25 percent) on imported vehicles, Jaguar Land Rover suspended deliveries of its vehicles to the United States. Now Audi has taken the same steps.

On April 2, the US government imposed a 25 percent tariff on imported cars and parts, which has put domestic and foreign manufacturers in a big problem. This forced Audi to suspend deliveries of vehicles to the US. The latest information shows that distributors in the US have 37,000 cars, which is enough for about two months. Also, a large number of cars are in the ports, but they have not yet cleared customs.

Under the slogan “Make America Great Again”, Donald Trump has twice become president of the United States. During his campaign, he expressed many controversial views that many did not agree with. However, what he must be given credit for is that he is consistent with his announcements, no matter how strange they may be. One of them is the reciprocal tariffs that he signed on April 2.

This decision also brought dissatisfaction to some people close to Trump, such as Elon Musk, because his company Tesla will also be affected by tariffs and countermeasures, which some countries have already announced.

In the case of Audi, the company could start using production facilities in Tennessee, which belong to the Volkswagen Group. However, the current political and economic situation in the world is uncertain, and if it is not resolved soon, Audi will have to find new solutions.

Source: Reuters

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Audi R8 is coming back as plug-in hybrid

In March 2024, Audi announced that it would officially end production of its popular sports car R8, after 18 years and two generations. However, some reports suggest that the R8 could return as a plug-in hybrid.

According to Autocar, a third-generation R8 is in development and will be based on the same platform as the Lamborghini Temerario, with which it will also share an aluminum chassis, electronics and powertrain. This resolves the dilemma that arose earlier, that the replacement for the R8 could be an all-electric car.

The Temerario is powered by a 4.0-L V8 twin-turbo engine with 800 hp (596 kW) and 538 lb-ft (730 Nm) of torque combined with three electric motors, for a total output of over 900 hp (671 kW). The engine is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.

At the end of 2023, Audi introduced the R8 Coupe Japan Final Edition as the last edition of this sports car, officially marking the end of its production. It is powered by a 5.2-L naturally aspirated V10 engine with 612 hp (456 kW) and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of torque. The same engine powers the R8 V10 GT RWD, but this version has a seven-speed S-tronic transmission that sends power to all wheels.

The arrival of the new Audi R8 is expected in 2027, and fans of this model are now wondering if the German brand will produce a racing version, as was the case with previous generations.

Source: Autocar

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Thieves stole 300,000 euros worth of parts from ABT Sportsline

German tuner ABT Sportsline is known for some of the best sports car upgrades, especially for Audi cars and the related primary Volkswagen Group brands. However, popularity also has its downsides. Recently, an unknown group of thieves stole car parts worth 300,000 euros.

Several photos have been published showing the thieves removing the rims and expensive carbon-ceramic brakes from parked cars. According to Daniel Abt, the thieves targeted seven cars in total, and the company believes that this could not have been done by amateurs, because the power supply and lighting were disabled before the theft. The police are currently investigating the case.

One of the cars from which the thieves stole the expensive forged rims and carbon-ceramic brakes is an Audi RS6. ABT believes that these parts will be sold on the black market.

Obviously, ABT Sportsline should have better security.

Source: ABT Sportsline