When it comes to Super Bowl advertising, we thought we’d seen it all. Last year, we had Kia giving us aliens, Mayans and even a dash of Poseidon, while Volkswagen shamelessly ripped off George Lucas (after paying him handsomely, we’re sure). This year, Kia has supermodel Adriana Lima, Chevy has a berserk college student, Lexus has a caged GS and Audi has… vampires.

I’d say the vampire meme is played out, but it’s way beyond played out. In fact, it’s played out, buried, dug up, killed with a stake through its heart and buried again. Then it’s dug up and cremated. Does anyone other than 16 year-old-girls and drug-addled goths even think about vampires these days? How many 16 year girls and goths do you think are in the market for a new Audi?

I get what Audi is trying to communicate: it’s headlights are unique and very bright. Bright enough to send vampires scurrying up trees for cover. If that’s all you have to pitch your high-end luxury cars, it doesn’t speak well for your engineers (or your marketing team).

We’re big fans of Audi, which is probably why we’re so critical of this ad (which, in fairness, we haven’t even seen yet). Why not play up your racing success, or emphasize the stunning good looks of your cars, or the quality of your interiors instead of going for played-out pop culture cliches?

At least Kia’s giving us a supermodel with a checkered flag.

APR's lobby, featuring the 2006 SEMA GTI.

When it comes to tuning in the Volkswagen, Audi and now Porsche world, one name stands out above the rest. APR LLC, which was originally founded as “Auburn Parts and Repair” in Auburn, AL, has continued to blend performance with functionality since the shop began tuning Audi A4s in 1998. Since then, their market has expanded to include Volkswagen Seat, Skoda and Porsche, and the company now has a presence around the globe.

APR's headquarters in Opelika, AL. Image: APR

While Volkswagen doesn’t have an “official” tuning partner, APR is as close as the automaker gets. The first collaborative effort between the two companies was the Volkswagen GTI built for the 2006 SEMA show, and prominently displayed in APR’s lobby. The relationship continues to this day, and APR is currently at work building a murdered out Jetta, dubbed “Darth Vader,” for Volkswagen U.S.A.. While most dealers will point out that modifying your car’s ECU will void the warranty quicker than you can say “reflash,” APR has established itself through VW dealers across the country (and across the world), helping to legitimize APR’s software and hardware products.

APR's rapid prototyping system.

Prototype parts are accurate enough to use for test fitment.

Unlike most tuners, APR is a massive operation with an impressive amount of in-house capability. Everything from design through rapid-prototyping is done in house, and manufacturing is only farmed out when it can be done better by a third party manufacturer. A good example of this is the company’s Carbonio intakes and their stainless exhaust systems; since APR doesn’t want to lay up carbon fiber or bend stainless tubing in house, they farm the component manufacturing out to companies who can meet their exacting standards.

APR's chassis dyno.

In fact, “exacting” may be an understatement. APR’s Opelika, AL facility includes a chassis dyno (in its own dedicated environmental chamber), a UV-curable resin rapid prototyping system, several CNC machines, fuel injector testers and even a high-pressure fuel pump test rig, the only one of its kind outside of a major automaker or tier 1 supplier. Buying a commercially available unit would have cost in the neighborhood of $500,000, so APR designed and built its own in house, for roughly $60,000.

Darth Vader awaits completion.

Under Darth Vader's hood. It only looks stock...

That kind of “do it yourself and do it better” mentality pervades the entire APR staff. Every one is an enthusiast, and you get the feeling that coming to work in the morning is a lot like going to play in your garage on the weekend. I visited them on Labor Day, and you wouldn’t have known it was a holiday, since the shop was busy prepping race cars for the season-ending Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race. Keith Lucas, APR’s director of sales and marketing, and Arin Ahnell, APR’s marketing manager, both took time out to show me around the impressive facility.

APR's logo. I wonder how many fans have this as a tattoo?

One of APR’s hottest-selling products is its EMCS Program Switching tune, which allows VW, Audi and Porsche owners to select custom ECU maps based on available fuel grade. The stock ECU programming is also retained, allowing owners to easily switch back and forth between stock and tuned modes. The gains in performance are readily apparent, and there’s no better way to go faster for a reasonable amount of money.

APR's CNC area. Image: APR

In the case of my 2011 VW GTI, the stock car produces 216 horsepower and 227 ft-lb of torque on 93 octane gasoline. With just an APR Stage 1 tune, and no other mods, the car now makes 254 horsepower and 303 ft-lb of torque on 93 octane gas. Should I have to run 91 octane, I can easily switch maps and the car will still produce 250 horsepower and 294 ft-lb of torque. For track use, if I’m willing to completely drain my gas tank and run 100 octane fuel, my car will make 273 horsepower and 337 ft-lb of torque.

The workshop area, cleaner than an operating room. Image: APR

Numbers on paper are only part of the equation, and they don’t mean much if the car loses drivability in the process. That’s simply not the case with my GTI, which now pulls noticeably harder from 2,500 rpm to redline. There’s still next to no torque steer, which makes the GTI easy to drive at speed. In short, APR has transformed the car into the GTI that VW should have built.

One of APR's Continental Tire Challenge GTI race cars

So why didn’t VW tune the American GTI for this much horsepower? It comes down to building a car for the worst case scenario. While the 2.0 TSI is a fairly robust engine, if an owner opted to use 89 octane gas (instead of the required premium) and then flog the car in 110 degree heat, bad things would happen. It’s cheaper for a manufacturer to limit performance than it is for them to replace engines in cars that aren’t properly maintained, or that are driven without regard to temperature and conditions.

If you’re a VW or Audi fan, chances are you already know about APR. If you’re new to either brand, bookmark GoAPR.com, since you’ll probably be buying stuff from them in the near future.

The 2011 Audi R8 Spyder. Image: Audi USA

If you own a 2011 or 2012 Audi R8 Spyder, heads up: Audi is recalling 920 models to address a potentially serious fuel line routing issue. Only cars built between May 18, 2010 and June 22, 2011 are affected, and the recall documentation doesn’t distinguish between 4.2-liter V-8 models and 5.2-liter V-10 models. In other words, it’s likely that both versions are included in the recall.

At issue is a fuel supply line, located in proximity to an engine compartment heat shield. The fuel supply line can rub against the heat shield, eventually leading to a small fuel leak within the engine compartment. Fuel, in the presence of an ignition source, can obviously lead to a fire, although no fires, accidents or injuries have been reported to date.

It’s worth noting that Volkswagen Group, Audi’s parent, initiated this voluntary recall based on the experience of a single customer who smelled gasoline in his engine compartment during refueling. If you own a 2011 or 2012 R8 Spyder, expect to get a recall notice in the mail by the end of the month. Once parts are in stock, dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and repair as necessary.

If you have questions or concerns about this recall, you can reach Audi’s customer service hotline at (800) 822-2834, or you can contact the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236 for the latest information.

Source: NHTSA

The Renesis rotary engine, as used in Mazda's RX-8. Image: Mazda

The rotary engine has been a trademark for Mazda since 1964, when the then-fledgling Japanese automaker debuted their Cosmo sport coupe with rotary power. Since then, Mazda has expanded and then reduced the number of rotary engines in their product line; today, only the soon-to-be-discontinued RX-8 offers a rotary engine. The biggest reason is fuel consumption; when driven to make adequate power from its 1.3 liter displacement, the rotary engine sucks down gasoline like Lindsay Lohan knocking back appletinis at happy hour (when she isn’t under house arrest, that is). It also produces a significant amount of carbon dioxide, which is why the RX-8 has already been discontinued in the EU.

A recently developed technology, laser ignition, may help future rotary engines gain efficiency and reduce hydrocarbon output. Engines with laser ignition can be better sealed than engines with spark ignition, and that alone is expected to yield significant improvements on next generation rotary engines. Mazda will also take advantage of other technology advances, such as micro-hybrid (or mild hybrid) systems to boost low-end power output, and start-stop systems to yield improved fuel efficiency.

Mazda has also entered into an “informal” relationship with Audi regarding rotary engine development. The Audi A1 e-Tron concept featured a rotary engine powered range extender, since rotaries can be significantly smaller and lighter than conventional engines. Is there a future for the Wankel engine? If Mazda says “aye” and Audi seconds it, than chances are good that the answer is yes.

Source: Inside Line

The 2011 Audi S4. Image: Audi of America

Imagine this scenario: you pay in full for a brand new Audi S4, to be built to your very own specifications. Your dealership thanks you for your business, and tells you that delivery will be in 75 to 90 days. Since you placed the order in the beginning of December, visions of early-spring apex strafing get you through the winter. Reality begins to set in when your build date gets pushed back from January to February, then to March and finally to May. Factoring in transportation time and the inevitable delays associated with clearing U.S. Customs, a May build date translates to a July delivery date and one seriously unhappy Audizine forum member who goes by the name Datz.

In the past, Datz would have been at the mercy of his dealership, who probably would have handed down the runaround given to them by Audi’s product planners and schedulers. Datz, however, used the internet to his advantage, expressing his displeasure without attacking Audi. Taking the high road, Datz didn’t complain about his order being postponed, but rather chose to address the obstacles faced by Audi in achieving their goal of being the number one luxury marque in America. His tactic worked, and his note to Audi USA’s head, Johan de Nysschen, garnered him a personal response. In fact, it got him more than a response: de Nysschen intervened on the customer’s behalf, and got Datz’s build date moved up significantly. He also gave the customer a full and detailed explanation on the root causes of the delays, and went the extra step of loaning Datz a 2010 Audi until his car could be delivered.

I tip my hat to both Datz for the way he approached the problem and to de Nysschen for the way he resolved it. If only we had political leaders with this kind of integrity, the country would be in far better shape.

Source: Motor Authority

The 2011 Audi RS3. Image: Auto Express

The Audi RS3 is forbidden fruit in the United States, since Audi deems it “too targeted” for the U.S. market. It’s also too expensive for a country that tends to ignore station wagons and hatchbacks, even if they are faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera S. As AutoExpress points out, the RS3’s selling price in the UK is ₤40,000, which works out to be around $65,000 on this side of the pond. That’s enough to put you in a well equipped Porsche Cayman, a BMW M3 coupe or even a loaded base model Corvette, but that’s the very reason that Audi created the car. What other choices are there for enthusiasts who like to drive fast, but also need more room than a sport coupe (even one with a back seat) provides?

I’m a big fan of Audi’s S3, which makes me a bigger fan of the RS3. It doesn’t matter that we can’t get the 340 horsepower, quattro AWD equipped uber-wagen here, since it’s out of my price range anyway. Still, like Audi’s old S4 Avant, it’s enough for me to know that such an animal exists. If I ever do make it back up to the kind of income level needed to buy an RS Audi, the RS3 is a far better choice for me than the TT-RS. Unless our economy rebounds overnight, I won’t be in the market for an RS3 anytime soon, which gives Audi ample opportunity to rethink their position on U.S. sales.

Source: YouTube

Image: Audi

If you’ve always wanted an R8 with just a bit more schnell, you’d best get in touch with your Audi dealer, pronto. Audi’s announced pricing on their new 560 horsepower, V10 R8 GT, and only 90 will be brought into the United States. The price of admission starts at $196,800, but that amount of cash buys you some impressive performance. Zero to sixty two miles per hour (or 100 kph) comes up in a mere 3.6 seconds, and the top speed is said to be 199 miles per hour (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Extensive use of carbon fiber has shaved some 180 pounds from the car when compared to an Audi A8 5.2 quattro coupe.

Image: Audi

The R8 GT utilizes quattro AWD to get the power to the ground, and has a weight balance of 43% front, 57% rear. Audi claims that “significant exterior modifications” will aid handling, probably by adding additional downforce. The company stops short of publishing handling data, but it does say the R8 GT provides “high lateral acceleration”; for a price just shy of 200 large, I’d certainly hope so. Just in case the base price doesn’t sufficiently drain your bank account, Audi also offers optional carbon fiber ceramic brakes for optimal fade resistance.

Image: Audi

Image: Audi

The car was inspired by Audi’s R8 LMS GT3 car, and comes with a variety of trim details to remind you of its exclusivity. Each car gets a numbered gearshift knob and a GT logo on the instrument panel, as well as matte carbon fiber interior inlays. Alcantera, with contrasting stitching dominates the interior, and the door sills are capped off with aluminum plates bearing the R8 GT logo. Audi hasn’t told us when deliveries will begin, but I’d expect to see R8 GTs on the road by the end of summer. Get your order in soon.

Source: Audi

Image: Audi USA

Do you have a lot of money, a lot of power and a significant number of enemies? Are you tired of rolling in the same armored BMW 7 series that every other Wall Street executive gets delivered to the office in? Want to try something new, but with a similar German pedigree? Good news, then, since Audi has recently announced their A8 L Security armored limousine. A bullet and bomb resistant version of the full sized A8 L, the car comes with an array of standard and optional features that would impress even Bond, James Bond.

First there’s the armoring, which meets or exceeds VR 7 standards for bullet resistance and was further tested for explosion resistance. I’m not sure what that means exactly, but I wouldn’t worry about being shot up by an AR15, AK-47 or M1A assault rifle. You can laugh at any handguns, but I wouldn’t want to be in the car if someone let loose with a Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle. As for roadside bombs, you’re probably safe in North America and Audi claims the A8 L Security will withstand an attack from a military hand grenade.

It takes an additional 450 hours to armor the A8 L Security, and Audi’s stats are pretty impressive. The doors, for example, weigh nearly 200 pounds apiece, and that’s not including the bulletproof glass (which adds nearly 670 pounds, including the windshield and rear window). The armor used in the interior weighs nearly 1,600 pounds; despite this, the A8 L Security is the lightest vehicle in its class. As you may have guessed, it takes a big motor to haul this kind of car around, so Audi chose to drop in their 6.3 liter, W12 engine, good for 500 horsepower and 461 ft lb of torque. It’ll get the car from zero to sixty in under 7.3 seconds and has a top speed (limited by tires) of 130 miles per hour. All things considered, fuel economy isn’t bad, with Audi estimating that the A8 L Security will get 17.4 MPG on the highway.

Image: Audi USA

Perhaps the coolest part about the car is the high security option list. Want an emergency exit, complete with exploding screws? How about an onboard fire suppression system, emergency fresh air system (with onboard oxygen tanks), cabin smoke extractor, armored communications module (complete with spare battery) or additional fuel tank armoring? They’re all on the build sheet, and Audi will supply customers with just about anything else they’d want, for a price.

Deliveries of the A8 L Security will begin in late summer, but Audi hasn’t released pricing. If this is something you need, I don’t suppose that you’ll care much what it costs, since you have staff to take care od details like that.

Source: Audi USA