The Audi A5 Cabrio won't be officially unveiled until the Paris Motor Show, but Auto Express has snapped an undisguised tester roaming the hills of Switzerland. The hot-looking A5 Cabrio is sporting a black canvas top, which for now puts to rest notions that a hard-top convertible is in the works. A cloth top makes abundant sense because it will be less complicated than a retractable hard top and also cutting down the on overall tonnage.

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Audi has just announced a multimillion investment to adapt the VAG group's plant in Forest, near Brussels, Belgium to produce the A1. The Brussels plant will be producing a single model for the first time in its history. The site previously played a supporting role for the Volkswagen Group.

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When one thinks of cars and the sport of golfing, the vaunted Buick brand immediately springs to mind for its association with living legend of the dimpled sphere Tiger Woods, as well as its sponsorship of the Buick Invitational tournament. Well, Audi is planning on moving into the gentleman's sport with a new collection of golf accessories designed by the Audi Konzept Team in Munich. The Audi Golf Collection features a golf cart bag, travel cover, a trolley travel case on wheels, a sport bag, shoe bag and golf umbrella. Nothing ground breaking, but if you're into Audi design and want to sport some Vorsprung durch Technik on the back nine, then perhaps these items will liberate some greenbacks from your back pocket.

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Part of Audi's plan for expansion includes taking the Mercedes-Benz CLS, BMW's upcoming 8-series and the Jaguar XJ replacement (due next year) head on. The automaker is convinced that the future of flagship sedans revolves around the "four-door coupe" body style and the A7 will be an attempt to dominate in that segment.

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In the world of alternative power, not all fuels are created equal. This fact is true with ethanol, where the alcohol can be made using fairly inefficient processes, some of which involve corn, or using more advanced cellulosic methods which do not use a foodstock. Diesel too can come from either petroleum or from non-dino sources. You're probably aware that Audi has been assaulting various race tracks using its advanced diesel powered race cars, specifically its two-time Le Mans-winning R10 TDI, which has so far been running on what is known as gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel fuel.

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Ever since the debut of the Audi R10 in 2006, the mighty diesel-powered sports cars have been running on a gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel fuel supplied by Shell. For the 2008 running of the 24 hours of Le Mans coming up in a few weeks, Audi and Shell will try a new blend that combines the GTL fuel with a BTL (biomass-to-liquid) fuel supplied by Choren. Choren is a German company that has been collaborating with Audi's parent company Volkswagen to develop the BTL diesel branded as SunFuel.

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Audi is intent on leaving no niche unfilled and the word from Inside Line is that the automaker is planning to unveil a cabrio variant of its A5 and S5 coupes. The convertible versions of the A5 and S5 won't be fitted with the folding hardtops that have become de rigueur among its luxury competitors, so expect a similar soft-top system to that found on the A4/S4/RS4 cabrio and TT roadster. Power will be provided by either the 265-hp, 3.2-liter V6 or the 354-hp 4.2-liter V8 found in the A5 and S5, respectively. Expect the new cabrios to debut later this year or early next, with sales beginning in the spring of 2009.

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You know this much already: Audi is improving the A3 and is even playing with a rocket diesel. If you think that the gallery below does not offer enough viewed of the new A3, you will find a complete, albeit silent, video that shows the latest creation from Ingolstadt. The revamped version includes a 1.6 gasoline engine which can be ordered in an E85-compatible version and the 1.9 TDI has an "e" version with fuel consumption of 4.5 l/100 km (52 mpg U.S.).

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Ok here's the deal. Audi is building a hybrid Q7. It will be launched in late 2008. After our last report on the subject, I contacted Audi US spokesman Christian Bokich to get clarification on the on-again, off-again hybrid SUV. Chris verified that Audi AG will indeed build a Q7 hybrid and that no plans for U.S. availability have been announced. The only new Q7 variant that has been announced for the U.S. is the 3.0L TDI diesel.

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The European Patent Office has named Audi the European Inventor of the Year. The reason? Audi's Space Frame technology (ASF). First introduced in the A8 in 1993, ASF is a high-strength aluminum frame structure into which the panels are integrated so that they also perform a load-bearing function. This design enables significant weight savings, improved handling and lower fuel consumption. So, the lighter a car is, the less CO₂ it produces, if all other things are the same. The Audi A8, the Audi TT Coupé, the TT Roadster, the Audi R8 and the Lamborghini Gallardo are all equipped with Audi Space Frame technology.

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Audi has been tearing up the automotive landscape with a torrent of new products, and now it's cleaning up on the awards circuit, too. The European Patent Office awarded Audi as its third inventor of the year for its innovative new products that are helping Europe excel in the global market. The product worthy of such an award is Audi's aluminum space frame, which underpins the Audi A8, TT, R8, and Lamborghini Gallardo. The lightweight platform provides substantial weight savings vs. a traditional steel frame, which results in better fuel economy and a reduction in CO2. The space frame also provides improved structural rigidity and improved crash protection.

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Volkswagen has already announced its intentions to build a factory in the U.S., narrowing down the possible sites to Alabama, Michigan and Tennessee. Now, in advance of a shareholder meeting in Germany, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is reportedly saying that Audi is considering a U.S. plant, as well. The move on both automakers' parts is an attempt to capitalize on the weak U.S. dollar, the stronger euro and the fact that material costs are on the rise and a U.S. plant could mitigate some of those expenses.

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This next-generation Audi S4 could be the super-saloon that ends the German power wars.

Our spies have caught the 2010 S4 undergoing high-speed testing at the Nurburgring and sources suggest that there’s a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 under the bonnet instead of the current model’s V8.

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German print magazine Auto Motor und Sport claims to have insider info that the Audi A5 Cabrio will be revealed at this autumns Paris Motor Show. The A5 cabriolet will replace the A4 cabriolet and Audi plans to start production of the convertible at their own production facility at Neckarshulm. The current A4 Cabrio is built by sub-contractor Karmann.

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For those of you aching to get your hands on the 2009 Audi A3, we have good news: it will go on sale this September and pricing information should be available close to that date. Audi's adapted press release for the U.S. market is available after the jump, but the short and sweet version is we get a choice of either the 200 hp, 2.0-liter TFSI or the 250 hp, 3.2-liter six with Quattro. If you want your power dolled out to all four wheels, but want the turbo'd 2.0-liter, you'll be able to swap cogs with Audi's S-tronic transmission. Hit the jump for all the details.

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