http://www.thecarconnection.com/tips Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:49:06 -0500 Tips and Advice -- find out how to maintain, service, insure, wash and wax, and change the oil in your car with tips from TheCarConnection.com. Lifestyle/Fashion http://static.thecarconnection.com/website/tcc-feed.jpg http://www.thecarconnection.com/tips http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038565_mit-audi-develop-onboard-robot-for-road-trips-guilt-trips http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038565_mit-audi-develop-onboard-robot-for-road-trips-guilt-trips Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:30:00 -0500 Here at TheCarConnection.com, we see a lot of gadgets designed to enhance the driving experience. Like the Mercedes-Benz mbrace system we mentioned yesterday, most are telematics devices offering directions, traffic news, and other familiar data. But MIT's SENSEable City Lab envisions something different: an onboard robot capable of giving ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038335_mercedes-benz-may-launch-smaller-cars-in-u-s-by-2012 http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038335_mercedes-benz-may-launch-smaller-cars-in-u-s-by-2012 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:15:00 -0500 Readers of a certain age will recall a time when America's roadways were clogged with Gremlins, Rabbits, and other fuel-efficient minicars. That historical moment was caused by spiking fuel prices in the 1970s (remember when Jimmy Carter told everyone to put on a snappy cardigan?), which rear-ended a recession in the early 1980s. If you've ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034436_tcc-tip-buyer-beware-your-bluetooth-may-not-pair http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034436_tcc-tip-buyer-beware-your-bluetooth-may-not-pair Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0400 This week, as we've sifted through TheCarConnection.com's email for your questions, we've found an interesting one concerning Bluetooth connectivity. We're big users of the hands-free frequency, though we do advocate that you make all calls from a parked car, not a moving one. We're also experienced in setting up difficult and easy Bluetooth ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1036141_audi-e-tron-concept-ev-confirmed-for-development http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1036141_audi-e-tron-concept-ev-confirmed-for-development Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:59:00 -0400 The Volkswagen family is growing by leaps and bounds today. Not only is Porsche planning to expand its lineup to include a "bottom-of-the-range" vehicle priced "significantly" below the Boxster, but also Audi has confirmed that it's moving the recently revealed e-tron EV concept into development. The news comes from Audi of America's Johan de ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035869_audi-a3-tdi-earns-over-78mpg-on-euro-road-test http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035869_audi-a3-tdi-earns-over-78mpg-on-euro-road-test Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:48:00 -0400 As Marty Padgett announced earlier this month, the 2010 Audi A3 TDI is slated to arrive in North America this November with a sticker price of $30,775. That's a fairly high sum for a fairly small car, but on this month's cross-European "Efficiency Challenge A to B", the diesel A3 has earned upwards of 94 mpg UK, which translates to a whopping ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035638_2010-audi-tt-drops-v-6 http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035638_2010-audi-tt-drops-v-6 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:00:00 -0400 Interested in Audi's pert TT coupe and roadster? For 2010, you'll have to look elsewhere if you're only satisfied by V-6 power. For 2010, Audi's dropping the V-6 versions of the TT from its lineup as a part of a simplification across the board. Witness the also-new 2010 Audi A4 and 2010 Audi S4 lineups: the V-6 is gone from the base sedan, ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035514_run-a-virtual-vertical-lap-in-the-audi-r8-e-tron-concept http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035514_run-a-virtual-vertical-lap-in-the-audi-r8-e-tron-concept Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:54:00 -0400 Much like Microsoft's Xbox Live, Sony's PlayStation Home is an online hub where gamers around the globe can interact with one another, download expansion packs, and fiddle around with lots of nifty free stuff. Unfortunately, like certain auto companies we could name, Sony's rollout of the service hasn't been exactly smooth, and it continues to ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035218_can-the-new-audi-a1-help-audi-reach-its-lofty-sales-goals http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035218_can-the-new-audi-a1-help-audi-reach-its-lofty-sales-goals Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:05:00 -0400 Back in June, you might recall that Audi announced plans to roll its new A1 citycar into dealerships by early 2010. The automaker said that the A1 would debut as a three-door model, but that a five-door sportback version would soon follow. At the time, the A1 was slated only for European release. However, there's a lot of auto news flowing ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035213_frankfurt-audi-e-tron-electric-car-has-awesome-torque-all-wheel-drive http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035213_frankfurt-audi-e-tron-electric-car-has-awesome-torque-all-wheel-drive Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:00:00 -0400 Audi of America's President Johan de Nysschen may have put his foot in his mouth by calling buyers of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt "idiots," but Audi headquarters seems to like electric cars. Enough, at any rate, to trumpet the complete specs of its all-wheel-drive, all-electric e-Tron concept car, revealed this morning at the Frankfurt Auto ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035192_preview-2011-audi-r8-spyder http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1035192_preview-2011-audi-r8-spyder Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:33:00 -0400 With the 2009 Frankfurt auto show hours away from opening to the media, the embargoes continue to fall--and this time, it's the 2011 Audi R8 Spyder that's broken cover. The newest addition to the Audi supercar family arrives next summer with a fabric top, no sideblades, and the stunning powerplant from the 5.2-liter V-10 version as its sole ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034900_2010-audi-a3-tdi-priced-from-30775 http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034900_2010-audi-a3-tdi-priced-from-30775 Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:31:00 -0400 The 2010 Audi A3 TDI goes on sale later this year for a base price of $30,775, the automaker announced today. The diesel version of the littlest Audi you can buy may come with a not-so-small sticker price--but it's among the cleanest oil-burners yet, thanks to VW/Audi's latest iteration of clean-diesel technology. Like the larger Q7 TDI, the ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034862_2010-audi-r8-v-10-motorauthoritys-first-drive http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034862_2010-audi-r8-v-10-motorauthoritys-first-drive Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:27:00 -0400 If you've ever been lucky enough to race at Sonoma's Infineon Raceway, you know its pitfalls. Runoffs? Who needs runoffs? Add in some devastating switchbacks and long, loping straightaways, and it's easy to see lesser cars falling off the respectability scale as the day wears on. But the Audi R8 V-10? It's one of those rare supercars that eats ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034809_audis-2010-countdown-a8-a7-and-a6 http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034809_audis-2010-countdown-a8-a7-and-a6 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:27:00 -0400 Audi is in the midst of a transformation--according to company executives, it's the right moment in history for the brand to push through brand prejudices in the U.S. and to find a place alongside Lexus, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Change has already come to Audi for the 2010 model year: this week, Audi took High Gear Media for first drives in the ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034794_volkswagen-audi-do-the-right-thing-with-transmission-issue http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034794_volkswagen-audi-do-the-right-thing-with-transmission-issue Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:45:00 -0400 Volkswagen late last week issued a service program covering several Volkswagen and Audi models equipped with Direct Shift Gearboxes (DSG). In a release, Volkswagen Group of America reported that some owners of vehicles with the DSG transmission have reported "performance issues, due to a faulty component in some of the units." The program ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034603_preview-2010-audi-q7 http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1034603_preview-2010-audi-q7 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:56:00 -0400       What is it? A mild update of the big Audi sport-ute     The basics: All-wheel drive; V-6, V-6 turbodiesel or V-8 engines; five- or seven-seater     On sale: September 2009     Price: $47,725 (V-6); $51,725 (TDI); $61,825 (V-8) The 2010 Audi Q7 arrives in dealers in September sporting some mild work to its cabin and front end, and a ..]]>