xcel
10-08-2008, 03:20 PM
23 Audi’s ranging from the Q7 to the extremely fuel efficient A3 take off from NY City for an across the country trek. (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=154938)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_Audi_3_0L_TDI_equipped_Q7_and_A4_leaving_NY_City.jpgWayne Gerdes – CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) – Oct. 8, 2008
An Audi 3.0L TDI equipped A4 and Q7 leading the caravan out of NY City Monday morning.
On Monday, a group of 2.0 and 3.0L diesel powered Q7’s, Q5’s, A4’s and A3’s left NY City’s Central Park towards Washington DC on the first leg of an approximate 5,000 mile trek crisscrossing the country as they make their way toward warm and sunny Los Angeles, CA. On the way west, the caravans including up to 184 factory drivers and guides, celebrity drivers and Automotive Journalists from around the world are taking various routes as they make their way west towards the setting sun. Some of the locations the groups will be driving through include the launch point, NY City, Boston MA, Washington DC, Buffalo, NY, Cleveland, OH, Toledo, OH, Chicago, IL and then into the natural wonders of the far West.
On the first leg of the tour, the best hypermiler in the 7-passenger, AWD, 3.0L TDI equipped Q7 achieved 31.8 mpgUS in a mix of heavy urban stop and crawl and wide open Interstate. The other Audi models had decent showings as well. The 2.0L TDI powered A3’s best was a reasonable 47 mpgUS. The best driver in the 3.0L TDI equipped A4 achieved just north of 39 mpgUS. The best driver in the 3.0L TDI equipped Q5 achieved a respectable 37.9 mpgUS. Fuel consumption of the various Audi’s is being monitored by the US-based motor sports association IMSA.
Although not up to CleanMPG standards, these are everyday journalist drivers with little training and are still pulling decent numbers beyond EPA ratings once the Q7 and Q5 are released into the US.
While the vehicles are not emissions free, over 45 Tons of CO2 offsets were purchased by Audi through Terrapass to cover the 23 vehicles CO2 emissions on their cross country drive.
As of this morning, the driver/navigator vehicle teams are scattered from Toledo to Chicago and are on the road again heading west.
Volume production of the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI with ultra low emission system will start later on this year, and its market launch in both the US and Europe is scheduled for 2009. Although the A3 and A4 turbo-diesels are not currently scheduled for a US release, Audi may come to the conclusion that this is exactly what some US buyers really want... We can only hope anyway ;)
To follow the various groups’ progress, you can visit the Audi Mileage marathon (http://www.audimileagemarathon.com/) for up to date information and blogs.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_Audi_3_0L_TDI_equipped_Q7_and_A4_leaving_NY_City.jpgWayne Gerdes – CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) – Oct. 8, 2008
An Audi 3.0L TDI equipped A4 and Q7 leading the caravan out of NY City Monday morning.
On Monday, a group of 2.0 and 3.0L diesel powered Q7’s, Q5’s, A4’s and A3’s left NY City’s Central Park towards Washington DC on the first leg of an approximate 5,000 mile trek crisscrossing the country as they make their way toward warm and sunny Los Angeles, CA. On the way west, the caravans including up to 184 factory drivers and guides, celebrity drivers and Automotive Journalists from around the world are taking various routes as they make their way west towards the setting sun. Some of the locations the groups will be driving through include the launch point, NY City, Boston MA, Washington DC, Buffalo, NY, Cleveland, OH, Toledo, OH, Chicago, IL and then into the natural wonders of the far West.
On the first leg of the tour, the best hypermiler in the 7-passenger, AWD, 3.0L TDI equipped Q7 achieved 31.8 mpgUS in a mix of heavy urban stop and crawl and wide open Interstate. The other Audi models had decent showings as well. The 2.0L TDI powered A3’s best was a reasonable 47 mpgUS. The best driver in the 3.0L TDI equipped A4 achieved just north of 39 mpgUS. The best driver in the 3.0L TDI equipped Q5 achieved a respectable 37.9 mpgUS. Fuel consumption of the various Audi’s is being monitored by the US-based motor sports association IMSA.
Although not up to CleanMPG standards, these are everyday journalist drivers with little training and are still pulling decent numbers beyond EPA ratings once the Q7 and Q5 are released into the US.
While the vehicles are not emissions free, over 45 Tons of CO2 offsets were purchased by Audi through Terrapass to cover the 23 vehicles CO2 emissions on their cross country drive.
As of this morning, the driver/navigator vehicle teams are scattered from Toledo to Chicago and are on the road again heading west.
Volume production of the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI with ultra low emission system will start later on this year, and its market launch in both the US and Europe is scheduled for 2009. Although the A3 and A4 turbo-diesels are not currently scheduled for a US release, Audi may come to the conclusion that this is exactly what some US buyers really want... We can only hope anyway ;)
To follow the various groups’ progress, you can visit the Audi Mileage marathon (http://www.audimileagemarathon.com/) for up to date information and blogs.