Sorry, Spocks; Mercedes-Benz CLS550 Handles Golf Clubs Just Fine

By now you, and 1.8 million other people, have seen the humorous Audi S7 commercial on YouTube featuring past and present "Star Trek" Spock actors Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto.

It's a great ad that cleverly shows the rivalry between automakers. But we've got a problem with the depiction of poor Leonard Nimoy not being able to fit his clubs in the CLS' trunk.

Why?

Well, because we fit a set of clubs in there just fine. Actually, it was two sets and an overnight bag.

Audi Latest Automaker to Introduce Gas-Price App

Joining automakers such as GM and Ford, whose respective infotainment systems — Chevrolet MyLink and MyFord Touch — offer drivers the ability to find the nearest station with the cheapest gas, Audi has added an app to its lineup helping folks find where to fill 'er up frugally. The German automaker announced this week that, beginning in May, members of its A3 family of hatchbacks equipped with Audi connect will have access to Refuelling Stop, a new online service that provides information about where to find the cheapest gas.

According to Audi, the service consults an online database of gas stations and prices and matches the list to the driver's current location or destination. The driver can sort search results by price or distance, and simply click on the station and set it as the navigation destination. The system will even consider the type of fuel required by the A3, which can be premium or diesel depending on the engine.

2014 Audi RS 7: Photo Gallery

For Audi performance fans, RS 7 might as well spell OMG. The high-performance version of Audi's swoopy sedan bowed in Detroit yesterday, boasting a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 good for 560-horsepower, 140-hp over the already beefed-up S7.

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The 2014 Audi RS 7 joins the Mercedes CLS63 AMG and BMW M6 Gran Coupe in the exclusive high-performance "four-door coupe" club. Check out more photos below. 

2014 Audi RS 7 at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show

• Competes with: 2014 BMW M6 Gran Coupe, 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG, 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG
• Looks like: Four-door coupes with 550-plus horsepower are all the rage for 2014
• Drivetrain: 560-hp, twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 with eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Fall

Four-door coupes like the Audi A7, Mercedes-Benz CLS and BMW Gran Coupe offer elegant, sleek styling a step above traditional sedans. Audi’s RS 7 is a beefed-up version of the A7/S7 with an additional 140 horsepower over the S7. With the RS 7, there’s now a trio of super-sedan coupes — Mercedes CLS63 AMG and BMW M6 Gran Coupe — with more than 550 horsepower. Audi’s reign as the all-wheel-drive leader could also be challenged in the super-sedan segment by the all-new Mercedes-Benz CLS 63AMG with standard all-wheel drive to combat wheel spin. Let the games begin.

More 2013 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

With 560-hp, Audi says the RS 7 accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. The standard Quattro all-wheel drive splits power 60% to the rear wheels and 40% to the front. Continue past 60 mph and you’ll find the RS 7’s electronically limited top speed of 155 mph — only on some models, however. A Dynamic Package raises the top speed to 174 mph and a Dynamic Package Plus bumps it to 190 mph. Stopping the RS7 are 15.4-inch brakes up front with six-piston calipers; higher-performance carbon fiber ceramic brakes are available and bump rotor size up to 16.5 inches.

Audi to Bring More Diesel Models to the U.S. Market

Diesel variants of Audi's A8, A7, A6 and Q5 models are expected to go on sale for the 2014 model year. With a full lineup of new diesel vehicles joining the recently upgraded Q7 TDI, Audi hopes to continue making an efficient, green footprint in the United States. 

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"Owners of Audi TDI engines have helped save over 4 million gallons of gasoline, or the equivalent of more than 240,000 barrels of foreign oil, since the introduction of Audi TDI to the U.S. in 2009," Scott Keogh, President of Audi of America, said in a statement. 

Audi S7 Slays Vampires in Super Bowl Ad

Just when you thought the vampire trend was waning, Audi jumps on the bandwagon with its 2012 Super Bowl ad.

On top of being gorgeous and a blast to drive, Audi’s A7 is apparently really good at repelling vampires. Well, its LED headlights, to be specific.

Cars.com Announces Best of 2012 Award Nominees

Last year, the 2011 Kia Optima won Cars.com's Best of 2011 award for its outstanding combination of performance, practicality, style and value. This year, six new nominees will fight it out for our ultimate prize that will be revealed during the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Our highest honor will go to one of the following vehicles:

2013 Audi S7: Photo Gallery

The 2013 Audi S7 is a new high-performance derivative of the A7 hatchback. The model will feature the same 420-horsepower, 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 that comes on the recently announced Audi S6 but has that cool hatch out back.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

Optional features include LED headlights, head-up display and a 360-degree camera system. The Audi S7 goes on sale this spring.

New Audi S6, S7 and S8: First Look

• Competes with: S6 with BMW 550i; S7 with BMW 550i Gran Turismo; and S8 with Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG
•  Looks like: The A6, A7 and A8 with “S” badges
•  Drivetrain: 420-horsepower, 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 with seven-speed automatic in S6 and S7; 520-hp version with eight-speed automatic in S8; all are all-wheel drive
•  Hits dealerships: Spring 2012

You can kiss goodbye the V-10 engine in the former S6 and S8, as a smaller and more efficient V-8 becomes the most notable feature to the high-performance version of the luxury sedans, as well as the new S7 hatchback. Audi is introducing the three at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
 
All of the new S models use a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine. In the S6 and S7, the boosted V-8 makes 420 horsepower, while the S8’s V-8 packs a more potent 520 hp. This is a 110-hp jump from the A6 and A7’s existing 3.0-liter supercharged V-6, and a 148-hp increase from the A8’s V-8.
 
In the S6, the new engine is 25 percent more efficient than the outgoing V-10, Audi says, thanks to features like cylinder deactivation, which switches between four- and eight-cylinder operation.
 
Teamed to the S6 and S7 are all-wheel drive and a seven-speed automatic transmission. The S8 comes with an eight-speed-automatic transmission. All include a form of adaptive air suspension with variable dampening and selectable driving modes.

Cars.com Podcast: 2012 Toyota Prius V, 2011 Toyota Corolla, 2012 Audi A7

How do you talk about Toyota’s new hybrid entry and one of its long-running best-sellers as well as Audi’s hottest hatchback in one podcast? Download this week’s podcast to learn what editors Mike Hanley, Kelsey Mays and David Thomas thought of the 2012 Audi A7 and Toyota’s 2012 Prius V and 2011 Corolla. You’ll also learn how Mays was able to compare the Prius V to the regular Prius even though the automaker didn’t provide the current model to test against its new V.

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