This has been a busy week for news from Audi with announcements ranging from a sales milestone to new model introductions.

2010: Audi Reaches Sales Milestone

Audi of America, which has offered cars for sale in the U.S. for 40 years, recently celebrated a major milestone: 2 million cars sold to U.S. buyers.

An Audi dealership in Van Nuys, Calif., sold the Audi A3 TDI^® to a first-time Audi buyer. The Audi A3 TDI is the reigning 2010 Green Car of the Year according to the Green Car Journal. (Search for an Audi A3 or other Green cars.)

2010 Audi A3 TDI

“The story of Audi in the U.S. is really a story written by the hundreds of thousands of people who’ve invited our brand into their lives,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “We’re grateful for those opportunities.”

The automaker expects to reach its next million-car milestone in fewer years. Since 2000, Audi has doubled its model count in the U.S. market and tripled the number of variants it offers. Another new model, the all-new 2011 Audi A8, will arrive in showrooms. That includes Iron Man’s open-top supercar – the Audi A8 Spyder. You can get your hand-assembled car at a price starting at $161,000.

2011 Audi A8 Spyder

2011: Audi A7 to Debut in North America in 2011

Like the flagship A8, the Audi A7 will arrive in European showrooms a year before the car comes to U.S. shores. The large five-door A7 aims to bring together the best of three words: the sporty elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan, and the practicality of a station wagon.

Audi A7

2012: Audi RS5 Headed to U.S

The Audi RS5 is indeed headed to the U.S. market in 2012. While equipment levels, pricing, and fuel economy standards are not known at this time, we can tell you that the RS5 will feature a 4.2-liter, V8 engine that generates 450 horsepower, held to the road by Audi’s quattro permanent all-wheel drive.

Audi RS5 (European Model)

Related Stories:

• Audi Cars Have Appeal - J.D. Power and Associates Study
• Audi A3 Would Make a Great Christmas Present
• Audi A3 Tops with Younger Drivers

Yesterday, the 2011 Ford Explorer was unveiled. Ford has redesigned and reinvented their mid-size SUV, giving the new Explorer better styling, fuel economy, performance, technology, and safety features. We’re impressed with the changes we’ve seen so far and think it’s sure to be a winner in its class.

Design

Based for the first time on a car platform and not a truck one as in previous years, the Explorer’s design is much cleaner and more modern-looking for 2011. Not only does it look better, but it’s more functional too, offering more head and shoulder room, three rows of seating, and plenty of cargo space. What’s more, the 2011 Explorer provides a much quieter ride for its passengers with the use of an advanced noise, vibration, and harshness control system.

Fuel Economy

Quite possibly best feature of the new Explorer is its exceptional fuel economy. Its improved engine – a 290 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 featuring twin independent variable camshaft timing – gives the Explorer 20 percent better fuel economy than the 2010 model; and its new 237 horsepower 2.0-liter EcoBoost™ engine is expected to improve fuel economy by more than 30 percent. Ford also reduced the weight of the Explorer for 2011 to make the SUV more fuel efficient.

The 2011 Explorer also comes equipped with a unique six-speed automatic transmission that combines lowered initial gears, for improved acceleration, with higher gearing, for better fuel economy when cruising at lower engine rpms. An intelligent four-wheel drive system with terrain management is also available to tackle any driving conditions. These enhancements have made the Ford Explorer one of the top performers, with the best fuel economy in its class.

Safety

For 2011, the Ford Explorer comes stocked with safety features. Standard safety features include an advanced airbag system, SOS Post-Crash Alert System™, and a tire pressure monitoring system. Also available on new Explorers are adaptive cruise control, BLIS^® (Blind Spot Information System), and the world’s first inflatable seatbelts for second row passengers.

Technology

Ford makes driving an Explorer even better with the technology features available in the 2011 models. MyFord Touch™ driver connect technology and Ford SYNC^® communications and entertainment system make it easy for drivers to stay connected while keeping their focus on the road. The Explorer also offers a Sony^® Audio System with HD Radio™, MP3 connectivity, an SD card reader and RCA video jacks, an 8-inch LCD screen, and a voice-activated navigation system.

With its modern design, high performance capabilities, class-leading fuel efficiency, and advanced safety and technology features, the 2011 Ford Explorer is sure to be a favorite among SUV fans.

Related Stories:

• It's Rewarding to be a Ford Owner
• Ford Cars Have Most Appeal - 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Study
• Ford SYNC System Adds Google Maps

Results of a new Market Intelligence survey* provide some insight about consumers’ attitudes toward buying a new vehicle and the influence of the economy on their buying decision. For in-market car shoppers, the survey data indicated:

• Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of car shoppers plan to purchase a car within six months.
• The average shopper has three vehicles in his or her consideration set. Still, 83 percent of all respondents noted they are still undecided on the make and model of their next vehicle. 
• 67 percent of consumers are looking to buy a used car, while only 33 percent are looking to buy a new car.
• 62 percent of used car shoppers plan to spend $15,000 or less on their next vehicle purchase.
• 50 percent of new car shoppers plan to spend $25,000 or less on their next vehicle purchase.
• 62 percent of all shoppers prefer having to negotiate, rather than having a single set price for the vehicle.
• One-third of all car shoppers plan to pay the entire cost of their next vehicle purchase in cash. Those consumers also report that the automakers’ incentive offers largely do not influence their car-buying decision. 
• Zero percent financing remains the most appealing incentive for those looking to finance their vehicle purchase. The most popular loan term was 60 months.

*Results of this survey are based on 338 in-market car shoppers who were surveyed on the  Kelley Blue Book website from June 18-21, 2010.

A Kelley Blue Book spokesperson indicated that consumer attitudes toward car buying can be directly attributed to low consumer confidence in the economy right now. Consumers are taking a conservative approach to car buying, deciding to purchase what they can afford rather than over-extending their credit lines or yielding to incentive offers from the automakers.

What do you think about the results of this survey? Join in the discussion on our automotive forum.

Haggling 101| Vehicle Financing 101