Audi

Big Daddy Audi A8 L W12 priced from $133,500*

Big Daddy Audi A8 L W12 priced from $133,500*

Big Daddy Audi A8 L W12 priced from $133,500*
The 2012 Audi A8 L will now be offered with a W12 engine under its hood and a $133,500 starting price on the window sticker. For that, you get a dozen cylinders giving 500 horsepower and 463 pound-feet of torque – enough to launch Audi’s Big Daddy to 60 mph in a scant 4.4 seconds.

The sporty 2012 Audi TT-RS can be yours if you have $56,850 to spare. The redesigned 2012 A6 sedan starts at $41,700 for the front-wheel-drive 2.0T and $49,900 for the 3.0T with Quattro all-wheel-drive. Finally, the Audi R8 GT, if you haven’t already heard, will run you $196,800. Still no word on when the Spyder derivative will arrive to add a $200,000 car to Audi’s lineup.

2012 Audi TT RS priced from $56,850*

2012 Audi TT RS priced from $56,850*

2012 Audi TT RS priced from $56,850*
Audi has finally released U.S. pricing on the company’s 2012 TT RS. Buyers looking to jump into the 360-horsepower coupe can plan on handing over $56,850 (*plus any applicable destination charges) for the pleasure of ownership. That pricing scoots the mean little Audi well under the Porsche Cayman S at $62,100, though the topless Boxster S narrows that gap somewhat with a price tag of $58,600. Of course, both of those lithe sports cars are down by about 50 ponies compared to the new Quattro terror, which helps give the edge from stop light to stop light. The German automaker says that the 2012 TT RS can scoot to 60 mph in a scant 4.1 seconds.

That’s moving right along, especially considering that the BMW 1 Series M Coupe does the same sprint in 4.7 seconds. It’s also about $1,600 cheaper, but who’s counting? For comparison’s sake, the 265-hp TTS starts at $47,000, itself already a big leap over the $38,300 base 211-hp TT.

[Source: Audi]

Audi RS3 against BMW 1 M Coupe in drag race

Audi RS3 against BMW 1 M Coupe in drag race

There’s no end to the vehicles to which you could compare the BMW 1 M Coupe. You could pit it against its big brother the M3, or the original that is its spiritual ancestor. Top Gear put it in unusual context with the Volkswagen GTI. Autocar against the Porsche Cayman R. The list goes on and on, but perhaps its most natural modern rival is the Audi RS3.