Heels & Horsepower Magazine

What you should know about the batteries in the Audi e-tron range

What is the Audi e-tron battery?

The Audi e-tron features the latest in lithium-ion multicell battery technology. The advanced battery is built within a protective honeycomb structure and has integrated thermal management, designed to help optimise performance in varying conditions.

What maintenance does the Audi e-tron battery require?

The battery has an in-built battery management system and is maintenance free.

How long is the battery warranty?

8 years / 160,000km

What you should know about servicing the Audi e-tron

For over 100 years, Audi’s history has been marked by prestige, automotive ambition and technological excellence.

Here are a few things you need to know about charging the Audi e-tron range which is due to hit our shores soon.

How often do I need to service my Audi e-tron?

Service intervals for the Audi e-tron is 30,000km or 2 years.

Does the Audi e-tron come with Roadside Assist?

Your Audi e-tron has as standard, 24/7 Roadside assistance backed up with our nationwide Dealer network.

When does Roadside Assistance help?

Audi Roadside Assistance helps whenever you have a problem with your Audi and call Audi Assist. Of course this also applies for the Audi e-tron including problems with charging. Services under the conditions of the Audi Assist programme are free of charge for you subject to an active AFP Maintenance Plan.

What happens if a charging station is out of service and I do not have enough range to reach another one?

If the vehicle breaks down or is about to break down due to an empty battery, depending on the situation, Audi Assist provides on-the-spot assistance (e.g. mobile charging) or tows the vehicle to the nearest charging station. Services under the conditions of the Audi Assist programme are free of charge for you subject to an active AFP Maintenance Plan.

Do electric vehicles require special insurance?

This will be at the discretion of your insurance company, however our belief is that there is no difference regarding the insurance of an Audi e-tron versus any other equivalent priced vehicle.

All the basic stuff you ought to know about the Audi e-tron

For over 100 years, Audi’s history has been marked by prestige, automotive ambition and technological excellence.

Here are a few basic things you need to know about the Audi e-tron range which is due to hit our shores soon.

Can you tow with the Audi e-tron? What towing capacity does it offer?

Yes, the Audi e-tron can tow. The tow rating on the Audi e-tron is 1.8 tonne. A tow bar is available as an optional accessory.

What is the range of the Audi e-tron?

WLTP (real world driving test) sets the Audi e-tron 55 quattro range at up to 417km, Audi e-tron 55 Sportback range at up to 446km, and the Audi e-tron 50 quattro Advanced has an estimated range of up to 336km. This is variable based on driving conditions, style, situation and terrain.

The e-tron offers an innovative recuperation system, meaning the vehicle can recover energy in two ways allowing the potential of further range: by means of coasting recuperation when the driver releases the accelerator, or by means of braking recuperation when the brake pedal is depressed. In both cases, the electric motors function as a generator and convert the kinetic energy of the Audi e-tron into electric energy so you can raise your charge level when driving.

What performance does the Audi e-tron deliver?

Two electric motors power the Audi e-tron. The Audi e-tron 55 quattro and e-tron 55 quattro Advaned has a system output of up to 300 kW (in boost mode) and 664 Nm of torque. The Audi SUV accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, with top speed electronically governed at 200 km/h.

The Audi e-tron 50 quattro Advanced outputs up to 320 kW and 540 Nm of torque, while accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.0 seconds and a top speed of 190 km/h.

Is there anything special regarding the Audi e-tron’s handling?

The electric e-tron SUV is optimised for on-road and off-road capability. Placement of the battery gives the Audi e-tron a low centre of gravity, enhancing the dynamics of the vehicle.

Air suspension come standard on the vehicle, allowing customisation at the push of a button.

Does the Audi e-tron feature quattro technology?

quattro has gone electric with the Audi e-tron. Our iconic 4WD system allows all terrain capability within the e-tron model.

What safety systems does the Audi e-tron have?

  • ISOfix child safety system
  • Audi level of active and passive safety features
  • Class leading driver assistance systems
  • Battery – Crash tested safety system

Is there a range of accessories available for the vehicle?

We have a wide range of Audi e-tron accessories available from your local authorised Audi Dealer to suit your needs and lifestyle including roof rails and attachments to mount roof boxes.

What you should know about charging the Audi e-tron

For over 100 years, Audi’s history has been marked by prestige, automotive ambition and technological excellence.

Here are a few things you need to know about charging the Audi e-tron range which is due to hit our shores soon.

Does the Audi e-tron come with a charger?

Each Audi e-tron comes standard with an AC charging unit and two charging cords – a standard domestic 3 pin 16 amp plug and a 32 amp industrial plug and cable (recommended) capable of up-to 7.2kW charging.

What can I do to prepare my home for electric vehicle charging?

Audi South Africa will partner with a certified installation service provider to provide you with home energy solutions to ensure you can charge your Audi e-tron in the best possible way. For further information please contact your preferred Audi e-tron Dealer.

What is the anticipated charging time for the Audi e-tron?

Most of us will charge our electric vehicle just like our cell phone – overnight on trickle charge, and at the lowest rate provided by the energy supplier. Charging time will vary based on your electrical current supply i.e. 16 amp/32 amp and the charge state of your e-tron’s battery.

Estimated charge time against 32 amp power supply is approx. 13 hours from flat to fully charged. An overnight 8 hour charge will give you approx. 240km of range. Charging stations outside of your home will have a varying kW charge, however are generally at a 50 kW level, allowing a full charge from flat in a little under 2 hours.

What effect will loadshedding have?

Loadshedding is generally managed and scheduled per area, so you should be able to plan around this. Most home-charging takes place overnight, when loadshedding does not usually occur.

If at any time, loadshedding takes place when you need to charge your e-tron, you may find a suitable public charging facility close to your place of residence.

The range is the Audi e-tron is sufficient, so that often, with usual daily commuting, daily charging is not always necessary.

Are there many charging stations outside of the main cities? How do I find them?

Yes, there are many public charging stations around the country for fast (DC) charging. We are partnering with a leading and reputable service provider to ensure customers have access to the available public charging stations across the country.

  • NB: The above answers about charging the e-tron are based on the Audi e-tron 55. Some of these questions will also apply to other plug-in hybrid and fully electric models.

Meet the future: Audi e-tron range heading to South Africa

For over 100 years, Audi’s history has been marked by prestige, automotive ambition and technological excellence.

Audi South Africa is fully embracing the global drive towards premium sustainable mobility and looks forward to progressing this topic locally in an effort to reshape the way South Africans view electric vehicles. 

“Across the world, the automotive industry is announcing plans to phase out combustion engines to advance the transformation of the industry for the future. As Audi South Africa we see ourselves as being in a position to contribute to this global vision, and having the responsibility to do that. Not only are we aligned with the importance of sustainability, but we have the technology, performance and design credentials within our e-tron range, to offer our premium customers an all-electric drive that will inspire and excite,” said Sascha Sauer, Head of Audi South Africa.

Announcing our electric vehicle range is a key part our objective to have the youngest and freshest product offering in the market.

– Sascha Sauer, Head of Audi South Africa

As part of this local commitment, Audi South Africa will introduce a fully-fledged e-tron range in the local market and this will include:

Under the SUV category:        The Audi e-tron 50 and e-tron 55

Under the CUV category:        The Audi e-tron Sportback 55 and e-tron Sportback S

Under the high-performancecategory:     The Audi e-tron GT and Audi RS e-tron GT

This year has already been successful for the Audi brand in South Africa with many new product introductions, and the launch of these electric vehicles early in 2022 will be an exciting crescendo to this new model offensive.

“Announcing our electric vehicle range is a key part of our objective to have the youngest and freshest product offering in the market and we’re excited to share more details with our customers on our electric journey over the next few months, leading up to the e-tron range’s official model introduction in quarter one next year,” Sauer concluded.

Product specification and pricing associated with the e-tron range will be announced closer to retail launch. 

WATCH: Ignition GT promo – Vuyi Mpofu chats about the Audi RS model range & Toyota Starlet

Thank you so much for joining us for the Toyota Starlet studio discussion Vuyi!

– ZIMKHITA KWEZA, JUNIOR PRODUCER, IGNITION GT

The next episode of Ignition GT featuring our Editor Vuyi Mpofu debuts on Saturday 20th February at 10:30am on DSTV channel 189.

In the full episode she shares her thoughts on the Toyota Starlet and Audi RS 4 & RS 5 model ranges being released in April 2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHskJq9ChGk

This episode also airs on the following dates:


SAT 20 Feb
10:30 IGNITION GT
SUN 21 Feb 16:30 IGNITION GT
MON 22 Feb 00:30 IGNITION GT
MON 22 Feb 10:30 IGNITION GT
TUE 23 Feb 04:30 IGNITION GT
WED 24 Feb 05:30 IGNITION GT
WED 24 Feb 20:30 IGNITION GT
THUR  25Feb 08:30 IGNITION GT
THUR 25 Feb 17:30 IGNITION GT
FRI 26 Feb 14:30 IGNITION GT

New on the Tarmac: Meet the Ferocious new Audi R8

No other Audi is closer to motor racing: The Audi R8 is the dynamic spearhead and the fastest volume-production model of the Audi Sport brand. The revised version of the high-performance sports car as a Coupé and Spyder hosts an even sharper design. VIP customer deliveries of the dynamic Audi R8 V10 performance quattro have officially begun in South Africa.

This is part of a pre-launch strategy ahead of the performance sports car’s official retail launch from 1 April 2021.

POWER AND TORQUE

The V10 is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.2 FSI engine paired to a 7-speed S tronic gearbox, offering 449 kW and 560 Nm of torque. The Audi R8 V10 Coupé sprints to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, and the Spyder takes 3.3 seconds. Top speed is a blistering 329 km/h.  

Audi R8 customers can enjoy the standard high-gloss black styling package as a sporty exterior look to their sports car. The front splitter, the sill trims and diffuser are all finished off in black accents, with an option to upgrade the exterior look to the gloss carbon RS exterior parts which creates an aggressively sportier look. 

LED headlamps and rear lights with dynamic turn signals and high-beam control are standard with an option to upgrade to the Audi laser light at an extra cost.

INTERIOR

The new look extends to the interior of the Audi R8 with its driver focus orientation. New options here include the R8 sports seat with fine Nappa leather and diamond stitching as standard. Customers are able to select between the upholstery colours of red, white or black.

The operating concept, the Audi virtual cockpit and the MMI

The driver sits in the new Audi R8 like in a race car. The entire operating concept focuses on the driver alone, who can operate all key functions without having to take their hands off the steering wheel or look away from the road. 

The R8 performance multifunction steering wheel plus integrates three satellite buttons in addition to its push-buttons for the MMI. One is used to start and stop the engine, the second is used to select the basic modes of Audi drive select and the third for the performance programs.

Other key standard equipment includes: rear view camera, electric and folding exterior mirrors, comfort key, parking aid plus, R8 sport seats, seat heaters, tyre mobility kit with a tyre pressure monitoring system (to name a few).

 

Local pricing and availability

The updated Audi R8 range is priced as follows (inclusive of all taxes) and comes standard with a five year Audi Freeway Plan:

Audi R8 Coupé V10 performance quattro        R3,336,000

Audi R8 Spyder V10 performance quattro       R3,592,500

Volkswagen Group South Africa tops passenger car market in pandemic-hit 2020

Despite a year that was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA), which consists of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Commercial Vehicles brands as well as Audi, ended 2020 as the passenger car market leader in South Africa. 

“2020 was a challenging year not just for our brands but for the motoring industry as a whole and to come out of 2020 still holding onto our leadership of the passenger car market, is an incredible feat,” said Mike Glendinning, VWSA Sales and Marketing Director. 

According to naamsa, 380 449 vehicles were sold in South Africa last year, a 29.1% decline when compared to 2019. “VWSA was severely affected by the pandemic which ground vehicle sales to a halt in April; our 2020 sales are down by 28.9% year-on-year when compared to 2019,” said Glendinning. 

In what was been an unprecedented year, VWSA’s performance in 2020 is thanks to our dedicated Dealer Network who pushed for every sale.

“Despite the difficulties we faced in 2020, the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand posted a record market share last year; the 21.6% market share achieved by the brand in 2020 is 1.2% higher than the one in 2019 and is the highest market share in the history of the brand as well as the highest market share of all Volkswagen markets across the world,” added Glendinning.

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand recorded total sales of 53 319 units last year. With 19 750 units sold in 2020, the locally-manufactured Polo Vivo is not only Volkswagen’s top-selling vehicle, but it is also the South Africa’s best-selling passenger car. The compact SUV, the T-Cross, is now Volkswagen’s best-selling imported vehicle with 5 693 units sold in 2020. With less than two years since being launched in South Africa, the T-Cross is now sitting in second position in the A0 SUV segment in the local market. 

In a year that was particularly challenging for the premium market, the Audi brand increased its market share by 0.3% when compared to 2019 and recorded full-year sales of 5 819 units last year. The Audi Q2 was the best-selling model range for the premium brand last year posting sales of 1 131 units. 

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, which is responsible for vehicle derivatives like the Amarok, Caddy, Kombi, Caravelle, Panel Van and the Crafter, posted total sales of 4 344 and ended the year with a 3.7% market share in 2020. The Caddy was the brand’s best-selling derivative with 1 730 units sold in 2020. 

I’d also like to thank our loyal Audi and Volkswagen customers who continue to ensure that VWSA is South Africa’s most loved passenger brand year after year.

“In what was been an unprecedented year, VWSA’s performance in 2020 is thanks to our dedicated Dealer Network who pushed for every sale. I’d also like to thank our loyal Audi and Volkswagen customers who continue to ensure that VWSA is South Africa’s most loved passenger brand year after year,” concluded Glendinning.

Looking ahead at 2021

This year, Volkswagen South Africa will be turning 70 years old in August. The first Volkswagen rolled off the production line in Uitenhage in 1951. Besides Volkswagen’s special birthday, there are also some exciting vehicles making their way to South Africa this year. The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand will start off the year with a bang with the launch of the highly-anticipated hot hatch, the Golf 8 GTI. A Tiguan facelift, as well as the Golf 8 R, will also be launched in the local market this year. 

2021 will also be an action-packed year for the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand as they kick off the year with sales of the most powerful bakkie in South Africa, the Amarok 190kW, from the first quarter of this year. New model introductions include the T6.1 Kombi, Crafter Auto, as well as the fifth generation of the best-selling Caddy model range. 

Besides the introduction of a totally refreshed and extensive R and RS performance range (new RS4, RS5, RS6, RS7, RSQ8, RSQ3, R8 are all due in 2021), key model introductions for this year for the Audi brand in South Africa include the all-new Audi A3 model range. The Audi Q5 and Q2 model ranges are also due for a facelift in 2021 as well.

Meet the new, sportier, cutting edge Audi A4

The A4 represents the core of the Audi brand.

After four years in the making, the successful midsize sedan is now tauter, sportier and more intelligent than before. Its exterior has evolved into Audi’s new design language and the introduction of the large MMI touch display offers the kind of operating experience that customers will be familiar with from their smartphone.

Further to this, the new Audi A4 is the brand’s first model to usher in fully integrated connectivity functions with Audi connect, thereby enabling safety and service; security and convenience as well real-time infotainment functions to the driving experience.

The engine options now come with a mild-hybrid system (MHEV) which allows for efficiency and comfort from broad-based electrification. This combination of advanced design, new technology, an efficient and connected driving experience, makes the product improvement on the Audi A4 quite a substantial package in the premium B-Sedan segment.

SPORTY LOOKS: The midsize model looks even more dynamic and sophisticated thanks to the sportier design highlights.  The Singleframe grille is now broader and flatter; horizontal lines emphasize the width at the front and rear.  The side view is defined by the distinctive muscles above the fenders and the lower set shoulder line in between. They form strong contours above the wheels and make the quattro genes outwardly visible.

LED headlights now come standard in the Audi A4 and are available in different variations.

LED headlights now come standard in the Audi A4 and are available in different variations. The 35 TFSI features low beam, high beam and daytime running lights in LED technology. The 40 TFSI and S4 will feature a higher version of LED including a different daytime running light design and dynamic indicators for the rear; also available optionally is the top-of-the-line Matrix LED headlights with fully automatic high beam.

The equipment line concept is equally new: standard, Advanced and S line are now available for the exterior, not to mention the independent look of the S model with the standard high gloss styling package to accentuate it’s exterior look. 

Customers can choose from 12 paint colours, including a new Terra Grey colour option.

When it comes to the wheel options, 17” size is configured as standard on the entry trimline and a 18” standard wheel size on the Advanced and S line trims. There is an option to upgrade to 19” for a further sportier look. The Audi S4 offers 19” wheels as standard with a choice of three designs.

MODEL RANGE: Audi will be offering the A4 model line with three turbocharged engines in South Africa. Their power outputs range from 110 kW to 260 kW – from the Audi A4 35 TFSI up to the Audi S4 TFSI. For the market launch in October 2020, two engine variants (A4 35 TFSI and 40 TFSI) will feature a mild-hybrid system (MHEV) based on 12 volts, which reduces fuel consumption while improving comfort. This broad-based electrification makes an important contribution to achieving positive fuel consumption. In everyday use, the MHEV system reduces fuel consumption by up to 0.3 litres per 100 kilometres according to individual Audi measurements.  All A4 models come off the production line with an automatic transmission as standard.

The model range is detailed below:

ModelEngine (l)Power (kW)Torque (Nm)
Audi A4 35 TFSI Standard2.0 TFSI110270
Audi A4 35 TFSI Advanced2.0 TFSI110270
Audi A4 40 TFSI Standard2.0 TFSI140320
Audi A4 40 TFSI Advanced2.0 TFSI140320
Audi A4 40 TFSI S line2.0 TFSI140320
Audi S43.0 TFSI260500

The range is expected to include a diesel engine in quarter one of 2021.

THE AUDI S4 TFSI: The 3.0 TFSI offering follows from the previous generation Audi S4. It combines sports car performance with good levels of efficiency and also impresses with high power, ample torque, spontaneous response and a sonorous sound. The direct petrol injection engine with turbocharging has an output of 260 kW and produces a hefty torque of 500 Nm from 1,370 to 4,500 rpm.

The turbo V6 engine accelerates the Audi S4 from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, and up to an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h. In the new S4, a fast and smoothly shifting eight-speed tiptronic handles the power transfer. The quattro permanent all-wheel drive makes a large contribution to the sporty handling of the S4. In normal driving, it distributes engine forces with a slight emphasis of the rear wheels – if necessary the majority of forces can be directed to the axle with better traction.

LOCAL PACKAGES: The new Audi A4 range will offer the package concept as introduced on other new models launched in South Africa. The packages include:

  • Comfort
  • Technology
  • Sport
  • Lights (35 TFSI only)
  • Assistance / City Assistance / Lane Assistance

MARKET INTRODUCTION AND PRICING: The Audi A4 range is currently available for sale at all Audi Dealerships in South Africa.

The model range is priced as follows:

  • Audi A4 35 TFSI S tronic:   R 644,000
  • Audi A4 35 TFSI Advanced S tronic:   R 663,000
  • Audi A4 40 TFSI S tronic:   R 681,500
  • Audi A4 40 TFSI Advanced S tronic:   R 700,500
  • Audi A4 40 TFSI S line S tronic:   R 726,500
  • Audi S4 TFSI 260kW quattro tiptronic:  R 944,500

All models come standard with the 5 year / 100 000km Audi Freeway plan, inclusive of all taxes.