Audi 2022 Sales Down, Dakar Disaster, Driving an S1 Rally Car & More! | AudiWorld Driven
Best-ever BEV sales despite bad overall sales, Carlos Sainz crashes out of Dakar, virtual reality is coming to your Audi, and an Audi Quattro MEGA test are some of the top stories this week.
It’s Friday, we can see the weekend in the headlights and that means it is time for another installment of our AudiWorld Driven series. Just in case you missed it last week this is our new feature where we round up the hottest Audi news, reviews, videos, and AudiWorld forum discussions from the past week just for you. Last week we featured a story about what it is like to take an e-tron on a long road trip. This week we have a similar road trip story but this time it is in an old-fashioned gasoline powered A8. There is some rather unfortunate news coming from the Audi Dakar rally team. A test of the most iconic five-cylinder Audis in history. And virtual reality will become your new in-car entertainment. A lot happened this week so let’s get into it.
Audi BEV Sales Soar by 47 Percent in 2022
2022 was a tough year for all major auto manufacturers. Continued supply chain issues made it tough to build and deliver cars. Audi was not immune and overall sales were down 5 percent compared to 2021. However, for the third consecutive year Audi saw double-digit BEV growth. 2022 marked the best-ever year for Audi BEV sales with an increase of 47 percent over 2021. To see the full 2022 sales break down click HERE.
Must Watch Video: Audi Quattro MEGA Test, Flat Out in S1 Group B Monster
If you watch just one video this week, make it this one. One of the most iconic Audi cars in history is the Walter Rohl Group B rally car. And any chance to see it rip around a racetrack is a treat. That is exactly what we get with this video posted recently on the Auto Express YouTube channel. And as amazing as that is, there is much more to this video as it walks through the history of the five-cylinder Audi’s. Turn the volume up and enjoy.
Forum Thread of the Week: 2,200 Mile A8 Road Trip
Last week we highlighted a thread in our forums about taking an e-tron on a 5,000-mile road trip. As luck we have it this week, we have a member writing about a 2,200-mile road trip in his Audi A8. It is a good opportunity to compare the road trip experience of an EV and a gasser back-to-back. To read the A8 road trip thread click HERE.
Carlos Sainz Receives Medical Treatment After Crashing Out of Dakar Rally
Last week we were all smiles as we reported that the Audi RS Q e-tron Dakar rally cars were going to be granted a power boost. However, this week those smiles were literally turned upside down as Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz rolled their Audi with such force that it was damaged beyond repair and had to be withdrawn. Sainz was initially treated for chest pains and was in a medical helicopter before he returned back to his wrecked racecar. Click HERE for the story as reported by Autosport.
Must Watch Video: Audi RS 3 Owns BMW M240i in Drag Race
In our first video above, you got to see a glimpse of the mighty RS 3. In this video the RS 3 is the star of the show as it goes up against the BMW M240i xDrive in a drag race. The Audi runs the quarter mile in 12 seconds flat. The BMW is .4 seconds behind. Although to be fair it was less than a stellar start by the BMW driver. However, the BMW driver had no impact on the RS 3 time and 12 seconds flat is a solid performance. For some perspective a first generation R8 took about a half second longer.
Holoride Brings Virtual Reality to your Audi
Holoride is about to change the game of backseat entertainment. Having a tv screen or an iPad in the backseat of your car is fine. But what if you could strap on some virtual reality goggles instead? Holoride is a startup funded in part by Audi and they believe they have the technology to give you a VR experience in the car. Now backseat riders can fly through a virtual world without worrying about very real-world motion sickness. The new system was just launched at CES 2023. To read all about this exciting new technology checkout the CoinDesk report HERE.
Images: Audi; CoinDesk; Autosport; AudiWorld forum
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