The other contenders were the Honda Insight, the Mercury Milan Hybrid (we still don’t get why this car beat out the better-selling and nearly identical Ford Fusion Hybrid) and the Toyota Prius.

Each year, Green Car Journal picks the five finalists and then hands over selection duties to celebrity jurors (Jay Leno, Carroll Shelby, and the Sierra Club’s Carl Pope, to name a few). During the award ceremony, Green Car Journal editor Ron Cogan said that the five finalists are notable because they are all mainstream vehicles that are available today.

• Archives

Construction of the new Audi and VW facility will begin at the end of this year or early 2010 with a projected opening date next summer, said Warner Peacock, president and CEO of NRAM Holdings LLC, owner of the dealerships at the New River Auto Mall.

The New River Auto Mall has a number of popular car brands that includes Nissan, Infiniti, Porsche, Mazda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Hyundai, Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge.

South Carolina Audi Dealers

The nearest Audi dealership is in Charleston South Carolina which is about two hours drive from the auto mall.   McDaniel’s Audi of Charleston is located on 2293 South Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29414.

The ownership group includes retail auto industry veterans Peacock and Don Mealey, professional baseball star Ken Griffey Jr., and attorneys Greg Humphries and Jay Brennan.  The New River Auto Mall will hire staff to fill positions in management, sales and service in spring 2010.

• Archives

South Carolina Audi dealers are running a special promotion on the 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet for a limited time.  Check your local dealer for availability or use the form on the right to request an in stock price quote.  Act fast because this offer expires on November 2nd.  Here are the details on leasing an Audi A4 in South Carolina:

2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet Special Edition
$499* lease per month for 36 months
Now through November 2, 2009

Audi A4 Cabriolet Lease Special Details

Down payment: $0
Refundable security deposit: $0
Acquisition fee: $0
First month’s payment: $499
Amount due at lease inception: $499
Excludes taxes, title and dealer fees

*36-mo. closed-end lease offered to qualified customers by Audi Financial Services through participating dealers. Must take delivery by 11/2/2009. Rate based on $42,275 MSRP of 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet Special Edition FWD Wood Trim Interior and iPod music interface. Purchase option at lease end for $21,560.50.

Required dealer contribution could affect final negotiated transaction. Lessee responsible for insurance and may have some financial liability at lease end. Lessee responsible for $0.25/mile over 10,000 miles per year and a disposition fee of $350 due at lease end. See dealer for details.

• Archives

The three-door version’s 68.9mpg combined economy figure demands no sacrifices in power or performance – with the same 105PS and 250Nm peak power and torque outputs as the larger displacement 1.9-litre TDI unit, the new arrival powers the A3 1.6 TDI with five-speed manual transmission to 62mph in 11.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 121mph. This uncompromising breadth of ability is made possible with the help of automatic start-stop and energy recuperation systems, both of which made their debuts recently in the A3 1.4 TFSI.

The start-stop system cuts engine power at idle when the clutch pedal is released and the gear lever is in its neutral position, and then restarts in just two-tenths of a second – more rapidly than any other comparable system – when the clutch is depressed. With the system’s help, economy is boosted and CO2 is reduced by approximately 5g/km, but if required it can be deactivated at the touch of a button.

Recuperation technology provides further fuel and CO2 savings by recycling a proportion of the wasted kinetic energy which is generated under normal braking and normally dissipated as heat, and storing this temporarily in the vehicle battery to reduce the engine load when the car subsequently accelerates again. With its help, fuel usage is reduced by as much as three per cent in the A3.

These virtually imperceptible economy-maximizing measures in no way detract from the responsiveness and agility which has always characterized the A3 range. For keen drivers this can be maximized by specifying the A3 1.6 TDI in Sport form with sports suspension lowered by 15mm over 17-inch five-spoke Star design alloy wheels, or as an S line which rides 10mm lower still on 18-inch seven twin-spoke wheels. The 1.6 TDI is also available in more comfort oriented SE and Standard trim levels, all four options featuring alloy wheels and comforts such as air conditioning or climate control, a single CD audio system, electric windows and mirrors and split/folding rear seats.

The frugal new engine and accompanying efficiency measures bear testament to the concerted efforts being made to honor Board of Management Chairman Rupert Stadler’s pledge to reduce average Audi fleet CO2 output by at least 20 per cent by 2012.

If you’re looking to purchase the new Audi A3 and live in South Carolina click here!

• Archives

Here is the official press release:

HERNDON, Va., Sep 1, 2009  -  Audi today reported its U.S. sales last month rose 26% to achieve its second-best August sales ever and its best month overall since June 2008. In August 2009, Audi sold 8,057 cars and SUVs compared to 6,406 vehicles sold in August 2008.

Audi posted the strong results despite offering only modest discounts to consumers and seeing minimal impact from the federal government’s Car Allowance Rebate System. Fewer than 10% of Audi sales for the month can be attributed to the “Cash for Clunkers” incentives that were available throughout August. Audi discounts have ranked among the lowest in the luxury vehicle segment, according to third-party measurements, and August was no exception to that trend.

“With each passing month it is clear that Audi is shaping the luxury vehicle conversation,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “These August results are not figments of steep discounting or other sales gimmicks. They represent the reality that the performance orientation, the leading-edge styling, the attention to detail and efficiency found across the Audi lineup resonate with the priorities set by today’s luxury car buyers.”

August 2009 set a sales record for the Audi Q5 crossover vehicle, which has been met with positive critical reviews since its launch in February. For the month, Audi dealers sold 1,496 Q5 models, leaving a 21-days supply of unsold models. Typically, a 60-days supply of unsold models is considered normal. Strong demand also tightened inventories of the Audi Q7 TDI® as American consumers are showing a new appreciation for the efficiency and emissions benefits of the world’s cleanest diesel technology. The inventory of unsold Q7 TDI models dipped to a mere 29-days supply.

“We received some lift by bringing 2010 Audi Q5 and Q7 TDI® models to market earlier than usual,” de Nysschen said. “But continued high demand isn’t allowing them to sit long on dealership lots.”

Sales of the popular Audi A5 and S5 coupes reached 877 to set an all-time monthly record. Through the first eight months of 2009, sales of the A5 and S5 models are 49.9% higher than the same period in 2008. Audi dealers sold 44 of the newly released S5 Cabriolet models in the month, as well.

August represented the best month of 2009 for the Audi A4 Sedan and Avant, with 3,209 of those models sold combined. Another 614 of the A4 Cabriolet sold in August. The Audi A3 and TT models also achieved their best sales of the year in August.

As a result of the strong August 2009 sales, Audi expects its share of the imported luxury vehicle sector to rise substantially when compared against its share a year earlier. That would put the Audi share of the segment above 8%. The best August sales month in the U.S. for Audi came in 2003.

During August 2009, Audi sold 6,167 cars and 1,890 SUVs. From January through August 2009, Audi sold 39,380 cars and 12,929 SUVs.

Audi is also optimistic about sales in the months ahead. At the end of August, dealership showroom traffic was up more than 20% from a year earlier and Internet leads were up 38.1% year-to-date from 2008 levels. What’s more, luxury consumer interest in the Audi lineup should intensify with the arrival of the Audi S4 Sedan, the S5 Cabriolet, the A5 Cabriolet and the redesigned Q7 models. Before the end of 2009, Audi will launch the new A3 TDI model, which gets a stunning 42 mpg of clean diesel fuel, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Audi recorded 2,642 Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) units sold in August, and has now achieved 21,187 CPO sales in 2009.

ABOUT AUDI
Audi of America Inc. and its 270 dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. The Audi lineup is one of the freshest in the industry with 23 models, including 12 models launched during model years 2008 and 2009. Audi is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. In selling one million vehicles worldwide in 2008, AUDI AG recorded its 13th consecutive record year for sales growth. Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.

NOTES:
- A4 includes Audi A4 sedan, Avant, and RS models.
- A5 includes Audi A5 coupe’ and S5 coupe’ models.
- A6 includes Audi A6 sedan, S6 sedan and A6 Avant models.
- A8 includes Audi A8 sedan, A8L sedan, and S8 sedan models.
- TT includes Audi TT coupe’ and TT roadster models.

• Archives

The $1,000 consumer incentive is valid on transactions from today to August 31 and applies to Audi models ranging from the 2009 Audi A3 to the 2009 Audi TT Roadster quattro. A table of all eligible Audi models for the CARS program and the Audi CARS Allowance incentive campaign follows. Not all 2009 Audi models are eligible for the CARS program. The federal government has not ruled on which 2010 models will be eligible under the program. As offered in July, special 60 month APR and Lease terms through Audi Financial Services are also available to complement the CARS program.

“The CARS reimbursement enacted by Congress is a tremendous opportunity for consumers interested in upgrading to vehicles that offer better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions,” said Mark Del Rosso, Chief Operating Officer, Audi of America. ” Now that some uncertainties surrounding the launch of this federal program have been cleared up the time is right to enhance the deal even further.”

*Note – MY 10 vehicles are currently being evaluated for inclusion into the CARS program once the EPA has determined their official MPG ratings.

• Archives