Audi. Now.

Audi. Now. THE MAGAZINE BROUGHT TO YOU BY LOOKERS AUDI

WISHFUL MICHELIN-STARRED CHEF MARTIN WISHART ON HIS DRIVE FOR LIFE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS

SUMMER 2019

Search online for Lookers Audi

The new A1.

It’s not a small car.

It’s a small Audi.

lookers.co.uk/audi Official fuel consumption figures for the Audi A1 S line Style Edition 35 TFSI in mpg (l/100km): Urban 42.2, Extra Urban 64.2, Combined 53.3. CO2 emissions: 120g/km.

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AYR AUDI IS YOUR LOCAL CENTRE FOR AUDI - A WORLD-LEADER IN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND THE PREMIUM CAR BRAND WITH A VEHICLE TO SUIT EVERY LIFESTYLE. WELCOME TO AYR AUDI, IT’S GREAT TO MEET YOU

Wel c om e

WELCOME We are delighted to bring you the first edition of our brand new Audi.Now magazine, brought to you by Ayr Audi in celebration of all that is great about the Audi brand and our Audi centre here in Ayrshire.

Within these pages you will find fascinating updates about Audi and some of the 20-plus new and updated models to be released in 2019. We profile what is set to be the most exciting global car launch of 2019 - the all-electric e-tron SUV - the e-tron siblings which will follow hot on its heels, and the hybrid Audi models which are making a splash on the international stage.

Michelin-starred chef Martin Wishart, whose restaurants in Edinburgh and Loch Lomond have an international reputation, tells us about his admiration for Audi - the marque which not only matches his insistence on achieving the highest standards in all he does, but also perfectly matches his busy and active lifestyle.

We offer a pick of some of Audi’s most exciting and newest models, and delve into the exciting world of Audi high tech including the amazing virtual technology now available on new models, and the futuristic world of driverless cars and Smart City technology in which Audi is a global pioneer.

Most importantly, this magazine is for you Ayr Audi’s valued customer - your opportunity to sit back, relax, and find out more about our mission and ethos here, and all we can do to make your car-buying and car owning experience the best it can be. In addition, we take you on a journey through the way we live now, in terms of our work, rest and play, and inspire you in your search for the Audi for you.

We look forward to a long and happy relationship with you.

Lookers Audi

CAMERON WADE Franchise Director Ayr Audi High Thorneyflat Wynd Whitletts Roundabout, Ayr, KA8 0LS Tel: 01292 270969 www.ayr.audi.co.uk

@LookersAudi

/LookersAudi

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Cont e nt s

CONTENTS 06 - Welcome to Ayr Audi Your dealership

10 - Customer profile I love my Audi because

15/17 - Meet the team Here to help

20 - Martin Wishart On the road with the Michelin-starred chef

26 - Trend watch How we live now

30 - Take your pick Audi’s latest models

34 - Our friends electric Audi’s new e-tron and PHEVs

40 - Next-generation thinking Audi technology in action

44 - Drives of our lives Take an Audi on a famous route

48 - Audi on demand Hire an Audi for up to 28 days via our app

50 - Win an Audi experience A unique electric experience

CONTRIBUTORS EDITORIAL - Jane Hall PHOTOGRAPHY - Critical Tortoise - www.critical-tortoise.com KG Photography - www.kgphotography.co.uk

PRODUCED BY OFFSTONE PUBLISHING Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7AL, telephone 01661 844 115 www.offstonepublishing.co.uk, info@offstonepublishing.co.uk ©Offstone Publishing 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

All information contained in this magazine is correct at the time of going to press.

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C ont ents

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TAKE A TRIP THROUGH YOUR NEW LOOKERS AUDI MAGAZINE, BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR LOCAL AUDI CENTRE. ENJOY THE RIDE - AND REMEMBER, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU

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AYR AUDI YOUR LOCAL AUDI CENTRE

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De ale rs h i p prof i l e

Welcome to Ayr Audi.

Take a tour of your local Audi centre with our Head of Business, Ian Struthers

t’s hard to believe, but it’s now 12 years since Ayr Audi opened in our current location in High Thornyflat Wynd.

It was big news for us, in what was also an equally interesting year on both the national and global stage. The summer of 2007 was one of the wettest on record in the UK; the first iPhone was unveiled; the housing bubble finally burst and Northern Rock collapsed as we headed into the worst financial crash since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

At the same time, an exciting new era of driving beckoned as automakers began promising us cleaner, greener cars as volatile fuel prices, climate change and the economic slowdown all began to take their toll.

A lot has happened in the years since too, not least in car manufacturing, where a new chapter has now indeed opened, with the ever-pioneering and progressive Audi leading the way.

This year sees the launch of the long-awaited Audi e-tron SUV, the marque’s first fully electric vehicle offering a range of up to 241 miles on a single charge.

Other e-tron models are set to follow and this is an exciting time to be working with Audi at what is truly the dawn of a new motoring era.

But we’re not all being asked to follow the Human League and come (Together in) Electric Dreams. The driving evolution

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that has taken place over the last 12 years means petrol vehicles are now cleaner and more efficient than ever. Audi has again led the way, offering technology-packed models to suit everyone from the latest stunning Audi A1 to the new Audi Q8 range.

And with a further 20 new or updated models planned, drivers will be spoilt for choice.

It’s not just the motor industry that has developed so radically. Ayr Audi has expanded at a phenomenal rate, seeing sales volumes more than double since we opened our doors back in 2007.

Being able to offer one of the industry’s most up-to-date and desirable model ranges has helped, but our staff have all played their part too. Many have been with us since Ayr Audi opened and this has undoubtedly been instrumental in our success.

Returning customers can count on seeing the same trusted and familiar faces. We pride ourselves on offering great customer service, solid advice and assistance, and on ensuring we make our centre as welcoming and family-friendly as possible.

It’s why we are always pleased to get involved in our local community. While we are in the business of selling cars, we all need to take a step back. We do a lot of work with local charities and sports clubs through fundraising events and sponsorship deals.

One of the local causes we support

AYR AUDI Ayr Audi is busier than ever after 12 years at our location in High Thornyflat Wynd, where you can always find a warm and well-informed welcome from our dedicated team

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is the Ayrshire Hospice Cancer Charity.

We are delighted that for the third year in succession we are the main sponsor of the Starlight Walk, which in 2018 raised more than £50,000 – which is an amazing community achievement.

Now in its 11th year, this event sees hundreds of people putting their best foot forward as they take to the streets of Ayr for the night walk. Ayr Audi staff will be pulling on their walking boots and joining in this fun and sociable way to raise money for a fantastic charity.

We hope we will see some of you on the walk, or feel free to pop in and say hello to us here at Ayr Audi.

I always say that buying a car is about getting behind the wheel and experiencing the technology. We sell beautiful cars with amazing brains – and this has to be experienced first-hand.

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Ayr Audi is your local centre for the marque with four rings, which will release more than 20 new or updated models in 2019, including the much talked-about e-tron; Audi’s first fully electric vehicle

The all-new Audi A4.

Even sportier and even more cutting edge.

lookers.co.uk/audi Combined fuel consumption figures for the Audi A4 Saloon in l/100 km: 6.8 – 4.9; Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 155 – 125; Information on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions as well as efficiency classes in ranges depending on the tyres and alloy wheel rims used.

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Cu s t om e r p rofi le

A taste for Audi

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Audi has become something of a family obsession for the Conettas.

Restaurateur Stephen Conetta explains why he loves both the brand and Ayr Audi so much t’s a big leap from a Fiat Punto to driving around in a stylish and nippy Audi A3 Sportback.

But it’s a jump restaurant owner Stephen Conetta didn’t need much persuasion to make.

He was in his early 20s and on the hunt for a new set of wheels when his brotherin-law, who at the time worked for Audi, suggested Stephen take a look at what the German car manufacturer had to offer.

“He brought an Audi A3 along to my house for me to test drive,” Stephen recalls.

“After taking it out on the road I didn’t need any arm twisting to get one. It ticked every car driving box; comfortable, punchy, really well built and stylish.

I opted for a two litre in black, and I have to say it is still probably my favourite car.”

That didn’t stop Stephen trading it in, however, and he’s now the proud owner of his fifth Audi in 12 years.

The rapid turnaround in vehicles is not a sign that there has been anything wrong with Stephen’s cars, more that he can’t get enough of Audi.

“Over the years I have looked at other cars on a level with Audi, but they have never had the same draw for me. Audi is a high performance make, but at the same time it is confidently understated. Its cars are stylish without being brash. There’s a massive range and variety of vehicles so

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“AUDI IS ALWAYS AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF IN-CAR TECHNOLOGY”

you don’t need to keep changing brands, and Audi is always at the cutting edge of easy to use in-car technology.”

It’s an opinion the rest of his family appear to share. Stephen’s parents, Angelo and Maria Conetta, have been long-time fans too, and while the couple, who founded the Ayr-based Vitos and Dinos restaurant and takeaway chain, did take a break from the brand, absence quickly made the heart grow fonder, and they are now firmly back in the Audi stable.

Stephen’s wife, Lisa, is an Audi fan. She has just taken delivery of a new and feisty Audi S3, having driven an Audi Q3 for the past four years. Stephen’s brother, Michael, also has an Audi S3 Saloon parked on his driveway.

Just as the Conettas have been loyal

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ELECTRIFYING DESIGN Stephen Conetta is a true Audi fan, having driven only Audis for more than 12 years now, and thinking about which model he should get next

AFTER FIVE AUDIS IN 12 YEARS, STEPHEN CAN’T HELP THINKING ABOUT INVESTING IN HIS SIXTH...

with their chosen make of car, they have remained faithful to Ayr Audi. With two Vitos Italian restaurants and a takeaway in the centre of Ayr, as well as the award-winning Dino’s fish and chip outlet, Stephen says the family are firm believers in supporting local.

But more than that, Stephen enjoys dealing with the team at Ayr Audi. “I have a really good relationship with the dealership. The level of service is always second to none. I think the fact that I have bought five Audis in 12 years speaks volumes about both the brand and the dealership. Audi is a fantastic make and the Ayr centre is a really friendly and professional set-up.”

Stephen is currently driving an Audi A5, having progressed from his original Audi A3 to an Audi A4 saloon, Audi TTS coupe, and an Audi S3.

With Lisa having recently bought her new Audi S3, however, Stephen admits his appetite has been whet for a new model. His dream drive would be the very latest high performance Audi R8 with its naturally-aspirated V10 engines that give this striking vehicle the familiarly satisfying deep growl we all love.

But as he says with a laugh: “I think we might be heading for the divorce court if I get my sixth Audi in 12 years!

I will just have to be patient and wait a little longer.”

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S t af f Por tra i ts

MEET THE TEAM The Ayr Audi team: here for you

IAN PIRRIE

CLIVE SINCLAIR

MARK WOODCOCK

PARTS MANAGER On his day off, Ian Pirrie is likely to be found behind the wheel of a sedate golf buggy.

But what he’d really like to be doing is driving Audi’s ultimate high speed performance car, the R8, around the streets of Monaco, famous for its grand prix.

The Parts Manager likes cars that combine breathtaking performance and style and this drew him to Ayr Audi nine years ago. “Working with a premium brand like Audi was a major attraction,” he says. “I love my job and I can’t wait to see the exciting new models coming through.” Ian’s role is to manage the day-to-day running of the parts department, order stock, and check the centre always has the correct components needed to ensure customers cars can stay on the road with the minimum of fuss and inconvenience. “It’s what I like best about my job: looking after our customers and making sure they drive away happy.”

SALES EXECUTIVE Before moving into the motor trade, Clive Sinclair was an apprentice electrician.

The e-tron, Audi’s first all-electric car is exciting - a prime example of the technologically advanced vehicles that the German car firm is renowned for.

Clive says the Audi e-tron looks amazing and having started out as an electrician, the electric vehicles that are coming through fascinate him. It’s the perfect car to take on his picture-perfect drive: the iconic North Coast 500 touring route, so named because it meanders through 516-miles of stunning scenery around the north coast of Scotland.

Ironically, Clive fell in love with Audi while working at a Porsche dealership. “I was given an Audi as my company car and fell for the brand. I love my job. Every day is different. I really enjoy meeting people and helping find the right Audi for them and their dreams.”

SHOWROOM MANAGER Mark Woodcock loves Audi, having been at Ayr Audi since he left school, enjoying his work with the marque every day since.

The new Audi e-tron is his main object of desire at present, having already been lucky enough to drive the much-talked about new allelectric model. “It’s amazing, the features and technology in the car are incredible,” he says, with great enthusiasm. Given the chance, he would take the e-tron or his other favourite model, the Audi SQ5, to the north of Scotland, where he could make the most of the scenery and visit some favourite haunts. Meanwhile, he enjoys helping to provide a fantastic experience for visitors to the centre. “It’s a premium brand and a fantastic product range,” he says.

“It’s great, working with the sales team to achieve their maximum potential and helping customers find their dream car.

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MEET THE TEAM The Ayr Audi team: here for you

CARLY HUME

JASON DUNLOP

PAUL MCKENNA

SHOWROOM HOST Self-confessed chatterbox Carly Hume loves her job, meeting people from all walks of life every day, dealing with customer enquiries in person and over the phone, and ensuring visitors to the centre leave smiling after a great experience.

She’s been a welcoming face at Ayr Audi for five years, having come here straight from school. She loves Audi cars, though she says her passion for them takes second place to her passion for making every visitor to Ayr Audi happy.

If she were to choose her favourite car, it would be the Audi Q5, which she would love to take for a spin along the shores of Loch Lomond, where she has great family memories.

She is also looking forward to the arrival of the e-tron at Ayr Audi, and, no doubt, assisting the many visitors it will bring with it.

ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER Jason is a seasoned motor trade professional, having been in the industry since he left school.

He’s been with Audi for two years, drawn to the marque, he says, “because it’s a fantastic product. I enjoy dealing with the day-to-day running of the service department and working with the Service Manager to ensure our customer service is of the highest standard, so every customer leaves Ayr Audi with a smile on their face.”

As a child, Jason’s dream car was the futuristic Kitt - the thinking, talking car from the TV show Knight Rider. Today, however, it’s the Audi RS6 - one of the high-performance Audi models he would love to take for a spin around the famed Nürburgring racetrack in Germany.

He’s also excited about the arrival of the Audi e-tron. “It looks fantastic and it earmarks the start of the electric revolution for Audi,” he says.

AUDI TECHNICIAN Paul McKenna is a keen amateur footballer who once played at the home of Rangers FC - Ibrox.

His skill, discipline and team spirit on the football pitch are also useful for work at Ayr Audi. As an Audi Technician he has a varied and sometimes complex job.

“Working on different cars and the variety of jobs you have appeals to me. You are continually having to adapt your skills. You may start out the day doing a routine service and then have to move on to diagnosing a rattle or a clunk. It’s a great feeling when you get to the bottom of any issues and a car is handed back to a happy customer.”

For him, Audis have always been the best premium cars.

His favourite is the Audi RS4, combining style and speed.

“I’d love to take one out on the autobahns in Germany. What a fantastic experience that would be,” he says. It might even top running on to the pitch at Ibrox.

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lookers.co.uk/audi

The all-new Audi e-tron.

It’s not an electric car.

It’s an electric Audi.

Official fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km): N/A. Official CO2 emissions: 0g/km.

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The car’s the star...

It’s not just good food that Michelin-starred chef Martin Wishart has an appetite for. Away from the kitchen the award-winning gourmand also has a taste for prestige car brand Audi. Here he tells us why

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WHAT DOES A MICHELINSTARRED CHEF WITH A PASSION FOR WATERSPORTS DRIVE? AN AUDI Q7 OF COURSE - THE PERFECT CAR FOR ALL HIS NEEDS

udi has in recent years built a reputation for being the epitome of understated motoring style and elegance.

Always beautifully designed, expertly made, brimming with innovative touches, fun to drive while pleasingly discreet, it is what sets Audi apart from the other premium car brands.

That’s not to say that Audi hasn’t conceived some fast and furious ‘wow’ models that make your heart skip a beat or two. Think of the Audi Quattro and the Audi TT – one of the only cars ever to be displayed in the Guggenheim Museum in New York as a design classic.

It’s a luxury, high performance marque for people who are modestly confident in themselves, value quality, and like to invest their money wisely.

It’s a description that could apply to Michelinstarred chef Martin Wishart. His eponymous Restaurant Martin Wishart in Leith, Edinburgh, brought the Scottish capital its first ever Michelin star in 2001. Regarded as the pinnacle of culinary success, he has held on to the prestigious accolade for a staggering 18 years.

He also held a Michelin star for six years at the luxury Cameron House Hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond until fire gutted it days before Christmas 2017.

One of Britain’s most highly respected culinary exponents with a string of awards to his name (Scottish Chef of the Year 2004, 2006 and 2009 among them), he would have every reason to be arrogant and self-promoting about his achievements.

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But in person Wishart is engagingly selfeffacing. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he eschews the limelight, preferring the hothouse atmosphere of the kitchen to the television studio or celebrity gatherings.

Wishart prefers to let his passion for food, deep understanding of classic French cooking techniques and love of the finest seasonal Scottish produce that’s imbued in every dish that comes out of his restaurant kitchen do the talking for him.

It perhaps explains why for the past 15 years, Wishart’s car of choice has been an Audi.

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That’s not to say there hasn’t been the odd short-lived foray into other car manufacturers’ territory. But he says: “I have always come back to Audi. Sometimes you don’t appreciate what you’re missing until it’s not there.”

He’s currently driving a plush second generation seven-seater Audi Q7, perfect for ferrying around his three children aged 14, 11 and 5 and transporting his windsurfing gear.

Wishart can trace his love of the German marque to his childhood in the Blackhall area of Edinburgh. A friend’s father had an Audi Quattro - the car that famously appeared in the BBC Life on Mars spin-off Ashes to Ashes, and spawned the catchphrase ‘Fire up the Quattro’.

That image of the now iconic Quattro stayed with Wishart, as did Germany’s reputation for producing some of the world’s finest automobiles. “But out of all the German makes, it was Audi I liked the most,” Wishart recalls. “For their sleek and elegant designs, their Quattro all-wheel drive system, their progressiveness, and their relationship with rallying and motorsports. I still think Audi is way above everyone else.”

As a young chef – he started out in the industry as a 15-year-old on a hotel YTS scheme – owning an Audi was beyond his financial reach. But Wishart, who lives a 30-minute

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drive from his restaurant in Aberlady, always harboured a desire to own one; a sign of his success, perhaps, that he had eventually made it in this cut-throat industry.

That dream finally came true 15 years ago when the by-then Michelin-starred chef bought an Audi A4 Cabriolet.

He had for many years been looked after by sales advisor Stephen Inglis at another car manufacturer’s dealership. They got on well and Wishart trusted him - then Stephen left.

One day Wishart walked into Edinburgh Audi, and who should be there but Stephen Inglis.

Also in the centre that day was an Audi A4. “It was a beautiful car,” Wishart says, “but at that time still out of my price range. But six months later I bought one.”

He has been dealing with both Stephen and Edinburgh Audi ever since.

He swapped that car for an Audi S Cabriolet and then an Audi RS4 Avant in black. “I loved that car. Driving it was exceptional. I could get all my windsurfing gear in (he’s a keen water sports enthusiast) as well as the kids. It looked great as well.”

THE AUDI Q7 IS PERFECT FOR TRANSPORTING THE KIDS AND THE WINDSURFING GEAR

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Next on the list was an Audi R8 roadster.

Wishart had first come across the model when he did the catering for an Audi centre launch.

He was immediately attracted to the stunning high performance car taking pride of place in the glistening new showroom. But while the Audi R8 is many things, a family car isn’t one of them.

“I couldn’t get the kids in,” Wishart says with a laugh. “It was a bloody wonderful car. You’d be sitting in it and guys on motorbikes would fly past doing a thumbs up, a sign of just how cool a car it was. But unfortunately it didn’t tick all the boxes.”

The Audi R8 drove off into the East Lothian sunset after two years, traded in for the more practical Audi Q7, which more than meets Wishart’s windsurfing needs as well as those of his wife and business partner Cecile and their children Clara, Amy and Jack.

He now has his eye on an Audi Q8. After 15 years an Audi driver, what is it that has kept him loyal to the brand? “I like the comfort, the space, the reliability, the service I get from both Edinburgh Audi and the maker, the safety, and the look,” he says. “It’s as simple as that.”

He makes it sound an easy choice. But having worked in the hospitality industry for nigh-on three decades, Wishart knows only too well how easy it can be to get things wrong and to alienate the paying public.

But it speaks volumes that Restaurant Martin Wishart has held on to its coveted Michelin star for 18 years and that the venue has thrived in the same location for two decades.

Leith was far from the up-and-coming area it has now become when Wishart opened his own place in March 1999 on a wing and a prayer. Having worked with such culinary heavyweights as Marc Meneau, Nick Nairn, Marco Pierre White, Charlie Trotter, Albert and Michel Roux, and John Burton Race (where he met Cecile), Wishart decided he wanted to do it for himself.

He found an Italian bistro with a tiny kitchen that was up for sale on The Shore in Leith, and fell in love with it because the area reminded him of Amsterdam. He had worked in the Dutch capital for 18 months for Albert Roux and says: “The Shore is very reminiscent of Amsterdam with its tall, narrow buildings and the waterfront.

Leith wasn’t a very inspiring area in those days, but I saw an opportunity and took it.”

He sunk £9,000 of his savings into the project and now owns the corner block where

Restaurant Martin Wishart stands overlooking the Water of Leith. If people thought Wishart was mad to open in the rundown port infamously portrayed in the 1996 drug-addled cult film Trainspotting, he’s having the last laugh. Leith has been transformed into a hip arts and food quarter that is currently home to two Michelin-starred restaurants – Wishart’s and Tom Kitchin’s The Kitchin.

Tom Kitchin came to see Wishart before opening his venue a few minutes’ walk away.

Wishart could have been forgiven for putting him off, but he says: “We have very different culinary styles, and I think it’s great that we are creating a gastronomic hub down here.”

Wishart now has two restaurants in Edinburgh, with the opening in 2011 of The Honours, a modern brasserie offering FrenchScottish cuisine in the heart of the city on North Castle Street.

AUDI IS THE PERFECT MATCH FOR MICHELIN-STARRED CHEF MARTIN

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MARTIN DRIVES The Q7 is ideal for Martin’s family life and his windsurfing hobby. With its performance, spacious interior and amble boot space, it suits every aspect of Martin’s needs

He also runs The Cook School, which, alongside practical courses, masterclasses and demonstrations, is open to guests for weekend dining.

And in 2008 he opened Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond at the Cameron House Hotel where he once worked. He was given five years to earn the place a Michelin star. He achieved it in three.

Whether the restaurant will reopen under his name with rebuilding work now well underway at the hotel in the wake of the December 2017 fire remains to be seen. Wishart says it was a “terrible way to have to close your doors.”

He admits he misses travelling north from Glasgow to Cameron House on the scenic A82, and seeing Ben Lomond towering over the east side of Loch Lomond.

But if he needs an excuse to retrace the trip, then a new Audi would certainly provide plenty of inspiration.

MARTIN’S NEXT CAR? The Audi Q8 is high on the list for Martin’s next car

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How we live now

Just as 2018 was the year of aquafaba and apple cider vinegar, 2019 brings with it its own trends, following the increase in more mindful consumption which includes the slow death of plastic and the growth of veggie/vegan diets.

Here’s more…

The Audi RSQ e-tron in the animated film Spies in Disguise

SUPERHEROES REIGN SUPREME Movie superheroes continue to dominate the box office, and in 2019’s Spider-Man: Homecoming the new Audi A8 makes a spectacular appearance, Peter Parker driving autonomously thanks to the Audi AI Traffic Jam Pilot.

Audi also brings futuristic design to the big screen with the Audi RSQ e-tron, a virtual performance concept car created for the animated film Spies in Disguise. It combines automated driving with artificial intelligence and transformational technology. and is driven by super-spy Lance Sterling,

AUDI MODELS, INCLUDING THE E-TRON, STAR IN SOME OF 2019’S BIG MOVIES

Spider-Man meets the new Audi A8

voiced by Will Smith in the film released in cinemas in September 2019.

Audi and Marvel Studios are also back together, this time with a hilarious digital short in anticipation of Avengers: Endgame.

The video, called The Debriefing, follows Brie Larson as Captain Marvel and her reintroduction to society after years away from Earth. When Captain Marvel returns to Earth after years away, a government agent recaps all she’s missed, including advances in the war on gluten, technology and the formation of the Avengers. In her efforts to embrace the future, Captain Marvel is introduced to the all-new Audi e-tron and takes it for a spin – where the agent notes: “Speed limits are still a thing.”

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Tren d Watc h

> HOW WE EAT (AND DRINK) NOW Veganism is having a major moment, bringing with it a rise in meat replacements. Faux meat isn’t new, but the explosion of new ranges on the high street certainly is. Mushrooms are the leading ingredient in the majority, as well as soya and wheat proteins, and all the major supermarkets are expanding their ranges as vegan/veggie/flexi lifestyles take hold.

Meanwhile, Audi’s new e-tron has a fully vegan interior which uses no animal products.

Ice cream is also having quite a moment, prompted it seems by a craze which began on Pinterest. In addition to traditional favourites, savoury flavours such as avocado and even cheese are popping up. Meanwhile, boozy popsicles are everywhere and ice cream rolls, popular in Thailand, are also taking a hold.

Seaweed and unusual greens including lichen are also in vogue, with big rises in sales reported by producers nationwide. Dulse – Irish red sea lettuce – is gracing hipster dinner plates globally, as are seaweed-infused oils and ingredients from seaweed wild harvested in Scottish sea lochs.

Meawhile, the younger generation is going teetotal. A third of 16-25-year-olds don’t drink alcohol and they are driving the continued increase in low and alcohol-free spirits and cocktails. Meanwhile, drinkers are seeking out weird flavours, including beetroot in cocktails.

> HAPPY HOLIDAYS Brits are eschewing EU countries in favour of lesserknown European countries such as Belarus, Slovakia, Moldova, and Poland, while Budapest in Hungary is consistently voted Europe’s best destination for its rich architecture and heritage, fantastic food and beer, and friendly welcome. If you prefer to head further east, a guided road trip of Mongolia, staying with locals in yurts and taking in a few days in China and its Great Wall at the end, is our pick of the best trips for this year. Meanwhile, UK staycationers continue to rise in number, with more people opting for long weekends in the UK, enjoying road trips to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and down to the furthest point of Cornwall.

Mongolia

The EU is no longer our favourite holiday destination, and we are embracing the power of plants in our diets. This is 2019 - and everything is changing

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German mezzosoprano Valentina Stadler

> MUSIC TO OUR EARS 2019’s popular music scene is more diverse than ever before, heavily featuring female-made work led, inevitably, by Beyonce and younger acts such as Self Esteem. UK rap and drill is also dominating the charts, from artists such as Dig Dat, Nines, and Aitch, while albums are getting longer as music lovers re-grasp the concept of albums played from beginning to end. Concept albums are also back, spurred on by the success of the 1975’s pioneering A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships in 2018.

Somewhat less groundbreaking, K-Pop (that’s manufactured pop from Korean girl and boy bands) will reach its peak in 2019 before spiralling into the obscurity from which it came.

Meanwhile, how we listen to music continues to change, as voice command search using media such as Amazon’s Alexa encourages users to search for generic terms, such as ‘love songs’ rather than search by artist.

Meanwhile, Audi is back this summer with its own classical music festival, which it has presented since 1990. The event brings worldclass classical artists to Ingolstadt, Germany, drawing more than a quarter of a million visitors to the event since the event’s inception.

2019’s concerts serve up music from Berlioz to Walt Disney and feature appearances by artists including Alfred Brendel, Gidon Kremer, Mariss Jansons, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Nino Machaidze, Gautier Capuçon, and the young German mezzosoprano Valentina Stadler.

The programme is devoted to the realm of the fantastic and the grand finale is Hector Berlioz‘ Symphonie Fantastique, which will be performed on July 14 – the 150th anniversary of Berlioz’ death - at an open-air classical concert in the Klenzepark. www.sommerkonzerte.de

> NO-PLASTIC PACKAGING Plastic bags are going up to 10p, plastic straws are taboo, and shoppers worldwide are stripping fresh produce of plastic packaging and handing it back at the checkout. As the rage against plastic continues, expect to be encouraged to take your own vegetable bag to the supermarket, and to see increasing use of packaging alternatives such as canvas and silicone.

> TELL US ABOUT TELLY You won’t be surprised to learn that traditional television viewing continues to be replaced by box set viewing provided by the likes of Netflix, whose biggest series drops in 2019 will range from the David Attenborough-narrated Our Planet to the fantasy action-adventure series The Witcher, to The Crown series 3.

Season 2 of the British-made Killing Eve lands on BBC America months before it hits the UK, while the third series of The Handmaid’s Tale hits streaming service Hulu in summer 2019.

Viewing time on smartphones and tablets has doubled since 2014 – further reason why Audi’s infotainment systems are leading the way in immersive in-car entertainment thanks to the latest wi-fi technology and passenger screens.

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Tomorrow’s world smart city > TOMORROW’S WORLD – SMART CITY Since 2010 the Audi Urban Future Initiative has been a platform for an international dialogue about the future of mobility in cities.

Urban planners, mobility specialists, data researchers and designers are working to develop specific solutions in cooperation with Audi experts for conveying people quickly and conveniently from A to B and making the best possible use of space in cities.

Audi, Airbus and Italdesign have now launched a flying and driving prototype of Pop.Up Next – a concept for a flying taxi

Getting around the cities of the future promises to be a good deal easier, thanks to Audi’s Urban Future initiative and the concept Pop.Up Next travel system

combining a self-driving electric car with a passenger drone.

Pop.Up Next comprises an ultra-light, twoseater passenger cabin which can be attached either to a car module or to a flight module.

The dominant interior feature is a 49-inch screen, while interaction between humans and the machine is performed by speech and face recognition, eye-tracking and a touch function.

“Flying taxis are on the way. We at Audi are convinced of that,” says Dr. Bernd Martens, Audi board member for sourcing and IT, and president of the Audi subsidiary Italdesign.

“More and more people are moving to cities.

And more and more people will be mobile thanks to automation. In future senior citizens, children, and people without a driver’s licence will want to use convenient robot taxis. If we succeed in making a smart allocation of traffic between roads and airspace, people and cities can benefit in equal measure.”

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Ta ke you r p i ck

Starring roles In addition to the trailblazing Audi e-tron, which is profiled elsewhere in this magazine, this year will see the launch of more than 20 new or enhanced Audi models, including a return of the Audi S and Audi RS. Look out for the Audi SQ2, S4, S5 and S6, SQ8, SQ7, RS3, RS4, RS5 Sportback, RS6, RS7 and the new flagship crossover, the monster RSQ8. In addition, many of the new models already on the market provide your best opportunity yet to choose an Audi.

A4

Coming to market in summer 2019, Audi’s new A4 is being lauded as its best A4 yet.

It has a stylish, sharper look and the latest touchscreen virtual cockpit technology and infotainment. The S line has a sporty body and quattro four wheel drive and the new model has a wider, smarter grille design. The touchscreens premiered on the A8 are the latest in contemporary travel and the haptic feedback is the latest from Audi’s tech wizards. Audi’s Virtual Cockpit wows with its high tech virtual screen and easy map display. Typically Audi, this is a refined, elegant car offering a beautifully smooth drive. With twin Bluetooth links, wifi, and smartphone interface, this is set to be one of 2019’s most-loved launches.

A6

Audi says its much talked-about new eighth-generation Audi A6 brings with it numerous innovations in terms of digitisation, comfort and sportiness. Elegantly designed and beautifully finished inside and out, its technology is, as you would expect, the best you will find, its virtual cockpit featuring the MMI Touch interface with haptic feedback pioneered on the A8, its touchscreens featuring infotainment, navigation and air conditioning. With adaptive cruise control, active lane assistance, self-parking and an advanced city braking system which scans for obstacles crossing the car’s path in urban environments, this beautiful, sleek car is the latest in technical expertise and is renowned already as a leader in its class.

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RS5

The Audi RS5 Sportback combines exceptional design with superior performance and Audi’s refined build quality in a five-door, high-performance coupe.

Its new progressive exterior design with a wide, flat grille and high gloss black honeycomb effect insert illustrates the model’s dynamics while its interior, finished entirely in black, is richly equipped. This innovative interpretation of a five-door high-performance coupe has neither predecessor models nor a direct competitor.

The displays in the Audi Virtual Cockpit are as technologically advanced as you will find in its class, even providing information on tyre torque and G force.

R8

Born on the track, built for the road, the iconic R8 is even sleeker and sportier for 2019, with an updated look and the stellar Audi Virtual Cockpit infotainment system. Instant response, lightning-fast highrevving and a unique sound – the heart of the Audi R8 is its V10 naturally aspirated engine.

Modifications to the suspension provide even more stability and precision and the assistance has been retuned with optional dynamic steering and electromechanical power steering.

The honed character of the new R8 model is clear from its superb looks and its wider, flatter grille, while inside, the virtual cockpit is among the best you will find in the world.

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SQ2

Striking design meets fun driving in the new Audi SQ2, the new top model of the Q2 family, which stands out in the compact SUV segment. It sprints from 0-62.1 mph in 4.8 seconds and has a top speed of 155.3mph. Quattro all-wheel drive and S sport suspension applies power smoothly to the road, while the SQ2 is at the head of its class with respect to operation, infotainment and assist systems. As in the Audi Q2, the infotainment range in the SQ2 covers a broad matrix. At the top is the MMI navigation plus with MMI touch and voice control and MMI search are also fast and reliable. Infotainment and the Bang & Olufsen sound system are top of its class, while driver assistance systems include adaptive cruise control with stop & go function and the traffic jam assist.

Q4

Audi will launch the Q4 in 2019 in a major expansion of its SUV range. Like the Q3, it will feature Audi’s latest technology including digital cockpit and touch display, while its styling will bring the Q4’s good looks bang up to date.

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WILL YOU BE ONE OF THE 999 TO INVEST IN THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION OF AUDI’S ICONIC TT?

The new TT Coupe and Roadster arking the 20th anniversary of the first Audi TT, the sports car character of the latest incarnation of the model is to the fore.

Audi has refined the design of its icon, enhanced the performance and extended the range of standard equipment.

The limited-edition Audi TT 20th anniversary model – of which only 999 are being made - is available as a coupe and a roadster, each carrying a badge with a unique serial number.

Aluminum wheels in gloss metal grey, specially designed exhaust tailpipes, Matrix

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OLED rear lights and matt Audi rings above the side sills add highlights to the exterior.

For 20 years, the Audi TT has been synonymous with driving pleasure and with this update Audi has honed the sporty character of the third generation.

Even the basic version of the new TT is equipped with Audi’s Drive Select driving dynamics system, which allows you to control all your infotainment and voice control functions via the multifunction steering wheel.

For Audi lovers, there has never been a better time to drive a TT.

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E -Tron

Audi’s first all-electric car - the much talked-about e-tron - is breaking new ground in the electric car sector and attracting global acclaim in the process ords like trailblazer, groundbreaker, pioneer are often overused in motoring hyperbole, but in Audi’s first all-electric production car, they fall short.

Understated, comfortable and beautifully built, this is not the world’s first all-electric car, but it is among the best yet.

Quiet, spacious, and packed with cuttingedge Audi technology, this premium electric SUV is refined, elegant, and Audi through and through.

With a near 250-mile range and the ability to charge it in just 20 minutes, the e-tron is the future of all-electric travel today, which is why it is attracting global acclaim from converts and electric car sceptics alike.

The e-tron SUV is soon to be joined by the e-tron Sportback coupe style SUV, both equipped with Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system and futuristic technology.

2019 will also see the launch of the Audi Q2 L e-tron crossover in China, and two further series-production debuts will follow in 2020: the Audi e-tron GT and Audi Q4 e-tron.

Audi now leads all the important market segments with all-electric drive vehicles, from the A segment to the full-size class, less than two years after the launch of the world’s first all-electric car.

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2019: Audi e-tron The Audi e-tron is hailed as one of the most exciting new model launches in years. Boasting 0-62.1mph in 5.7 seconds, a range of more than 248 miles and zero local emissions, this SUV is powerful, sporty and efficient.

Its two electric motors combine with electric all-wheel drive for optimum performance on any terrain, and a comprehensive range of charging options at home and on the go make electric driving convenient and effortless.

Standing still or on the move, the Audi e-tron is electrifying. Its expressive sill, electric tailboard and discintictive grey grille are indicators of high-voltage technology that makes for a special driving experience, while a new generation of quattro Drive electric all-wheel drive ensures excellent traction and dynamics.

The Audi e-tron is extremely well connected, its many premium features including the e-tron route planner which displays your route with charging points,

E-TRON GT CONCEPT Featuring breathtaking technology and the ultimate in elegant styling, Audi’s e-tron is set to be 2019’s most exciting new vehicle

Two years since the world’s first allelectric car, Audi is blazing a trail with e-tron - the future of driving, today

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E -Tron

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E -Tron

Boasting 0-62.1mph in 5.7 seconds, a range of more than 248 miles and zero local emissions, the Audi e-tron is powerful, sporty and efficient automated billing at charging stations, remote control via smartphone and wifi hotspot as standard. Numerous assist systems include standard efficiency assist for economic driving with predictive information and automatic recuperation.

2019: Audi e-tron Sportback Previewed at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show wrapped in camouflage, this coupe-inspired SUV should be on the road by the end of this year, riding the wave of excitement already created by the e-tron.

Sharing the e-tron’s powertrain, performance and range, the styling will be sportier and the powertrain will be particularly dynamic in Sport mode. Like the e-tron, optional digital cameras will replace the rear-view mirrors, and the advanced driver-assist programmes will include piloted drive and park.

2020: Audi e-tron GT The Audi e-tron GT concept four-door coupe is a foretaste of the much talkedabout e-tron GT set to be released in 2020.

Designed for dynamic, sports car performance, the e-tron GT concept boasts the proportions of a classic Gran Turismo and a lightweight body comprising carbon, aluminium and high-strength steel.

Its gently sloping roofline echoes the e-tron Sportback, which will be released in 2019, its arrow-shaped front section emphasizes its matrix LED headlights with laser high beam, and its sustainable

build materials exclude all animal-based products, ensuring the interior is vegan.

This is also a genuine quattro and it should accelerate from 0-61.2mph in around 3.5 seconds and boast a near-250 mile range.

The decisive advantage of its design is the car’s extremely low centre of gravity, which is comparable with the Audi R8 and assures dynamic handling.

All-wheel steering translates this into a perfect synthesis of sports car-like agility and precision, augmented by superb directional stability.

At optimum voltage charging points, it takes around 20 minutes to recharge the battery to 80% of its capacity.

TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED Offering the ultimate in cockpit technology, the Audi e-tron is leading the way in global all-electric car technology

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E -Tron

Elegantly styled, quick off the mark and extremely efficient, 2020’s Audi Q4 e-tron will continue on the trail blazed by 2019’s Audi e-tron

AUDI Q4 E-TRON Still in concept form, this model is set to be 2020’s most exciting new car

2020: Audi Q4 e-tron Still in concept form, but scheduled for launch in 2020, the Audi Q4 e-tron is a compact fourdoor SUV whose relation to the Audi e-tron is apparent at first glance.

Two electric motors mobilise 225 kW of system power and the driving power of the concept vehicle is brought to the road with quattro all-wheel drive. Thanks to excellent traction, it accelerates from 0-62.1mph in just 6.3 seconds, while its near 280 mile range sets the benchmark in its class.

The Audi Q4 e-tron concept previews the fifth series production electric vehicle from Audi by the end of 2020, taking its position in the upper third of the compact class. Its road space requirements qualify the electric SUV as an agile all-rounder that is suitable for city driving as well, while by contrast, its interior, because of its wheelbase of 2.77 meters, is at least one class higher in terms of space.

A key factor for the sporty character and outstanding transverse dynamics is the low and central position at which the drive components are installed. The centre of gravity is similar to a saloon with a conventional drive system and axle load distribution is perfectly balanced at almost 50:50.

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P H E V S Q 5 A 6 A7 and A8

We have the power Audi’s new plug-in hybrids - the Q5, A6, A7 and A8 – are leading the way in the fast-growing global hybrid sector ery soon, it will be as normal to plug in your car as it is to plug in your kettle, and Audi has set a clear goal that one in three new Audi vehicles sold by 2025 will have electrified drive, committing the marque to emissionfree driving.

In the plug-in hybrid sector, Audi has unveiled new plug-in hybrid variants of some of its most successful models. The new Q5, A6, A7 and A8 TFSI e models, which range from medium SUV to luxury saloon, will all become available to order during 2019.

Meanwhile, the established plug-in versions of the Audi A3 and Audi Q7 are being updated with new technology.

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Versatile drive Audi’s PHEV concept is all about versatility.

The electric range of these cars is 25 miles plus, and they are designed for you to complete around a third of your usual dayto-day journeys in electric-only mode.

The hybrid management of the plug-in-models guarantees efficiency and comfort, automatically selecting your drive mode to suit the circumstances.

The predictive efficiency assist intelligent drive system also plans your route, recognising situations where you should switch between petrol and electric, while a choice of Comfort, Efficiency, Auto and Dynamic drive modes allow you to influence the drive, suspension and steering.

Model strategy and equipment Audi offers the Audi A6, Audi A7, and Audi Q5 in comfort, sporty and dynamic variants. The latter have the increased boost of the electric motor and S line exterior package as standard. In addition, the Audi A6 and Audi A7 have a black styling package with darkened trims, red brake callipers, and rear privacy window glazing. The Audi A6 and Audi A7 have a sport suspension as standard.

EXPERIENCE ALL THE FLEXIBILITY OF PHEV DRIVING WITH AUDI’S NEW MODELS

HEY, GOOD LOOKING Audi’s PHEV models could be your next step in hybrid motoring, with the marque’s Q5, A6, A7 and A8 all turning heads in their PHEV variants

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PHEVS Q5 A6 A 7 a n d A 8

Audi has unveiled plug-in hybrid variants of some of its most successful models and is leading the way in the world’s competitive PHEV sector

Convenient charging A compact charging system is standard in all the new Audi plug-in hybrids. It comprises cables for domestic and industrial sockets.

Audi’s e-tron Charging Service grants access to a large number of public charging stations in 16 European countries on request.

The myAudi app Using the myAudi app brings services from the Audi connect portfolio to your smartphone.

Using the app, you can remotely check the battery and range status, start the charging process, programme the charge timer and view the charge and consumption statistics.

The app allows pre-entry climate control while the vehicle is parked or the battery is being charged, which means you can heat the steering wheel, seats, mirror, windscreen and rear window before you get in.

The powertrain The Audi A8 with plug-in hybrid drive has a combustion engine and a permanently excited synchronous electric motor. It is integrated with the clutch in the eight-gear tiptronic, which passes the torques to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive.

The Audi A7 and Audi A6 models with plug-in hybrid use the same powertrain and their battery capacity is identical to the Audi A8 PHEV. Together with the electric motor integrated in the dual clutch transmission, a petrol engine ensures ample output and torque. The powertrain in the Audi Q5 PHEV follows the same concept as the Audi A6 and the Audi A7.

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N ex t G e n

Vorsprung durch technik The more complex the environment, the more Audi’s power of innovation drives the brand forward. Welcome to tomorrow’s world… today orsprung durch Technik isn’t just a motto, it is Audi’s driving force, its commitment to continuously innovate in all areas.

Audi consistently breaks new ground, developing innovative concepts for travel and connecting with the digital world. Touchpad, voice control and intelligent search functions guide you intuitively through Audi’s advanced infotainment system while Audi’s Virtual Cockpit features two touchscreens with haptic feedback and a digital passenger display.

Audi has also developed cameras in place of rear-view mirrors, their displays integrated into the inner surface of front doors, while a host of driver assist programmes include piloted drive and park.

Future self-driving Audi models will be much more than cars. They will be on-demand entertainment spaces that will grant their occupants a ‘25th Hour’ in the day. Take the Audi Aicon, a 2+2 seater with fully electric drive. Super-connected cars like this will offer passengers completely new ways to spend their time, for example with the next generation of in-car entertainment using virtual reality.

Meanwhile, this year’s flagship launch, the Audi e-tron, integrates seamlessly into your digital environment. Audi’s first fully electric series production model, the e-tron can be equipped with Amazon’s voice service Alexa, and for the first time ever, you can book functions on demand, even after purchasing the vehicle, opening up a completely new form of individualisation. Many online services from the Audi connect portfolio are bundled

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in the free myAudi app, which connects your smartphone to your vehicle.

DRIVE TIME Inside the e-tron, Audi has thought of everything. The Audi Virtual Cockpit is a fully digital instrument cluster with TFT screen and sharp graphics to keep you informed of everything you need to know on your drive.

Audi MMI search allows you to search for places to go, for example a place to eat, or for music tracks, albums and radio stations, and for filling stations complete with prices. Audi’s user-friendly MMI Touch systems include a centre console touchpad and the ability to write, zoom and scroll.

Audi head-up display projects information either onto the windscreen or onto a separate glass panel whose height can be adjusted to suit the driver.

YOUR CAR IS NO LONGER SIMPLY A MEANS OF GETTING FROM A-B; IT IS AN INFORMATION CENTRE AND SAFETY DEVICE

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Natural language voice control understands everyday speech. So, ‘call Peter’ is as easy to handle as ‘where can I refuel’ or ‘where is the nearest Italian restaurant’.

Audi rear seat remote with touch surface controls, air conditioning, seating, lighting, settings and media functions from the HD matrix reading lights to seat and foot massage, rear window blinds and music.

Audi pre sense 360˚ safety system detects collision hazards all around the car and initiates preventive measures ranging from a full brake application to seat adjustments and pretensioning of the seat belts.

Collision avoidance assist helps you steer around an obstacle in a critical situation, while multicollision brake assist automatically brakes in the event of an accident.

AUDI ASSIST Paving the way for piloted driving, Audi offers a range of systems, from turn and parking assistance to camera-based road sign recognition.

Turn assist monitors oncoming traffic and can intervene by applying the brakes to prevent a collision when turning.

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) maintains a pre-set distance to the vehicle ahead by automatically accelerating and braking.

Audi active lane assist helps you to keep your vehicle in the driving lane.

Audi AI traffic jam pilot is the world’s first system to enable conditional automated driving at level 3.

The car takes over driving in a traffic jam or slow moving traffic up to 37.3 mph.

If the speed exceeds this or the traffic begins to clear, the traffic jam pilot tells you to resume driving.

BETTER CONNECTED Audi’s digital technology keeps you connected, wherever you are…

Audi connect delivers the brand’s internet services to the car, with features ranging from navigation with Google Earth and Street View to traffic information online, parking place search and Audi connect safety and service. In the lineup for some models are also Car-to-X services, which make use of the swarm intelligence of the Audi fleet. The myAudi app integrates the services of Audi connect on your smartphone and connects the smartphone with the car.

Wifi hotspot allows you to surf the internet with up to eight mobile devices, from laptops to tablets and smartphones, via your car’s roof antenna.

This facilitates maximum connection stability and excellent reception quality. Encryption by the WPA2 standard ensures security.

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DRIVE IN STYLE Audi’s latest advances include rear-view cameras (above), the Audi Virtual Cockpit and touchsceen displays, and the myAudi app

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From car to VR Audi’s latest foray into virtual reality technology turns the car into a VR platform, complete with input from the real world outside the car

udi’s reputation for redefining in-car entertainment continues to grow, and with it the prospect of backseat passengers experiencing movies, video games and interactive content using virtual reality glasses.

Groundbreaking Audi technology showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas adopts virtual content to the movements of a vehicle in real time. Hence, if the car takes a right turn, a spaceship, say, in a VR experience does the same.

Through a subsidiary, Audi Electronics Venture GmbH, Audi has co-founded a start-up company, holoride GmbH, which will commercialise this new form of entertainment via an open platform available to all carmakers and content developers.

Audi demonstrated the immersive futuristic technology at CES with Marvel’s Avengers: Rocket’s Rescue Run - an in-car VR experience brought to life by Disney Games and Interactive Experiences.

Wearing VR glasses, passengers in an Audi e-tron were transported into a fantastical depiction of outer space where the e-tron functions as a ship manned by Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy.

Every movement of the car is reflected in the experience in real time, so if the car turns a tight corner, the player curves around an opposing spaceship in virtual reality. If the

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e-tron accelerates, the ship in the experience does the same. holoride will launch the new form of entertainment to the market within the next three years and it is expected to be a major gamechanger for virtual entertainment.

Audi and Marvel Studios have been teaming up since the inception of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with the appearance of the Audi R8 in Iron Man (2008), which is how Audi and Disney Games and Interactive Experiences together created Marvel’s Avengers: Rocket’s Rescue Run. And while the CES demo was developed purely in the spirit of exploration and experimentation, it is surely a sign of things to come.

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On autopilot

Driving into the future with Audi AI – a vision of autonomous driving which brings you the ‘25th Hour’ in the day etworked, automated, electrified – this is the Audi of the future.

Audi AI is set to introduce a cipher of innovative systems which will relieve driver strain and simultaneously offer new possibilities for the way you and your passengers spend time in the car.

The four-door design vision Audi Aicon offers a vision of the autonomous Audi of the future – with no steering wheel or pedals.

Designed for purely electric operation covering distances close to 500 miles on a single charge, in future, drivers and passengers will be able to surf the Internet at leisure, play with the children or catch up on work.

Today, drivers spend an average of about 50 minutes per day at the wheel. With the 25th Hour project, Audi is investigating how this time could best be used in a self-driving vehicle with an intelligent human-machine interface that understands your individual

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preferences and adapts accordingly.

Audi’s project team has defined three time modes for a self-driving car: quality time, productive time, and time for regeneration.

In quality time, drivers and passengers may enjoy activities with their children or telephone family and friends. In productive time, they will work. In down time they will relax by reading, surfing the internet or watching a film.

Audi is involved in AI4People, the first global forum for an ethical approach to AI in Europe. At the Towards a Good AI Society Summit at the European Parliament in Brussels, the forum presented a 20-point plan for a responsible AI society.

One of its focuses was on coordinating European AI research and establishing the responsible use of new technologies more firmly in the minds of developers, legislators and the public.

Audi has formed an expert network and plans to set up a body to advise political decision-makers on the use of AI.

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The drives of our lives

Map data ©2019 Google

You have your dream Audi, so how will you put it to the test? Try these great British routes, from north to south…

> GLASGOW TO FORT WILLIAM This 140-mile journey from Glasgow to the Highlands isn’t short, and it’s often busy, but it is well worth the 3-4 hours (if you stop) it will take, and it is spectacular in the summer.

This route takes you northbound on the A82 for views of Loch Lomond, Ben Nevis and Loch Ness.

After Glasgow, head up to Loch Lomond and then through Tarbet, Crianlarich, Tyndrum and Rannoch

Moor before you reach the spectacular landscape of Glen Coe. Loch Leven and Loch Linnhe are also on the route before you reach Fort William and Ben Nevis. Arguably the best stretch of the drive is the 35 miles from Crianlarich to Fort William, which is renowned for its mountains and glens through Bridge of Orchy and along Loch Tulla where the views are as breath taking as anywhere in the world.

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> HEXHAM TO PENRITH VIA A686 It’s only 37 miles, yet the breath taking scenery, majestic views and sometimes hairraising corners conspire to make this drive seem far longer. The road meanders over the North Pennines to a high point on Hartside Pass, home to what was always said to be the highest café in England until it was destroyed by fire in 2018. A popular stopping point with bikers and cyclists, its old car park is still a rendezvous point for packed lunches and teas. The route runs across open moors with beautiful views towards the Lake District and the Solway Firth, while the giant hairpins and turns can throw your car into one of the numerous dry-stone walls. As mentioned, it can be hair-raising, but it is always magnificent, whatever the time of year.

Map data ©2019 Google

Great D r i ves

> ALNWICK TO LINDISFARNE VIA B1340 As well as starting at Alnwick Castle and finishing at Lindisfarne Castle, historic Bamburgh Castle can also be viewed along this 34-mile route. This hour-long route passes by Lindisfarne Nature Reserve; a paradise for bird lovers. Fishing villages, sandy beaches, rolling hills, rugged moorland and picturesque market towns are all seen throughout the route too. The route concludes at Lindisfarne — otherwise known as Holy Island — where Lindisfarne Priory can be explored. This was once the home of St. Oswald, as well as the place where the Lindisfarne Gospels were created.

Map data ©2019 Google

PUT YOUR AUDI TO THE TEST WITH ONE OF THESE JOURNEYS - EACH OF THEM ONE OF THE GREAT DRIVES OF GREAT BRITAIN

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Image: ©Shutterstock.com

Map data ©2019 Google

> A LAP OF CENTRAL LONDON This 10-mile route is a must for Congestion Charge-free weekends - the perfect opportunity to show visitors the sights in one easy loop which reminds everyone just how close all the famous bits of London are. Starting at Buckingham Palace, head down the Mall and through Admiralty Arch and around St James’s to reach Piccadilly Circus.

Then head south to Trafalgar Square and down Whitehall to take in the best view of Big Ben. Go left onto Embankment and follow the river east to Tower Bridge. Cross the river and go right under the Shard and along the South Bank to Westminster Bridge, then cross back over to Parliament Square and on to Birdcage Walk and back to the Palace. Easy, if often busy, during the weekends, we recommend you take one of the free street parking spots near Parliament and go for a wander after your drive.

Map data ©2019 Google

PICK ONE OF THE UK’S GREAT DRIVES AND SPEND SOME QUALITY TIME ON A GREAT ROAD WITH YOUR AUDI...

> SEVENOAKS TO FOLKESTONE This 78 mile route covers coast, hills and dales, the A21 taking you through Kent and East Sussex through High Weald, which is a huge Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The route takes in Hastings and from there leads along the coast, past eerie Dungeness and the Romney Marshes and then around to Folkestone. It’s a fascinating route, both for its scenery and its history. Not short, you might want to stop for lunch half way, as you should take your time to enjoy the views as you go.

The all-new Audi SQ2.

A compact car with presence.

lookers.co.uk/audi Official fuel consumption figures for the Audi SQ2 TFSI quattro in mpg (l/100km): Urban 32.8, Extra Urban 47.1, Combined 40.4. CO2 emissions: 159g/km.

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On Demand

Just book via the app and the Audi of your choice can be delivered direct to your door - ready for you to enjoy for up to 28 days

Audi on Demand Fancy trying a new Audi this weekend – or even for the next month? Then Audi on Demand is for you ither you already own the Audi of your dreams, or you want to try out the range before you commit to the model for you. Either way – Audi on Demand is for you.

With Audi on Demand, you can simply hire your chosen model for anything from one to 28 days using a simple app.

The Audi on Demand range includes the marque’s best-loved hatchbacks, SUVs, convertibles and sport models. All of them include a high level of specification and all you need to do is book and drive.

Available from Lookers Audi centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle, your vehicle comes with fully comprehensive insurance, can be transported to your door within a 30-minute driver delivery zone with 24 hours’ notice, is covered by Audi Roadside Assistance and has unlimited mileage.

Covering everything from compact cars to

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THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT...

Booking your Audi on Demand via the app makes the process simple

SUVs and high-performance models, it’s a great innovation for those who want Audi flexibility, or want a fantastic car for a business or short leisure trip. Whether it‘s for a spontaneous weekend getaway, or a business trip – you can choose the Audi that suits you and book it online within minutes. You can book your vehicle for collection with as little as 30 minutes notice or reserve your vehicle for a later time.

You can also now choose between pick-up and delivery as well as return and retrieval using Audi’s new map module.

The Audi on demand team strives to make things as convenient as possible for you.

Audi on Demand vehicles range from the A1 Sportback S line 1.6 TDI at £70 for one day and £185 for three days, to the Q5 S line 2.0 TFSI quattro auto at £140 for one day and £375 for three days.

For details of models and locations, go to www.uk.audiondemand.com

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The all-new Audi R8.

Bring the racetrack to the road.

lookers.co.uk/audi Official fuel consumption figures for the Audi R8 CoupĂŠ V10 performance quattro S tronic in mpg (l/100km): Urban 14.1, Extra Urban 31.4, Combined 21.6. CO2 emissions: 298g/km.

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Win an Audi for the weekend

This is your chance to win an Audi from your local Lookers Audi centre to drive for an entire weekend.

All you have to do is email the answer to the question below to us and we will do the rest.

The lucky winner will be supplied with a car which suits their lifestyle for a whole weekend – your chance to take one of the best cars on the road today for a spin.

Enter today – and good luck!

QUESTION:

Which iconic Audi model turns 20 this year?

To enter, email your answer, name, local Audi centre, address and number to: audisalessupport@lookers.co.uk

Terms and conditions: *All entries must be received by September 30, 2019. Winner will be chosen at random and contacted on October 4, 2019 by email or telephone.

Entrants must be 25 or over and hold a full valid UK driving licence. Prize is subject to availability and must be redeemed within 12 months of issue.

MARRY ME

WWW.ROX.CO.UK

The Audi Q8.

Luxury at large.

lookers.co.uk/audi Combined fuel consumption for the Audi Q8 in l/100 km: 9.1 - 6.4; combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 207 - 169; Information on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions as well as efficiency classes in ranges depending on the tyres and alloy wheel rims used.

Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data as well as the efficiency classes are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres.