Diesel Keeps Picking Up New Fans

Just in time for the Memorial Day travel weekend that involve long-haul journeys for many Americans comes a reminder of the benefits of clean-diesel technology – one of which is the ability for a vehicle to go a long way on a tank of fuel, especially in highway-cruising mode.



Got Clean Diesel?



With that as the backdrop, one of America’s leading advocacy organizations for diesel technology is making the case that most of diesel’s expansion in the auto market is still ahead of it, not behind. More than 10 new clean-diesel cars and light-duty trucks will be introduced in the U.S. market in the next two years by Audi, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes and Volkswagen, notes the Diesel Technology Forum.

“The resurgence in new diesel autos in the U.S. market will greatly increase the popularity of clean diesels throughout the nation,” said Allen Schaefer, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Forum, in a news release.

Of course, Audi and Volkswagen have been at the forefront of the clean-diesel push in the U.S. market, with an increasing variety of clean-diesel versions of some of their most popular models comprising a rising portion of overall sales of those nameplates.

Audi also has been instrumental in pushing for positive popular perceptions of diesel power through TV advertisements and other means.

According to Schaeffer, the combination of capable and attractive diesel-powered cars, and advocacy of the technology, is working. Only 3 percent of U.S. sales so far are clean-diesel powertrains, compared with about half of all new sales in Europe.

But diesel has been running about neck-and-neck with U.S. hybrid sales even though there are many more hybrid models available. And diesel sales increased for each of the last two years and then rose again, by 35 percent, in the first quarter of 2012, the Forum said.

Clean diesel’s edge of 20 to 40 percent in fuel economy over gasoline has been increasingly relevant to Americans at a time of near-$4-a-gallon gasoline, Schaeffer noted. And “in many parts of the country, diesel fuel prices are at or below the cost of premium unleaded” that is required in many of today’s cars. “Diesel could well be the more economical choice.”

First Audi overall victory in the Nürburgring 24 Hours

Erratic weather, an extreme pace, tough competition, bitter setbacks and a great triumph: Audi emerged from a genuine emotional roller-coaster ride as victor of the Nürburgring 24 Hours. In the 40th running of the Eifel classic the brand recorded its first overall victory with the new Audi R8 LMS ultra. The German driver quartet Marc Basseng/Christopher Haase/Frank Stippler/Markus Winkelhock shared driving duties in the car entered by Audi Sport Team Phoenix. Christian Abt/Michael Ammermüller/Armin Hahne/Christian Mamerow from Team Mamerow Racing completed the one-two success.

Audi has achieved yet another milestone in endurance racing within just eleven months: in June 2011 the brand celebrated its tenth victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the R18 TDI LMP sports prototype. Last July the customer racing R8 LMS race car also won the 24 hour classic at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium for the first time. The Nürburgring triumph now rounds off the endurance record. The competition around the Nordschleife was regarded as a particularly brutal test of endurance this year. The pace of the eight different brands represented in the GT3 class was unusually high, many leading teams were struck by technical defects and numerous accidents whittled the field down still further. While the Audi GT3 race car, which is derived from a production line car, ran technically reliably for 24 hours, the Audi teams did not escape unscathed from accidents either.

In this way, the Audi R8 LMS ultra with start number ‘2’ driven by Christopher Mies at the time was hit by an opponent in the rain while leading. The repairs took 53 minutes and stole any chance of victory from him and his team mates Marcel Fässler and René Rast – they were fifth at the flag. In the night the car with number ‘4’ from Speedhunters Team WRT lost a huge amount of time after a collision with a competitor damaged the steering. The Belgian team finished 32nd. Team Raeder Motorsport held a promising fifth position after 17 hours of racing when Thomas Mutsch was unable to avoid a lapped car as it changed line. After hitting the guardrail any it was impossible to contemplate driving further in start number 9. The Audi race experience finished in 17th place with Christian Bollrath/Pierre Ehret/Peter Venn/Marco Werner. The sister car driven by Luca Cappellari/Florian Gruber/Warren Luff/Alexander Yoong retired due to damage caused in an accident.

In the closing stages the pressure to succeed in the overall classification weighed heavily on the start numbers 3 and 26. Audi Sport Team Phoenix won its home race thanks to a combination of balanced pace, clever driving and reliable pit work. It was overall victory number three for the team from Meuspath and the first with Audi. Almost simultaneously Ernst Moser’s squad clinched third place as best Audi team in the third DTM race at Brands Hatch. Team Mamerow Racing also clinched an excellent result. Team director Peter Mamerow only changed his allegiance to Audi this year. With the support of Audi Sport customer racing the team fielded an R8 LMS ultra with Christian Abt/Michael Ammermüller/Armin Hahne/Christian Mamerow on board. Second overall is richly deserved for the private team from Castrop-Rauxel.

“We are absolutely delighted about this long desired victory,” explained Dieter Gass, Head of Racing Commitments at Audi Sport. “For three years the Audi R8 LMS was always the best GT3 car at the Nürburgring. Now we have taken overall victory in the fight with seven other brands. Over the last 24 hours nothing whatsoever was handed to us on a plate. Our victorious drivers and teams produced a fantastic, consistent and error free performance. My sincerest congratulations go to our winners. This victory in a race car closely related to the production based car once again proves that Audi Sport customer racing provides its customers with a well refined, versatile and successful race car.”
Race result

1. Basseng/Haase/Stippler/Winkelhock (Audi R8 LMS ultra), 155 laps
2. Abt/Ammermüller/Hahne/Mamerow (Audi R8 LMS ultra) + 3m 35.303s
3. Frankenhout/Simonsen/Kaffer/Arnold (Mercedes-Benz) + 11m 31.116s
4. Leinders/Palttala/Martin (BMW) – 1 lap
5. Fässler/Mies/Rast/Stippler (Audi R8 LMS ultra) – 4 laps
6. Abbelen/Schmitz/Brück/Huisman (Porsche) – 4 laps
7. Müller/Müller/Alzen/Adorf (BMW) – 5 laps
8. Hürtgen/Schwager/Bastian/Adorf (BMW) – 5 laps
9. Klingmann/Wittmann/Göransson/Lamy (BMW) – 5 laps
10. Zehe/Hartung/Rehfeld/Bullitt (Mercedes-Benz) – 5 laps
17. Bollrath/Ehret/Venn/Werner (Audi R8 LMS ultra) – 10 laps
32. Jarvis/Piccini/Sandström/Simonsen (Audi R8 LMS ultra) – 20 laps

Porsche of Delaware is hiring!

Porsche of Delaware, located on Ogletown Rd./Rt. 273 in Newark and a member of the Winner Automotive Group, has an immediate opening for a qualified sales consultant to join our team as a Porsche Sales Consultant.

The successfull candidate will have experience selling either high line vehicles, furniture or real estate.  High line automotive sales experience a plus.  Additionally, you should be detail oriented and willing to put the customer first.
 

The responsibilities of the Salesperson are centered on the process of understanding and meeting customer needs.  In order to sell, this person must have a basic knowledge of automotive systems and a thorough knowledge of prices, models, series, options, and other variations of the manufacturer's products, and should also know much about the competition's products and prices.   Most importantly, this person should have sensitivity toward the customer and a strong interest in exceeding the customer's expectations.  

This person must have polished communication skills with customers, including the ability to present the company's products and the ability to discover, by questioning, exactly what the customer's needs are.   The Salesperson must calculate cost allowances, fees, taxes, down payments, and discounts to arrive at the price of a vehicle, and, in addition, must work with the Sales Manager in completing a sales contract, which meets the customer's need.

Additional Requirements

• Knowledge of sales procedures, processes, and follow-up
• Ability to meet and greet customers
• Ability to effectively relate to customers of all backgrounds and to focus on customer satisfaction
• Knowledge of automotive systems in general
• Knowledge of company products (prices, models, series, options, warranties, colors, standard equipment, specifications)
• Ability to prospect and ask for referrals
• Ability to counsel customers (likes, dislikes, finances, needs)

The Winner Automotive Group offers competitive pay plans, a comprehensive benefits package that include medical, dental, vision, matching 401k plan as well as paid vacations and a demo allowance.

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Go with a Winner!

EOE

Audi Wilmington to Host Audi quattro Cup 2012

It is no coincidence that in the same year Audi of America shattered its all-time sales record by selling over 117,000 units, it also hosted 60 local quattro Cup tournaments throughout the United States which drew a record-breaking 6,400 participants. As sales continue to accelerate, the demand for this unique brand experience is higher than ever, and Audi Wilmington is excited to announce it will be hosting the Audi quattro Cup 2012 local competition at Fieldstone Golf Club on June 18th, 2012.

With over 79,000 competitors worldwide, 2011 proved the Audi quattro Cup is the largest amateur golf tournament in the world for a reason: participants raved about their experience, especially those fortunate enough to advance to the U.S. Final at the legendary Whistling Straits in Kohler, WI.

This year, golfers will find even more competitive inspiration as the 2012 U.S. Audi quattro Cup finals will transpire at one of the world’s most coveted golf destinations: the unrivaled Pebble Beach Resorts. The Pebble Beach Golf Links have hosted some of golf’s most prestigious tournaments, including five U.S. Open Championships and the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.  Staged over two unforgettable days along the rugged coastline of the Pacific Ocean, the fairways of both The Links at Spanish Bay and Pebble Beach Golf Links will host the culmination of a tournament season defined by performance and the realization of countless amateur golf dreams.

“The Audi quattro Cup immerses golfers in the absolute best of the brand,” said Michael Hynansky.  “Audi Wilmington is proud to bring this unique experience to Delaware and be part of something that really was created to celebrate the excitement of amateur golfing.”

Audi Wilmington is one of 80 dealerships hosting local competitions nationwide, a new record for the brand since the tournament was first played stateside in 1999. Each dealership will in turn advance its winning twosome to the U.S. Final (August 23–26) to decide which two amateur teams Audi of America will send to represent the United States in the World Final at the end of the year.

Registration for the local competition ends June 8th,. Please contact Audi Wilmington at 302-661-2100 for more information or to register your twosome for play.

To learn more about the Audi quattro Cup Experience, please visit audiusa.com/quattrocup.