Audi R8 e-tron to feature digital AMOLED rear-view mirror

Audi's R18 racing car's been sporting this digital rear-view mirror for some time, and was most recently spotted with it at the renowned LeMans racing competition -- but now the German outfit's bringing the tech to a more consumer-friendly vehicle, the R8 e-tron. The luxurious automobile company announced that gorgeous 7.7-inch reflector is making its way from its speedy R18 to the stunning R8 e-tron, marking the first time any ride outside of the former will come loaded with such feature. In case you weren't aware, the AMOLED rear-view mirror helps automatically reduce headlights glare "during the hours of darkness," while also allowing drivers to dim or turn it off altogether if, you know, they're just not feeling the vibe.

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Audi R8 e-tron to feature digital AMOLED rear-view mirror originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Aug 2012 02:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Watch a night lap at Le Mans in an Audi R18 e-tron

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Videos, Audi, Chevrolet, GM, Racing

If you have a hard time fathoming what it must be like to drive in a 24-hour endurance race, you're going to want to watch the video after the break. You'll see an Audi R18 e-tron quattro - the fastest cars on the race track at Le Mans, by a smidge, over the similarly hybrid-powered Toyota TS 030 machines - lap the famed French track after the sun has gone down.

Keep in mind that this video is merely three minutes long, and yet the unflinching dedication shown by driver Tom Kristensen is clearly on display. As an added bonus, we've also included a night lap of the circuit in a Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1. Pay close attention about 20 seconds into the second video and you'll see just how scary exciting this kind of competition can be.

Check out both videos by scrolling down below. Are you as excited for Le Mans this weekend as we are?

Continue reading Watch a night lap at Le Mans in an Audi R18 e-tron

Watch a night lap at Le Mans in an Audi R18 e-tron originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi A3 e-tron hands-on (video)

It's not often that we spend quality time with automobiles here at Engadget, but our motives are usually geared by electricity when we do. Take for instance, the Audi A3 e-tron concept above. This isn't the first e-tron concept -- if you'll recall, the A1 and A2 EVs were recently cancelled -- but back in November we learned that the German automaker planned to begin testing this all-electric plug-in in four regions within the US. It hopes to gain insight into how these cars will take to different climates and roadways in the country, while finding out how it will fit into drivers' daily lives. Naturally, the goal is to have something ready for consumers, but Audi figures that it's still about two years away from realization.

After being in the hands of folks within the company, it's decided to let these prototypes loose in the hands of news media like ourselves (!) to show it off and see what outsiders think. As you've probably figured out, we definitely just took this four-door hatchback for a spin near Engadget HQ, and you'll find out all about how it got us around the city in one piece -- with us nearly draining the battery in Times Square in the process -- after the break.

Gallery: Audi A3 e-tron hands-on

Gallery: Audi A3 e-tron press shots

Continue reading Audi A3 e-tron hands-on (video)

Audi A3 e-tron hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 10:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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