Official car of the 2013 EE British Academy Film Awards gets some recognition of its own in industry-acclaimed chauffeur awards.

• Audi A8 L takes home trophy in £50,000 to £75,000 category
• Second consecutive win and third overall victory since awards began
• Priced from £57,650 OTR to £95,440 OTR
• Engines range from 204 PS 3.0 TDI to 500 PS W12 quattro
• Audi A8 L hybrid priced at £65,405 OTR

The Audi luxury car that whisked many of the stars of stage, screen and TV to the red carpet last night for the 2013 EE British Academy Film Awards (the BAFTAs) has just attracted some limelight of its own. The long wheelbase A8 L has been voted Chauffeur Car of the Year in the £50,000 to £75,000 category by leading online industry magazine thechauffeur.com.

This year’s Chauffeur Car of the Year category award is the third for the opulent long wheelbase luxury saloon, which also took the top spot in 2005 and 2011. It was bestowed not just on the strength of the car itself, but also by virtue of the successful Audi UK chauffeur programme through which professional drivers can run one on a contract hire basis and benefit from exceptional support.

Paul Gibson, Editor of thechauffeur.com, commented: " The A8 L offers the chauffeur an excellent all-round package. Excellent economy, comfort, all-wheel drive and workable boot space are key factors which helped it clinch the award.”

He added: “ When putting it against its competitors, it was also obvious that the manufacturer’s dedicated chauffeur programme is one of the best in the marketplace.”

James Douglas, Head of Fleet Sales at Audi UK, added: “I am delighted that thechauffeur.com not only believed the A8 was deserving of such a hard fought award, but also saw fit to commend the Audi chauffeur programme which provides access to it. We have gone to great lengths to structure a programme which we believe makes obtaining and running one of our luxury cars as stress-free as driving one, and it is immensely encouraging to know that this specialist title views it so positively.”

Luxury now with even greater efficiency

The excellent economy which was instrumental in the latest victory for the A8 L is commonly associated with the TDI versions, but it can now also be enjoyed in petrol models with even lower CO2 output and the potential for zero emissions driving – the A8 hybrid and A8 L hybrid.

Powered by a 2.0-litre TFSI four cylinder petrol unit working in conjunction with a 40 kW electric motor, the A8 L hybrid can drive using electric power alone at speeds of up to 62 mph. When outright performance takes precedence, outputs of 245 PS and 480 Nm enable acceleration from zero to 62mph in 7.9 seconds and a top speed of 142mph. At the same time, equally important running costs can be kept in check thanks to the potential for in excess of 44 mpg, equating to C02 emissions of 149g/km – the lowest in the A8 L range.

In common with all A8 L models, the hybrid adds 130mm of extra leg room for rear seat passengers, and expands the lavish A8 equipment list to include features such as heated front and outer rear seats, electric sun blinds and deluxe four-zone climate control.

Prices start at £57,650 OTR for the A8 L SE, rising to £95,440 OTR for the flagship 6.3-litre W12 quattro. The A8 L hybrid is priced at £65,545 OTR.

Online service booking facility offers peace-of-mind and convenience for Audi customers

• Majority of Audi Centres now offer online service booking in real-time
• Book a range of services online for your Audi in minutes
• Service includes the option to book major or minor services, complimentary healthchecks, MOTs, tyre replacements, collection and delivery times and more
• Real-time Audi Centre calendar synchronisation is a UK first in the motor industry

Audi has taken another step towards its goal of delivering unparalleled customer service by launching an advanced online booking facility capable of managing servicing and MOT requests in real-time and confirming appointments almost immediately.

From now on, customers using the majority of the UK’s Audi Centres can forget about opening hours, busy service departments and congested phone lines when they want a service or MOT appointment, or even just a replacement tyre. Instead, they can visit the 'Owners Area' at www.audi.co.uk throughout the day or night, seven days a week, and arrange everything they need from their local Audi Centre in just a few clicks.

The clear and easily navigable online system facilitates booking of a range of appointments, including major and minor services, complimentary healthchecks, MOTs, tyre replacements, general investigations and diagnostics. It also offers various mobility preferences for convenience, including courtesy car booking, collection and delivery, courtesy lift arrangements, while-you-wait services and the option to select the Audi Cam video-based diagnosis service.

A simple process secures a booking for any one of these options. Customers first choose their preferred Audi Centre, and can find the nearest one to their location by entering a town or postcode. They are then asked to select the service they require. Available times and dates are then offered, and can be selected along with additional services such as a courtesy car or courtesy lift. Once a selection is made, the chosen date and time is immediately blocked out by the system for the customer and a confirmation is displayed including a booking reference number and an estimated total cost for the work booked. Finally, this price is confirmed by the Centre by either email or text.

This sophisticated new system debuts only a few months after Audi Cam revolutionised workshop servicing by enabling Audi Centre technicians equipped with video cameras to film diagnoses and beam the resulting clips, along with an estimated price for the necessary job highlighted, to owners' computers and smartphones before work begins.

John Bower, Head of Service and Parts Operations at Audi UK, welcomed the new initiative: “The convenience factor is crucial to the continued success of our Audi Centres, so I’m delighted that this new booking facility is going to genuinely save our customers time and effort. At the same time it’s also going to enable us to confirm arrangements and convey pricing estimates virtually instantly, and with greater clarity – I’m confident that use of this simple but highly effective tool will soon become second nature to many Audi owners.”

The new online service booking facility can be viewed at: https://www.audi.co.uk/owners-area/online-service-booking/book-a-service.html

Striking styling package heightens visual appeal of the TT Coupé and Roadster Black Edition models.

• TT Coupé and Roadster Black Edition models now available with exclusive Amplified Black package costing £700 on top of Black Edition price.
• Highlights include four striking inclusive paint colours, attractive 19-inch ‘Rotor’ alloy wheels and black exterior design touches including TT RS-style fixed rear spoiler.
• Amplified Black prices range from £31,365 OTR to £36,360 OTR.

The big noise in the Audi TT range this week is the new Amplified Black specification, which is now available as an optional extra for all TT Coupé and Roadster Black Edition models. Combining an even more sporting look with a choice of four striking paint finishes, including the unashamedly bold Samoa Orange, the new option upgrade adds £700 to the price of the equivalent Black Edition model.

The already dark and brooding look of the TT Black Edition is made even more purposeful by the Amplified Black package with its black-finished front lip spoiler, black door mirror housings, black TT RS-style fixed rear spoiler and black 19-inch ‘Rotor’ design alloy wheels. At the rear, a black diffuser insert and black exhaust tailpipes continue the theme.

The four metallic or pearl effect colours Glacier White, Misano Red, Daytona Grey or Samoa Orange are included in the option price, and if the latter is chosen the interior inlays are also finished in this most striking of TT paint options. In all other cases, inlays are in matt brushed aluminium.

Black Edition specification, which is based on the top S line trim level, is already exhaustive. It includes black trimming for the radiator grille surround and number plate holder, tinted rear privacy glass, xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights, black leather and Alcantara upholstery, a premium BOSE surround sound system, iPod and mobile phone connection and rear acoustic parking.

Two engines are available in conjunction with this distinctive new look – the 2.0-litre TFSI petrol with 211PS linked to either front-wheel-drive or quattro all-wheel-drive and the 2.0-litre TDI with 170PS mated to quattro drive only. OTR prices for Black Edition models including the £700 Amplified Black option package start at £31,365 for the 2.0 TFSI Coupé with six-speed manual gearbox and rise to £36,360 for the 2.0 TFSI quattro Roadster with six-speed S tronic transmission.

Fourth win in a row for the recently reworked supercar in the annual BusinessCar Awards

• Audi R8 is named BusinessCar’s Sporting Car of the Year 2013
• Accolade is awarded to premium supercar for fourth year running
• New generation R8 range includes all-LED lighting for every model, all-new S tronic twin-clutch transmission and new 550PS V10 plus model
• Latest range priced from £91,575 OTR to £127,575 OTR

The Audi R8 remains the executive’s sports car of choice according to the readers of BusinessCar Magazine, who have voted it Sporting Car of the Year for the fourth successive year in the 2013 BusinessCar Awards.

Readers of the fleet-focused magazine and its website (www.businesscar.co.uk) have yet again singled out the R8 as a favourite on the strength of its everyday usability and firmly established desirability amongst top level company car drivers.

Paul Barker, Editor at BusinessCar Magazine, explained why the R8 is a regular leader in this category: “Though most business cars are chosen with the head, brand image is becoming increasingly influential in the large population of company drivers able to choose their own car, and that’s where the Audi R8 has a crucial role to play in showing Audi’s sporting prowess and emotional appeal.

“This award shows the desire Audi has created for its products, and this kind of desirability sweeps across the range when business car drivers are selecting their next company car – even if they can’t afford something as fabulous as an R8!”

The all-new Audi A3 Sportback was also recognised in the awards for the significant advances in efficiency, quality and driver appeal it now brings to company car drivers – its transformation was enough to secure it third place overall in the Business Car of the Year category.

A3 Sportback also shines through

Barker added: “An impressive weight loss programme has helped make the A3 more nimble and fun to drive than its predecessor, and has also helped lower emissions, while the cabin quality, always an Audi strength, is even better than ever.”

James Douglas, Head of Fleet Sales at Audi UK, said: “The R8 has proven itself to be a fantastic all-rounder many times and, as this highly-valued award shows, its breadth of talent extends well beyond the realms of the supercar that is only suitable for weekend use. For the R8 to receive this coveted award not once, but four times in as many years is a great achievement."

The V8 and V10-powered R8 Coupé and soft-top Spyder ranges have just undergone significant revisions, including new design detailing, equipment upgrades, all-LED lighting for every version and the addition of an all-new 7-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission delivering split-second shifts for even more exhilarating performance. A new 550PS, 197mph V10 plus model has also joined the Coupé range at its head.

Prices for the Audi R8 Coupé start at £91,575 OTR for the 4.2-litre V8 quattro with 430PS, rising to £115,575 OTR for the 5.2 V10 quattro. The new R8 V10 plus is priced at £124,675 OTR for 6-speed manual transmission models, or £127,575 OTR with the new S tronic gearbox. OTR prices for the R8 V8 Spyder start at £100,225 and rise to £124,225 for the 5.2 V10 Spyder with S tronic.