奥迪S系列：魅力，速度与销量

    奥迪（Audi）全新的S6，S7和S8高性能轿车进入了美国市场，这标志着这一汽车品牌向立志成为豪华车阵营第一品牌的目标又迈出了坚实的一步。几年前，奥迪还在与宝马（BMW）、奔驰（Mercedes）和雷克萨斯（Lexus）激烈竞争，当时可不敢想象今天这样的雄心壮志。

    实际上，再也没人敢对奥迪冷嘲热讽了。奥迪另辟蹊径，推出了多款技术精湛的车型。它们既有别于其他德系车对手，又与丰田（Toyota）和日产（Nissan）开发的高端车有所不同，因此奥迪一骑绝尘，领先群雄。在中国这样发展迅猛的汽车市场上，奥迪A4已经是车主们非常心仪的入门级豪车，这些车主希望和那些习惯于买宝马3系或奔驰C级车的人区别开来。（更多情况请参见我们的幻灯秀“7款超级惊艳跑车”）

    而随着上路的豪车数量日益增多，各大厂商都在推出性能车型——即搭载大号引擎和其他高端配置的特别版车型——就算不能刺激销售，至少可以激发车迷的热情。奔驰的AMG系列，宝马开发的M版，凯迪拉克（Cadillac）的高端V系列都属于这个细分市场。

    市场研究公司IHS的分析师亚伦•布莱格曼称，奥迪花了很长时间才重获“丢掉的合法性”。这桩公案开始于1980年代，奥迪的车被认为存在突然加速的问题，导致舆论一片哗然，而这后来被证明证据不足。他补充说：“在全球范围内，奥迪的增长势头都很强劲。而在中国，它可能已经是顶级豪车品牌。”

    奥迪打造S系列最新车型的核心是一款全新的排量为4.0升、双涡轮增压的V8引擎，它取代了先前那款顶级的自然吸气的、5.2升V10引擎。新引擎尽管排量变小了，但动力却更强劲。

    在S6，也就是A6的大马力版上，奥迪的新引擎能释放420匹马力，使这款车从0到时速60英里的加速时间仅为4.8秒。S7性能相似，掀背式的尾部取代了后备箱。而S8搭载的似乎是同一款4.0升引擎，但经过调校后能释放520匹马力，使这辆大型轿车不用4秒就能从0加速到时速60英里——这已经是超级跑车的本领了。

    The U.S. arrival of Audi's new S6, S7 and S8 high-performance sedans is one more step in the automotive brand's bid for recognition as No. 1 in the luxury category, an ambition that would have seemed a stretch a few years ago in light of competition from BMW, Mercedes and Lexus.

    Thing is, no one is scoffing anymore. Audi is advancing its case with the introduction of technologically sophisticated alternatives to its German competitors and to premium models developed by Japanese makers Toyota (TM) and Nissan (NSANY). In fast-growing global markets like China Audi's A4 already is an entry-level luxury car of choice for consumers who wish to differentiate from those who once routinely bought BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C-Class vehicles. (For even more, check out our slideshow of 7 totally outrageous sports cars.)

    And as the number of all luxury cars on the road increase, all franchises are creating performance variants -- special versions with outsized engines and other over-the-top flair -- to generate enthusiasm, if not boost sales. Mercedes has an AMG designation, BMW developed M versions of its cars and Cadillac's high-end V series fills the same niche.

    It's taken Audi a long time to regain "the legitimacy it lost" starting in the 1980s with an unintended acceleration uproar affecting its cars that proved largely unfounded, says Aaron Bragman, an analyst for IHS etc. "Audi has a lot of momentum internationally and might already be the top luxury brand today in China," he adds.

    The heart of Audi's latest initiative in creating "S" models is a new 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8, which replaces the former top-of-the-line naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10. Though smaller in terms of total displacement, the new engine is more powerful.

    In the S6, a souped-up version of the A6 sedan, Audi's new engine puts out 420 horsepower, enabling the car to reach 60 mph from a dead stop in 4.8 seconds. The S7 offers similar performance and a hatch rather than a trunk. Audi's S8 is powered with what appears to be the same 4.0-liter engine but is modified to generate 520 horsepower, accelerating the big sedan from 0 to 60 in under four seconds -- supercar territory.