Audi just announced the new engine powering the Audi S6 and S7, and a variant of the engine will power the S8. This is a twin-scroll, twin turbo low-displacement V8 with direct injection, cylinder deactivation, variable timing and active engine mounts. As all manufacturers pursue better fuel efficiency but higher power outputs from their engines, these technologies will be seen in many cars very soon. Full details are available at Fourtitude.

Motor Trend did this video of these three cars in action. Definitely worth a viewing:

Porsche released a new 911 Turbo this year, complete with a brand new engine (3.8L direct injection, variable vane turbo) and added dynamic enhancements (dynamic engine mounts, torque vectoring). Wolfgang Durheime of Porsche describes many of the new features below:

Jalopnik lists the 25 most useful car technologies and I tend to agree with all of them, save one:

• Rain-X (there is Rain-X wiper fluid now, which refreshes the treatment when you use power washers)
• Airbags
• Anti-lock Brakes
• Traction and Stability Control
• Muffler Valves
• Clean Diesel
• SynchroRev Match (found on the Nissan 370z)
• iPod/iPhone integration
• Variable valve timing, event and lift systems
• Radar/Laser detectors (illegal in Ontario)
• Heated Seats (my last car didn’t have these)
• Lightweight materials (carbon fiber)
• Crumple zones
• Stop/Start Engines
• Satellite Weather and Traffic Reports (I don’t think any of these systems work in Canada)
• Pushbutton locking differentials
• Turbocharging (woohoo!)
• LED lights
• Torque vectoring differentials
• Direct Fuel Injection
• Real power outlets
• Folding hard tops
• Hood scoops (wtf?)
• Adaptive headlights
• Regenerative Braking

I’m not sure about hood scoops, but the rest of the list is pretty cool. Recently I bought a new car, and it was nice to have features that my old car didn’t have, like adaptive lights, turbocharged direct-injection engine, heated seats and iPhone integration. Technology is wonderful.

This two-part video, in German, compares the two cars head-to-head, which are priced almost exactly the same in Europe:
Part 1:

Part 2: