Autoblog

Iron Man approves of the 2014 Audi R8

Seyth Miersma — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:45:00 EST

Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, has been a pretty loyal R8 guy in the movies - there was a coupe in his garage in the original film, and he conspicuously rocked a V10 Spyder in the sequel. One notable dalliance with a prototype Acura NSX in The Avengers notwithstanding, Audi's supercar seems like Stark's go-to choice when he's not flying around, be-suited.

The trend is set to continue in Iron Man 3, as well. Right as we were learning what Audi will be charging for a 2014 R8, this promo for the car and the movie has cropped up on YouTube. Called Canvas, the Audi spot is basically new R8 porn, peppered with movie quotes and shadowy clips. It's well worth the 56 seconds it takes to watch it, if only for the sound of the Audi V10 on full song. If you've got headphones, wear them.

Continue reading Iron Man approves of the 2014 Audi R8

Iron Man approves of the 2014 Audi R8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acura previews Tony Stark's NSX roadster from The Avengers

Chris Paukert — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Hybrid, Performance, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Acura, Design/Style

We have to admit to being fairly smitten with the promise of the low-slung Acura NSX concept that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show back in January. But for this moment - and for the next several moments - "promise" is all it is, because Acura says we shouldn't expect an NSX in showrooms until sometime around 2015. (Back in January, Acura advised that the production car is "expected to debut in the next three years.") Until then, Honda's premium outpost is going to do whatever it can to stoke the fires to keep interest high, including star-studded Super Bowl commercial appearances and this - a drophead spinoff that will be Tony Stark's ride in this summer's The Avengers blockbuster from Marvel.

We first saw this car thanks to some intrepid movie set shots by would-be paparazzi back in early October, but this is the first official acknowledgement and image of the car that we've seen. Early in March, we told you about alleged patent drawings of an NSX convertible that was very similar to the Detroit showcar, which some interpreted as Acura planning both a fixed-head coupe and a roadster for production. However, those drawings look an awful lot like the car shown here with the exception of small details like a unique wheel pattern and differing seatbacks, so while it's possible that Acura is pondering a topless NSX, the renderings could have simply been to protect design rights to the movie car, especially considering that neither Stark's ride nor the patent drawings appear to have headlamps.

We'll have to wait and see what Acura decides regarding its Ohio-built all-wheel-drive hybrid supercar, but we suspect that even if it does greenlight a convertible version, we probably won't see it until 2016. Which is... a really long time to keep believing in a promise.

Continue reading Acura previews Tony Stark's NSX roadster from The Avengers

Acura previews Tony Stark's NSX roadster from The Avengers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monroney details on Tony Stark's $9,229,000 Acura from The Avengers

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Acura, Celebrities

See that above? It's the Monroney for Tony Stark's Acura in The Avengers. We saw the car on set last year, when most of what we had to say about it centered on its potential hints to the as-yet-unseen Acura NSX concept. Someone got a closer look at the roadster on display, and its details are nothing short of cartoonish but in the best way.

The $9,229,000 supercar uses a palladium-powered 80,000 TOHC 32-valve engine boosted by, get this, nitrous. As well as its nine-speed hyper-shift transmission, lithium dioxide-injecting shocks and reflex-response steering column with target guidance feedback, it is fitted with a device to create an enviro-clone projected hologram of its surroundings. You know, for defense. And because actual palladium use might vary among agents, the 234 city/302 highway mpg is for Tony Stark only.

Head over to Collider.com for more closeup images of Stark's low-density-plasma-emitting Acura roadster and a closer read of that window sticker.

Monroney details on Tony Stark's $9,229,000 Acura from The Avengers originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tony Stark trades his Audi for mystery Acura in The Avengers (UPDATED)

Alex Nunez — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Acura, Celebrities

Next summer, when The Avengers opens to packed multiplexes, playboy billionaire Tony Stark will be rolling in a trick new ride. After driving an Audi R8 in the two Iron Man features, Stark apparently switches to a never-before-seen Acura sports car (in keeping with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s use of all Acura vehicles, as seen in this summer's Thor and Captain America films).

The new ride appears in a series of on-set photos published at SuperHeroHype.com (borrowed from WENN.com) showing Robert Downey, Jr. standing next to it as Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) look on. Another shot, posted at WorstPreviews.com (we've posted a cropped version here), shows the mystery Acura convertible by itself, parked on the set in New York's Central Park.

Note to the spoiler-averse: the WorstPreviews.com report explicitly details the scenes that were filmed, and they're reportedly for the the conclusion of the movie. So, you've been warned.

We also have a note in to Acura to see if they'll give up any other information. We'll update the post accordingly if and when we know more.

UPDATE: Acura spokesman Gary Robinson has gotten back to us. Follow the jump to see what he had to say.

Continue reading Tony Stark trades his Audi for mystery Acura in The Avengers (UPDATED)

Tony Stark trades his Audi for mystery Acura in The Avengers (UPDATED) originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi announces 'Tony Stark Innovation Challenge' video contest

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Audi, Celebrities

Click above to view the video after the jump

Audi's major push for Iron Man 2 tie-ins begins now, with the Tony Stark Innovation Challenge. A real way for life to imitate art, Challenge entrants will create videos to showcase their ideas that will make the world better through technology - just like Tony Stark does in Iron Man, but without the guns. The winner gets all kinds of swag, including $15,000 to make it all come true. Sadly, there's no mention of Audi making you a billionaire or having your contracts notarized by Scarlett Johansson. Follow the jump for all the details and Audi's first video.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi announces 'Tony Stark Innovation Challenge' video contest

Audi announces 'Tony Stark Innovation Challenge' video contest originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Audi R8 Spyder gets lead role in Iron Man 2

Zach Bowman — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Videos, Audi, Celebrities, Luxury

Audi R8 Spyder in Iron Man 2 - Click above to watch video after the jump

We're officially counting down the days until Iron Man 2 hits theaters on May 7. The sequel to one of our favorite superhero flicks is set to boast a serious cast, including performances by Don Cheadle and Micky Rourke. Speaking of those two, the actors will be bringing two of the best characters from the Iron Man universe to life - War Machine and Whiplash. Oh yes. It will be good.

Of course, one of the best parts of watching Robert Downey Jr. play the part of spoiled playboy Tony Stark is drooling over the guy's bachelor pad/garage. We would give unmentionable portions of our anatomy to have our very own holographic drafting table and pint-sized manufacturing facility stashed downstairs. You can go ahead and throw in the flathead '32 roadster while you're at it.

Audi has once again teamed up with Marvel for Iron Man 2. A new ad from the company shows off the R8 Spyder as one of Stark's main rides, which makes sense considering the car was spotted on the set not too long ago. As if we needed another reason to be jealous. Hit the jump to see the spot for yourself.

Gallery: Audi R8 5.2 FSI Spyder

[Source: Audi via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Audi R8 Spyder gets lead role in Iron Man 2

Video: Audi R8 Spyder gets lead role in Iron Man 2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iron Man Tony Stark to sponsor Formula D car? [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Subaru, Racing

Click above to view the trailer after the jump

Of all the fictitious captains of industry and superheroes ever to grace the silver screen, Tony Stark's got to be one of our favorites. Why? Well aside from flying around the world in his super-suit and kickin' terrorist butt, he's also a hardcore car guy. Just look at the Audi R8, Saleen S7 and the poor old Shelby Cobra he nearly ruined in the first episode. Now the sequel is almost upon us, and Tony is taking to the track in a Stark Industries-sponsored single-seater. (See for yourself in the trailer after the jump.) But though the company and its eponymous chief may be fictitious, that won't stop them from actually sponsoring a real race car of their own.

As you can see from the photo above, Iron Man 2 will be sponsoring Stephan Verdier's Crawford Performance-prepped Subaru Impreza in this season's Formula Drift series. That's nothing new: Movies, superhero movies especially, often sponsor racing teams. (Just check out David Coulthard on the podium in a superman cape or Jarno Trulli riding the bat-pod to see what we mean.) But if you look closer, you'll see the Stark logo on the quarter-panel. So while we wait to see Stark's on-screen heroics in the upcoming movie, we can enjoy Verdier's on-track heroics in Formula D as well. Top Tip, Andy!

[Source: MotorWorldHype]

Continue reading Iron Man Tony Stark to sponsor Formula D car? [w/video]

Iron Man Tony Stark to sponsor Formula D car? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Tony Stark snapped driving Audi R8 V10 Spider

Chris Shunk — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:27:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Supercars, Audi, Celebrities

The first Iron Man movie, which came out in May, 2008, turned out to be a very supercar friendly affair. Among the vehicles in Tony Stark's multi-million dollar garage were a Saleen S7, a Shelby Cobra, a Tesla Roadster and an Audi R8. Stark even worked on a 1932 Ford Flathead roadster when he wasn't killing bad guys.

We were assuming the billionaire superhero genius will continue to have a great stable of rides in the next installment of the series, and spy photos taken on set confirm our suspicions. Robert Downey Jr. is seen driving in an Audi R8 V10 Spider during shooting of the film, which is scheduled to be released on May 7, 2010. In one of the spy photos, the V10 badging is clearly visible, confirming that Stark's drop-top R8 will be powered by VW's corporate 5.2-liter V10. With an expected 525 horsepower,the Audi R8 V10 Spider looks like our kind of Arc reactor.

[Source: Auto Express]

Spy Shots: Tony Stark snapped driving Audi R8 V10 Spider originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi launches Iron Man mini-site

John Neff — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:34:00 EST

Filed under: Audi, Celebrities

Click above to view more high-res stills from Iron Man

Audi is obviously pleased with the product placement monopoly it's acquired on the upcoming blockbuster movie Iron Man starring Robert Downey, Jr., Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow, among others. Sharing the screen with those actors will be the Audi R8 - Tony Stark's personal daily driver, an airborne Q7 SUV, and no doubt many other autos branded with the four rings that are subtly slipped in here and there. To drive home the point that Audi is as hip as can be, the German automaker has launched an Iron Man mini-site that, at the moment, looks pretty flashy but lacks much substance. There are of course movie stills, which you can check out below in our own gallery sans the flash interface, as well as the trailer and a few brief video clips that are new and heavily infused with Audi products. Other than that, there's also a breakdown of the Audi R8 and its features, which you could also find on Audi's regular website, as well as character bios (Did you know Stark's assistant, Virginia Potts, drives an S5?). Regardless of how heavy handed Audi is with the product placement, we still expect Iron Man to be an epic on-screen adventure and orders of magnitude better than that other car movie coming out this summer.

Gallery: Iron Man movie stills

[Source: Audi]

Audi launches Iron Man mini-site originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iron Man's garage contains more than just an R8

Alex Nunez — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:33:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Audi, Saleen, Shelby, Celebrities

Click image to enlarge

The next television spot for Jon Favreau's Iron Man will debut this weekend during (what else) the Super Bowl. Quint at Ain't It Cool News posted a screen capture released by the studio that shows our billionaire industrialist hero, Tony Stark, working in his garage on the armor's glove- and boot-mounted boosters. And what a nice garage it is, boasting not just Tony's R8, but a Shelby Cobra, a Saleen S7, a Tesla Roadster, and a pair of bikes we can't identify (weigh in if you can). Bruce Wayne, eat your heart out.

[Source: AICN]

Iron Man's garage contains more than just an R8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iron Man alter ego Tony Stark's R8 at Comic-Con!

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:16:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Supercars, Audi

Our sister blog, Cinematical, is covering Comic-Con in San Diego and lo and behold, what did they spot out in front of the convention center? Tony Stark's Audi R8. This is just an early tease for Fanboy Nation, and this major product tie-in that will also see several other Audis cross the screen in Iron Man. The silver R8 was parked out front sporting the plate "Stark 4." Priceless. Robert Downey, Jr. portrays the armor-sporting hero in this newest comic-book-to-big-screen adaptation, which, if the reports on the footage shown at the convention are accurate, is going to kick ass. Click over to Cinematical for a few more pics.

[Source: Cinematical]

Iron Man alter ego Tony Stark's R8 at Comic-Con! originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iron Man will drive an Audi R8

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:17:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Audi

Don't tell Toyota, but Iron Man drives an Audi - at least in the movies. Not to be confused with longtime Toyota off-road truck racer Ivan "Iron Man" Stewart, we're talking about Tony "Iron Man" Stark here. Word from Variety is that the newest big screen superhero will be piloting Audi's latest supercar, the R8. The Ingolstadt flyer was chosen by Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures to be the personal wheels of billionaire industrialist Tony Stark. At least when he's not donning his armor as Iron Man, he'll be tooling around in this mid-engine stunner. And from the sound of it, the movie will be a family affair with the A6, Q7 and the upcoming S5 playing supporting roles. Expect a huge movie tie-in campaign for the film's release that's scheduled for May 2 of next year.

Thanks for the tip, Jay!

[Source: Variety]

Iron Man will drive an Audi R8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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