The router configuration shouldn't affect the mobile device itself. I think there was a mistake between the reporter and engineer :) Maybe they ment, that it doesn't use much power, so that you can't start the car after posting on slashdot while not running the car.

Haha, so true ;)

True, I'm actually quite surprised that this hasn't been done on high-end vehicles earlier.

That heavily depends on the country, here a unlimited transfer speed and data on a almost 90% country wide 3G coverage network, plan is about 18 dollars/month. The funny part is, if you have money to buy a A8, why would you even think about the prices of a network connection? :)

...it raises a question, why would anyone keep their personal stuff that really is embarrassing or important on company email account? Or on that matter, ON a company laptop.

This is actually quite interesting to see how much data usage differs. I'm a quite normal "nerd" user of a cellular network via mobile phone around 8-10 gigabytes per month, that includes the random mobile phone usage as a laptop modem. I have my own landline at home, so the mobile network is not the only option. But it helps to have a 17 dollars per month plan with unlimited data, no speed limit in a HSPA+ network with good country wide coverage.