1999 Audi A4 Base Sedan 4-door 2.8l on 2040-cars

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Audi A3-based people mover in the works

We have yet another announcement of yet another new Audi, including yet another obligatory quote from Audi research and development chief Wolfgang Dürheimer that there's room for it in the Audi range. On the sidelines of reports about the diesel-hybrid sports car, derived from the R18 endurance racer, there have been remarks about a possible MPV. Now Auto Express reports that said MPV "is on the way" and will be based on the A3 Sportback.
Previous speculation has posited either a six- or seven-seat people carrier; if the AE report is to be believed then five seats is the number that's been settled on. Planned to rest on a stretched version of the A3 platform, its wheelbase would be nearly eight inches longer than that of the A3 Sportback and it would compete against the Mercedes-Benz B-Class and the production version of the BMW Concept Active Tourer.
Audi is not going to dally about it, either, with a concept said to be ready for debut next year. Should it come, it would mean the A3 range comes pretty close to hitting for the cycle.

2016 Audi TTS

We recently drove the Audi TT, and although we wish it were radically entertaining instead of merely very fun, it's nevertheless a sharp coupe that vaults ahead of its predecessor with an inspired interior and eager handling. That car will be precursor to this TTS when it gets here a year from now, with the TTS adding adjectives like "more" and "better" to just about everything found on the base coupe. With the standard car having already put on such a fine edge, we wheeled the TTS on Spanish roads and at the Ascari race track to find out how much better and higher-performing the S will be.
Driving Notes
As of this writing, today's TTS commands an $8,350 premium over the TT. Assuming a commensurate gap is carried over into this next generation model, that supplemental dosh will get you 310 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque instead of 230 hp and 273 lb-ft in the standard TT. That would mean more for your money, too, since the gap between the current TT and TTS is 54 hp and zero lb-ft of torque. To achieve the new numbers, the 2.0 TSFI engine from the TTS benefits from upgrades like sturdier valves, revised aluminum pistons and stronger connecting rods with new bearings, a reinforced crankshaft and a high-performance intercooler. The amplified brawn rips 0.7 seconds off the 0-60 mile-per-hour time, getting you there in 4.6 seconds.

2017 Audi Q7 First Drive

Automotive evolution rarely makes a great leap, instead creeping along from new model to new model at a predictable pace. Audi's new Q7, though, is like handing a Bic lighter to a Cro-Mangon man smashing rocks. In Europe the new version drops 700 pounds, almost enough to reclassify its species. Audi's fire-machine will arrive in America in early 2016, as a 2017 lighter model. We spent some time in the Swiss Alps flicking the 2017 Audi Q7. As far as revolutions go, the 2017 Q7 certainly looks new. It resembles a tall station wagon more than ever, at least in European trim. A little tweaking of the design wand has left the rear end boxy and angular. Our test models use an adaptive air suspension, and the the "all-road" setting lifts the Q7 about an inch, to the normal ride height for US models. Thus raised, the big Q looks more like an SUV. This Q7 represents the first of the Volkswagen Group's MLB-platform cars. Lighter and said to be more dynamic, MLB will underpin everything from the next-gen A4 to performance and luxury SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne, and Bentley Bentayga. With the structural improvements comes a diet heavy in aluminum, the prime reason for the previously-mentioned weight savings. When outfitted for our content and crash-safety specification, US-bound models will still be about 500 pounds lighter than before. But dramatic weight-savings isn't the Q7's only trick. The adaptive air suspension significantly changes the character of the Q7, especially in the sportiest Dynamic model. There's an optional all-wheel steering feature that improves turning radius, and helps with high-speed stability. This is not to be confused with Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive, which along with a panoramic sunroof and seven seats, comes standard on all stateside models. Under the hood, things aren't so different. Both available engines are reworked but largely the same. The supercharged 3.0-liter gas engine still makes 333 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, but it's not as thirsty as it used to be. Expect a two or three mile-per-gallon bump once official EPA ratings arrive. That engine, as well as Audi's reworked 3.0-liter V6 TDI – good for 260 hp and 443 lb-ft once outfitted for the US – are mated to the ubiquitous ZF eight-speed transmission. The Q7's driving character greatly depends on where it is pulling power from. While the diesel model is capable, turbo lag cuts back on the satisfaction we normally derive from oil burners.