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Audi RS5 test drive ends with potential buyer stealing car

Two men are wanted in the Houston area tonight after they stole an Audi RS5 from a local dealership. The brazen theft happened in the middle of the business day, when a salesperson stepped away after letting one of the men take the car for a test drive, while the other sat in the (getaway) car. He then swiped the keys and his license before running out to the lot and taking off in the 450-horsepower coupe.
The men drove to the dealership in an plate-less, white Range Rover Sport, and fed the salesperson a fake phone number - it ironically led to a collections firm - along with what is probably a fake name and a fake background, although the dealership does have both men on video. The dealer, Audi West Houston, is offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the Audi and the crooks that stole it. Scroll down for the full news report from Houston's CBS-affiliate KHOU 11.

Audi TT Sportback Concept rounds out an icon

That German automakers seem singularly fixated on filling any white space between their models isn't new - the last decade-plus has seen their showrooms overflowing with niche models, some of which seemingly occupy sub-genres of sub-genres. To our eyes, there's often diminishing aesthetic and utilitarian returns to go along with the heightened price tags that accompany these models, but we're beginning to think Audi is tackling its personal diversity initiative best. Unlike the often heavy-handed designs from rivals (we're looking at you, BMW), Ingolstadt seems to be doing doing a more graceful job of carving out models between models. The latest proof of this is the TT Sportback Concept, just unveiled here at the Paris Motor Show.
After showing off its Allroad Shooting Brake Concept in Detroit and, more recently, in the Offroad Concept in Beijing amidst rumors of the TT sports car platform expanding into an entire family, we're not surprised to see this more utilitarian five-door hatchback showcar here in France. This, despite the fact that Audi already counts similarly proportioned A5 Sportback and A7 Sportback models in its lineup.
Of the TT line extension concepts, this Sportback certainly looks the most production ready, with a bare minimum of showcar tinsel masking realistic proportions and detailing. We think it's quite handsome from stem to stern, even if it's a bit familiar looking. The design incorporates Audi's trademark big-grille look with the TT's prominent arched roofline and heavily radiused fenders, along with a rear lighting graphic that subtly echoes the A3. Despite its leggy looks, the TT Sportback Concept is surprisingly compact, spanning less than a foot longer overall than the production 2016 TT despite its 4.7-inch longer wheelbase and extra set of doors. Those sleek looks come at least partially as the result of an overall height that sits 1.2 inches lower than the TT coupe.

2014 Audi S1 is a little hatch hiding huge power [w/video]

The Audi S1 takes the Four Rings' high performance brand to its smallest model yet. Offered in three- and five-door forms (pictured above), the S1 is a subcompact hot hatch that seems specially suited for Europe's dense cities and tight roads.
The S1 follows the rest of the Audi S vehicle lineup with a very understated design. It maintains the looks of the standard car, but the larger air dam, 17-inch wheels and side sills tells viewers that something mean is lurking under the surface as well. It packs the Volkswagen Group's ubiquitous 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder, tuned here to produce 228 horsepower and 279 pound-feet with a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive, and it is enough to get it to 62 miles per hour in less than six seconds for either body style and to a top speed of 155 mph. Handling is aided by a more sophisticated four-link independent suspension to replace the standard A1's torsion beam setup.
They come in just two colors for now - Vegas Yellow or Sepang Blue - and are hitting European roads later this spring. UK prices start at £24,900 ($41,518) for the three-door and £25,630 ($42,735) for the five-door.