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Bathurst 12-hour gallery is GT3 heaven [w/video]

The 2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour race was run this weekend at the Mt. Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, Australia. Race photographer Joel Strickland sent us a huge batch of photos, all of which make us salivate for the switch to GT3 rules in the United SportsCar Championship; the top seven finishers at Bathurst were of seven different makes: Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, Audi R8-LMS Ultra, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, Bentley Continental GT3, Mercedes SLS AMG GT3, Ferrari F458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo. It was a sweet victory for the No. 35 car driven by the NISMO Athlete Global Team after it crashed in Saturday qualifying, and then was only in third place on the penultimate lap. The three-man driving team included two GT Academy winners, one of whom, Florian Strauss, has only been a professional race car driver for 18 months. It's the first time the GT-R has won at Panorama since the original R32 "Godzilla" took back-to-back wins in 1991 and 1992. Second place went to the No. 15 Phoenix Racing Audi R8-LMS Ultra, 2.4 seconds behind the winners, third to the Craft Bamboo Racing Aston Martin Vantage not even half a second behind the Audi. The Bentley Motorsport team, in its first Bathurst 12-Hour with two cars, had its No. 10 Continental GT3 in the lead until the penultimate lap and in second place until the final corner, but crossed the line in fourth after some rubbin'-is-racin' action from chasers. And if pictures aren't enough, as of writing you can still watch the live stream of the entire race at the Bathurst 12-Hour site. Or, if you don't have the time, at least be sure to check out the last five minutes, below. Enjoy. Featured Gallery 2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour View 118 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Joel Strickland / AOL Motorsports Aston Martin Audi Bentley Nissan Coupe Racing Vehicles Videos aston martin vantage gt3

Audi A3 E-Tron starts at $38,825

Audi has announced the pricing for the new A3 E-Tron plug-in hybrid, listing the five-door's base price at $38,825. Adding the mid-range Premium Plus elevates the price to $42,925, while the top-of-the-line Prestige will demand $47,725. Of course, like so many hybrids the A3 e-tron's price is not so simply explained. The PHEV will likely be eligible for a $4,168 federal tax credit, while additional state tax credits are also available depending on where you live. And, if Audi's announcement isn't exciting enough for fuel-sippers across the country, we have another piece of good news – the A3 e-tron's configurator is live. While it's no different than any of Audi's other online configurators, potential owners can get a great rundown of the A3 E-Tron's entire options sheet. There's the usual array of options ranging from an MMI package on the base model, to a Technology Package on the mid-grade model, and a Sport Pack on the Prestige trim. With just a bit of fiddling – and while staying out of the accessories catalog – we were able to run the A3 E-Tron's price up to $49,025. That's just shy of what the car starts at in Germany. You can check out the official press release on the E-tron MSRP announcement below, or just head over to Audi's US consumer website and have a go with the configurator. Audi of America announces pricing for the electrified 2016 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron August 05, 2015 | HERNDON, Virginia The A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid is the first step towards an electrified future for Audi, combining a premium driving experience with the efficiency of an electric motor. The effective cost to buyers nationwide can be even lower with applicable federal and state incentive and tax credits. Vehicle is the first of many Audi e-tron models to come to the U.S. Audi announced U.S. prices for the all-new 2016 A3 Sportback e-tron® will begin at $37,900, and purchasing customers may qualify for applicable state and federal incentives and tax credits. As the first electrified Audi sold in the U.S., the plug-in hybrid electric A3 Sportback e-tron combines efficiency, innovative technology and performance for a premium driving experience. The A3 Sportback e-tron provides a comprehensive approach to sustainable mobility by combining the benefits of a hybrid with all-electric range. It is a package that makes the A3 Sportback e-tron a versatile choice for the full array of daily commuting challenges, some of which can be handled on battery power alone.

Recharge Wrap-up: Porsche adds third 919 Hybrid for Le Mans, Audi to heat factory with geothermal

Porsche will be running a third 919 Hybrid LMP1 car in the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. The extra Porsche will race in the six-hour May 2 WEC race at Spa-Francorchamps as a lead-up to the legendary 24-hour race on June 13 and 14. Porsche hasn't announced the driver lineup for the third 919 Hybrid, but drivers will remain the same for the other two cars. Including the third car is meant to help further test performance and efficiency as part of development for future hybrid systems. Read more at Green Car Congress. BMW i Ventures is investing in Zendrive, a driving focused data and analytics company. The cooperation of the two companies is meant to help advance safety and efficiency by making the "in-car mobility experience even smoother by optimizing commuting and driving patterns," according to BMW i's Ulrich Quay. The venture capital arm of BMW's i brand also invests in JustPark, Chargepoint, Life360, Chargemaster and MyCityWay, and says it will have more strategic investment announcements in the coming months. Read more in the press release below. The Audi Hungaria factory in Gyor, Hungary will soon be getting geothermal energy from a nearby plant being constructed in Per. When the facility is finished, Audi expects to source 82,000 megawatt hours of geothermal energy per year from it, or about six percent of its total heating needs. The clean energy helps Audi move "step by step along a path to developing a CO2-neutral production plant," says Audi's Dr. Hubert Waltl. "The mobility of the future must be CO2-neutral – and that applies not only to the use of our vehicles, but also to their production." Read more in the press release below. Supporters have begun a petition drive for the passage of an E15 ordinance in Chicago. Despite pushback from oil companies, the city council is close to passing the "Chicago Clean Air Choice Ordinance," which includes the requirement by retailers to sell the 15-percent ethanol gasoline blend in the city. The ordinance includes an exception for stations selling less than 850,000 gallons of fuel per year. More than 4,000 people have signed the petition so far, with others leaving messages to voice their opinion on the matter in opposition to Big Oil's attempt to block it. Read more at Domestic Fuel. BMW i Ventures announces strategic investment in Zendrive. - Further Increasing safety and security through innovative mobility services. New York City, NY.