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Audi reveals next-gen TT interior at CES

Audi has taken the somewhat unusual step of unveiling much of the interior of its upcoming TT Coupe at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. That's unusual, because they haven't shown us the car yet. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised - with the proliferation of technology in automobiles these days, it's probably time we start considering them as much electronic devices as transportation devices.
While Audi has long been recognized as a leader in interior design, this new TT features an instrument cluster that is wildly different from what we've become accustomed to from the Four-Ring brand. Audi is calling its fully digital system a "virtual cockpit," and with its 12.3-inch LCD screen situated directly in front of the driver, it does away with the company's traditional Multi-Media Interface (MMI) display in the center stack. Two modes are offered, one classic option with large gauges and another more oriented to infotainment.
Besides electronics, the actual hard parts of the interior also show plenty of new thinking. With the removal of the central screen, Audi has been able to streamline its instrument panel to resemble a wing of sorts, with jet-like HVAC vents that house their own controls. Two more points for controls are presented to the driver, with buttons on the flat-bottom steering wheel and another set on the center tunnel.

Audi Q2 is coming soon to a city center near you

For a company that exploded into modern consciousness through its Quattro all-wheel-drive technology, delivering a crossover with just two-wheel drive could be a big leap for Audi. While some models offer all-wheel drive, Audi will deliver the entry-level versions of its all-new segment-stealing Q2 baby crossover SUV with just front-wheel drive. All Q2 models will run as front-wheel-drive cars most of the time anyway, with the all-wheel drive doled out by an electronically controlled, multi-plate differential. Fitted as standard only to the range-topping 2.0-liter petrol and diesel models, and optional on the 1.4-liter petrol and less-powerful 2.0-liter diesel models, the system only moves torque to the rear axle when the front end has run out of grip. Looking past which wheels are driven, there are more reasons to be positive than negative about the Q2. First, where the Prologue concept was the first car from new(ish) design boss Marc Lichte to wear an Audi badge, the Q2 will be his first production model. No more sausages cut to different lengths, he insists, and you can tell he means it when you look at the huge, chamfered cut they've taken out of the top of the doors at the tornado line. Designed and conceived for a younger, more urban audience than any Audi before it, the Q2 will also deliver buyers a full Mini-style level of individualization for its five-seat cabin. View 47 Photos Audi will launch the car with six different engines and the teasing promise of plug-in hybrid power "one day" in its life cycle. At 13.7 feet long, the Q2 is 7.67 inches shorter than the Q3 and far lighter, too. At just 2,657 pounds, it's light enough that Audi felt comfortable giving it a 114-horsepower, 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine as its entry powerplant. From there, Q2 buyers can step up to a 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine with direct injection, variable valve timing and lift, and cylinder-on-demand technology, with 148 hp. The top petrol-powered variant will have the 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo motor, with both direct and indirect fuel injection and 190 hp. A 114-hp version of the 1.6-liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel provides the step-in point to the diesel range (in Europe, anyway), followed by a 148- and 190-hp versions of the 2.0-liter turbodiesel.

Spy video shows Audi RS4 Avant twin-turbo V6 lapping the Nurburgring

Nurburgring testing season is in full swing, and Audi took some of its newest upcoming models for a spin. That means our first listen to Ingolstadt's new, turbocharged RS engine under the hood of the RS4. Based off the updated A4, the new RS4 Avant is a return to the performance variant's roots. The original RS4 (and early versions of the S4) used twin-turbo V6 power, although more recent models stuffed the beloved 4.2-liter V8 under the hood. The turbo engine in the new model is also rumored to find its way into the back of the R8 supercar. We don't know horsepower figures yet, but with 450 horsepower as the benchmark from the last RS4 we expect big numbers from the six-cylinder. The new engine might be just as powerful as the old V8, but as you'll see in the video, it's missing the phenomenal growl that the 4.2-liter made as it revved to the sky. This new car is quiet, especially compared to the ear-tingling five-cylinder note of the TT RS testing alongside the wagon. A quiet performance car is fine if you like stealth, but with its flared wheel arches, oval exhausts, and big wheels, the RS4 is a car that's anything but subtle. Related Video: News Source: Car Spy News via YouTube Spy Photos Audi Wagon Luxury Performance Videos