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Power for the people who need crossovers | 2018 Audi SQ5 First Drive

The 2018 Audi SQ5 is pretty simple. It's the sporty version of the redesigned Q5. It's for the enthusiast. The buyers skew male, and Audi pitches it as the solution for when an S4 doesn't meet your needs. It's a 354-horsepower purple pill for the Dad who's resigned himself to driving a crossover — but still wants to have some fun. The SQ5 is simple, but it's also very important. The Q5 is Audi's best-seller, and a sportier sibling makes the entire family look good. The midsize crossover segment is big business, and the performance industry is hot. Archrivals Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche have formidable entries. A few years ago a hotted-up crossover was a nice thing for an automaker to develop – a bonus addition to the lineup. Now it's essential. The SQ5 definitely feels like the right vehicle at the right time. Cruising around Vancouver Island outside Victoria, the stately capital city of British Columbia, we're having heck of a good time. The crossover, based on a platform shared with the larger Q7, feels nimble and eager. Breaking free from early morning traffic, we find the Trans-Canada Highway, cue up Dynamic mode, and take off. Dynamic mode adds heft to the steering, lowers the vehicle 0.6 inches from Auto mode, and deepens the exhaust note. It's low, growly, and sounds surprisingly good. The 3.0-liter TFSI engine has plenty of punch. You know it from the S4 and S5. Like those cars, the SQ5 now ditches the supercharger for turbo power. It was a mildly controversial move as the blown motors in the S4 and S5 gave those cars true muscle-car character. We've made our peace, and turbos just seem like the natural move for the SQ5. Audi is quick to point out the wide torque curve – you get 369 pound-feet sooner than with the supercharger, and output is 23 more pound-feet than before. The horsepower remains the same, though it maxes out slightly sooner in the band. Audi says the turbo, mounted in the middle of the engine's V, makes the SQ5 more responsive, and with all of the low-end torque, we agree. It certainly feels capable as we open it up, finding gaps in traffic, side-stepping tree haulers and deftly out-maneuvering slow-moving motorists. We find a rhythm on the Pacific Rim Highway, smoothly tackling the curves, pulling the paddles for quick downshifts from the eight-speed automatic Tiptronic transmission, and aggressively accelerating before giving way to common sense. It's a beautiful drive.

2018 Audi A6 endures winter training in Norway

The upcoming 2018 Audi A6 was spied in northern Norway. Still clad in appropriate, but garish camo, the basic shape and detailing of the next-generation A6 can be made out. The grill is wide, the headlights mean; the look matches the recently overhauled A4, but with larger dimensions – a recipe from which Audi hasn't really strayed far since the blob-like A6 of 1997. Audi tried to disguise the new headlights under something that resembles the current front, but there are slimmer units underneath. Other detectable details are the hood's straight line toward the radiator grille, and the mirrors fitted on the door sheetmetal now instead of the A-pillar corners. There can even be a LED light strip between the taillights, like the A8. The car will share its MLB platform with the A8, so some shared design makes sense. The new A6 will also be the first Audi work of the new design boss, Mark Lichte. In 2018, the A6 will face tough competition as both the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series have been recently renewed. It is likely that Audi will line the car with the latest available high tech and a credible Virtual Cockpit integration, as the executive class battle is awash with tech gadgets. Rumors say the new A6's screens will even feature haptic feedback. Related Video:

Translogic 169: Racing against Audi's autonomous RS7

Translogic host Jonathon Buckley heads back to the Ascari Race Resort in Spain for an encounter with a track rival unlike any other. Watch as "Bucko" challenges "Bobby," Audi's autonomous Audi RS7 racecar to see who is quicker around the course. It's a classic tale of "man versus machine" in this episode of Translogic. Follow Translogic on Twitter and Facebook. Click here to subscribe to Translogic in iTunes. Click here to learn more about our host, Jonathon Buckley. Audi Autonomous Vehicles Racing Vehicles Translogic Videos