2006 Audi A3 Hatch 5-door 2.0l Turbo 6speed 134k Highway Miles Dealer Maintained on 2040-cars

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2014 Audi SQ5 ditches diesel, still packs a punch

Over in Europe-land, the Audi SQ5 is a diesel-powered monster capable of sending a whopping 479 pound-feet of torque to its wheels. Naturally, this beast isn't coming to the States, but that doesn't mean we're missing out on the whole SQ5 experience altogether. At the Detroit Auto Show this week, Audi is debuting a new gasoline-powered version of the hot crossover, and while it's not quite the oil-burning dreamboat we've lusted after from afar, we certainly wouldn't kick it out of bed.
Instead of a diesel, we get a boosted version of Audi's supercharged 3.0-liter V6, good for 354 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque. Running through an eight-speed automatic transmission, the SQ5 will reportedly be able to fire off 0-60 times in the low-five-second range and will top out at an electronically limited 155 miles per hour. Suspension upgrades are on hand to improve road-going prowess, but also lower the Q5's stance a bit, too.
Because this is an S model, there are plenty of visual upgrades on hand, including a more aggressive front fascia, 20-inch wheels and some pretty new colors including Estoril Blue and Panther Black. Interior upgrades like Alcantara trim and aluminum brightwork add to some sportiness from the cockpit view, as well.

Lots of new cars were unveiled in Munich this week. Here's what you might've missed

The 2021 Munich Auto Show is happening this week and due to ongoing corporate travel restrictions, we remained firmly planted on this continent. So, although we can't tell you exactly what it's like inside the futuristic new Mercedes EQE electric sedan or fully appreciate the funky Volkswagen ID.Life concept, there's no shortage of details and analysis to provide.  Obviously, as Germany's premier auto show in 2021, the cars unveiled were primarily from the German brands. We also focused mostly on the cars that might actually make their way to the United States, or at least inspire those that will.   2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE is an electric alternative to the E-Class While the EQS paved the way for Mercedes' electrified future, much like the S-Class before it, the EQE stands to be the car that will move in far greater numbers -- much like the E-Class before it. Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 View 12 Photos   Mercedes-Maybach EQS Concept shows SUV future of the flagship brand Opulence will still have a place in an electrified future, as Maybach gets into the EQ game with a grand electric SUV. Mercedes-Maybach EQS Concept View 4 Photos   Volkswagen ID.Life concept previews the city car's high-riding EV future Well, isn't this adorable? Though perhaps a tad derivative of the Honda E, Volkswagen's blocky little crossover EV nevertheless represents a handsome new direction for VW design. We like this better than the rounded looks of the current ID.3 and ID.4.  2021 Volkswagen ID.Life concept View 20 Photos   BMW i Vision Circular is a 100% recycled and recyclable hatch Behold, the next BMW 3 Series! Just kidding. Besides this, BMW displayed cars in person for the first time that it had previously only unveiled on the interwebs, including the new 2 Series and revised iX3. It also unveiled some bikes. BMW i Vision Circular Concept View 63 Photos   Audi's GrandSphere concept was designed as a road-going private jet Does Audi know what a sphere is? Cause this isn't anything like one. Still, it's quite a handsome thing, and as one of three Sphere-branded concepts, previews the next direction of Audi design (which is pleasantly reminiscent of two-decade-old Mazda design). No complaints here. 2021 Audi GrandSphere concept View 26 Photos   Porsche Mission R is a 1,000-horsepower electric monster Just like the Mission E previewed the Taycan, this apparently previews another future car.

Audi wiring cars with cameras to see how ferret-like creatures tear them apart

In this German-language video, we see a batch of Audi engineers wiring up an A3 Cabriolet with a network of small cameras. The goal? To help identify where and how stone martens - small, ferret-like animals - attack cars. The idea is to observe the animals' behavior around the vehicles, see where they go, what they chew on, and work to develop solutions.
So why go to all this trouble? Cars and trucks are easily the single-most complex consumer good, and they're subject to the widest variety of conditions, regulations and usage cases that one could possibly imagine. They also come with very high consumer expectations for reliability. Thus, it's up to automakers to vet their vehicles for just about every possible scenario and threat - including weasels. And if that means Audi has to go hire Walter Simbeck, animal trainer to the stars, and string up a bunch of GoPros on an A3, well, they're game.
In speaking with Autoblog, Mark Dahncke, senior product manager at Audi of America said it best: