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Audi RS3 spy shots foreshadow an ultra-hot hatch

Not all vehicle prototypes and mules require heavy camouflage - sometimes they can be hidden in plain sight. That's probably what Audi was hoping for while testing its new RS3 wearing S3 duds, but thanks to some visual and audible telltales, our spy photographers were able to recognize this as a precursor to the marque's ultra-hot hatch testing near the Nürburgring.
Our photographer noticed the signature exhaust note of a five-cylinder engine, which suggests the RS3 could borrow its motivation from the excellent TT RS. Producing at least 340 horsepower, this 2.5-liter turbo powerplant could be the perfect answer for the new A45 AMG from Mercedes-Benz. The big brakes on this RS3 mule give us our best idea about the car's high-performance intentions, with Audi RS wave brake rotors and six-piston calipers peering out from behind the oversized wheels.
In production form, the RS3 should have a much different appearance from what you see here, with sportier design cues including oval-shaped dual exhaust outlets and a more aggressive front fascia. While we're still waiting for our first taste of the S3 in the North America, we'll be holding our breath for the RS3 to make its way here, as well.

Watch Audi's Emmy promo, starring Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Julia Louis-Dreyfus

A lot of online videos try way too hard to be funny, but the promo from Audi for the 66th Emmy Awards on Monday, August 25, shows that if you put faith in a proven group of hilarious actors, you can strike comedy gold. The short film reunites Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul as the proprietors of a pawnshop of rare and obscure items called Barely Legal Pawn. They have their own fictional reality show (which really needs to exist) that rips off Pawn Stars, and this segment has comedy veteran Julia Louis-Dreyfus coming in to sell her Emmy award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy as Elaine on Seinfeld. Louis-Dreyfus also pays the title sponsor's bills by subtly incorporating a 2015 S3 into the otherwise car-free gag.
It would ruin the video to spoil any of the jokes; you just need to watch it. Cranston actually bridges the gap here because way before he became famous as Walter White on Breaking Bad, he had a recurring guest role on Seinfeld as dentist Dr. Tim Whatley. If you're a fan of either show or just need a hearty chuckle for today, this one is definitely for you because all three former Emmy winners put in fantastic performances.

Audi celebrates 25 years of TDI

Nope, the diesel engine never really did go out of style for Audi. Now, the German automaker has released a video reminding the world of its persistence with the oil-burners and is commemorating the Silver Anniversary of Audi's first commitment to turbodiesels in 1989. And, yes, there are some road racers shown in the clip, so some of those bad boys actually move pretty well. Audi engineers on camera admitted to some of the early TDI engines being "slow" but still valuable for their torque and, obviously, their fuel economy relative to gas-powered engines. A bunch of tinkering later, though, and Audi says its diesels can be a legitimate "part of a performance car" and has even overcome the issue of noisiness that's often associated with diesels. The automaker made some news in these parts a few years back when its Audi A3 TDI won the 2010 Green Car of the Year at the annual LA Auto Show in late 2009, and the model even succeeded a fellow diesel (the Volkswagen Jetta TDI) to boot. Granted, diesel sales aren't nearly as popular in the US as they are in Europe. Still, Audi last year boosted its diesel sales in the US by 40 percent to 10,076, which was about a tenth of what sister company Volkswagen sold in diesels last year in the States. And things have looked even rosier this year for Audi's TDI sales. Through June, Audi diesel sales have almost quadrupled from a year earlier to more than 8,100 units. Check out the 150-second video on Audi's 25-years of TDI production below.