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European RS6 Avant ad features diesel-hybrid R18 racecar

We'd be just as happy to casually walk back to an RS6 Avant as anybody, but Audi's commercial for its fastest ass-hauling wagon takes casual to another level. The RS6 isn't even seen until more than two-thirds of the way through the 46-second German commercial, but Audi seduces us long before that with the R18 E-tron Quattro diesel-hybrid endurance racer juxtaposed into scenes of everyday life. Since when can you be picked up at the airport or drive peacefully to a riverbed in a racecar?
The German automaker cashed in on childhood dreams its nearly flawless endurance-racing pedigree big time for the advertisement - and it works, even though we realize the RS6 drinks gasoline and isn't a hybrid. It does have Quattro four-wheel drive, however. But the commercial makes us want the beautifully pragmatic long-roof with 550 horsepower all the more, especially since Audi currently has no plans to bring it to the US. Please say it ain't so!
Even if the US doesn't get an RS6 Avant, we're happy to indulge in commercials like this. Be sure to watch it below.

Audi previews sleek crossover concept ahead of Beijing debut

With the Beijing Motor Show approaching just a couple of weeks down the road, automakers have begun announcing the concept cars they have in store. Nissan has a new sedan concept coming, Lexus will reveal the production NX crossover and Citroën has a tempting sports sedan concept lined up for the Chinese auto expo. And now Audi has hinted at what it has in store.
Revealing only a trio of renderings with no details to accompany them so far, Audi appears to have a new crossover concept in the works. Referred to only as the Audi Showcar Beijing 2014, the brief calls for a five-door crossover with a rather coupe-like roofline, rugged lower body cladding and a flexible cabin with quad bucket seats.
The form bears telltale similarities to the new TT, suggesting that this concept could be a further evolution of the Allroad Shooting Brake concept that Audi revealed in Detroit. If put into production, we could see it wearing the Q4 badge, giving Ingolstadt a rival to the likes of the BMW X4, Porsche Macan and Range Rover Evoque. However, until Audi tells us otherwise, that's all speculation...

VW admits 430,000 2016 models have implausible CO2 ratings

Volkswagen finally explained more details about its CO2 rating scandal in Europe and admitted that 430,046 of the estimated 800,000 affected vehicles with "implausible" figures came from the 2016 model year. They included some from Audi, Seat, Skoda, VW, and VW Commercial Vehicles, according to the automaker's list (as a PDF). The problem mostly impacts diesel engines, but the inventory also shows some gasoline mills. VW will next determine the accurate CO2 emissions for these vehicles, and the German Federal Vehicle and Transport Authority will supervise that process to ensure the data's veracity. The automaker will also launch websites in Europe to let owners enter their model's VIN to check whether it's affected. Because governments there often link vehicle taxes and CO2 production, the company promises to work with regulators in each country to cover any fees that result from the inaccurate figures. VW announced the CO2 scandal earlier in November and estimated the equivalent of $2.2 billion to fix it at the time. A later report claimed that a group of engineers were responsible for fabricating the emissions data. They allegedly couldn't meet reduction goals from Martin Winterkorn, and between 2013 and this spring the workers did things like overinflate the tires during testing to achieve the desired results. VW is also closer to a fix in the diesel emissions scandal. According to an anonymous insider to Bloomberg, the company has a repair for the 1.6-liter engine that's reportedly neither very complex nor expensive. German regulators would still need to approve the solution before it could roll out to owners. Next step in clarifying the CO2 issue Affected Volkswagen Group models of the current model year have been identified Customers being informed via website Discussions with the authorities have begun The Volkswagen Group reports that the vehicles of the 2016 model year affected by the CO2 issue have been identified. There is thus now clarity about the new vehicles of the current model year out in the marketplace. On 3 November 2015, the Group had already reported that irregularities may have arisen in determining the CO2 figures for type approval of around 800,000 vehicles. This was identified during its own currently ongoing investigations and had been made public. The internal investigations into the current vehicles of the 2016 model year provide results for narrowing down the actually affected vehicles with implausible CO2 figures.