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Audi TT Quattro Sport Concept takes the next-gen to the extreme

There's little doubt that the new Audi TTS and its 310-horsepower, 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder will be very quick when released to the general public. As a means of reminding us that Audi can do much more with the little TT, though, the German manufacturer has presented this, the TT Quattro Sport Concept, alongside its litter of new sports cars.
Complete with a 420-horsepower, 2.0-liter, turbocharged engine - yes, it really puts out 210 horsepower per liter - the TT Quattro Sport can snap to 62 miles per hour in just 3.7 seconds. 331 pound-feet of torque is also on offer, meaning this one-off TT outguns the TTS by 110 horsepower and 51 pound-feet of torque.
An S-Tronic transmission shuffles the power about, while the car itself rides on a lowered and stiffened suspension. 20-inch alloys are featured with centrally locking, racing-style hubs. Those racy wheels are housed in wells that have had their arches stretched an additional 1.18 inches, which, along with the lowered suspension, contribute to the TT's aggressive looks.

Audi prices 2014 A8L TDI from $82,500*

During the Los Angeles Auto Show last November, Audi told us that it would be bringing four new diesel-powered models to the United States this year. The first to arrive is the 2014 A8L TDI you see here, and we've now learned that the big oil-sipper will be priced from $82,500, (*excluding $895 for destination).
The whole new range of diesel models will be powered by Audi's 3.0-liter TDI V6, good for 240 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque in this application. Of course, Quattro all-wheel drive is standard, and even in the big A8, the diesel grunt will be enough to propel the long-wheelbase flagship to 60 miles per hour in 6.4 seconds (almost a full second slower than the A8 3.0T we reviewed last fall). That said, the A8 TDI should still be a pretty engaging steer, and considering the fact that this thing will reportedly return fuel economy figures of up to 36 miles per gallon on the highway (24 in the city), a slightly slower launch time is well worth it. (The A8 3.0T tops out at 28 mpg highway.)
Elsewhere in the segment, Mercedes-Benz offers a diesel version of its S-Class flagship, retailing for $93,000 and good for fuel economy figures of 21/31 mpg city/highway. By comparison, the A8 TDI seems like a steal, and we'll be interested to see where the forthcoming BMW 7 Series diesel falls into the class of huge oil-burning barges.

Audi Prologue Concept [w/videos]

What you're looking at here is a preview of Audi's next-gen exterior and interior design. You can't tell, but in these photos, I'm wearing what can only be described as an ultra-white cloth spacesuit. Before opening the large driver's door of the Audi Prologue concept outside of the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, Audi requested that I don a super-attractive onesie so as to not let my flannel-covered human flesh touch the untreated leather surfaces of the Prologue's interior. I tied the spacesuit around me just above the waist, let my Converse poke out the footholes, and promised to hold in any sneezes. After all, I was being granted a serious privilege. I was about to drive the multi-million dollar, only-one-in-the-world Prologue that had just stunned crowds at the Los Angeles Auto Show days earlier. This isn't the first time Audi has bravely let the media sample its conceptual wares. In 2010, the German automaker granted us access to its incredibly enticing Quattro concept, probably hoping that the media would rave about the thing enough to convince the higher powers to actually green-light and build it. (We're still waiting on that one, of course.) You could argue that this same logic was applied when allowing me to drive the Prologue – it's no secret that Audi has been dreaming of a range-topping A9, though company officials told me that there is currently no decision on whether or not to produce such a car. But that's not really what the Prologue is about. As its name suggests, what you're looking at here is a preview of Audi's next-generation exterior and interior design, in a fully baked, fully functional package. Suit up, and behold the future. While the Prologue won't necessarily spawn its own production model, its elements will be incorporated on the next A6, A7 and A8. "Timeless but progressive." That's the key takeaway of the Prologue's aesthetic, according to exterior designer Parys Cybulski. The focus here is on beautiful, yet modern, simplicity. A design that looks both contemporary and forward-thinking at the same time, and something that will still look up-to-date in several years' time. After all, while the Prologue won't necessarily spawn its own production model, its elements will be incorporated on the next A6, A7 and A8. Up front, the most prominent feature is, of course, Audi's single-frame grille, seen here with a larger breadth than anything else in the brand's lineup, though its closest resemblance is seen on the new TT.