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Did the new Audi R8 just get outed on Instagram?

While we can't confirm it officially, what you're looking at above, according to Instagram user dreboog (Dre Boogie), may indeed be the next Audi R8. We're expecting Audi's revised supercar to get its official debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, which would makes the timing of this leak make sense. You can compare this image with the spy shots we've already seen and draw your own conclusions, but it looks about right to our eyes. There are a few interesting tidbits worth noting, the most immediately obvious being the lack of the so-called side blades that were a polarizing styling element with the first Audi R8 first hit the scene but which have since become part of the coupe's signature look. We also see a front fascia that brings the low-slung coupe more in line with the German brand's current design ethos. Besides those readily apparent cues, there's not much to glean from this Instagram leak. We'd certainly expect more power from Audi's halo car, but just how much more than the 430 horsepower offered by the current V8, 525 hp from the V10 or 550 hp from the V10 Plus, we look forward to finding out. In the meantime, feel free to let us know what you think in the Comments. News Source: dreboog via InstagramTip: Andreas Design/Style Spy Photos Geneva Motor Show Audi Coupe Performance Supercars autoblog black

2012 Seat Exeo is Audi with the old, in with the new-ish

We know what you're thinking: This car looks an awful lot like an Audi A4. But it isn't. And it is.
Regular readers may be aware that Audi's Spanish sister-company Seat inherited the previous-generation A4 some time after it was replaced. They put some new badges on it and presto! A new flagship model for Seat.
Called the Exeo, it has now undergone a minor facelift that did nothing if not make it look even more like an Audi, if that were possible, and we got up close and personal with the new model here in Frankfurt. Check it out in our high-res gallery of live images from the show floor.

2015 Audi A3 Cabriolet

When my 758-mile journey on the A3 TDI Challenge came to an end in Boulevard, CA, Audi had a very nice consolation prize waiting for me: the 2015 A3 Cabriolet you see here. And with miles left to drive before reaching my hotel in Coronado (just outside of San Diego), what better way to celebrate my personal victory of achieving nearly 60 miles per gallon in the TDI than to run the rest of the route in couple of turbocharged A3 droptops? After all, the efficiency part of my drive was done, so it was time to have some fun. The A3 Cabriolet comes to market just as the sun sets on another four-seat convertible from the Volkswagen Group stable: the Eos. That car, often criticized as being too expensive, is technically replaced by the Beetle Convertible as far as VW-badged products go. But for those who still prefer something a bit more upmarket, the A3 Cabriolet will fill the void nicely, and with more style and grace than the Eos ever had. Driving Notes The A3 Cabriolet arrives with a choice of engines. On the base end lives a 1.8-liter turbo-four with 170 horsepower, 200 pound-feet of torque and front-wheel drive, or you can pony up for the 2.0T with 220 hp, 258 lb-ft and standard Quattro all-wheel drive. Regardless of engine, the only transmission available in the A3 Cab is Audi's six-speed S-tronic dual-clutch unit. This is a fine cog-swapper, with quick shifts regardless of chosen powertrain, and steering wheel-mounted paddles that offer plenty of fun from behind the wheel. That said, I found it best to just leave the transmission alone, no matter the engine. The paddles are entertaining, sure, but slick the gear selector into Sport and the A3 will instinctively hold gears through turns and always have you right in the heart of the powerband. The 1.8T's 170 hp and 200 lb-ft are more than adequate for duty in the 3,373-pound A3 Cabriolet. I was never bothered by a lack of power, especially with the engine on boil with the transmission in its sport setting. Hitting 60 miles per hour takes 7.4 seconds, en route to an electronically limited top end of 130 miles per hour. If speed is your thing, though, the 2.0T certainly delivers quite a punch. That same 0-60 sprint takes just 5.9 seconds with the more potent powerplant, and you can really feel the stronger rush of power right off the line, even with the quicker A3's 210-pound weight penalty.