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Malaise Era All-Stars

A few weeks ago, we bid a fond happy 40th anniversary to the automotive dark ages of 1973-84 that have come to be known as "The Malaise Era" - the performance ice-age when 160 horsepower was a lot and a 0-60 time of under 10 seconds was remarkable. Like music in the 1980s, everything in automobiledom didn't suck, however. There were a few bright spots. Here are five of our favorites:
1976-79 Porsche 930, aka 911 Turbo Carrera (above)
Photo Credit: Dorotheum

Audi follows suit with TDI stop-sale

Yesterday, Porsche issued a stop-sale on its Cayenne Diesel, following the news that the Volkswagen Group's 3.0-liter diesel V6 is also fitted with cheating software. Now, according to Automotive News, Audi is issuing a similar stop-sale in the US, but in the case of that brand, it affects more than just one model. Audi's stop-sale covers diesel-powered versions of the 2013-2015 Q7, as well as the 2014-2016 A6, A7, A8, and Q5. All of these models can be had with the 3.0-liter TDI V6, which up until this week's news, was not included in Volkswagen's massive diesel scandal. No recall is currently planned, according to Automotive News. Additionally, Volkswagen has yet to issue a stop-sale on its Touareg TDI, which also uses the 3.0-liter V6. The Touareg TDI can still be found on Volkswagen's consumer site, as of this writing.

Entry-level Audi R8 to go turbo after all?

Would you be shocked if we told you that the better version of the Audi R8 offered a V8 engine rather than a V10? There was something inherently lovable about the company's 4.2-liter V8. Maybe it was the noise or the high-revving nature or some combination of the two, but the R8's original engine is a darn hoot. Sadly, the V8's days appear numbered in the brand's flagship model, according to a new report from Car, which claims Audi will ditch the beloved, off-angle 4.2-liter for a 2.9-liter, twin-turbocharged V6. The rumor cites sources in Ingolstadt who claim the new engine will develop 450 horsepower, up 20 ponies on the current entry level engine. We'd expect a commensurate increase in fuel economy too, befitting of a smaller, force-induced engine. Still, this is counter to what we've heard before. But, if the report proves true, the R8 will join the ranks of turbocharged supercars like the Ferrari 488 GTB and California. It's unclear when such a switch would be made, but according to Car, we can place the blame squarely on China. The country has been combating large-displacement engines since 2008, attaching massive taxes on vehicles with anything larger than a 3.0-liter engine. It's China's position, Car reports, that led to the death of another beloved, naturally aspirated V8, Mercedes-AMG's 6.2-liter model. First the venerable M156 and now Audi's 4.2-liter V8? Just stop this silliness China. Related Video: