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Audi SQ7 coming, will have electric turbo

Formula 1 and endurance racing are already harvesting energy from turbos on the track, and now it's apparently time for a similar idea of boosting the efficiency of forced induction to hit the streets in a high-performance, diesel SUV.
In a recent interview with the UK's Autocar, Audi technical boss Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg let the big news slip. "The new Q7 will be available in the market next year but the electric turbo will come a bit later in the Audi SQ7 available in 2016," he said. The e-turbo system was already rumored for the premium SUV but for the standard model, not this just-announced performance version.
Audi has been experimenting with the e-turbo system for a little while, as an electrically driven supercharger. It showed up on the RS5 TDI concept that used a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged diesel V6 plus the electric system to diminish turbo lag. In that application, it provided an impressive 385 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque and an alleged sprint to 62 miles per hour in 4 seconds. Although, Dr. Hackenberg didn't make it clear if this was the exact layout for the SQ7.

Audi planning A7 powered by fuel cell?

Back in March, Volkswagen AG CEO Martin Winterkorn voiced his doubts about the cost and infrastructure associated with building hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, but according to Autocar, that isn't stopping Audi from developing a fuel-cell version of the Audi A7. While we're inclined to take this report with a grain of salt, this wouldn't be the first time a VW executive has made seemingly damning statements about electric powertrains that later proved to be incorrect.
After speaking with Audi technical chief Wolfgang Dürheimer, Autocar reports that Audi is building a fuel cell A7 that is expected to be ready for testing by August. Like the electric E-Tron and natural-gas-powered G-Tron models, the hydrogen fuel cell Audis could, if produced, carry their own "tron" nomenclature.

Audi considering turbo option for longer, wider Hurac?n-based R8

The debut of the Lamborghini Huracán was (and remains) big news in and of itself, but equally as exciting is the imminent arrival of the Audi R8, which the Huracán presages. While the two will share a common architecture, don't expect that new R8 will simply be a cheaper version of the Huracán (like the current one arguably is to the Gallardo).
For one, the next R8 will be larger than the Huracán. According to emerging intelligence, Audi will make its sports car both longer and wider than the Lamborghini version. It'll also share the new Lambo's innovative carbon-fiber structure that will replace both the firewall and central tunnel. But to power it all, Audi will get more creative.
The next R8 will, like the current model and like the Huracán, offer a V10 engine at the top of the range. It will also offer the same 4.2-liter V8 as the outgoing model. But that won't be the end of the matter. Word has it that Audi is also working on a smaller, turbocharged engine to offer in certain markets that mandate smaller-capacity engines.