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Xcar weighs in on the five best-sounding modern cars

Getting behind the wheel of a well-balanced vehicle can be a wonderfully visceral experience, thanks to the combined feeling of things like the weight of the steering, the bite of the brakes, and, of course, the roar of the engine. Unfortunately, many of the sensations of driving require actually being in the driver's seat to understand them, but thankfully the intoxicating noise of a beautifully tuned internal combustion engine can be shared with everyone. In a new video, Xcar shares their opinion on the five best-sounding modern performance cars. The list is a symphony of horsepower. As opposed to keeping all of the vehicles brand new, Xcar actually picks a few that are recently off the market. They're all definitely champs, though. While the list itself is well stocked, you might be able to argue with the specific order, and it would be nice to hear a few participants from outside of Europe for a collection like this one, too. No matter. Every listener is sure to find something they like in the bunch, though. Turn up the volume and enjoy.

Audi R8 V10 Plus takes on Ducati Diavel in straight line

The classic car-versus-motorcycle comparison is put to the test as Autocar pits a 2013 Audi R8 V10 against the Ducati Diavel in a run from 0-150-0 miles per hour. While you might expect the 162-horsepower Ducati weighing just 515 pounds to blow away the 542-horse, 3,500-pound Audi, this particular test measures the acceleration and braking of both high-performance machines.
Drag racing an Audi R8 against a Ducati on a long, flat stretch of concrete sounds fun to us, and Autocar documented the whole test for our viewing pleasure. We don't want to spoil the fun for you, so let's just say that a Volkswagen-owned brand wins. Scroll down to watch the video for yourself.

Audi spotted running R8 E-Tron at the 'Ring

An electric version of the original Audi R8 may never have come to fruition – at least not in a form you could actually buy. But with the introduction of the all-new, second-generation model, Audi is getting serious about the prospect of producing the R8 E-Tron. And if you don't believe it, just look at these latest spy shots. Spotted testing at no less punishing a location than the Nurburgring is the upcoming new 2016 Audi R8 E-Tron. It looks just like the one we saw in Geneva earlier this year, painted in that same shade of electric blue, which we think suits the car rather well. It even has that orange strip of lighting around the side intakes, which drives the point of its electrification home in a rather stylish way, too. This prototype is wearing different wheels, and looks like it has some testing equipment mounted inside. Otherwise, this is pretty much what we can expect to see when Audi begins selling its electric supercar. We're sure there are more than a few eagerly awaiting customers who want to get their hands on an EV different from the Teslas or Nissan Leafs every other tree-hugger in the neighborhood has plugged in to their garages. To that end, expect the order books to open sometime later this year or maybe early into the next. Then the dream of an electric coupe with 456 horsepower and 679 pound-feet of torque, good for a 0-60 time in the three-second range and capable of tackling the Nordschleife, will finally become a reality. In the meantime, you can check out a piece of the action in the image gallery above. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Audi R8 E-Tron: Spy Shots View 9 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Green Spy Photos Audi Coupe Electric Performance