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2015 Audi Q7 spotted with a blurry first look

Here's the good news: we finally have visual evidence of the upcoming and all-new 2015 Audi Q7 luxury SUV. A set of photographs show that Audi has been putting the SUV through its paces, with an eye towards an on-sale date sometime late next year.
The bad news is that it was not one of our usual clear-lensed spy photographers that captured these first images, but rather a sycophantic follower of our friends at CarPix. The resulting images are a lot lower resolution than we've come to expect, and there are far fewer angles from which to judge the car.
Still, we can make out the nose of the new Q7 is a bit flatter and wider than the rounded affair of the current car, and wears similar swoopy LED headlights as are found in the rest of the Audi range. We expect the overall dimensions of the 2015 Q7 to stay about the same as the existing model, but rumor has it that the SUV could be 800 to 900 pounds lighter in the next generation.

Bentley testing new SUV in Audi Q7's clothes

Sure, this looks largely like an Audi Q7. What if we told you, though, that it was actually a Bentley? This may be one of the very first sets of images we've seen of the aristocratic brand's SUV. Based on the borrowed Audi bodywork, however, testing appears to be in the early stages.
While it may look like an Audi Q7, there are a number of giveaways. One of the more subtle are the British number plates, in place of the traditional German plates that would be found were this a mule for the next Q7. Other changes are more noticeable. According to our spies, this mule is much wider, while its fenders have also been enlarged to accommodate larger wheels and tires.
Out back, four exhaust pipes jut out from the lower fascia, while larger brakes are hidden behind black wheels. The big indicator that this is something special, though, can be seen in the front fascia. The heavily modified front clip is home to two massive intakes below the headlights. According to our spies, these conceal a pair of intercoolers. Whether they are for Bentley (and Audi's) twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 or the 6.0-liter W12 is unclear.

Audi RS3 Sportback is the hottest hatch

Fans of compact, European vehicles that mix luxury and performance should be in paradise right now. There's already the 320-horsepower M235i from BMW and the 355-hp CLA45 AMG (or A45 elsewhere) from Mercedes-Benz, but you can now add one more to the list. Meet the Audi RS3 Sportback, which boasts 362 hp and five doors, too. With propulsion coming from Audi's turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder that makes 343 pound-feet of torque (465 newton-meters), the RS3 Sportback can scramble to 62 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155 mph, but buyers can opt to raise that top end to 174 if desired. The inline-five is mated to a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch gearbox, sending power to the ground via Quattro all-wheel drive with torque vectoring, which can send between 50 and 100 percent of the power to the rear wheels as needed. To cope with the boosted output, the suspension has been lowered by an inch compared to the standard A3 Sportback, and magnetic dampers are a further option. Buyers can also tick the box for carbon-fiber-ceramic brake rotors at the front. The RS3 goes on a diet its latest iteration, too, weighing 121 pounds less than its predecessor. While buyers get potent power, Audi keeps the looks understated. The exterior wears a front airdam with larger openings and some aluminum flourishes, and a diffuser at the back gets some more matte trim. A roof spoiler and aluminum look for the mirror housings add a few other touches to catch the eye. Inside, all versions get sport seats covered in Nappa leather and a flat-bottom steering wheel wrapped in leather and Alcantara. But for the really sporty look, buyers can spec optional RS buckets with a carbon shell that weigh 15 pounds less than the standard units. European deliveries of the RS3 Sportback begin in the summer. Autoblog reached out to Audi spokesperson Mark Dahncke who told us there are currently "no plans to bring it to the US." Scroll down to read Audi's full announcement of this five-door hot hatch. Power in compact form – the new Audi RS 3 Sportback Ingolstadt, 2014-12-12 Sporty top model of the A3 model series Most powerful production five-cylinder in RS history with 270 kW (367 hp) 0 – 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.3 seconds – 0.3 seconds faster than the previous model Hot, throaty sound, exhilaratingly free-revving and brawny power – the five cylinder engines from Audi are legendary.