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Next-gen Audi A5 shows its heavily camouflaged face

The new Audi A4 is set to launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, so it shouldn't come as too big of a surprise that an updated A5 is on the way, as well. Our spies just caught the coupe testing for the first time while wearing heavy camouflage from nose to tail. Despite the concealment, some details are possible to make out, especially when comparing the two-door design to the previously spied A4. Audi is further differentiating the designs, and the A5's front end is significantly changed based on these photos. The headlights appear larger and more acutely angled than the narrower units on the sedan. Also, the lower bumper gets square intakes at each corner and the shape creates an additional opening in the center for the coupe. In profile, it's easy to notice the quicker sloping roof and smaller side windows. Only the rear end of the two models seem to share many significant cues. The new A5 reportedly rides on the same MLB Evo platform as the upcoming A4 to shed around 200 pounds. The two models might not launch at the same time, though, and the coupe could join the lineup somewhat later. S5 and RS5 variants are expected to join the range further down the line, too.

Audi unveils its Doberhuahua Super Bowl commercial

With Super Bowl Sunday less than a week away, this week is going to be dominated by anything and everything football related. That includes advertising and the auto industry, as some of the biggest players prepare to launch multi-million-dollar spots hawking their latest and greatest products.
A veteran of Super Bowl ads, Audi's history has been rather checkered, ranging from controversial to funny to Jason Statham. We aren't entirely sure where to place this year's ad. The German brand has released a pair of teaser videos on the so-called Doberhuahua, a crossbreed of a Doberman Pinscher and a Chihuahua. Now, we have the full spot.
We get the message Audi is going for - compromise is bad - but delivering it via a slobbery, mutant dog strikes us as trying a bit too hard to be funny. Take a look below and let us know what you think of the Audi's Doberhuahua spot. And of course, you'll be able to see the new ad come Sunday, when it airs during the Super Bowl.

Mercedes considering Audi Allroad rival

The Audi Allroad is something of an anomaly in the automotive world. Its competitors are limited to the recently released Volvo V60 Cross Country and perhaps the far cheaper Subaru Outback. The lifted premium wagon hasn't exactly done great for Audi, only selling a few hundred examples each month. Its best sales year was 2013, and even then, only 5,300 left US showrooms. Despite these limited prospects, word from Australia is that Mercedes-Benz is looking at launching its own competitor to the Allroad. "We are looking at every single niche, so we are studying this [Allroad] at the moment, but it is not confirmed," Matthias Luhrs, VP of sales and a member of the product management at MB, told Motoring.com.au. "We are looking obviously at C-Class and E-Class, but no confirmation at the moment." Fortunately, Luhrs recognizes that the Allroad isn't exactly a smash in the US. "In the US, no matter how long, short, high ... they don't like station wagons," Luhrs said, while adding that the Allroad concept is "developing quite successfully" in Italy and southern Europe. And for those hoping for a lifted C- or E-Class sedan, Luhrs also put the kibosh on that, saying, "We are not studying that." So what does this tell us? Well, it's still far from a sure thing that Mercedes will launch a lifted C-Class or E-Class Estate. And even if the company does go ahead with it, like the rest of the brand's long roofs (E-Class aside), don't expect to see it on US roads.