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Next-gen Volkswagen Golf R spied while running the 'Ring

The launch of a new Volkswagen Golf is never a small thing, and things are already looking up for the subcompact hatchback after it was named 2013 World Car of the Year. While we've already seen the base and GTI versions of the next-generation Golf, now we're getting our first look at the sportier Golf R.
Although this prototype wears GTI lettering on the front fenders, it's more than just the roll cage and Sparco racing seat hinting that this is something a little more serious. Unlike the Golf and GTI, this car shows that the Golf R will continue to flaunt massive air intakes on each side of the fascia, and the rear of the car (though it's hard to see) has quadruple exhaust outlets. We still don't have an official word on power, but rumors indicate that the next Golf R could be pushing close to 300 horsepower, making it the most powerful production Golf ever. As much fun as we had during our first drive of the Golf R Cabriolet in the cold, snowy French Riviera last month, more power is a warming idea.

Munich prosecutors arrest Audi employee in emissions probe

Munich prosecutors arrested an Audi employee on suspicion of fraud and false advertising in connection with the carmaker's emissions scandal, the first arrest in Germany related to Volkswagen's diesel scandal. The Audi employee was arrested on Monday, at the behest of Munich prosecutors, a spokeswoman for the Munich prosecutors office said on Friday. When asked if the arrest was at the request of US authorities, the spokeswoman said it was not. She did not give the name of the person. Munich prosecutors declined to comment on whether the arrested person is a current or former Audi employee. Audi and parent Volkswagen both declined to comment. On Thursday, the US Justice Department said it charged former manager Giovanni Pamio with directing Audi employees to design software to cheat US emissions tests in thousands of Audi diesel cars. Audi is a division of Volkswagen Group. The Munich prosecutor's office said the Audi employee was brought before a judge on Tuesday and was now being held in custody. The spokeswoman declined to discuss the possibility of the detained person being extradited to another country or comment on whether Munich prosecutors were in touch with US authorities. The German arrest was part of a wider probe into fraud and false advertising and is a consequence of "findings following searches," the spokeswoman said. In March, Munich prosecutors searched the offices of Jones Day, the lawfirm Volkswagen had hired to lead an internal investigation into its emissions scandal and Audi's headquarters. Volkswagen condemned the searches at the time, and never published the full findings of its internal investigation which was being conducted by Jones Day. The raids by Munich prosecutors in March sought to shed light on who was involved in the designing and using illicit software used in 80,000 VW, Audi and Porsche cars with bigger 3.0-liter engines. No members of the Audi management board are being personally investigated as part of that probe, the spokeswoman said on Friday. In the criminal complaint released by US authorities on Thursday, US prosecutors charged that Pamio ignored or suppressed warnings by certain Audi engineers that the pollution control systems being used on the brand's diesel engines violated US clean air rules. US prosecutors said Pamio had ordered subordinates to send false information to American regulators stating that Audi's "clean diesels" did not use technology designed to cheat federal pollution tests.

Leaked Audi product roadmap may confirm R8 with V6 engine

About a year ago, we reported that Audi was considering downsized engines for the new R8, which launched in V10 form. This is partially due to the Chinese market's desire for smaller displacement engines, and partially due to R8 technical lead Roland Schala's statement that a "V6 is a perfect engine for this car." This leaked upcoming product schedule, passed on by our friends at Autobahn.eu, seems to confirm these rumors. Based on the information in the image above, the R8 V6 is due in 2018. The rest of the product map seems to square with vehicles we know are in the pipeline. We spied the SQ7, A5, and R8 Spyder about a year ago, and the TT RS a few months ago. We told you in December a new Q5 is on the way, too. We just heard a credible rumor that the RS3 is on the way in 2017 as a 2018 model, and may even come to America, which squares with what we're seeing here. And we drove the Q7 E-Tron in 2015 – it's going on sale in Europe soon. This graphic puts the on-sale date as October 2017; that could be for the US market. Puzzlingly, this graphic doesn't discuss the Q2, which Audi just teased today. We're not sure what to make of that. Now onto the fun stuff. 2018 should be when Audi reveals a new A8 (featuring, most likely, a version of the futuristic Virtual Dashboard seen at CES) and A7, an RS 5 Coupe launching a few months after the A5/S5, a new A6, and the already-confirmed Q8 SUV. All expected or already confirmed. What about the cryptically-named "C-BEV?" If we extrapolate that to mean C-segment EV, if could be the Audi version of the stand-alone EV that VW is reportedly developing, and no, it's not the next E-Golf. We expected this MEB-based vehicle to debut in 2018, before the next-generation Golf, so again our rumors square nicely with what this roadmap tells us. Let's leave it at this: if you're an Audi fan, the next few years are going to be quite exciting. Expect some of these rumors to be confirmed in Geneva, so keep your eyes here for more Audi and VW info. Related Video: