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Audi S1 nearly ready to rocket euros out of your pocket

Audi was out testing its upcoming S1 on the streets of Germany when our trusty spy photographers snapped the new, all-wheel-drive hot hatch that's set to succeed the limited-edition A1 Quattro.
Unlike the A1 Quattro, the S1 should sport a much less aggressive look overall. As shown in the spy shots, its wheel wells lack the meaty flairs of its predecessor while its rear wing is much more subdued. The wheels are more in line with what we expect from Audi's S models and its higher ride height is more conducive to common things like steep driveways and speed bumps that the 333-unit A1 Quattro might not encounter.
According to our spies, the S1 should hit the European market with anywhere from 220 to 250 horsepower, making it considerably more potent than competitors like the Ford Fiesta ST or Polo GTI from its parent company, Volkswagen (although it'll likely arrive at a considerably higher price than either of those pocket rockets). On the high end, that's roughly equal to the 252 ponies generated by the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four in the A1 Quattro

Audi claims America unfairly pushes electrics over diesels, backed by survey

Audi, in case you haven't noticed, is quite committed to diesel technology. It champions oil burners in both the racing world and to consumers, offering American customers a total of five diesel-powered models, which is more than any brand in the US market save for its parent company, Volkswagen. In a bid to prove that diesels aren't some passing trend and are actually gaining momentum in the US, Audi commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a poll of 1,600 American drivers, to see how they felt about diesel power. The resulting statistics are rather surprising.
57 percent of the 1,629 drivers surveyed think the government has unfairly favored hybrids and electrics over diesel power
65 percent of drivers support laws being passed to make diesel more accessible, while 66 percent support tax incentives for diesel-powered vehicles

VW makes $23K on every Porsche sold, more than Bentley or Lamborghini

It's a good time to be in the luxury car business. In Volkswagen Group's financial report for the 2013 fiscal year, it is revealed that that Porsche enjoyed an operating margin of 18 percent. That means the Stuttgart brand made on average about $23,200 per car sold, according to BusinessWeek. Bentley wasn't far behind, and Audi (which was combined with Lamborghini) posted a 10.1 percent margin. This compares to only around 2.9 percent for the Volkswagen brand.
"Luxury brands are on fire," said Dave Sullivan, an industry analyst at AutoPacific. He said that the average profit margin is between six and eight percent. Brands like Porsche and Bentley have the benefit of competing in rarefied markets. Buyers looking at one their vehicles have fewer models to shop against and don't care as much about price. They can also charge more for options, which further boosts income, according to BusinessWeek.
In a way, we should be more impressed by the continued success from Audi. Its models generally have direct competitors in every segment from the other premium automakers. Plus, their buyers aren't the captains of industry who are shopping for a Bentley. Still, the Four Rings is leading rivals in sales so far this year.