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See the new Audi A8 early in Spider-Man: Homecoming

Audi is moving beyond being the primary car provider for Tony Stark in the Iron Man films, and is taking a major role in the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming film. Though product placement is generally obnoxious, at least this placement will give car enthusiasts a sneak peek at the new Audi A8. The car is slated for a full debut on July 11, but Audi says the car appears in Spider-Man, which comes out much sooner on June 28. Though the car has yet to be fully revealed, we know it will have a unique 48-volt electrical system and semi-autonomous driving technology. Audi says that some of that semi-autonomous technology will be on display in the film. As cool as that may be, we're concerned about other Audi placement in the film. Apparently an R8 convertible will reprise its role as Tony Stark's daily driver, which makes sense, but Peter Parker will be driving a TTS Roadster, which makes much less sense. In case you weren't aware, Peter Parker is a lower-middle class high school student, so unless there's a plot twist in which he comes into a lot of money suddenly, a new TTS isn't something we'd expect to see him drive. Audi doesn't give much context for the TTS's appearance, so maybe the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man borrows (or joyrides in) the Audi at some point. Related Video: Image Credit: Audi TV/Movies Audi Convertible Luxury Performance Sedan

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 rumored to buy Alfa Romeo, officials deny it

For more than two years, Volkswagen has been making public statements about its willingness to buy Alfa Romeo and quadruple the Italian brand's sales, and for just as long, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has replied with some version of "Mr. Piëch, drop it." According to a report in Ward's Auto, all that jousting might be over: it claims that sources close to both Marchionne and Audi CEO Rupert Stadler admit that the two are in talks for Audi to buy not just Alfa Romeo, but a production plant in Italy. In fact, a final deal could possibly include partsmaker Magnetti Marelli.
Against that backdrop, a report by German news weekly Stern quotes a Fiat spokesmen as saying it doesn't comment on rumors and an Audi rep has said flatly that "There is no substance in the news." If a sale is being arranged, the timing would seem to point to how eager Fiat is to raise cash to complete its major initiatives. Even though Alfa Romeo continues to delay its return to the US, it just showed off the production version of the 4C at the Geneva Motor Show (shown above) and said that preferred Fiat dealerships here would get them. Then there's Alfa's recently concluded deal with Mazda to develop a roadster based on the next generation MX-5 Miata - a deal that would seem to help both the Italian and Japanese brands.
The monetary issues are troublesome, though. Fiat is taking a beating in the European market and its weak-kneed balance sheet is delaying gotta-have-it products like the Jeep Cherokee. Fiat has been talking to banks about getting money to buy the rest of Chrysler and those financial institutions have also raised issues about debt and cash reserves, and the nasty game of chess Fiat is playing with the United Auto Workers (and now the court system about the portion of Chrysler it doesn't own) could end up blowing another hole in Marchionne's plans. It is possible that this could finally have convinced Fiat to at least see how serious Audi's parent company, Volkswagen, is about buying Alfa Romeo. Or it could be just another rumor.