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The Audi R8 e-tron is dead with less than 100 built

According to a report from Car and Driver, the Audi R8 e-tron is dead (again!) after fewer than 100 examples of the all-electric model were built. This is an anticlimactic end to what could be termed an e-saga, with enough twists and turns to make a Hollywood scriptwriter sit up and start pecking out a screenplay. But here's the important number to keep in mind: 100. That's the production number the R8 e-tron failed to reach. The final tally is less than that, an Audi rep told Car and Driver. And what few were built were sold furtively, and only in Europe, in a strange back-channel in which dealers referred potential buyers right to Audi HQ, says the report. All of these transactions happened without the benefit of an online configurator or any published materials, we understand. That doesn't sound like a recipe for wild success – and neither did the $1,000,000+ pricetag. And this is just the latest stumbling block for the R8 e-tron, which was cancelled the first time back in 2012 when it was still based on the sinister, classic shape of the first-generation R8. If you recall, there was some confusion about the limited run of those first-generation cars, which were initially tipped to be sold to the public. In a strange move, Audi walked that back and held onto the cars for "internal purposes." So it was, until 2015, when we saw the second-generation R8 e-tron in Geneva. Audi promised it'd go on sale in 2015 "upon customer request," which was some foreshadowing to the unusual dealership referral sales model we discussed above. Nonetheless, it seemed like it would be a supremely interesting electric sportscar, with 456 horsepower, 679 pound-feet of torque, a 0-62 mph time of 3.9 seconds, and a range of up to 280 miles. Alas, except for the fewer than 100 European owners who managed to take delivery before Audi yanked the cord, the R8 e-tron's emissionless charms will go unappreciated. We're hoping to get more specific confirmation from Audi about the nature of the cancellation and the exact number produced; until then, stay tuned. Related Video:

Which would you rather have, Audi's RS5 or Mercedes' C63 AMG 507?

If you're in the market for a German sports coupe with a naturally aspirated V8, run, don't walk, to your nearest dealer because they are going to be gone very soon. European fuel economy and emissions rules have conspired to force automakers into seeking forced-induction mills. Motor Trend personality Jonny Lieberman is hosting the retirement party in the latest Head 2 Head video, where he takes on the 2014 Audi RS5 and 2014 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Edition 507 to decide which is the ultimate Teutonic V8.
To make the decision harder, Lieberman challenges the duo on the first soaking wet roads that Southern California has seen in ages. It forces the coupes to confront some of the actual weather that the rest of the country encounters regularly and serves to even the playing field somewhat between the charismatic rear-drive Mercedes-Benz and the all-wheel drive Audi.
It really is the end of an era for these coupes. The next Audi RS4 is rumored to switch to a twin-turbo V6, and while Mercedes won't officially admit it, the next C-Class AMG will likely switch to a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. And we already know the next BMW M3/M4 will rely on a 425-horsepower, 3.0-liter inline-six. Let's enjoy these eight-cylinder German giants while we can, and scroll down to watch the video.

2017 Audi S4 First Drive

For all its power and easy performance, the best thing about the last Audi S4 was its uncanny ability to act like a normal (but very high-spec) A4 for most of its life. Then, when you needed or wanted a bit more speed or a bit more grip, you pushed a button or opened the tap and it became something else. It became a thing with more grip, more poise, more focus, and more gristle, but the changeover between the two S4 characters was seamless. That doesn't seem to be the case with the new one. The latest, B9 A4 has been well received and is probably the best mid-sized premium car out there, so that should have left the S4 a simple job to become the best warmed-up premium mid-sizer. It hasn't quite happened like that. The spec sheet suggests the S4 should come out on top in the fight with the BMW 340i and the Mercedes-AMG C43, but the numbers aren't everything. The engine seems impressive on paper; the all-new EA838 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 was jointly developed with Porsche (and it's closely related to Porsche's next V8, with which it will share non-internal bits like the camshaft chain). The 60-degree V6 weighs 31 pounds less than the old S4's supercharged V6, and it's replete with variable valve timing and lift, centrally mounted fuel injectors, and both direct and indirect fuel injection. That gives it 354 horsepower at 5400-6400 rpm (up 6.5 percent) and 369 pound-feet of torque from 1,370 to 4,500 rpm. That gives it a peak 44 lb-ft higher than the old one, spread across a band 600 revs broader. At 2,000 rpm, where drivers live every traffic light, it has another 74 pound-feet. That's enough motivation to move to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds. There's a new all-wheel-drive system that usually shoots 60 percent of the torque to the back but can ramp that up to 85 percent when it needs to, or it can swing it around to fire more than 70 percent to the front axle. The category benchmarks suggest turbocharged 3.0-liter gasoline sixes are the thing to have, with the Mercedes-AMG C43 using one, the 340i BMW having one (though it's straight), and Maserati's Ghibli also using one. The oddball is Jaguar's XE S, which uses a supercharger. You know, like Audi just ditched. The S4 trumps all but the C43 on power (the nine-speed Benz has 362 hp). While it ties the Ghibli for torque, it again trails the Benz (by 15 lb-ft) though its torque peak hits far earlier (the Benz waits until 2,000 rpm).