Audi: Q5 S-line on 2040-cars

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2016 Audi R18 whooshes around Sebring to test for WEC

The 2016 Audi R18 is a radically different endurance racer than the model it replaces. The designers drape the chassis in an angular body rather than the previous curves, and the engineers added lithium-ion batteries for energy storage. Now, we get to see these big changes in motion thanks to a video of the new car testing at Sebring. Like previous iterations of Audi's diesel-fueled racers, the latest R18 is quiet around the track. It seems to sneak up on corners with just a whoosh and a whir from the powertrain. The updated design also looks a lot better in motion than in static photos. Audi had a rough time in the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship after losing to rival Porsche both at Le Mans during the summer and in the manufacturers' standings at the end of the year. Related Video:

2018 Audi SQ5 will use 48-volt electric supercharger

It seems like 48-volt electric systems and electric compressors are becoming relatively mainstream, and Audi will be adding another vehicle powered by this emerging technology in 2017, according to comments Audi powertrain chief Oliver Hoffman made to Autocar. Hoffman said the upcoming SQ5, probably a 2018-model-year vehicle, will use a version of the electric compressor technology that debuted on the SQ7. While the SQ7 uses two gas-driven turbochargers and one electric compressor, the SQ5 will likely only use one conventional turbo and one e-compressor. That should allow it to make 365 hp, but 390 hp is possible from the system and may hint at room for a more powerful SQ5 Plus down the road. Remember, the European SQ5 uses a 3.0-liter TDI engine, and that's the same basic engine that will power the new SQ5 with the addition of the new forced induction system and 48-volt electrics. And also remember that the US-market SQ5 uses a supercharged 3.0-liter gasoline engine, not the TDI unit, which is one of the reasons it's still on sale in the wake of the TDI scandal. Torque is the real differentiator: the current US-market SQ5 makes 354 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque, while the current Euro-market SQ5 Plus makes a massive 516 lb-ft. No word yet on how the dual-compressor system on the upcoming SQ5 will affect torque numbers, but expect the new engine to again have considerably more twist than its gas-powered US-market counterpart. Related Video: News Source: Autocar Green Audi Technology Emerging Technologies Crossover SUV Diesel Vehicles Performance audi sq5 48-volt system

Audi prepping A5 Sportback for US market

Audi is prepping one of its European-market models for the US market. No, it's not the RS3. Or the RS6. Or even an RS model at all. Sorry. Instead, just be happy we might be finally seeing the handsome A5 Sportback on American roads. Automotive News is citing Audi of America boss Scott Keogh, who hinted that a third A5 body style would be offered in the very near future. And since there are only three A5 body styles – coupe, convertible, and Sportback – and Americans can already buy the first two, the five-door variant is almost certainly what he was referring to. "I feel confident that there will be another variant of the A5 that will be a real home run," Keogh told AN during the US launch for the new A4. Keogh then went on to make the same argument we made above, that Audi only has one more A5 body to sell over here. Audi sells the Sportback with a number of powertrains in Europe, including gas, diesel, and S performance varieties, but we'd expect the US-spec model to mimic the new A4. That means the only choice facing owners would be whether they went for front- or Quattro all-wheel drive. According to Automotive News, we can expect some kind of announcement on the A5 Sportback ahead of the second quarter of 2017, when it's expected to go on sale. We're impatient, though, so we reached out to Audi for confirmation. As soon as they respond, we'll update this post. Related Video: