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2018 Audi RS3 Sedan to make US debut in 2017 [UPDATE]

UPDATE: We've heard back from Audi, and the statement was as expected. According to spokesman Mark Dahncke, there's "nothing we can share at this time." We really want the Audi RS3 to come to the US market, and based on a report from Car and Driver, it doesn't sound like we'll be stuck waiting that long. The report claims the new compact rocket sedan will debut next year as a model year 2018 vehicle. Beyond that date, C/D's report expands on some of the details we reported on in our RS3 Sedan report from February. It backs up the claim about a 2.5-liter, turbocharged five-cylinder, but instead of a 400-plus-horsepower engine, C/D's report says it'd be "close to" 400 hp. That power would come from a turbocharged, 2.5-liter five-banger that's distinct from the unit currently offered in the Euro-market RS3 Sportback and the last-generation TT RS (the new 2.5 would first debut in that car's replacement). The new powerplant would be paired with Audi's seven-speed S-Tronic. According to C/D, all this powertrain goodness will allow the new RS3 to hit 60 in four seconds flat and run up to 174 miles per hour. If correct, that means Audi's newest high performer will be a tenth of a second faster to 60 and have an extra seven mph on the high end than the most potent Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG. And while the two-door BMW M2 isn't necessarily a direct competitor – because coupe – it's worth pointing out that the RS3 will be 0.2 seconds faster to 60 and have an extra 19 mph to its top speed. While C/D's report cites a "highly reliable source" for its information, we've naturally reached out to Audi to confirm as much as possible. We'll update this post as soon as Audi's PR team gets back to us. The company basically gave the usual "No comment." Related Video: News Source: Car and Driver Rumormill Audi Luxury Performance Sedan

2018 Audi A8 spied with light camo, lots of Prologue touches

It's been a big week for Audi A8 news. First tech boss Dr. Stefan Knirsch hinted at a range-topping rival to the Mercedes-Maybach S600, and just yesterday CEO Rupert Stadler confirmed that the next-gen car would be the first Audi with autonomous driving systems. Now we have our first pictures of the new large sedan, which will be based on the VW Group's MSB platform. As expected, the 2018 A8 will take cues directly from the Audi Prologue concept, a large coupe that was first shown at the 2015 LA Auto Show. This new A8 is completely devoid of cladding, giving us a great look at its production-ready shape. We can see the Q7's strong influence on the design, especially in front. The fascia is home to a wide hexagonal grille and aggressively canted headlights. The taillights will likely be a similar shape to the Q7's, but the LED pattern is dramatically different – we can almost see individual elements on this A8, whereas the Q7 is more of a light-ribbon design. Overall, this is an attractive if somewhat anonymous look. Our spies couldn't capture any shots of the cabin, but we do expect it to resemble the concept interior Audi showed earlier this year at CES, which featured an evolved version of the Virtual Cockpit system called Virtual Dashboard. Not surprisingly, it looks like there's going to be a lot of room in the back seats. While Rupert Stadler confirmed the next A8 will debut in 2017, he didn't go as far as saying which auto show to expect it at. At this point, Geneva seems like a prime candidate. Related Video:

Volkswagen decides to keep Lamborghini and Ducati, transfers Bentley to Audi

Investors in the market for a high-end Italian manufacturer that peddles performance will need to keep looking. Volkswagen announced it will hang on to Lamborghini and Ducati in the foreseeable future. Executives in Wolfsburg, Germany, are making far-reaching changes to the Volkswagen Group to reboot it with a big focus on technology. Credible rumors claimed that the people in charge of the carmaker wanted to carve out Lamborghini — which owns Ducati — and ultimately list it, or at least a chunk of it, on the stock market in order to fast-track the group's electrification strategy. Going electric is expensive, so selling Lamborghini would have helped fund the expansion, and high-octane supercars don't easily go hand-in-hand with zero-emissions cars. "Volkswagen needs to change from a collection of valuable brands and fascinating combustion-engine products that thrill customers with superb engineering to a digital company that reliably operates millions of mobility devices worldwide," summed up Herbert Diess, the group's boss, during a September 2020 meeting. His team ultimately decided not to fully divest both brands. It's too early to tell whether part of Lamborghini will be listed on the stock market, as some insiders have suggested, or if those plans are off the table, too. Changes are coming to Bentley as well. While it's not being spun off either, it will fall under the Audi umbrella starting on March 1, 2021. Volkswagen explained linking the two companies will "allow for synergies to be achieved as part of the electrification strategy of the two premium brands," a statement which suggests they will share a growing number of components during the 2020s. Unverified rumors claim that Bentley will notably get its own version of an ultra-luxurious electric SUV code-named Landjet that Audi is currently developing. We've reached out to Bentley for more details, and we'll update this story if we learn more. Bugatti's future wasn't mentioned in the release; unconfirmed reports suggest it will be traded for a stake in Croatian start-up Rimac. Volkswagen's supervisory board also reaffirmed its support for Diess, who was appointed CEO in 2018 and who has played a significant role in the company's transformation. Finally, the board approved the development of what a statement refers to a future leading electric vehicle sold by the Volkswagen brand that will be developed and manufactured in Wolfsburg.