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Next Audi RS4 to get V6 turbo, US sales still unclear

Audi's high-performance S models have forged a reputation in the US for offering wonderful driving dynamics in a package that doesn't scream, "I bought a sport sedan." However, its even higher-performance RS models are still somewhat of a rarity here. While the RS5 and RS7 are in the current US lineup, many of the wild RS models that Europe gets, like the RS6 Avant (pictured above), never make it to these shores. Unfortunately, that might not be changing anytime soon with the next-gen RS4.
The RS4 will follow the lead of the next BMW M3/M4 and (rumored) next Mercedes-Benz C-Class AMG and make the switch to a smaller turbocharged powerplant. According to an Audi insider speaking to Car and Driver, the next RS4 will drop the last generation's 4.2-liter V8 in favor of a turbocharged V6. The engine block will likely be shared with the supercharged 3.0-liter V6 in the regular S4 but fitted with two turbochargers. Power would likely be around 400 horsepower to match the 425-hp M3 and rumored 450-hp C-Class AMG.
Unfortunately, the RS might not make it across the pond to our waiting hands because the source says no decision has been made to export them yet. Obviously, we hope that Audi makes the right decision and brings the next RS4 here.

Audi EV exec compliments Tesla Supercharger network

Stefan Niemand, Audi's Director of Battery Electric Vehicles, didn't mince words that the EV market must improve, and he even applauded the American competition during a meeting of Germany's auto industry organization, the VDA. "I hate to admit it, but Tesla did everything right", he said about the Supercharger network, according to EETimes Europe Automotive. Niemand also tried to convince the members that EVs needed to improve significantly. "These cars are slower than those with conventional drive and they have a much lower range – and in compensation they are more expensive," Niemand said, according to EETimes Europe Automotive In the exec's opinion, it's acceptable if an electric vehicle is a little more expensive than the competition, but the model needs to be every bit as enjoyable to drive as one with a combustion drivetrain. Niemand championed the need for a vast recharging infrastructure and used his speech to do some cheerleading for the forthcoming production version of the company's E-Tron Quattro crossover concept. The company claims the future model can do everything Niemand is admonishing the industry about. For example, the version at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show could produce up to 496 horsepower for short periods and cover 311 miles on the European testing cycle. The exec's arguments echo those of Audi of America president Scott Keogh who sees a similar EV future in the US. Keogh believes the brand's electric sales could as high as 25 percent of its volume by 2025. The company is getting the public ready for this electrified powertrain transition with the A3 e-Tron plug-in hybrid, but the production E-Tron Quattro takes the idea to the next level. To solve the recharging problem, the company is also working on 150-kW fast charging network with partners. Related Video:

Audi updates the RS3 hatch to sedan specs, but we still aren't getting it

As great as the upcoming Audi RS3 sedan looks and sounds, we're still a bit jealous of the Europeans and others who get the five-door Sportback version. And now even more so, because for 2018 the RS3 Sportback is being updated to match the specs of the RS3 sedan that debuted last fall at the Paris Motor Show. We'll see the revised extra-hot hatch next month in Geneva. Even though we haven't had a chance to get behind the wheel of either model, the raw numbers alone get us excited. An updated Quattro all-wheel-drive system, a 400-horsepower turbocharged inline five-cylinder engine (up from 362), and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will send the 2018 RS3 hatch from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. That puts it in Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette territory. Other improvements include a wider track to fit wider rubber, a lowered and stiffened suspension, and a larger set of brakes. Carbon-ceramic front rotors will again be available, like they are on the sedan. Inside, the RS3 comes with a boost pressure indicator, an oil thermometer, and a lap timer. Audi's Virtual Cockpit fully digital instrument panel is available as an option, and one we highly recommend. Aside from all of the performance and tech upgrades, the RS3 has a number of changes to the interior and exterior design. Black Nappa leather sport seats are standard, with special contoured RS sport seats available as an option. Lighting elements have been updated to match those of the restyled A3 and S3, the front fascia has been sharpened, with larger intakes on the bottom corners of the bumpers, a slightly more aggressive front splitter, and the Quattro logo emblazoned on the bottom of the grill. Out back, the car gets two large exhaust tips compared to the S3's four outlets. The overall design is typical Audi: handsome, but conservative. The RS3 sedan goes on sale in Europe in April with the Sportback following soon after. We'll have to make do with the sedan version, which is expected to arrive here next year. The only Sportback model Audi offers here from the A3 family is the plug-in e-tron model, and we don't expect that to change any time soon. But we can dream. Related Video: