2010 Audi R8 Quattro 4.2 on 2040-cars

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XCAR shows how Audi engineers let loose with A1 Quattro

In its ultimate mortal guise, the Audi A1 Black Edition - the littlelest little guy Audi makes - costs 22,340 pounds ($33,705 US) in the UK and comes with a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder that outputs, at most, 182 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The Audi A1 Quattro - still employing the body of the littlelest little guy Audi makes - costs more than 41,020 pounds ($61,888 US) gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder from the Audi TTS with 252 hp and 258 lb-ft. And quattro. And 17-inch, center-locking, white wheels.
The crew at XCAR gets the A1 Quattro on video, to both question how the A1 Quattro happened and then to praise it even if they never found the answer. The hosannas come too late for anyone in the UK who was waffling about buying one, however, since all 19 meant for the 'sceptered isle are sold out. You can see what we missed out on in the video below.

2015 Audi RS7 Dynamic Edition is a pretty car for a pretty penny

Making its world debut at the New York Auto Show, and commanding a $40,250 premium over the base RS7, is Audi's new 2015 RS7 Dynamic Edition that arrives with an MSRP of $146,045 (including destination and delivery). The range-topping hatchback is designed to showcase Audi's exclusive program, which allows customers to choose choose from the automaker's long list of options and then take the customization one step further with bespoke paintwork, upholstery, bodywork and wheels.
The interior features Black Valcona leather seats with Crimson Red honeycomb stitching, and matching Crimson Red seat belts. The contrasting color is carried through to the stitching on the dashboard, center armrest, door panels, shift boot and center console. Carbon fiber inlays provide additional contrast. The exterior is offering in four colors (Ibis White, Suzuka Gray metallic, Daytona Gray pearl and Phantom Black pearl), with each arriving with performance-oriented DRC suspension (with three-stage adjustable dampers), 21-inch Gloss Black wheels, Tornado Red painted brake calipers and sport exhaust. A carbon fiber front splitter, rear diffuser and carbon fiber engine cover complete the package.
Like the standard RS7, the Dynamic Edition arrives with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 rated at 560 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. With an eight-speed automatic transmission, running through Audi's Quattro permanent all-wheel drive and a sport differential, the four-passenger vehicle will crack the 60 mph acceleration benchmark in a reported 3.7 seconds - and, thanks to cylinder-on-demand technology, it avoids a gas-guzzler tax. The RS7 Dynamic Edition arrives at dealerships in early summer.

US diesel model count to double for 2014?

While diesel cars are popular on most other continents, these less-complex alternative to hybrid-electric vehicles have yet to gain major traction in the US. As an increasing number of light cars and trucks start to offer these fuel-efficient engines, though, sales are expected to climb as well. While BMW, Mercedes-Benz and the Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche) continue to lead the way, more non-German automakers like Mazda, Nissan, Chrysler and General Motors are starting to get serious about diesel in America.
TheDetroitBureau.com reports that the 2014 model year will see the number of diesel vehicles offered in the US double to about 40 nameplates, but the news gets even better for fans of these torquey and efficient powerplants. LMC Automotive has released data about future expectations of diesel cars in the US, and it predicts that sales should be very close to one million units in 2015 (up from an expected 600,000 units this year). By 2018, LMC's calculations suggest that sales will more than double from this year's expected totals accounting for almost 8 percent of new light-vehicle sales.