2001 Audi Tt Roadster 225 Quattro on 2040-cars

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TT Offroad Concept shows Audi's design icon isn't afraid to play dirty

We'll step right out and say we like the TT Offroad Concept, but there's something that's just a bit too... familiar about it. Yes, this yellow five-door looks like a not-so-distant relative of the Allroad Shooting Brake Concept that debuted at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show earlier this year. So, we've seen the production TT, a super-light, high-performance model and now we're seeing a crossover. Does any of this sound familiar? Considering the Detroit concept earned an editors' choice award for that show, you can imagine how we feel about the strikingly similar TT Offroad, which is debuting at the Beijing Motor Show.
The two concepts share a propulsion system - a high-performance version of Audi's E-Tron plug-in-hybrid drivetrain. Total system output sits at 408 horsepower, thanks to a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder and a 40-kilowatt electric motor in front and an 85-kW motor on the rear axle, for all-wheel drive. 62 miles per hour arrives in 5.2 seconds, while the TT Offroad is limited to 155 mph. Fuel economy is impressive, with a claimed 123.8 US miles per gallon on the European cycle.
The most obvious different between these two, then, are their looks. The TT looks a bit tougher, thanks to its larger 21-inch wheels and narrower headlights, but its more conventional belt and roofline give it more of an Audi Q3's look. Out back, a slightly restyled bumper is the sole differentiator between the two vehicles.

Audi RS3 Sedan coming to America with over 400 hp?

The Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG is a fast, competent car. It's significantly sharper than the Audi S3, and it should be, since its starting price is around $7,000 more. Still, getting walloped by the higher-performing CLA45 AMG must irk some people at Audi, we'd think, which might explain why there are rumors that the S3's big brother is coming to town. Yes, reports are popping up from an Audi of America employee that the Audi RS3 would transition from its Euro-market Sportback body style to a more conventional four-door, and that its styling would be updated in the process. Oh, and it'll have a 400-plus-horsepower, 2.5-liter, five-cylinder turbo with which to bash the four-cylinder AMG. The report comes from Quattro World by way of CarScoops, and goes on to claim that Audi hallmarks like Quattro all-wheel drive and a seven-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission will both be present. The new RS3 Sedan would arrive on US shores in 2017 as a 2018 model, with prices starting between $55,000 and $60,000. That should make Mercedes-AMG very nervous – the CLA45 may start around $50,000, but getting it past the $60,000-range is simple (your author was driving a nearly $68,000 CLA45 just last month, for example). Naturally, we have a call in with Audi of America to see if there's any credence to this report. Stay tuned for updates. Related Video:

Nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen to retire

Le Mans icon Tom Kristensen is retiring. The Danish driver, who was an integral part of Audi's absolute dominance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, captured a record-breaking nine wins at the legendary endurance race, along with six overall victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring in a career that spanned 26 years.
"Over the past couple of months, my thoughts of retiring have been stronger, and therefore, it feels right to inform you today that I am retiring from motor racing," Kristensen told Autosport. "I still feel I am in peak physical form and possess the necessary mental toughness both in and outside of the car: it has been important for me to stop while I am still strong and able to deliver top performances at Audi."
While the World Endurance Championship's season-ending race at Interlagos on November 30 will be Kristensen's last as a driver, it won't be the end of his long-running association with Audi. According to Autosport, TK will take on a new role as an ambassador for the German marque and will work with team's drivers in an unspecified role.