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More details on next Audi A4 mooted, including PHEV

With just under two more years until the next-gen Audi A4 hits the streets, it's not surprising that details are starting to leak out. The Brits from Autocar are reporting some information on the 2015 A4, although it isn't clear where any of it came from.
The most substantial news might be in regards to the plug-in hybrid version of the car. We've known for a couple years now that an A4 PHEV was being planned, but the report indicates that a trio of plug-in configurations are being planned, equipped with a 2.0-liter gas engine, a 2.0-liter diesel engine or a 3.0-liter supercharged V6. All engines will be paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the A4 plug-in is said to have an all-electric range of up to 31 miles.
In terms of styling, the next A4 shouldn't stray too far away from Audi's current design language, but it will introduce a new version of the automaker's signature grille. Despite being about the same size as the existing A4, the fifth-generation model will drop some pounds thanks to various weight-saving techniques with the most obvious being aluminum body panels. Based on this info, we should see the A4 sedan and wagon in April 2015, an Allroad later in the year and a redesigned A5 lineup hitting the scene in 2016.

Audi sets diesel records on road and track

Ever the proponent of diesel propulsion, Audi has claimed two very different kinds of records in Europe with its finest oil-burners. The more exciting of the two was achieved recently at the Sachsenring, where the Audi RS5 TDI Competition Concept posted the fastest diesel-powered lap time ever recorded on the track. As you may recall, Audi revealed the RS5 TDI Concept last year, swapping the gasoline-burning 4.2-liter V8 in the production RS5 coupe for a 3.0-liter V6 diesel with two turbochargers and an electric supercharger. The result was 385 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, but Audi's been working on the prototype over the course of the past year. In the new Competition version, output is up to 435 hp and 590 lb-ft, and despite the inherently heavier diesel engine, it actually weighs 531 pounds less than the production model. That helped the RS5 TDI Competition lap the circuit in 1:35.35, besting the previous diesel lap record by 1.87 seconds, and adding to the Hockenheim record it took previously. Around the same time, another team set out from Maastricht in the Netherlands in an Audi A6 TDI Ultra and drove it for 28 hours straight, hitting 14 countries and logging 1,158.9 miles on a single tank of diesel. The achievement, certified by Guinness World Records, was completed in a showroom-stock vehicle, with automotive journalist Andrew Frankel and racing driver Rebecca Jackson splitting driving duties. They achieved an average of 75.9 miles per gallon – much better than the advertised rating of 67 mpg – as they cruised through from Holland to Hungary, passing along the way through Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Serbia. Record: Audi RS 5 TDI competition concept drives to record time on the Sachsenring track - Audi sets new lap record for cars with diesel engines - Superior technology platform with 435 hp and 800 Nm (590.0 lb-ft) - Electric compressor: overcomes turbo lag, enhances sprint performance Audi has set a new record time on the Sachsenring for cars with a diesel engine. The Audi RS 5 TDI competition concept rounded the 3.6 km (2.2 mi) race course in a time of 1 minute 35.35 seconds. The technology platform draws its power from a 3.0-liter V6 biturbo TDI with 320 kW (435 hp) of power and 800 Nm (590.0 lb-ft) of torque. The highlight is an electrically driven compressor.

Audi passes BMW as top luxury brand in India

By the end of this decade, India is expected to be one of the top three car markets in the world, but automakers are already starting to duke it out for sales. In terms of premium brands, Automotive News says that Audi has jumped out to an early lead for sales in the country due in large part to the recent introduction of the Audi Q3 (shown above).
In 2012, Audi's sales increased 43 percent, rising to 9,350 units and outselling BMW (8,686) and Mercedes-Benz (7,015), both of which experienced a drop in sales last year of 9.5 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively. While none of these sales figures are particularly significant on a global scale, the article says that the market for premium cars in India is expected to quadruple by 2020 up to around 120,000 units. AN attributes Audi's lead to its offering of new SUVs while its rivals have been focusing on small hatchbacks.