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Audi plans RS3 for US

Rejoice, performance-car fans. The Audi RS3 (pictured above) is probably coming across the Atlantic. If that happens, the US-market RS3 will likely be a sedan, not the five-door body style offered in Europe. Hot hatch fans might shed a tear at this news, but we'll the RS3 any way we can get it. Audi of America CEO Scott Keogh feels the same way. "We really, really want the RS3," he said to Automotive News. "I'm very confident we'll see that car in the market. That's as far as I'm going to go. In Europe, the RS3 Sportback packs a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder with 362 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. That grunt get to the ground via a torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system that can route up to 100 percent of the power to the rear wheels when necessary. The sprint to 62 miles per hour goes by in just 4.3 seconds. Of course, a tiny, hardcore sedan isn't on every buyer's shopping list. For those who want a little more room with their luxury, the Q8 is also on the way. "That is absolutely a car that we will see in the United States," Keogh said to Automotive News. The big crossover shares its platform with the next Q7, but will have sleeker bodywork similar to vehicles like the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. The Q8 is slated to launch in 2017 with US sales following the European debut. Recent rumors suggest that a fully electric E-Tron version could be part of the lineup as well. Audi's American arm isn't as crossover crazy as some other automakers, however. According to Keogh, the tiny Q1 CUV might not come to the US because it's not the right fit for the market. Related Video:

Audi SQ5 TDI Plus packs more potent punch

While the SQ5 that Audi offers in North America packs a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 burning gasoline, the version it sells back home is fueled by diesel. And now, with the Frankfurt Motor Show fast approaching, Ingolstadt is rolling out an even more potent version. The new Audi SQ5 TDI Plus upgrades on the existing version with 27 more horsepower and nearly 37 pound-feet more torque. The six-cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine now cranks out 340 hp and a mountainous 516 lb-ft. That's over a hundred torques more than even the V10 Plus version of the new R8. Burning that midnight oil will rocket the SQ5 TDI Plus to 62 from a standstill in 5.1 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 miles per hour. All the while it will return the equivalent of 35.6 miles per gallon of diesel fuel. Compared to the gasoline version offered Stateside, the TDI Plus now produces nearly as much power but way more torque. Performance figures are now nearly identical, but the TDI Plus uses less of the (typically) cheaper fuel. The upgraded package also includes 21-inch five-spoke alloys, additional gloss black accents, restyling tailpipes, and revised interior trim. The launch of the SQ5 TDI Plus follows that of the S8 Plus performance sedan, which our sources tell us is likely – but as yet unconfirmed – to be offered in the United States. <p>Your browser does not support iframes.</p> Even more power and top-of-the-line equipment: The Audi SQ5 TDI plus with 250 kW (340 hp) - The SQ5 TDI plus will launch on the German market in October 2015 - 700 Nm of torque; from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds - On request, exclusive equipment package from quattro GmbH Audi is further expanding its range of S models. In October, the new SQ5 TDI plus* will arrive at German dealerships with more power and driving pleasure and even more extensive equipment – with 250 kW (340 hp), sport differential and 21-inch wheels. Even in its basic version, the successful Audi SQ5 TDI* comes as an SUV with the performance of a sports car. The plus version has an even higher power output. The biturbo V6 TDI produces 250 kW (340 hp) from its three liters of displacement by way of increased injection pressure. This results in 20 kW/27 hp more power compared to the SQ5 TDI. Its peak torque is increased by 50 (36.9 lb-ft) to 700 Nm (516.3 lb-ft).

Wagons make a bit of a comeback, with new models, sales on the rise

Consider this an official invitation to hop on the wagon bandwagon. There's still tons of room because, well, it's a wagon (and market share is still extremely small). But according to new data, the segment is growing. According to a report from Bloomberg, using data from Edmunds.com, roughly 211,600 Americans purchased wagons in 2018. That is technically down from the 237,600 sold in 2017, but wagon sales in the U.S. are up 29 percent from where they were five years ago. It's also the third year in a row that wagon sales broke the 200,000 mark. The sales trends have been somewhat representative of the availability of wagons. New models have debuted during the past 5 years and therefore offer more opportunity at more brands to buy wagons. In addition to more modest cars such as the Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen, several luxury and performance brands are offering wagons today, such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Jaguar, Volvo and Buick. (Bloomberg's headlines make the point that "crossovers are for the Kardashians," and wagons are just, well, classier.) This uptick in brand-name availability, as well as extremely well-executed design on most of the wagons currently available, has helped increase the segment's desirability. That, and its ability to better accomplish the same tasks at hand while standing out from the crossover and SUV crowd. Still, the posted numbers represent a small fraction of the total vehicles sold. According to the data, wagons only held a 1.4 percent market share in 2017, the segment's best recent year. Wagons hold a steadfast place in America's past, and they're writing an interesting new story. With the downturn in traditional cars, they may continue to create an unexpected narrative. Related Video: News Source: Bloomberg, Edmunds Audi BMW Buick Volkswagen Volvo Wagon station wagon