2014 Audi A4 2.0t Premium on 2040-cars

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Autoblog's ultimate holiday rides

Over the hills and through the woods, it's the time of year when many of us visit family and friends for the holidays. But getting there can be a chore. It's cold and snowy across much of the United States, and even if the climate is favorable, the drive to grandmother's house often is not. Think back to holiday road trips of yore: They probably included crying babies, antsy children, hungover adults and frequent bathrooms stops all around. Now, we're all at different life stages here at Autoblog, and the perfect car for one staffer might be as useful as a team of Budweiser Clydesdales to another. Some of us bounce from family event to family event with children and a labrador in tow, while others prefer a quieter, simpler holiday. But whatever the endeavor, we all need wheels. With that in mind, here is the unofficial Autoblog list of the ultimate cars in which to tackle the holiday season. 2015 Ferrari FF To borrow a chestnut from Top Gear presenter James May, "As you'd expect, I've done this properly." That oddly voluptuous ruby bolide in the photo above? It's a 2015 Ferrari FF – all 652 all-wheel-driven horsepower of it. What makes a Ferrari the ideal for holiday time in PaukertLand? My Midwestern winter breaks are wonderful, but they're typically frenetic and slushy, involving a lot of schlepping from house to house and even city to city, not to mention inevitable last-minute runs for forgotten presents and dinner ingredients. Needless to say, a powerful V12 is a welcome ally for such duties. And this one isn't just a friend when the road is clear. The FF has been gifted Ferrari's novel 4RM AWD system, and despite sitting lower to the ground than, say, an SUV, it's a pretty effective tool for real winter driving, especially when outfitted with a set of snow tires. Unlike other Ferraris, it's also a rather practical thing, with legitimate seating for four adults and 15.9 cubic feet of cargo space – that's precisely as much room as a Mercedes E-Class – and you can fold the rear chairs and cram 28.2 cubes-worth of holiday cheer in the back. Okay, so it's far from cheap and fuel economy isn't that great, but who cares? Just drop a paddle-shifted gear or two, bury the throttle and Repeat The Sounding Joy. Ain't the holidays grand? – Chris Paukert Executive Editor 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe My Mom gives out more presents than any other human being I've ever encountered.

Upcoming Audi Q8 coupe-like crossover spied in the snow

At the 2017 Detroit Auto Show, Audi debuted the Q8 concept, a thinly veiled version of its upcoming coupe-like crossover that's set to compete with the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Coupe. We now have spy photos that give us our first look at the Q7-based production version, and through the camouflage we can see how telling Audi's Q8 concept really is. All of the major traits from the concept are present on the production model, including that massive, oversized grille and aggressive roofline. In fact, the entire front end appears to carry over from the Q8 concept, just toned down a few notches. The stainless steel accents on the air intakes are gone, and the headlights, though similar in shape, look more traditional than those on the concept. The small cutouts between the grille and the hood look to be gone as well. Around the side, we can see that the concept's sharply angled rear window and sloping roof have are present, mostly unmodified. The Q8's beltline doesn't appear quite as high as the concept's, but the windows look to be the same relative shape. The big creases above the wheel arches have been reduced slightly. Also, although the Q7 and Q8 will share a platform and therefore a wheelbase, the Q8 is slightly shorter overall. The smaller front and rear overhangs, combined with the tight roofline, give it a high-riding hatchback profile, similar to the Porsche Macan. The changes between the concept and production model are most evident around back. The bumper mounted exhaust pipes have been dropped, at least on this version. The upright vents on the outside of the tail lights have also been dropped. The camouflage around the rear is heavy, so it's difficult to to say how much of the body-width tail light carries over, though the light itself seems to shine through in the same shape. No word on when we'll see a production version, but expect to see the Q8 concept around for a few more shows. Look for more details on the engine, including whether or not the plug-in hybrid powertrain carries over from the concept, closer to the full reveal. Related Video:

Audi Q4 crossover starts production in 2019, Q8 in 2018

Audi's crossover line-up will be expanding in the next couple of years. The company announced production dates both for the already announced Q8 flagship, as well as its less-publicized Q4 compact. The Q8 will begin production next year at a plant in Slovakia that currently builds the Q7. The Q4 will start production in 2019 at a plant in Hungary that will also build the Q3. Audi has shown us concepts of the Q8 already, and we've seen prototypes undergoing testing. But Audi hasn't said much about the Q4 until now, and we haven't seen camouflaged examples running around yet. Audi says the Q4 will have a "coupe-style silhouette" and "be positioned between the Audi Q3 and Q5." Of course that second part you probably figured out based on the name. The description of its looks leads us to believe that this will be the production version of the Audi TT Offroad concept, pictured above, from a few years ago. However, don't expect the concept's 408-horsepower hybrid powertrain to be offered, at least not at the start. It's been a long time coming for this crossover. The TT Offroad was reportedly confirmed for production back in 2015. And last year, Audi secured the trademark for Q4 from Fiat Chrysler. With production starting in 2019, it will probably still be a while before we get a glimpse at the new SUV. Odds are, we'll see a concept early next year at the soonest, followed by the production model at the end of 2018. As for the Q8, we would expect to see the production model revealed at the end of this year, or possibly early next year. Related Video: