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Audi A3 Clubsport Quattro concept bringing its 525 horses to W?rthersee

It's almost late May, and you know what that means: the last of the snow has melted, the Stanley Cup playoffs are in full swing, the flowers are blooming, and the performance-car faithful are descending on Wörthersee in Austria for the annual GTI-Treffen.
Not only is the Wörthersee Tour (as the automaker calls it) a chance for enthusiasts to show off their rides, it's also a prime opportunity for the Volkswagen Group to show some of its most dedicated customers what it can do. Past meets have given us such notables as the Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro, Volkswagen GTI W12-650 and Skoda Fabia RS 2000 Roadster, to name just a few. And now Audi has emerged as the first VW Group brand to reveal what it has in store.
It's called the A3 Clubsport Quattro, and seems to offer a pretty clear indication of what we should expect of the next RS3. The concept is based on the S3 sedan, but swaps out its 2.0-liter turbo four for a retuned version of Audi's sweet 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five, retuned to produce a massive 525 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque.

Audi chooses A3 as its Super Bowl darling

With Super Bowl XLVIII less than two months away, we're sure to hear plenty of news about automakers and their various plans for in-game commercials. Audi has announced that it will return for its seventh year of Super Bowl advertising, but few details were provided about the spot other than the fact that it will focus on the all-new 2015 A3.
The 60-second ad will air during the third quarter of the game, and while Audi did not say how much it is spending on the spot, Ad Age says that a 30-second commercial will average around $4 million for next year's Big Game. Last year, Audi's choose-your-own-adventure "Prom" commercial was the second favorite video in our unofficial poll of readers, but the competition should heat up even more this year with General Motors returning to Super Bowl advertising after taking a year off and Jaguar preparing its first-ever Super Bowl ad to introduce the F-Type Coupe.

2016 Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport bridges the gap to S8

Want to get your hands on an Audi S8, but can't quite make the stretch? You may be interested, then, in the newest addition to the A8 family. Because it just may be the next best thing. As the moniker suggests, the 2016 Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport packs a similar 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 to the one in the S8 (and the Bentley Continental GT for that matter). But instead of 520 horsepower, it's tuned to produce a somewhat more modest 450. That's also less than the 500 hp offered in the W12 model, but then the V8 engine is a fair bit lighter, and it produces 15 more horses than the previous 4.0T model. Along with the upgraded engine comes a sportier look, with larger air intakes at the front, more sculpted side sills, and 20-inch (or available 21-inch) alloys. It also comes standard with the Executive and Luxury packages, complimented by diamond-quilt stitching, and a headliner upholstered in Alcantara with a panoramic sunroof. Of course, it's also priced a fair bit lower than the aforementioned more powerful versions: $90,500 (plus $925 destination) is a relative bargain compared to the $114,900 commanded by the S8 and $137,900 for the A8 L W12. Audi has yet to release performance figures, but we'd expect it to drop a tenth or so off the 4.4-second 0-60 sprint achieved by the previous, 435-hp model. Those looking for more power than the S8, not less, may still hold out hope for the S8 Plus with its 605 hp to make its way to US showrooms. Related Video: Audi introduces 2016 A8 L 4.0T Sport model October 26, 2015 | HERNDON, Virginia - New Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport model achieves 450 hp through an enhanced 4.0T twin turbo V8 - Sport style exterior with muscular front fascia creates a striking presence on the road - Interior features panoramic sunroof, acoustic glazing on windows and Alcantara headline Featuring more power and enhanced luxury inside and out, the Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport model enters the Audi lineup for 2016. The variant of the Audi A8 flagship sedan boasts an enhanced 4.0T twin turbo V8 engine achieving an impressive 450 hp, an increase of 15 hp from the previous 4.0T model. The Sport model also includes a muscular front fascia with larger air intakes for a more commanding presence on the road. The bumper of the A8 L 4.0T Sport has been lowered for a more performance-oriented look and the sides of the sedan have been given more prominent rocker panels to give the vehicle a wider stance.