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2017 Audi A4 pricing drops before Detroit debut

With its spring 2016 on-sale date rapidly approaching, Audi confirms the official pricing structure for the new A4 sedan. The four-cylinder-only A4 line starts at $38,250 – a $1,400 increase over last year's model – but like the similarly priced BMW 328i and Mercedes-Benz C300, that figure climbs quickly. For one, unless you're planning on living with a front-wheel-drive Audi, you'll need to add on $2,100 for the automaker's torque-vectoring Quattro all-wheel-drive system. And unless you want the basic Premium trim, plan on tacking on $3,800 for the Premium Plus trim or $8,600 for the range-topping Prestige. What's all this mean? For that, we'll turn to the newly switched-on online configurator. The standard A4 doesn't sound like a terrible deal, offering standard bi-xenon headlights, LED taillights, three-zone climate control, leather seats, a sunroof, and a seven-inch MMI system. Moving up to the Premium Plus switches up to full LED headlights, heated front seats, a 19-speaker Bang and Olufsen 3D stereo, push-button start, and an S-line exterior treatment. Finally, the top-line Prestige's notable standard items include an 8.3-inch, nav-equipped MMI system, Audi's excellent virtual cockpit (an Autoblog Tech of the Year finalist), and a head-up display. If you're balking at the trim packs, rest easy knowing Audi has spread the options around liberally. You can get navigation and heated seats on a base model – they're $2,400 and $900, respectively – and Virtual Cockpit can be added to the mid-grade model. The base can be had with standard 18-inch wheels, while the Premium Plus allows drivers to ditch the 18s and move up to 19s. Even the top-of-the-line Prestige has a few options, including an $1,800 Driver Assistance pack (adaptive cruise, auto high beams, and lane keeping assist ) and a $1,450 Warm Weather Pack (vented front sport seats). While you can get an A4 for $38,250, you can also build one up to $55,375. Look for the 2017 Audi A4 in dealerships this spring. And head over to the online configurator to build your ideal Audi sedan now.

Audi Sport plots ambitious growth for RS lineup

Audi Sport is set to double its range of high-performance, RS-badged vehicles, reports Autocar. In an interview, Stephan Winkelmann, head of Audi Sport, revealed plans to add eight RS models to its lineup by early 2018. Winkelmann didn't reveal which vehicles would get the RS treatment, but said that "it is better to under-promise and over-deliver." Audi has several RS-badged cars, including the RS7, RS6 Avant, TT RS (both in its hard-top and soft-top variant), RS Q3, and RS3 (some of which are sold in the US). Autocar believes that the A1, A4, and Q5, along with the R8 are next in line to get the RS treatment in some markets. With Mercedes-AMG selling more vehicles, 80,000 units over the past few years, according to Autocar, it makes sense for Audi Sport to follow closely behind with a similar idea. While Mercedes is placing the AMG badge on its vehicles to bridge the gap between its high-performance and lower end models, Audi Sport says it's taking a different tactic. "We are not going to do what they do," Winkelmann said. Even without the extra vehicles, Audi RS sales could top 20,000 units this year, reports Autocar, with Winkelmann stating that the brand would experience "double-digit growth this year." Hopefully, Audi Sport's decision to add more RS models will result in some of those high-performance cars coming to the US. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Audi RS3 Sedan: Paris 2016 View 15 Photos News Source: AutocarImage Credit: Live photos copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Audi Convertible Coupe Wagon Performance Sedan

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.