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The Audi RS3 shows up at Paris with five cylinders, 400 hp, and a scowl

Last night at the Volkswagen Group Night, almost lost among all the future mobility hoopla about the Volkswagen I.D. autonomous EV concept, Audi parked an RS3 sedan. We have some preliminary information about it – including that it's packing a 2.5-liter TFSI engine, the same five-cylinder powerplant that makes 400 horsepower in the new Audi TT RS we just drove. In the RS3, it'll have the same rating. It'll also have a wider track, because it's surely packing wider and stickier rubber. We also know that it'll have a special Virtual Cockpit gauge display that puts the tachometer in the center, in the tradition of sporty driver-oriented cars. Before you sigh something about the injustice of it not reaching the Americas, like many RS models of the past, great news: this one is almost assuredly coming to the US, according to our best intel. We'll have more details later today after the official press conference, but for now the bottom line is this is both what we expected and also truly exciting. We're in the midst of a real Audi RS boom right now. If you want a taste of what to expect, read our Audi TT RS first drive. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Audi RS3 Sedan: Paris 2016 View 15 Photos Related Gallery 2017 Audi RS3 View 18 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Paris Motor Show Audi Performance Sedan 2016 paris motor show

VW won't let emissions scandal keep it from racing

The Volkswagen Group may have its hands full dealing with the diesel emissions scandal. But that doesn't mean it will be curbing its considerable racing programs. At least not in any significant way. This according to Matthias Muller, who recently moved up from his previous position as Porsche CEO to preside over the entire group. Speaking with Autosport at the World Endurance Championship finale in Bahrain this past weekend, Muller emphasized the importance of racing to the company. "The motorsports programs are not in danger of being dropped or significantly reduced because motorsports is very important for the group and the brands," said Muller. "Basically we do not question our motorsport efforts." Of all the brands under the group's umbrella, several have prominent, top-level factory works racing programs, and others support customer racing teams. The Volkswagen brand has emerged as the dominant force in the World Rally Championship, securing both titles over the past three years. Both Porsche and Audi compete in the top tier at Le Mans and in the World Endurance Championship, trading places in the winner's circle. Audi also competes in DTM, and alongside Lamborghini, Bentley, and Porsche, and also offers GT3 and GTE racing cars to private customers. Lamborghini, Porsche, Audi, and Seat (once the leader in touring cars) all run their own spec racing series as well. Skoda continues to compete in lower-level rallying, leaving only Bugatti to draw on its prominent pre-war grand prix racing history. To hear Muller tell it, those racing programs – or at least the top-levels ones among them – aren't going away anytime soon. But there may still be some tweaks here and there, and we shouldn't expect any new programs to be launched in the near future. Porsche, for example, is anticipated to wind down its factory involvement in GT racing, after winning both the drivers' and manufacturers' titles in the WEC GTE Pro class this year in addition to its LMP1 victories. Instead it will focus on preparing new racing versions of the 911 for client racing teams. The auto giant was also reportedly close to branching out into Formula One in partnership with Red Bull. But after negotiations were interrupted by emergence of the diesel emissions scandal, that deal fell apart. It remains unknown which brand might have been represented in the F1 engine-supply program.

Audi previews sleek crossover concept ahead of Beijing debut

With the Beijing Motor Show approaching just a couple of weeks down the road, automakers have begun announcing the concept cars they have in store. Nissan has a new sedan concept coming, Lexus will reveal the production NX crossover and Citroën has a tempting sports sedan concept lined up for the Chinese auto expo. And now Audi has hinted at what it has in store.
Revealing only a trio of renderings with no details to accompany them so far, Audi appears to have a new crossover concept in the works. Referred to only as the Audi Showcar Beijing 2014, the brief calls for a five-door crossover with a rather coupe-like roofline, rugged lower body cladding and a flexible cabin with quad bucket seats.
The form bears telltale similarities to the new TT, suggesting that this concept could be a further evolution of the Allroad Shooting Brake concept that Audi revealed in Detroit. If put into production, we could see it wearing the Q4 badge, giving Ingolstadt a rival to the likes of the BMW X4, Porsche Macan and Range Rover Evoque. However, until Audi tells us otherwise, that's all speculation...