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5 stars in Euro NCAP crash tests for 5 new cars available in U.S.

Seven new cars have received a full five-star rating in the latest Euro NCAP crash tests. Of these, five are available in the United States: the Audi E-Tron, Lexus UX, Toyota Corolla, RAV4 and Mazda3. The Renault Clio and the Volkswagen T-Cross also took part, also receiving five stars. The Mazda3 hatchback was the fourth car in Euro NCAP history to reach an adult occupant protection score of 98%, after the Volvo V40 and XC60 and the Alfa Romeo Giulia. No NHTSA ratings for the Mazda3 or the Audi are yet available, but the Lexus and the Toyotas have all received five-star NHTSA safety ratings as well. Those three were tested as hybrid variants by Euro NCAP. Audi's first fully electric vehicle, the E-Tron, scored 91% in Euro NCAP's adult occupant rating, with unavailable knee airbags bringing down the score. The Mazda and the Toyotas offer them for the driver only, and the Lexus has the passenger's knees covered as well. The Lexus UX managed a 96% adult occupant score, close to the Mazda, and it provided better pedestrian safety (82%) than the Audi (71%), despite neither, or none, of the test vehicles having an active hood to catch pedestrians. As for the Toyotas, the Corolla, tested in both sedan and hatchback guises, scored 95% for adult occupant safety, with the RAV4 a couple notches down at 93%. Still, the five-star rating means all these vehicles are a very safe choice in their respective classes. Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of Euro NCAP, states how important it is that even family hatchbacks perform well and have the latest safety tech available. "It is encouraging to see that all manufacturers did well, regardless of type of powertrain or class of vehicle tested," said van Ratingen. "New cars on the market continue to offer more advanced technology as standard, systems that were not even considered an option a few years ago." More crash test videos are available on Euro NCAP's YouTube channel. Audi Lexus Mazda Toyota Car Buying Safety audi etron lexus ux

Audi confirms all-electric SUV on the way

The electric crossover segment might become a hot market in just a few years. In addition to the rumors of an electric Jaguar F-Pace and obviously the Tesla Model X, Audi is now confirming an EV "sports activity vehicle" for early 2018. The Germany luxury brand even showed off a rendering (pictured above) of it during the company's annual press conference. Audi technical development boss Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg made the announcement during his portion of the conference but largely avoided hard details. What he said was tantalizing, though. The still un-named model was claimed to offer over 311 miles of driving range and ride on the brand's upcoming MLB 2 platform. Although, Auto Express suggests that it could be called the Q6 E-Tron. Dr. Hackenberg also promised a "new, very attractive design, which we are developing especially for the E-Tron range and for battery-electric vehicles." The rendering showcased a fairly squat crossover design with bold fender flares dominating the styling in profile. The images also suggested almost coupe-like proportions. Thankfully, the wait for more details about the model might not be too long. Dr. Hackenberg told Auto Express that Audi would have a presentation soon about the new model. He also hinted at a little of its tech by suggesting next-gen batteries offering 50 amp-hours and 90 kWh could be enough for sufficient range even in such a large model. With recent unveilings like the R8 E-Tron and Q7 E-Tron, Audi is rapidly moving towards offering more plugins and electric models. With this latest announcement, that expansion only appears to be accelerating. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management at AUDI AG for Technical Development Speech to the Annual Press Conference 2015 Ladies and Gentlemen, 2014 was the year of technical milestones, tests and records. Think of the sportiest piloted car in the world, the Audi RS 7 concept, which lapped the Hockenheimring racetrack extremely dynamically without a driver – at up to 240 km/h. Another mega-success was our 13th victory in the world's most important endurance race. The Audi R18 e-tron quattro with diesel-hybrid drive triumphed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 2014 – that was also 25 years of TDI technology. As strong evidence of the future viability of combustion engines, we showed the Audi RS 5 TDI concept – the fastest diesel ever timed on the Hockenheimring.

Audi SQ5 comes to America with 354-hp gasoline engine

When we first saw the Audi SQ5 TDI unveiled back in June, we could feel that pit in our stomach. Here sat a powerful, sporty, mean-looking crossover, and we just knew that Audi wasn't going to be bringing it to the US. And we were right. While we won't be getting the diesel version of this crossover with its 479 pound-feet of torque, we will instead be getting a gas-powered, supercharged V6 - the same powertrain as the S5 - and that's a mighty fine consolation prize if you ask us. The US version of the 2014 Audi SQ5 will debut next week at the Detroit Auto Show, and it will go on sale this fall.
Ditching the diesel engine, the US-bound SQ5 loses some torque but gains plenty of horsepower with Audi quoting power ratings of 354 horsepower and 346 lb-ft from the supercharged 3.0-liter V6. Power is fed through an eight-speed automatic to all four wheels giving the small CUV impressive performance numbers. The 0-60 mile per hour time is expected to be in the low five second range to go with an electronically limited top speed of 155 miles per hour. The suspension has been upgraded as well to improve handling, but it also gives the SQ5 a sportier appearance with a ride height that has been lowered by more than an inch compared to a standard Q5.
Speaking of styling, the 2014 SQ5 gets all of the expected "S" model upgrades, especially when it comes to the new front fascia and grille, the standard 20-inch, triple-spoke wheels and the quadruple exhaust tips. Only two colors will be available on the SQ5: Panther Black and Estoril Blue. Inside, the SQ5 will get a sportier cabin with bright, "aluminum-look" pedals and shift paddles, and the materials will also get an upgrade to include Nappa leather and Alcantara as well as accent options that include carbon fiber, piano black, aluminum or wood finish.