2013 Audi Q7 3.0t Premium Plus Quattro on 2040-cars

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2018 Audi RS5 First Drive | Boosted for your enjoyment

Spoiler alert: if you dig snorty, long-winded, naturally breathing V8s, you'll have to add the 2018 Audi RS5 to the long list of cars abandoning the setup. Silver lining: if you like heady acceleration, unraveling twisty roads, and gobbling endless stretches of lonely tarmac, the new RS5 offers considerable gains over its big-engined predecessor. Bigger, Lighter, Gruntier Audi's (slightly) nastier looking new coupe has gained 0.6 inches of width and wheelbase and 2.9 inches of length but lost 132 pounds of mass along the way. Even better, the smaller 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6—the same one found in the Porsche Panamera—produces the same 450 horsepower as before, but gains a thumping 125 lb-ft of torque over the old V8, bringing the grand total of twist to 442 lb-ft. As with the previous RS5 you can't get a manual, but this time Audi swaps their signature dual-clutch transmission with an 8-speed torque converter unit from ZF. The reasoning is sound: the DSG 'box couldn't handle the engine's output, which produces more torque than the R8's mighty V10 – #bigtwistproblems. The RS5's weight loss stems from strategic use of aluminum and the loss of the stonking V8 (ditching it for the twin-turbo V6 saved 68 pounds alone). Weight distribution is, of course, also aided by the lighter front end, and the rear trapezoidal suspension setup has been supplanted with a five-link arrangement for smoother ride and sharper handling. Interior space also benefits from the larger footprint, with rear seat legroom benefiting most from the roomier dimensions. Behind the Wheel The roads from Toulouse, France to the tiny principality of Andorra offer contrasting extremes, from arrow-straight superslab to ultra-technical twisties – an excellent test of the RS5's performance repertoire. The updated cabin presents Audi's typically understated style, with available honeycomb top-stitched leather seats that are supportive but not so tight as to be constricting. HVAC slats form a continuous extension across the dashboard (a la Q7), and the steering wheel and shifter can be trimmed in either perforated leather or Alcantara. The first thing you'll notice in the RS5 are the low frequency sounds, which round out the otherwise muted engine noises.

Munich prosecutors expand Audi investigation

Munich prosecutors said they have widened an investigation at Audi to examine the carmaker's sales in Germany and elsewhere in Europe after the federal government accused the Volkswagen division of cheating on emissions tests in its home market. Audi on Thursday recalled around 24,000 older A7 and A8 models in Europe, 14,000 of which were sold in Germany, to update transmission software, which it said was causing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to exceed EU limits. Munich prosecutors have been investigating Audi on suspicion of fraud and criminal advertising in the United States where parent Volkswagen's emissions scandal broke in September 2015. They have expanded the inquiry to include vehicle sales in the brand's home region, a spokesman for prosecutors said. Audi said late on Thursday that it would continue to fully cooperate with authorities and Germany's KBA motor vehicle authority, which the carmaker had notified about the latest emissions irregularities. The affected Audi models with so-called Euro-5 emission standards, and built between 2009 and 2013, emit about twice the legal NOx limits when the steering wheel is turned more than 15 degrees, the German transport ministry said. Prosecutors said the suspicion in the Audi investigation still centered on fraud, adding they have not yet received updated information from the KBA on the situation in Germany. Their investigation came to a head in March when prosecutors searched Audi's headquarters in Ingolstadt in connection with the emissions scandal, as well as a second German plant and subsequently even the law firm that VW had hired to clear up dieselgate.Related Video: Government/Legal Green Audi Emissions volkswagen diesel

Autoblog editors choose their favorite racecars of all time

If you like cars, there is a good chance that you like racecars. There's something about the science and the art of going faster, of competition, of achievement, that accelerates the hearts of enthusiasts. It doesn't matter the series, the team or the manufacturer – there's something about racing that stirs emotions and lifts spirits. It's that way with many of you, and it's that way with our editors. With that in mind, we offer a list of our favorite racecars of all time. Of course, we'd like to hear some of yours in the comment section below. 1970 Porsche 917 Compared to some of the obscure choices by my colleagues, I feel like the Porsche 917 is almost so obvious a pick as to not be worth mentioning. Still, when coming up with my answer, my mind invariably went back to this classic racer – specifically in its blue-and-orange Gulf livery – while watching Le Mans on DVD and later Blu Ray with my dad. Long, low and curvaceous, few vehicles have ever looked sexier lapping a track than the 917. More than just a pretty face, this beauty had speed, too, thanks to several tunes of flat-12 engines over the course of its racing life. In the early '70s, Porsche was a dominant force throughout sports-car competition, and the 917 (shown above at the 1970 24 Hours of Daytona) was the tip of that spear, including back-to-back victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Largely without dialogue or really much of a traditional plot, Le Mans is like a tone poem of racing goodness. While the 917's importance to motorsports history is undoubtedly fascinating, it's still this cinematic depiction of the Porsche racer that draws me in most, especially with the volume cranked. – Chris Bruce Associate Editor 1964 Mini Cooper S How could everyone not be selecting the 1964 Mini Cooper S piloted by Paddy Hopkirk and Henry Liddon? That car, 33 EJB, took the first of British Motor Corporation's four Monte Carlo Rally wins (it should have been five, but French judges got the British Minis [and Fords] disqualified on a technicality regarding headlights... which its own car, the winning DS, was also in violation of). The tiny red car and its white roof beat out Ford Falcons, Mercedes-Benz 300SEs and scores of Volvos, Volkswagens and Saabs. This, along with the several years of dominance that followed, cemented the idea that not only could the tiny, two-tone Mini be a real performance vehicle, but that family-friendly city cars in general could be fun.