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Audi's diesel-electric supercar is codenamed 'Scorpion'

Speculation continues as to the final nature of the diesel-hybrid Audi supercar said to arrive in 2016 or 2017. A previous report in Automobile had the halo coupe, based closely on the R18 etron quattro endurance racer, codenamed R20 and pegged to look like a Le Mans winner for the street with around 700 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo V6. Now Car and Driver has updated the gossip with a report that the car is internally called "Scorpion," and it will be even closer to the R18 than supposed.
CD says the heart of the car will use the R18 etron quattro's carbon fiber tub and its engine will be "taken directly" from the race car. That means a 3.7-liter V6 with a single turbo that, in ACO-spec restricted form, outputs 500 hp and 625 lb-ft - CD suspects production output could get to 600 hp - and drives the rear wheels, aided by hybrid motors driving the front wheels. And remember, at Le Mans the R18's hybrid motors can't kick in until they're above a certain speed in order to prevent Audi from getting an advantage coming out of slow corners. A street car wouldn't face that restriction.
The Scorpion would be a fulsome and undiluted example of the technologies Audi has created during its return to sports car racing. Its exterior design hasn't been finalized, with CD citing either the convoluted concept of "a retro take on the future of racing" or packaging that would adhere to the R18's looks. To make sure it is properly appreciated and sells well, production could be limited to the same 333 units as the R8 GT and A1 Quattro.

Audi passes BMW as top luxury brand in India

By the end of this decade, India is expected to be one of the top three car markets in the world, but automakers are already starting to duke it out for sales. In terms of premium brands, Automotive News says that Audi has jumped out to an early lead for sales in the country due in large part to the recent introduction of the Audi Q3 (shown above).
In 2012, Audi's sales increased 43 percent, rising to 9,350 units and outselling BMW (8,686) and Mercedes-Benz (7,015), both of which experienced a drop in sales last year of 9.5 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively. While none of these sales figures are particularly significant on a global scale, the article says that the market for premium cars in India is expected to quadruple by 2020 up to around 120,000 units. AN attributes Audi's lead to its offering of new SUVs while its rivals have been focusing on small hatchbacks.

Audi perfecting drool-worthy RS3 hot hatch

A sure-fire way of adding excitement to any Audi is removing the "A" from its model name and replacing it with "RS." Take the RS4, RS5, RS6 and RS7 as proof of this fact. Of course, the transformation from "A" to "RS" wouldn't be complete with a huge bump in power, a far more sporting suspension, enhanced brakes and a more aggressive styling treatment. That process appears to be well underway with the next RS3, which has once again been spotted testing in Germany. The larger wheels (the styles are mismatched, but the sizes look similar) are a good giveaway, as are the larger brakes and more aggressive front bumper, which sports larger intakes. The rear bumper has been modified, although we can't quite tell if the RS line's tell-tale oval exhausts have been fitted. In the past, the RS3 mules we've heard have boasted the distinctive exhaust note of a five-cylinder engine. This particular car, though, has a more conventional exhaust note, of the sort you'd expect from a high-powered four-cylinder. Expect around 400 horsepower and Quattro all-wheel drive, with power distributed likely through some form of S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission. Take a look up top for our gallery of spy shots, and keep an eye open for the RS3 in October, when it's expected to debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.