http://www.sub5zero.com/auto-news/europeans-debadge-cars-hide-wealth-americans-u...

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The first thing we notice about the new Audi A8 is the updated headlamps with LED running lights. The camouflage hides any other obvious changes to the vehicle, but our photographer notes that it has gotten slightly longer and lighter.

We expect some updates under the hood, and the car should be more efficient than previously. Also, we should see two- and four-wheel-drive versions. If all goes as expected the new A8 will show up later this year.

Click through the gallery above, or scroll down for the photographer’s comments.

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What's not to love about the Audi R8? Well, besides the R-tronic transmission. This is one of  the sexiest supercars that we've been able to get our hands on, and Audi has now upped the ante on its R8 hotness by removing the roof. The R8 Spyder will be hitting our shores next year in 5.2 V-10 guise, and we're already planning our summer drive routes for this exotic droptop.

The mid-mounted 5.2-liter V-10 isn't anything new to the R8, but the dynamics of the roadster should be very different. Cutting off the roof adds an additional 476 pounds to the R8's weight, but even so, the topless R8 will sprint to 62 miles per hour in just 4.1 seconds. It's hard to make a slow car when there's 525 horsepower on tap at all times.

Consider our interest piqued. You can read the full press release by clicking through the post, and be sure to scroll through our image gallery above for the complete set of photos.

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—San Rafael, CA

The new 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet looks good from any angle. Even from the inside of the back seat with the soft-top snuggly closed. The room isn't adequate for someone six-foot six, but that's not the point. Viewed from this slightly cramped vantage, the fact that Audi attends to details in a most exhaustive manner seems abundantly clear.

A textured, seemingly mass-less material forms the smooth underside of the multi-layered fabric top. No crossbars or hinged joints show. Set into this impossibly thin material are LED reading lamps intended to benefit both rows of seats. I can't recall ever having the need to read anything whilst in the back seat of a convertible with the top up, but those Germans from Ingolstadt knew someone else might.

CLICK HERE to continue reading this review

http://www.sub5zero.com/auto-news/frankfurt-motor-show-2009-audi-r8-52-fsi-spyde...

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Audi, like other German automakers, has long trumpeted that diesel power is the way of the future, and we've seen examples like the R8 V-12 TDI concept to prove this point.

Not anymore. The first images of Audi's all-electric e-Tron concept have leaked onto the web, and the car will make its official debut at the Frankfurt show this week. It's no secret that this car shares most of its construction with the R8 supercar, though overall aerodynamics have been improved -- fitting of a MPG-happy electricity sipper.

We'll have the full details later this week, but in the meantime, scroll through our gallery of images above to see the e-Tron from all angles.

+ Autoblog: Frankfurt Preview: Audi e-Tron electric supercar gets early web unveil

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Let's break this down for a moment. Audi TT = good. TTS = great. TT-RS = awesome. So what happens when tuning company Abt gets their hands on the TT-RS? Magnificence. Then again, we're partial to tuned-up Audis this week.

For starters, Abt uses their Stage One ECU upgrade to increase the TT-RS's power from 340 to 420 horsepower out of the 2.5-liter mill, which (for those of you keeping track) is just as powerful as the base, 4.2-liter R8. Nice. Sprinting to 62 miles per hour takes just 4.3 seconds and the top speed is an electronically limited 175 mph.

Aside from that, Abt goes a step further by adding the standard tuner-ific visual cues to show passers by that this TT means serious business. Suspension and exhaust modifications are on hand, too.

Hey Abt, we're reserving a space in our parking lot just for this.

We’re pretty excited to report that tuner MTM is delivering its version of the A3 2.0T Quattro hatch to our office today. We’d love to drive the car with your questions in mind, and report back on what we find. The MTM A3 isn’t exactly a known quantity, so take a look at MTM’s brief on what has been done to the Audi. Ask away through the link below.

• Audi Original S3 bumpers and side skirts
• Audi Original S3 brakes
• MTM 19 x 8.5 bimotowheels
• MTM exhaust
• MTM chip tuning (272 HP)
• MTM plans to build (15) A3 to S3 conversions by MTM for the US market
• $55,000 MSRP based on a reasonably equipped A3 S-Line model

+ NextAutos Forums: Ask It: 2009 MTM Audi A3

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Audi has announced pricing for its upcoming A3 TDI model, starting the pint-sized derv-burner at an MSRP of  $30,750 with destination, tax, and fees. The car will begin arriving at dealerships in the last part of November.

That not insignificant sum will buy what we’re expecting to be a tidy luxury small car, and a frugal one, at that. EPA estimated fuel economy for the A3 TDI is 30 miles per gallon in the city and a whopping 42 mpg on the highway. It’s worth noting that EPA estimates for diesels have often proved pretty low for diesels in the real world, and we wouldn’t be overly surprised if the Audi managed mid to high forties on the freeway. Time will tell.

The Volkswagen family 2.0-liter diesel will be in service for the A3, providing 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque for the five-door hatch. Audi specifies only the S tronic transmission and front-drive in its press release, but don’t be surprised if a six-speed manual and Quattro find their way to the U.S. A3 TDI in later editions.

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We’ve seen the Audi RS5 testing before, but we get a little more excited about it each time. Especially when we see it on the kind of roads we love to drive.

Its V-8 engine should produce well upwards of 400 ponies. We imagine it’ll produce a nice sound, as well.

Scroll down to read the photographer’s comments, and be sure to check out our previous spy shots of the RS5.