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Audi's pint-sized A1 Sportback hatch renewed and due in Australia early next year Audi has officially sent its smallest hatchback — the diminutive A1 Sportback — upsize and upmarket, unveiling a second-generation model that will arrive in Australian showrooms in the first half of 2019. Following a drawn-out build-up, we can report the 2019 Audi A1 Sportback is 56mm longer than its predecessor, at 4.03 metres. Width is largely carryover at 1.74 metres. Beneath the skin Audi’s smallest model will sit on the Volkswagen Group’s latest MQB AO platform, which already underpins the latest Volkswagen Polo The bigger dimensions have liberated more space throughout the nippy hatchback’s five-seat cabin and in a 335-litre boot (up 65 litres) that expands to 1090 litres with the second-row backrests folded flat. Along with more space, the 2019 edition will feature more technology, with Audi confirming installation of its ubiquitous 10.25-inch ‘virtual cockpit’ instrument di...

Audi’s mid-size sedan and wagon pairing promise sportier looks Audi will update its popular A4 sedan and wagon early next year with fresh styling and the introduction of an S line performance package. Images from the German car maker offer a first glimpse of the facelift, which is set to be shown in full at the Paris motor show in October before an Australian arrival in the first quarter of 2019. There are no known mechanical upgrades to the A4, which was recently subject to a stop-sale order in Europe due to a engine oversight. Instead, the changes concentrate on styling. Entry-level models get a new front bumper replete with more aggressive air inlets and aluminium highlights, while at the rear, the A4 scores slimmer exhaust outlets and a narrower diffuser panel. Further up the food chain, the S line competition package now channels the appearance of go-fast RS variants with a sportier front bumper employing wider inlets that direct airflow to the wheel ho...

New Audi Q8 Sport Concept made its debut at Geneva in March, but is now showing off a new Android infotainment system in Silicone Valley Audi has presented what it believes could be the next step in smartphone integration for your car – an infotainment setup powered completely by the Android operating system, presented on the Q8 Sport Concept revealed earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show.  Google’s Android system has already staked its claim to a slice of the motor industry with Android Auto – a smartphone mirror link system similar to Apple CarPlay.  Now though, Audi has partnered with Google at the technology giant’s annual I/O summit to present a Q8 Sport Concept with a cockpit completely powered by the software, with seamlessly integrated apps such as Google Maps, Spotify and Google Assistant. All of the information can be displayed right in front of the driver too, as the Virtual Cockpit Display is also integrated into the Android...

The new luxury Audi Q8 coupe-SUV has arrived to rival the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE This is the Audi Q8, the German brand’s sister vehicle for the Q7 and a new entry in the increasingly popular coupe SUV sector. It's a rival for the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE, and will be priced from around £65,000 when it goes on sale in the summer.  The Q8 is 4,986mm long – so it’s actually about 66mm shorter than the Q7. But it shares that car’s wheelbase and is longer overall than both the X6 and GLE. It’s also 27mm wider than the Q7 and this – along with a lower roofline – gives the new arrival a more aggressive, sporty stance.  • Best 4x4s and SUVs on sale Up front, the Q8 gets a single frame grille inspired by the original Audi quattro. The coupe-like design and raked rear screen are subtler than on either of its key competitors, translating to improved cabin space and a larger boot. The rear of the car gets a similar lighting signature to that...

Group B rally racing is often referred to as the golden era of rallying. Established in 1982 by the FIA, the short-lived Group B era birthed some of the most legendary rally racers even to this day. That includes the famed Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2. The Sport Quattro in the video from  Petrolicious  isn’t the real thing, but the impeccable replica is probably as close as one can get to it. Volker Gehrt, the owner of the replica, states a toy model his wife purchased for him to keep on his desk was the inspiration to go out and build his own Sport Quattro S1 E2. After crossing paths with Roland Gumpert, the father of the Quattro as well as a former Audi motorsport boss and founder of the Gumpert supercar brand, both gentlemen thought it would be a fun undertaking to rebuild the car just as it was in the ‘80s. Of course, this kind of undertaking is a lot easier when you have a former Audi motorsport boss on board, who was able to source the obscure and rare parts for the pr...

Audi's first battery-electric crossover will also usher in radical new technology for the automotive industry. The production e-tron electric crossover will ditch traditional side mirrors and replace them with camera-based digital mirrors, the brand announced on Wednesday. Unfortunately, we won't see them in the United States due to a lack of regulations allowing them, Audi spokesman Mark Dahncke told  Motor Authority . “The digital mirrors are not able to be homologated for the U.S. given the current laws at this time,” he said. “Much like Matrix [LED] lighting, we are working with the authorities to make the side view cameras legal at some point in the future.” The idea of replacing normal mirrors with cameras isn't a new one, but the e-tron will make the idea a production-first application. Audi will mount the cameras to little winglets of sorts and the driver's side feed will be displayed to the left of the instrument panel. Audi, strangely, has not specif...

An updated version of the popular Audi A4 saloon is on the way, with 48v mild hybrid tech likely An updated version of one of Audi’s biggest sellers, the A4 saloon, will arrive before the end of the year, Auto Express can reveal. Despite sales figures for the A4 slipping in the wake of buyers flocking to SUVs, the saloon remains Audi’s biggest seller in Europe; tens of millions of pounds will be pumped into the development of the updated A4 to increase its appeal.  Ahead of the car being revealed, possibly at this year’s Paris Motor Show, spy shots have shown the Mercedes C-Class rival undergoing testing in Germany. It’s clear the A4 won’t benefit from a dramatic exterior redesign; the modest disguise suggests a reshaped front bumper will be the biggest visual change. However, new headlamps and a reprofiled rear bumper are also expected. • Best executive cars on sale The light disguise could indicated that Audi is focusing more on t...

With a price tag of £80,000+, the Audi RS6 Avant is one of the most expensive estate cars you can buy. But when you consider the supercar-rivalling performance on offer and the practical estate car body, it offers two cars for the price of one, and you could easily spend twice as much buying an R8 sports car for thrills and a luxury SUV to go with it. There are plenty of optional extras, and you could easily raise the car's price to £100k, but the one extra we would highly recommend is the Performance upgrade. Not only does it add more power, it also brings some added aural excitement. With staggering performance, undeniable style and family-friendly practicality, the RS6 Avant ticks the right boxes as a rapid family car, while adding the Performance pack means it's more engaging to drive. Choosing between this and the Mercedes-AMG E63 Estate will be tough, but what a fantastic dilemma to face. Our Choice  Audi RS6 Avant 4.0 TFSI quattro Performanc...