Autoblog

Click above for a high resolution gallery of the S3 Sportback

Audi has revealed the model updates for the European-spec 2009 A3 and S3. Both are slightly larger than the previous version, and the S3 is now available in the 5-door Sportback version. The front of the A3 receives a freshened look including a more complex design around the grille and more modern headlights with optional bi-xenon units that incorporate LEDs. At the rear there is a modified tailgate and the taillight design uses fiber optic rods to create a pretty cool effect. The interior features new aluminum design trim and new colors and fabrics for the seats, and the controls for the audio system have been given a new look. As for the powertrain, the Euro-only diesel engines have been reworked to include an updated fuel injection system. All engine options are now available with the S tronic transmission, and the 1.6, 1.4 TFSI and 1.8 TFSI engines can be paired with a newly developed seven-speed version.

Follow the jump for the full press release with all the details for the updated A3 and S3, and check out the galleries of each car below.

[Source: Audi]

It's no secret that the Mercedes-Benz A-class hasn't been a resounding success and that the automaker is looking to revamp its entry-level line-up to better compete with rivals. According to Autocar, M-B boss Dieter "Dr. Z" Zetsche has green-lighted a new model that's taking aim at the BMW 1-series and Audi A3, and will accompany the rest of the revised A-class models when it debuts in 2011.

The new model will replace the aging, if just recently facelifted, CLC and will initially come to market sporting a coupe body style instead of a three-door hatch. Mercedes plans to expand the rest of the A-classes to include at least three different body styles of each model, coinciding with the launch of the new B-class, which will be designed to compete with the upcoming BMW X1.

Power will supposedly come from a combination of direct-injection gasoline and diesel powerplants, with output ranging from 120 to 200 hp. Pricing should be competitive with BMW's 1-series models, with the new A-class falling right around the £19,000 mark.

[Source: Autocar]

While we like to cover what's going on in the German tuning scene, the haus of RDX proves that we shouldn't stray far from the Lorinzers, Schnitzers, Brabus' and Hartges of the world.

What makes this Audi A3 truly horrible isn't the lime green paint, the misaligned chrome-lipped rollers or even the Lambo-style doors that aren't included in the price of the $895 body kit. No, the biggest problem with the RDX A3 is the fact that nothing – not one damn thing – has been done under the hood. If we had to search our souls for a singular redeeming quality, it's the fact that RDX fitted LEDs from the S6 into the front fascia. Otherwise... fail.

If you must, RDX's press release is after the jump and you can check the gallery below for another acid-reflux inducing image.

[Source: RDX RaceDesign]

4Car sat down with Michael Dick, a member of Audi's board who heads up the product engineering side of things, and came away with new insights on the MINI-fighting A1, the future of Bentley and what products are waiting in the wings.

Starting small, Audi's new A1 will not share the all-aluminum construction of the less-than-popular A2, instead using the steel PQ24 platform that underpins the VW Polo and Skoda Fabia. It will be distinctly Audi in its design, albeit in a small package, and will feature a number of technologies – specifically the MMI setup – that's found in the quad-ring's luxury offerings. Don't expect Quattro in the beginning, nor will a three-door body be offered at first, but Dick confirmed that there would be a concept debuting in Tokyo next month that hints at the A1's styling.

Audi is also developing a new alloy structure for the A8 that will underpin the next generation of Bentleys, and will likely reduce the overall weight of both models by over 300 pounds. Also, the reworked A3 is coming next year, along with a convertible version, while the Q5 will arrive in 2008 complete with either a hybrid drivetrain or a diesel engine – both slated for sales in the U.S.

[Source: 4Car]

Sometimes news is just too good to keep to yourself. Just ask GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz. With his company supposedly claiming 13 spots on Edmund's Consumers' Most Wanted list, Lutz just had to brag a bit on the corporate blog before the winners were made public.

And he should brag. Most other car of the year awards are chosen by us automotive writers who usually prefer horsepower over hip room. As the name implies, Edmund's CMW awards are chosen by the car-buying public. And despite not voting with their wallets, the car-buying public who visits Edmund's really like their GMs.

The GMC Acadia got Most Significant vehicle of the year, beating out Honda's Fit, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Ford Edge and the Toyota Tundra.

Click through to see Edmund's press release as well as the other category winners.

[Source: Edmunds, GM FastLane Blog]

Fans everywhere of the sporty A3 hatchback have even more reason to drool -- its wicked twin, the Audi S3, just launched in Paris, and we've got pictures to prove it, thanks to Autoblog's Eric Bryant.

With 265 turbocharged horses pumped out by one of Audi's new TFSI engines, this is one hot hatch to watch. A six-speed close-ratio manual gearbox puts the power to the road through Audi's signature quattro all-wheel drive system, and a beefed-up suspension system takes care of the handling. Sport seats characterize the interior, with aluminum accents and panel inlay options of piano finish black, more aluminum or birch wood grain. Upholstery is cloth/leather combo unless upgraded to all leather, and the orange is SWEET in this Autoblogger's humble opinion.

Styling is another notch above the A3, where an extended front fascia and 18-inch wheels make their mark. The only complaint we have is the rear end, which the vehicle shares with the A3 -- the tail lights lack the kind of inspiration seen in the Q7 and other siblings.

The benefits of owning an S3 don't come cheap -- the vehicle starts out at 35,150 euro, or $44,650.

In the event that high gas prices begin hitting even the wealthy, displacement-loving, power-toting blokes among us, BusinessWeek has compiled a list of the top ten most fuel efficient luxury cars. The list, especially when you include the runners-up, is a diverse showing of both automakers and fuel types, with hybrids and diesels finding a place alongside with their gasoline-powered siblings.

• Mid-size: Mercedes E320 CDI, runner up: Lexus GS300
• SUV: Lexus RX 400h, runner up: Volvo XC/70
• Sub-compact: Acura RSX, runner up: Lexus IS250
• Compact: Audi A4, runner up: Volvo S40
• Small wagon: Audi A3, runner up: Volvo V50
• Mid-sized wagon: Volvo V70, runner up: Saab 9-5 SportCombi
• Two-seater: BMW Z4 3.0, runner up: Porsche Boxster
• Mini-compact: Audi TT, runner up: BMW 330Ci
• Full-size: Jaguar XJ8, runner up: Mercedes-Benz S430
• Truck: Lincoln Mark LT, runner up: Cadillac Escalade EXT

The cheapest among them to drive is the Acura RSX, with the A3 and A4 coming in second if you actually want to stow some junk in the trunk.

[Source: BusinessWeek]

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As Esquire magazine appears to have forgotten to post its "10 Most Awesome Autos" feature from its May issue online, Terry Box at the Dallas Morning News has been kind enough to accommodate list fanatics. The men's magazine actually made a pretty good show of picking its 10 favorite cars under $50,000. No defining criteria other than price and editorial opinion appears to have been employed, so take these for whatever they're worth. In no particular order and without further delay, the envelope, please ...

• Lotus Elise ($42,990):
• Chevrolet Corvette ($44,490)
• Mazda 6 ($19,670)
• Infiniti G35 coupe ($33,200)
• Ford F-150 ($19,640 to $37,005)
• Audi A3 3.2 DSG ($34,700)
• Subaru Legacy GT ($28,795)
• BMW 3-Series ($30,900 to $44,900)
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution ($29,149)
• Chrysler 300C SRT8 ($42,695)

 So, did Esquire get it right, or is it missing something? 

[Sources: Dallas Morning News; Esquire; Lotus]

AutoWeek attended the SEMA International Auto Salon, a car show for sport compacts and the segment of the aftermarket industry serving sport compacts, and AW writers were sad to see the sorry state the Salon has come to -- moving from the Los Angeles Convention Center to Atlantic City, and finally, to the Fort Washington Expo Center, where the show was small, the roof leaked, and the fit and finish was less than high-end. They came away wondering, is the sport compact market on its way out?

Maybe, but probably not. The moral of the story -- consumer tastes are changing away from Honda Civics and their ilk in favor of a variety of different cars. Sport compact or not, in these hard economic times only the fittest will survive. That said, we fully expect the nascent European compact class (Volkswagen GTI, Audi A3, MINI Cooper, Volvo S30, etc.) to strike a major chord with the tuner culture, perhaps eating into the largely Japanese-badged front-wheel-drive import scene.

The next Saab model won't be a Sonnet redux as rumored. Instead, Inside Line reports, buyers should expect a compact designed to compete among the growing class of small premium hatchbacks - BMW's 1-Series, Audi's A3, the MINI Cooper and Volvo's coming S30.  

The smallest of the Swedes will fill the gap created by the departure of the "Saabaru" 9-2x in 2007 (pictured), and will more than likely share its platform with the Opel Astra platform and the Saturn Ion. Look for hints of the Saab Aero-X in the Trollhattan-assembled design.

[Sources: Inside Line; Saab]