Audi has officially released details on the 2010 A5 Sportback, its upcoming five-door sport hatch. Described quite poignantly as combining “the emotion and elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon”, the Sportback joins A5 siblings the Coupe and Cabriolet. Audi boasts that the A5 features a lower, sportier profile than the A4 sedan while still maintaining generous interior space that provides plenty of room for passengers and storage.  Six different  fuel-injected engines will be available to buyers, three gas and three diesel. The top engines will power quattro all-wheel drive and three drivetrain variations will be available depending on engine: manual, multi-tronic or seven speed S tronic. Three more engine choices will be added in 2010. Unfortunately, none of it will be available outside of Europe. [via Auto Blog] Continue Reading

Craving more eye-catching style than is available in this world? Stop by DesignCrave for all the latest in edgy, innovative architecture and design. Check out 10 futuristic architectural marvels that will fill you with envy. Not on the list, but equally futuristic and conceptual, the Grid House is raised on stilts and features a bridge over water mirror connecting separate living spaces. Also, don’t miss Audi’s latest precision-tuned machine…a piano, one designer’s distinctive twist on the traditional LCD clock and the most unique sink that we’ve ever seen.

• 10 Contemporary Homes of the Future
• Brilliant, Simple Digital Wall Clock by Vadim Kibardin
• Off The Ground With A Brazilian Grid House
• Audi Celebrates 100 Years, Builds a Piano
• Love It Or Leaf It: Tree-centric Santiago Home
• The Origin Sink by Jin-woog Koo

This Audi R8-based PPI Razor GTR is one of the most extreme R8s we’ve ever seen. World premiered by German tuners from PPI Automotive at this year’s Top Marques show in Monaco, the latest model builds on the success of the original with the main focus on optimizing the power-to-weight ratio. Extensively clad in carbon fiber to lose over 521 lbs, the new R8 PPI Razor GTR promises to improve downforce and aerodynamic stability thanks to an aggressive wide bodykit.

But the main interest is under the hood. Featuring a specially engineered supercharger for a stock 4.2-liter V8 engine, a ram-charged sport air filter system and a high performance stainless steel exhaust, the slim super car outputs 580hp (600Nm of torque), goes naught to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds and tops at 332 km/h. It’s a mind-blowing ride for those in need of a pure shot of adrenaline… [via WCF]

Editor’s Note– For more news and highlights, check out our full coverage of the Geneva Motor Show!

Expected to be unveiled in Geneva next month, the new Audi TT RS managed to find its way out into the wild. Available in both coupe and cabriolet body styles, the sportiest TT ever packs front and rear fascias, slightly larger front air vents, those chic LED driving lamps, twin-spoked alloy wheels and a fixed rear spoiler that adds style and aggressiveness. As for what’s under the hood, expect a turbocharged 2.5 liter 5-banger mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and all-wheel drive system, that manages to output nothing less than 340 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. To the misfortune of North American buyers, the new Audi TT RS will be available in European markets two weeks after Geneva, with no sign of crossing the Atlantic. [via AutoBlog]

Although the auto industry has taken quite a hit amidst this financial crisis, this year’s Motor Show in Geneva is going to be amazing for all car enthusiasts. Audi is just one of the companies that will surprise the visitors. Running on the renowned all-wheels drivetrain, Audi’s new A4 Allroad Quattro features a unique grille, a restyled rear bumper and roof rails to add to its off-road looks. With three choices of engines under the hood – 211 hp 2.0-liter TFSI, 170hp 2.0-liter TDI or 240hp 3.0-liter TDI, all mated to a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, it’s a stylish beefed up vehicle definitely worth the buck. We’d definitely step in for a stress test … [via Autoblog]

Based on a standard Audi S3, the modders from O.CT Tuning decided it’s time to come up with their own improved version. Dubbed Boehler Concept BS3, the three door-hatch has some minor exterior changes that include widened rear fenders, a rear bumper with better aerodynamics, a rear air diffuser and a new sport exhaust system with stainless steel tailpipes. As for the engine, it’s a tweaked version of the standard 2.0 TFSI that now outputs 328hp (241kW) and 425Nm of torque, does 0 to 100km/h in just 4.7 seconds and tops at 265 km/h. Only 100 units of the Boehler Concept BS3 will be built, starting from a base price of $86,000. We love the changes, but definitely hate the price … [via WCF]

A few years ago, Volkswagen design chief Walter De’ Silva issued a challenge to would-be car designers everywhere, saying “If you want to see the new Audi, just design it…” In 2007, Bulgarian industrial design doctoral student Teodor Kyuchukov did just that, digitally penning a design theme that served as the foundation for the aggressively designed A’KIMONO LS2.0 Concept. Kyuchukov’s “Automotive Lighting Sculpture” integrates an artificial lighting system that uses lights to illuminate the car’s exterior silhouette at night — a technique manufacturers already use for automotive interiors. Using hidden LED lights, the concept car was designed to mirror the angles and outlines of a Japanese kimono. [via carbodydesign]

The term supercar is loosely thrown around these days at vehicles that sometimes do not deserve it. Lucky for us, this is not one of those undeserving cars. Audi has decided to raid the parts bin of the Lamborghini factory and has added a new wrinkle to the already drop dead gorgeous R8. By adding the Lamborghini Gallardo’s 5.2L V10 which is rated at 525 horsepower and 390.91 lb-ft of torque, Audi is basically giving you a street legal version of the R8LMS. With enough bulls in the trunk to send you on a  0-60 sprint in 3.9 seconds, the R8 V10 now also inches closer to the 200 mph mark with a top speed of 196 mph. While no release date has been given for the US, the R8 V10 will be released in January in Germany with a starting price of about $180,000.  [via autoblog]

What happens when you take a bad ass car and chop the top off? You get a bad ass cabriolet. What you see here is the 2010 Audi A5 and it’s evil twin the S5. Even though we wonder why a cabriolet was unveiled in the dead of winter, this writer calls Miami home, so it works for me! The A5 will come equipped with Audi’s outstanding 2.0L TFSI four-cylinder engine or the 3.2L FSI V. The S5? Well let’s just say it’s the beast to the A5′s beauty. A supercharged 3.0L TFSI V6 that recently debuted in the new S4 will power the S5 cabrio. Pumping out 333-hp and mated with either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed S-Tronic dual clutch gearbox this is definitely something to look forward to. The only drawback? We have to wait until fall of 2010 for it debut stateside.  [via autoblog]