America will see a newly refreshed German five-door this fall.

Audi has announced its 2009 A3 hits U.S. shores with a redesigned front clip, optional bi-xenon headlights with LED running lights, a modified rear bumper and taillights, new door handles, and new wheels. The A3 will also boast two engine choices - a 200-hp, 2.0-liter TFSI, and a 250-hp, 3.2-liter six-cylinder - both available with Audi's S-tronic dual-clutch transmission and new magnetic ride adaptive shock absorber control system.

The A3's interior gets new color and trim options, as well as an up-shift light. Adding the optional sport suspension will make the A3 more aggressive and will lower the car by little more than one-half inch.

The 2009 Audi A3 will offer the 2.0-liter TFSI and AWD for the first time, but buyers will not be able to get the 2.0-liter TFSI with a manual transmission and AWD in the U.S.

Pricing and equipment for the new A3 haven't been finalized, but the car should be available this fall.

Audi will unveil its second crossover SUV at the 2008 Beijing auto show. The idea for the Q5 is pretty simple, think Q7 but smaller.

Only one engine and transmission combination will be offered in the U.S. - Audi's 3.2-liter FSI V-6 engine mated to a six-speed Tiptronic transmission. The engine is direct injected and produces 270 hp and 243 lb-ft, which Audi estimates will propel the Q5 from 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds. Contrary to earlier reports, Audi's new seven-speed S tronic (DSG) transmission will not be offered. All Q5s will use a rear-biased Quattro all-wheel-drive system with a 40/60 torque split turning either standard 18-inch wheels or optional 20-inchers.

Exterior styling is, not surprisingly, very similar to the larger Q7's - we can see the same athletic stance and overall profile. That said, we can't help but notice some visual similarities to Volkswagen's smaller Tiguan SUV. Audi has avoided using a roof joint strip, the seam found on many vehicles where the roof panel meets the body sides. The company says this helps to reduce wind noise while improving the Q5's appearance. For those looking to see and be seen, Audi will offer Xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights as an option. LED taillights, reminiscent of other Audis of late, are standard.

The interior is much the same story and has the familiar Audi feel with maybe a bit less of the visual flow we admire on the A4 and A5. Seating is available for five with 19 cubic feet of cargo space which can be expanded to 55 cubic feet with the rear seats down. Options include a power liftgate; heated and cooled cup holders; tri-zone climate control; and a blind-spot monitoring system. An eight-speaker stereo is standard while a 505-watt, 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen system will be an option. Bluetooth and iPod connectivity are also available. The Q5 will be the first Audi to use the new, third-generation MMI infotainment system with navigation and real-time traffic information.

Audi lists key competitors as the BMW X3, the Infiniti EX35, the Land Rover LR2, the Lexus RX350, and the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz GLK350 and Volvo XC60. As we've said before, this market is getting very crowded very quickly. We'll see how well the Q5 stands up to that crowd after it goes on sale in the first quarter of 2009.

What comes after Q5? Q3 of course. Audi is working from the top down to fill out its crossover SUV line and will tackle its own version of the VW Tiguan next. A Q1 is also rumored to be in the pipeline.

High fuel prices have once again propelled compression-ignition engines into the mainstream, so it's no surprise that automakers, especially the German ones, are bringing more diesel-powered SUVs to America. Mercedes-Benz now offers three such vehicles here: the R-, ML-, and GL320 CDI models. BMW's in-line-six oil burner will appear in the X5 by year's end, and Volkswagen soon will retire the Touareg's V-10 diesel engine in favor of a more modern, efficient, and less expensive 3.0-liter V-6 TDI. Audi, of course, won't be left out. It will use the same diesel V-6 as VW in its Q7 3.0 TDI, which goes on sale in the States early next year.

As you'd expect, torque is the star of the diesel Q7's show. More than 400 lb-ft of torque at a lazy 2000 rpm combines with ultrashort gearing to help launch the Q7 with authority. At first, you'd almost think that the Q7 uses a permanent low-range transfer case, because the six-speed automatic transmission has to click all the way to fourth gear just to accelerate beyond 60 mph. Why does the diesel Audi use such short transmission ratios? Because it's one heavy family hauler. At some 5100 pounds, it's more than 100 pounds heavier than a similarly equipped Q7 with Audi's 4.2-liter gasoline V-8.

The rest of the German-spec Q7 3.0 TDI's driving experience is virtually identical to that of other Q7 models. The interior is gorgeous, although third-row seating is not nearly as spacious as the Mercedes GL's. Body control is impressive, but the price you pay is a brittle ride at low speeds; our test vehicle's twenty-inch wheels only exacerbated that situation. The Q7's diesel engine isn't as smooth or as quiet as the Mercedes diesel, either, and the Q7 is cursed with a poorly calibrated, nonlinear accelerator pedal (as are many other Audis). This isn't helped by a turbocharger that's slow to awake from a dead stop. The good news is that U.S.-bound Q7 TDIs will be fitted with a slightly different turbo, resulting in an estimated power decrease of 20 hp but, according to Audi, a large improvement in off-the-line behavior and no loss of torque.

The U.S. version will also include the addition of urea injection to lessen NOx emissions and help the Q7 TDI meet emissions standards for all fifty states. The Q7 will be able to cover at least 10,000 miles before a refill of the two urea tanks is needed. Refills of the organic liquid will be performed at regular service intervals using a filler next to the fuel cap.

The Q7 3.0 TDI hasn't been rated by the EPA, but Audi claims that the U.S.-spec model should return at least 25 mpg on the highway and travel about 600 miles between fill-ups.

Diesel SUVs such as the Q7 promise more than fuel economy. Their low-revving, high-torque engines are the perfect match for heavy SUVs. With Audi, BMW, and VW joining Mercedes, it looks like reports of the SUV's death have been greatly exaggerated.

Ibiza, the notorious party island off the coast of Spain, isn't exactly the first location that comes to mind for the drive of a new station wagon - it's more the kind of place where you step off the plane and they hand you a packet of crystal meth and a glow stick. But even without those, we managed to enjoy our time behind the wheel of the new Audi A4 Avant. Ibiza's narrow, winding roads were largely empty - we guessed it was because debauchery season hadn't yet begun, but evidently the island's inhabitants were just inside with curtains drawn, sleeping off their hangovers.

That meant fewer puttering, diesel Seats to zoom around, a task of which the Avant's 3.2-liter V-6 made quick work. So, too, did the spunky new 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder - which is unrelated to the outgoing car's 2.0-liter and which proffers an additional 11 hp and 51 lb-ft of torque. That engine was paired with a six-speed manual and front-wheel drive in the second car we sampled.

Unfortunately, neither of those powertrain combinations will be seen stateside, where the market for compact, luxury-brand wagons is small. (Mercedes-Benz no longer sells its C-class wagon in the States, although you can still get a BMW 3-series wagon.) So, Audi is trimming the A4 Avant lineup, and we'll get the new wagon with only one powertrain: 2.0T, Quattro, automatic - a combination that was not hand on our sunny Spanish island.

Still, we did learn a few things about the fifth generation of the A4, which is the most changed since the model made its debut in the mid-1990s. The car uses Audi's reconfigured transmission and torque converter (or, in stick-shift cars, transmission and clutch), first seen in the A5/S5. It allows the engine to move rearward in the chassis, meaning more of the powertrain's weight rides within the wheelbase and less hangs out ahead of the front axle. This is also the first A4 with a 60-percent rear-biased Quattro system. Together these changes help the car feel more balanced and less nose-heavy than before, although you still won't mistake it for a rear-wheel-drive car. Another new feature is Audi's Drive Select, which allows the driver to choose among sport, comfort, or automatic settings for the steering effort and quickness (the latter thanks to an actively variable ratio), throttle and automatic transmission mapping, and damper firmness.

The system ends up being a mixed bag: We liked the flatter cornering and slightly higher steering effort afforded by the sport mode, but compared with the standard steering, the active steering is less predictable and too twitchy and nervous in low-speed corners. Other new technologies include a blind spot warning system, intelligent cruise control, a rear-view camera, and a power tailgate. The new A4 is nearly five inches longer and is wider as well, which yields fractionally more interior space - six-footers can sit in back, although there's not much room to spare. The dramatically sloping roofline is bad news for anyone who wants to carry bulky items; apparently they're expected to switch over to the new Q5. The A4's interior is a close kin to the A6's, which is good company indeed.

Despite the behavior of some members of the U.S. press contingent in Ibiza - one of whom deposited some regurgitated Jack Daniel's on the tarmac before boarding our early-morning flight out - Americans evidently are considered rather staid where the new A4 Avant is concerned. Sure, we can groove to its curvy new shape and its general wagon hipness, but we're not racy enough to get the manual transmission or the most powerful engine. And if you're holding out hope for the new S4 Avant or the RS4, sorry to disappoint you, but word is that those party wagons are unlikely ever to touch down in America.

In Europe, ultrafast wagons are an Audi specialty. It started with the Porsche-built RS2, continued through two generations of A4-based RS4s, and carried on to the previous, 450-hp RS6 Avant. At the Frankfurt motor show last fall, Audi unveiled its most awesome grocery getter yet, the second-generation, twin-turbocharged, V-10 RS6 Avant. Packing a massive 580 hp, Audi's latest superwagon can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph. Pay a little extra, and you get a computer chip that loosens the reins even more, allowing the RS6 to reach 174 mph.

Unfortunately, Audi's mad wagon won't be exported to the United States; nor will the RS6 sedan that is likely to be introduced next year. That's a shame, because this Audi combines sports car performance and family-car practicality with all-wheel-drive traction that neither the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG wagon nor the Euro-only BMW M5 Touring offer.

The biggest complaint we had with the previous RS6 was the emotionless perfection of its chassis, which provided a full measure of grip and traction but skimped on driver feedback. The RS6's symmetrical torque split made the car feel numb and vague at the limit, where it would dish up a random mix of mild oversteer, pronounced understeer, and impromptu four-wheel slide. Although it never handles in the same overtly tail-happy way as its rivals from Munich and Stuttgart, the latest RS6 has learned better manners and new tricks. Thanks to the rear-biased 40/60 torque split, you now always know which end is going to break away first. The mechanical Torsen center differential can juggle up to 65 percent of the torque to the front axle and up to 85 percent to the rear wheels. With the available three-position, adjustable dampers set in comfort, the ride betters that of either of its rivals. The upgraded ESP system can be switched off in two stages; the first loosens the traction control for a bit of power oversteer in the bottom three gears, and the second turns it off completely. The automatic transmission's sport mode remaps the gearchange pattern to shift up at higher revs; even still, the car rips through the first two gears at lightning speed. If you're shifting for yourself, you'll need a quick finger on the upshift paddle.

The standard brakes and 255/40YR-19 tires provide plenty of rubber and stopping power for the daily commute, but on a challenging racetrack like Paul Ricard, one appreciates the optional 275/35YR-20 tires and the riveting ceramic brakes, which are 27 pounds lighter despite their larger front rotors. Like all RS models, this one boasts Dynamic Ride Control, Audi-speak for diagonally connected dampers that are designed to reduce roll and dive. The bad news is that the extremely flat cornering attitude makes it hard to decipher the limit, especially at very high speeds. On dry tarmac and when let loose on a circuit, the new RS6 is thus extremely fast but not sufficiently intuitive. It has been tuned for velocity, not for accessibility. Having said that, the car's wider track contributes to its tremendous roadholding, the quicker steering improves maneuverability, and the revised close-ratio six-speed Tiptronic cuts shift times in half.

As in the R8, the 5.0-liter, twin-turbo, direct-injection V-10 is equipped with dry-sump lubrication to keep the oil flow intact even at high-g loads. Redlined at 6700 rpm, the aluminum engine dishes up maximum torque of 479 lb-ft, and it's available between 1500 and6250 rpm. Average fuel consumption works out to an acceptable 17 mpg - that's less than five percent worse than the normally aspirated S6. If you make much use of those turbochargers, however, mileage plunges in a hurry, and the substantial 4465-pound curb weight doesn't help. Externally, the RS6 differs from lesser Avants with its unique wheels, fender flares, two oval tailpipes, and some minor go-faster cosmetics. Inside, this is basically an S6 with more chrome, leather, Alcantara, and carbon fiber, not to mention the additional boost gauge and a sport steering wheel with a squared-off bottom.

The Audi RS6 is teutonic efficiency at its best - plenty of ability served with a cold smile. This car accelerates, steers, and brakes with the accuracy of a robot. But it trades feedback for perfection, and it rates efficiency higher than charisma. This car is so good, so fast, and so stable that it takes a race circuit like Paul Ricard to secure a share of the action without immediately paying a penalty. In this protected environment, you relish the superhuman cornering grip, the ultrastrong brakes, and the instant-on turbinelike urge of that twin-turbo V-10.

In terms of outright speed and point-A-to-point-B ground-covering ability, there aren't many cars this side of a Bugatti Veyron that can keep up with this station wagon on steroids. But in terms of driver involvement, the RS6 still has something to learn. It needs to hone the finer nuances of going fast, relay the deeper tactile senses of the steering and the brakes, and unfold a broader spectrum of handling modularity. To meet these targets, Audi will have to apply more sustainable tools than power, weight, and equipment.

In recent years, Audi has become synonymous with terms like "luxury" and "refinement" and less so with "edgy" and "sporty." But with the arrival in mid-2006 of the second-generation RS4, Audi created a high- performance driver's car that competes with and, in many ways, betters the best of the breed.

The competent and well-rounded A4 provided Audi engineers with an excellent starting point for the RS4. Visually, the two cars are clearly related yet distinct. The RS4 is slightly lower and wider than its sibling, and its exterior styling tweaks are for function, not just for show. Larger air intakes feed the 4.2-liter, direct-injected V-8, while slightly pumped-up bumpers and flared wheel arches accommodate the standard nineteen-inch rubber. There's also a small, integrated rear spoiler. Maybe it was our test car's sprint blue paint - a $750 option - but despite its tastefully modest cosmetic changes, our RS4, as one staffer noted, "gets everyone's attention, from schoolkids to grizzled old geezers." We all agreed with road test editor Marc Noordeloos, who loved the "aggressive but subtle exterior."

The RS4's interior also features a nice balance of sports car styling cues and simple, straightforward - if a bit plain - design. Naturally, it has the superb fit and finish that we expect in a modern Audi. The perforated leather on the steering wheel and the shifter, along with the red backlighting on the dash and the console, in particular, drew compliments. One driver described the cabin as "very German and orderly. You don't have to think too hard to operate anything." The fact that Audi eschews a start button for a traditional key says a lot about the overall feel of the RS4's interior: uncomplicated, in a "we want you to focus on driving" kind of way. We especially liked the steering-wheel-mounted thumb-wheel that controls the stereo volume. "It's so much better to use than the up-and-down buttons found in most cars," commented persnickety senior online editor Jason Cammisa. A loose shift knob was one of our few problems, but it was more a nuisance than anything else and was fixed under warranty.

The heavily bolstered, leather Recaro seats were loved by drivers and passengers alike, no matter their size. The chairs provided excellent support and made light work of long drives. Executive editor Joe DeMatio also praised the seating position, calling it "just right." Senior editor Joe Lorio concurred, adding, "The car seems wrapped around you, like a brand-new pair of running shoes." Most drivers agreed that the RS4 felt as if it were fitted to their frames.

On a family road trip, Noordeloos was impressed with the RS4's interior space and relatively massive trunk. "The RS4 easily accommodated me, my wife, my daughter, and enough gear to fill a small SUV." Another staff member - who will not be named for his protection - declared that the Audi's trunk could have fit "several dead guys in addition to our luggage." Compared with a BMW 3-series, the Audi felt bigger in nearly every way.

What sets the RS4 apart from lesser A4s, of course, is what's under its hood. In this regard, the Audi was highly praised. Its high-revving, normally aspirated V-8 engine accelerates like the Energizer bunny: it keeps going and going and going. The acceleration is so linear and consistent that it feels as if the Audi is strapped to a jet at takeoff. As Lorio put it, "if you're not wide awake when you climb into the RS4, the first time you lay into the throttle, you will be." The absurdly wide torque band - 90 percent of maximum torque is maintained consistently from 2250 to 7600 rpm - makes downshifting nearly unnecessary, even during passing maneuvers. This effortless acceleration belies the RS4's considerable mass - a pinch under 4000 pounds - as do the robust brakes, which were borrowed from the Lamborghini Gallardo. The downside to this endless power and the massive weight is pretty dismal fuel economy: we averaged only 17 mpg over the course of a year.

The sound of the RS4's compact V-8, on the other hand, received mixed reactions. Logbook comments ranged from "sweet Jesus, this car sounds so awesome" to "it sounds like a thundercloud . . . and that's not really a good thing." Although the majority of us liked the sound track, a vocal contingent, led by Cammisa, thought that it needed much more exhaust fanfare to compete with the RS4's characteristic underhood whine.

Cammisa was so irked by the whine that he lobbied successfully to get an aftermarket Milltek exhaust installed (compliments of Stratmosphere, Inc.). The new exhaust wasn't universally loved or hated, but most people agreed that it was too boomy and just plain loud, especially at low rpm. Then again, technical editor and resident curmudgeon Don Sherman, who initially had been critical of what he perceived as the RS4's lack of character, thought that the stainless exhaust gave the RS4's "introverted personality a nudge." In retrospect, though, we probably ought to have chosen the resonated version of the Milltek system, which would have quieted things down a notch without losing the aggressive exhaust note.

The Audi's steering was quite good - light, direct, and communicative - but, as copy editor Rusty Blackwell put it, it was "not up to BMW standards." Also, the gearbox could have used slightly more positive and direct shift linkage.

Our feelings about the RS4's chassis were unanimous: we loved it. The terms "perfect" and "near-impeccable" popped up repeatedly when testers described the firm but never harsh ride. "The RS4 has a balance of damping, wheel travel, and body control that is rarely achieved by any manufacturer in a car at this performance level," enthused Noordeloos. "Despite nineteen-inch wheels, the ride quality almost makes the 3-series feel like a truck."

Smitten we were. More than a couple of staff members complimented the RS4's combination of a superb powerplant, brilliant dynamics, Quattro all-wheel drive, an impressive interior, and everyday livability while declaring that no other vehicle is as sure-footed or comes close to matching the RS4 as a high-performance, all-around, all-weather four-seater. Although, with a base price of $68,820, it doesn't come cheap.

In the final entry in our Four Seasons logbook, motor gopher Tom Baroch expressed his affection for the bright blue Audi, and in doing so, spoke for the entire staff. "It's not very often that we get emotional about a long-term car leaving, but the RS4's departure brings a tear to the motor gopher department's eye. I am really going to miss this car."

We couldn't agree more.

Geneaology

The RS4 is the second Audi RS model to come to the United States; the first was the 450-hp, twin-turbo V-8 RS6, which was imported for 2003 only. The RS4 is also Audi's first normally aspirated RS model. The rev-happy RS4 traces its roots back to 1994, when Audi introduced its RS line via a collaboration with Porsche. Audi sent its 80 wagon (the predecessor to the A4) to Porsche, which installed a 311-hp, 2.2-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine and 911-style brakes, wheels, and side mirrors. The result was a 163-mph grocery getter, the Audi RS2.

For its next RS model, Audi introduced the RS4 badge on a version of the first-generation A4 wagon. This time, Audi chose the British firm Cosworth rather than Porsche for the project, not that it much mattered, as the RS4 was another rocket ship. Its twin-turbo, 2.7-liter V-6 developed 375 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, enough to launch the RS4 to 60 mph in less than five seconds and on to 124 mph in just seventeen seconds. The original RS4 doesn't have the RS2's cult following in Europe, but it set the stage for the second-generation RS4, the one that we've enjoyed since 2006 in the United States.