Efficiency is important these days. The government is cracking down on gas guzzlers and imposing strict regulations that force automakers into saving more fuel than ever before.

That’s why it might come as a surprise that Audi of America is opting not to offer their most efficient diesel engine in the upcoming 2013 Q5. That’s right, the German luxury brand sees fit to package the same diesel 3.0-liter V6 that they currently offer American consumers in the Q7.

Why, you might ask? The answer is simple, though less than logical. Audi is afraid of selling a 2.0 turbo diesel Q5 because it gets better milage than the hybrid-electric powertrain they are offering in the same vehicle.

In other words, the diesel engine is too efficient for the discerning U.S. palette. Now, there may be some merit to the theory, considering diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline. People can be quick to judge at the pump and diesels still carry a somewhat sordid name among American consumers, even today.

On the other hand Hybrids evoke green imagery and environmentally friendly thoughts, which is even funnier when you realize that Europeans have been driving diesels to save fuel for decades.

Regardless of the reasoning, Audi is doing a good job of pandering to consumer egos, saying they chose to offer a more performance oriented diesel and an efficient hybrid.

Speaking of performance-oriented diesels, the company will also be offering Americans the same engine in the A8 later this year. The same logic that spoiled the chances for a 2.0-liter diesel Q5 is also keeping the hybrid A8 out of reach.

“Our current A8 with the 4.2L gasoline V-8 gets the same fuel economy as hybrids from BMW, Lexus and Mercedes” due to its emphasis on weight-saving aluminum construction, Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen said to Ward’s Auto. “Imagine now what happens when you put a diesel in the car. You have all the driveability and driving enjoyment with even better fuel economy.”

In fact, 41% of Q7 and 55% of A3 sales in the U.S. were diesel models, though the fact that Audi still ships from Germany probably restricted supply, so it makes sense that they would be rolling more models out with the oil-burning option.

GALLERY: Audi Q5 Hybrid

[Source: Wards Auto]

Sometime after championship Sunday, once the New England Patriots and the New York Giants won their respective title games, marketing departments across the nation probably had a meeting to decide whether or not to reveal their Super Bowl ads ahead of time.

Most believe that interest for the big game isn’t as high as years past, but imagine what ad agencies would have done if Tebow managed to make it to Super Bowl Sunday.

Whatever the reason is – and we’re just poking fun at a Brady vs. Manning rematch that doesn’t involve Peyton – Audi has also revealed their Super Bowl ad ahead of the big game. And while we thought this vampire craze would just quietly die off into the night, it apparently hasn’t and Audi inexplicably did a vampire-themed ad with their new Audi S7.

The ad itself is pretty uncreative, and what’s even more odd is those that would be in the market for the S7 probably isn’t really into the whole teenage vampire craze. But hey, Audi’s selling point on the ad is about their LED headlights. Wait, what?

Check out the ad after the break.

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Audi is quietly planning the launch of the third generation TT sports car, which will continue down a path away from anything resembling the cutesy original. It’s certain to retain the unique profile, but Audi is planning a large grill up front (duh!) and larger lower air intakes. Out back, there will be an active spoiler, as well as a small integrated roof spoiler.

Based on the brand’s new MQB platform that will also underpin cars like the next-gen Audi A3 and MKVII VW Golf, power will continue to come primarily from turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, with 180 hp in base trim (unlikely for the U.S.), and a 220 hp version. Audi global R&D chief Michael Dick has confirmed the TT-S and TT-RS will return as well. Look for slight power increases in each model.

Inside, the TT could see a single unit LCD screen instrument panel that’s also designated for the next-gen R8.

[Source: CAR]

Audi’s performance vehicle lineup is about to get a new addition with these latest spy photos revealing what appears to be the next-generation RS6 Avant.

Based on the current generation A6 wagon, the test mule features a more bold font grille, as well as add-on fender flares to accommodate the wider track. Other hints include the use of some larger A8 wheels and some massive ceramic brakes.

Power for the RS6 is expected to come from the new 4.0-liter V8 twin-turbo engine found in cars like the S6, S8 and the new Bentley Continental GT V8. In the Bentley it makes 500 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque, while the S8 boasts 520 hp and 48 lb-ft.

At this point further details are just speculation, but there’s a possibility the new RS6 could get boxy integrated fender flares, reminiscent of the original Audi Quattro, while some body panels could be made of carbon fiber to help shed poundage from the large and luxurious super wagon.

GALLERY: 2013 Audi RS6 Avant Spy Photos

Hatchbacks have their place in the U.S. but the term evokes a less-than-sporty image that sullies the sexy feel luxury manufacturers seek to embody.

That opinion is probably part of the reason why Audi is discontinuing the hatchback A3 for North America with the 2014 model year. Hatchbacks can make fantastic use of a relatively small space— at an aesthetic cost to some. While the decision may be frustrating to certain consumers, it will be hard to argue with the distincly Audi and definitely sexy new A3.

We got our first look at the A3 sedan during last year’s Geneva Auto Show, when the car was billed as a concept. At the time, Audi had a 408-hp turbocharged 5 cylinder shoehorned into the concept, which was actually about 6 inches longer than the A3 hatchback. It’s unlikely that we’ll see such a serious engine in the production model slated for North America, though our hopes still remain for an RS3 version.

Instead, a 2.0-liter 4 cylinder and a diesel option stand much better chances of shipping under the hood. The A3 is aimed directly at entry-level luxury consumers, young professionals who would be scared off by otherwise high luxury price tags. That means you can expect similar craftsmanship as other Audi interiors, albeit at a lower starting price of around $30,000.

GALLERY: 2014 Audi A3 Sedan

[Source: Road & Track]

It appears that people will be willing to turn any vehicle into a stretched limo these days. We already thought the Fiat 500 Limo was a little bit silly, but these stretched exotics really raise some eyebrows.

Carbonyte UK will be collaborating with Limo Broker out in the UK to create the world’s first, super-stretched Audi R8 V10. Limo Broker is already known for their stretched Ferrari 360 Modena limousine, that has produced its fair share of controversy on the Internet. We can’t even imagine what enthusiasts will think of the R8 V10 creation.

Limo Broker stated that work on the Audi R8 conversion has already started and they estimate that it’ll be completed by the summer of 2012. The limo will seat up to eight people in clearly race-inspired bucket seats and will still be powered by the stock 5.2L V10 engine with 528-hp.

Check out the videos from Limo Broker on their two stretched, exotic limos below.

GALLERY: LimoBroker Audi R8

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Cutting costs these days seems to be all about building factories in the country meant to buy your products. Audi is following that mantra by announcing designs to build a plant in North America.

Doing so would help the brand avoid the pitfalls of the European economy and make the actual act of bringing vehicles to market much simpler.

“It’s not a matter of if we will do a plant in North America, but when,” Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen told WardsAuto. “The decision to do a plant, technically we’ve reached that conclusion. It’s a matter now of waiting to pull the trigger.” So that means we, and most everyone concerned with the auto industry, are asking just that— when? Though there isn’t a date settled, Audi might be motivated to move quickly in an effort to meet their 150,000 U.S. unit sales goal by 2015.

“One advantage of Mexico is that you could support the growing markets down in South America, Brazil,” said De Nysschen. “More so, you have the benefit of exporting cars into Europe duty-free.” Despite that, Mexico isn’t a definite destination. He also said there are definite advantages to building the plant in the U.S., though using Volkswagen‘s Chattanooga, TN plant isn’t an option because it is expected to be running at maximum capacity.

“Getting a plant allows us to have a higher degree of U.S. content. It allows us to have a natural hedge against that,” he said.

Even with such discussions, the fact remains heavily on Audi’s radar that their sales don’t currently justify building such a plant.

“We’ve got to build our business to get to the point where, with a combination of production for the U.S. and some exports to other markets, we can get the economies of scale to make that factory work.” In other words, the company is looking for much greater sales before staking out territory for their North American plant.

[Source: Wards Auto]

In between moments of fun, spirited, and recreational driving, there are some boring moments spent queuing behind crawling traffic. At this year’s CES (Consumer Electronics Show), Audi introduced a new system that can alleviate this inconvenience with the push of a button, using a device known simply as the Traffic Jam Assistant.

Audi’s Traffic Jam Assistant aids the driver to help steer, accelerate and brake autonomously at speeds up to 37 mph. Based on adaptive cruise control, the system relies on two radar sensors monitoring fan-shaped fields at a 21-degree scan angle, each sensor reaching as far as 820 feet. A wide-angle video camera is also installed to identify lane markings as well as other vehicles, pedestrians, and guard rails. This range enables the system to not only detect the vehicle ahead, but other vehicles ahead of it as well.

Audi says that this technology will, “relieve the driver at times when driving is not much fun, such as in congested traffic.”

While Audi has not announced when the technology will be available for mass production or how much this system will cost, expect to see it first in a future Audi A8 luxury sedan.

Well, it was nice while it lasted, but Audi has decided to drop the new 2012 Audi A6 Allroad from the U.S. market. The original Audi Allroad was introduced in 1999.

Debuting at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show, the all-new A6 Allroad features an extra 2.3 inches of ground clearance than the standard A6, and also comes available with front and rear skid plates. The A6 Allroad will also be available in four distinct powerplants, including a strong 3.0L TDI capable of 308-hp and 479 lb-ft of torque.

While the A6 Allroad won’t be available in the United States, Audi’s new A4 Allroad will join the Q5 and Q7 SUVs in showrooms this June.

GALLERY: 2012 Audi A6 Allroad

The publication Race Engine Technology has given Audi Motorsport the “Race Engine of the Year” award for their 3.7L V6 TDI powerplant. The engine, which was vital to Audi capturing its 10th title at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year, produces more than 540-hp through the use of a single turbocharger.

Compared to its V10 TDI predecessor, the 120-degree, extremely compact V6 TDI is 25-percent lighter and uses a single turbo rather than the twin-turbo the V10 TDI used. The single turbocharger sits above the engine and draws its air directly through the roof-mounted air scoop. The setup was the result of a collaboration with Garrett, one of the leading manufacturers of turbochargers.

“Audi invented the TDI engine and is convinced that this technology remains one of the most efficient and modern forms to power a car – especially at Le Mans where engines with high specific power, low fuel consumption and low emissions are a necessity,” explained Audi Motorsport’s Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.