Audi RS5

• Audi RS5 is coming to North America by September 2011.
• European sales of the left-hand-drive RS5 start in June 2010.
• RS5 base pretax price in Germany is 65,300 euros (U.S. $88,650), 32.4 percent over the S5 price.

2011 Audi RS5 Confirmed For U.S. once again

The new 2011 Audi RS5, complete with its 450 horsepower FSI V-8 engine and seven-speed S tronic dual clutch gearbox, is slated to go on sale in Europe this July but we still don’t have any confirmation of the vehicle coming to the U.S.

The guys at Automobile Magazine, however, recently reported that the car is destined for the U.S., which would make it one of the first RS models to be sold in the U.S. since the demise of the RS4 Cabriolet back in 2008. Now Inside Line is reporting the same, but warns that it won't be here until November 2011.

Each model sold in the U.S. will reportedly come fully loaded, which means they should feature the new rear-axle sport differential, Dynamic Ride Control software upgrades, and possibly the chromed Boysen sport exhaust--all of which are offered as options overseas.

Audi sales soar as luxury segment increases in U.S

The nation's recession has slowed Audi of America's plans to more than double its sales by the middle of the decade.
But as luxury sales start to pick up again, the German brand is standing out among its competitors.

Audi's U.S. sales have soared 35% so far this year -- the largest jump among luxury brands.

As the nation's economic troubles begin to wear off, Johan de Nysschen, president of Audi of America, said Audi is in "a position of unprecedented strength."

The company's American division posted the best first-quarter sales in its history. Globally, Audi outsold luxury competitor Mercedes-Benz during the first quarter, de Nysschen said Monday during a speech to the Automotive Press Association in Detroit.

Audi models are moving quickly, de Nysschen said. "We've been running short since August last year."

Overall, the luxury segment is picking up. Luxury vehicle sales, which fell 19% last year, are up nearly 4% through March, according to Autodata.

2012 Audi A6 Rendered

2012 Audi A6
We surely can't say Audi has been lazy recently. The Bavarian carmaker has been churning out one new product after another, from the R8 supercar to the 10Best-winning S4, and the upcoming A1, a technology-laden premium city car.

But we haven't heard much lately from the comfy and powerful executive sedan that’s the backbone of the brand, the A6. And that’s because the current model is just about ready to retire. Its successor's design was locked in a year ago, and we expect the next car to be unveiled at any of this fall's upcoming auto shows, likely in Paris or Los Angeles.

Internally called C7, the next-generation A6 will be built on Audi's modular-longitudinal platform. This means its front axle moves further to the front, and the nose-heavy look of the current C6 will disappear. The front end, in fact, will look a lot like the Sportback concept, which is essentially the upcoming A7, which is due to launch this summer and is closely related to the A6.

Audi RS5 headed for the States

Audi RS5

It's been a little while since anything with an RS badge came our way from Ingolstadt, but it if you believe the whispers floating around the Web these days, there may be hope for a U.S.-spec Audi RS5 just yet. Automobile is reporting that the company is seriously mulling bringing the S5's meaner brother to our neck of the woods.

The Kingdom of Quattro pulled the sheets off of the sinister coupe at this year's Geneva Motor Show, and our jaws have been on the floor ever since. Under the hood sits a tweaked 4.2-liter V8 with 450 horsepower at the crank. The mill is bolted to none other than the Audi Quattro all-wheel drive system, complete with a new torque-vectoring rear diff.

Audi R8 V10 Wins World Performance Car

Earlier today at the New York Auto Show, the Audi R8 V10 took home the honor of 2010 World Performance Car, beating out the Ferrari California and the Porsche 911 GT3. The R8 was chosen from an original list of 16 cars by a jury of 59 members from 25 countries around the globe.