Spied here wearing its production body parts, this S1 Quattro prototype also previews an upcoming facelift for the rest of the A1 range as it was fitted with re-shaped headlamps and revised taillights.
Along with the three-door version seen in these photos, Audi will also release a five-door S1 Quattro Sportback, with both cars featuring a light bodykit with the usual "S" cosmetic upgrades including bigger wheels, a dedicated front grille, sport bumpers, aero parts and quad exhaust tips.
Under the hood, Audi is believed to use a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing somewhere around 220-hp paired to its all-wheel drive 'quattro' system.
Look for the S1 in Europe next year.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS
They only managed to get pictures of the A7's rear end and profile (before having to…leave), in which we see the new and more integrated exhaust tips, revised tail lamp cluster and graphics – and lets not forget, the larger than life, third stop light that takes up the entire width of the rear hatch.
The rest of the changes remain unknown, but Audi may follow a similar recipe with the facelifted A8 luxury sedan gifting the A7 with improved engines, new tech features such as the Matrix LED headlights along with minor interior updates to keep the car relevant in the market.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS
With the A3 range currently comprising a three-door hatch, an estate-like five-door model, a convertible and now the sedan (not to mention the Q3), the only thing missing is a coupe.
Such a car would primarily challenge BMW's newly released 2-Series Coupe in the same way that the existing A3 Cabriolet will compete against the upcoming 2-Series Convertible.
If you would like to see what an A3 Coupe could look like, Carscoops reader Konrad Rogala kindly sent us this photoshop rendering he made of an RS3 version, which would likely get its mojo from a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline five with at least 350-horses distributed to all four wheels via Audi's quattro all-wheel drive.
A big salute to Konrad for the rendering!
The prototype model was completely undisguised, however, there’s a reason for that. With the exception of some model specific details such as the telling quad tail pipes and unique alloy wheel designs, the S6 will remain unchanged from the A6 with the optional S-Line sport package. The latter adds an aero kit with restyled front and rear bumpers, among other parts.
According to the folks over at Sweden’s Sportbilen, the prototype was uncovered during the European press launch of the new Audi Q3 in Zurich, Switzerland. And mind you, this wasn’t a static presentation as the media had the chance to drive the pre-production model on the road.
While we do not have a definite answer to what it may be, possible scenarios include a test car for a new Skoda Octavia and a prototype for a Volkswagen-badged model for select markets outside Europe.
We’re still waiting for the RS7 but the development of the S7 appears to be reaching its final stages as you can see in these photos of a prototype spied in Europe. Being that unlike the flashy-looking RS range, all of Audi's ‘S’ branded models are rather inconspicuous, it comes to no surprise that the only telling feature of the prototype model other than the S-Line aero package, which can be had on all A7s, are the four-exhaust pipes at the back.
Even though the prototype is a test mule based on the S4 Avant, there are certain elements that tell us there’s something different about this model. These include the heavily blistered front and rear wheel arches housing the same dark 20-inch alloy rims found on the RS5 Coupe, as well as a modified front bumper with different air vents to supply additional cooling to the engine.
We didn't even need to search or speculate on the model as Audi provided the answer in the photos' description: it's the new 2012 A6 sedan, and according to the Ingolstad-based automaker, it will go into production this year at the Neckarsulm site.
