Audi Shows Us Inside E-Tron Prototype For The First Time

It looks pretty slick... and about ready for production.

Audi is busy preparing its first fully electric vehicle for production. And for the time being, it's still keeping the exterior shape of the crossover under wraps. But now it's shown us around inside for the first time. Showcased at the Royal Danish Playhouse in Copenhagen, the Audi e-tron prototype rides on a wheelbase 2,928 millimeters (9.6 ft) long – just 66 mm (2.6 inches) shorter than the Q7's. That gives it ample room inside for five passengers (no third row here) and their stuff – all riding in a quiet atmosphere with no engine noise to invade the cabin.

All the occupants are likely to hear is the quiet hum of the electric motors and the wind noise. But even that's been reduced by the absence of door mirrors. Those have been replaced (as an option) by digital cameras – a feature that's been a long time coming to automobiles, but will be put into production for the first time in the e-tron. That is, at least, where local regulations allow it. So we wouldn't count on them featuring on the US version just yet. With no driveshaft intruding into the cabin, the rear floor is also completely flat. But there's more to the e-tron's interior than what it doesn't have. As you might expect, Audi has crafted a suitably modern – even futuristic cabin environment for its debut EV.

The interior design is dominated by horizontal lines for an expansive, open look and feel, with a “floating” armrest, fully digital dashboard, and optional ambient lighting and orange piping and stitching. Audi has also partnered with Bang & Olfusen on the 3D-sound system, with 16 speakers and a 705-watt amplifier to deliver concert-quality audio. Despite its “prototype” label, the e-tron's interior looks production-ready. Once Ingolstadt is ready to unwrap it, the electric crossover will take on the likes of the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace. Judging from the length of its wheelbase, it'll be about the same size, and will likely carry a similar price tag starting around $70k (in the US) or €80k (in Europe).

2019 Audi Q3 First Look Review: Audi Loves To Play Leapfrog

The Q3 goes from being drab and forgotten, to stylish and in-demand.

The Audi Q3 has only been on the market in the US since 2015, but the subcompact crossover has been on the market in Europe since 2012. Compared to larger Audi models and other crossovers in its segment, the Q3 was looking especially dated. Now Audi has revealed the all-new 2019 Q3, which borrows much of its styling from the recently-revealed Q8. With this new design, the Q3 has now leapfrogged most of the other vehicles in the luxury subcompact segment.

Stacking Up Against The Competition

Amongst the three German luxury automakers, Audi by far has the thinnest crossover lineup in the US. Audi is catching up with new SUVs like the Q8, but BMW and Mercedes dominate with performance and coupe versions of practically every SUV. Audi wanted to compete against the BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA, but rather than design a new model, the company decided to simply import the then-fresh European Q3 to the US market. The effort was somewhat effective for a few years, and sales continue to grow as Americans turn to small crossovers in ever-increasing numbers, but the Q3 is now looking extremely dated next to fresher rivals.

The BMW X1 and Infiniti QX30 both felt fresher than the old Q3, and newer entrants like the Jaguar E-Pace and Volvo XC40 all demolished the old Q3 in terms of performance and design. Audi's longer product cycles can sometimes leave models battling against much newer competition, but the company loves to introduce technology overhauls that leapfrog the opposition. We recently observed this same phenomenon with the new A6 and A7, which waited until after the new BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class had been unveiled to finally jump into the fray.

A "Baby" Q8

Right off the bat, Audi threw away the styling of the previous Q3, and adopted the large vertical grille design from the new Q8. Audi models are usually conservative designs, but the Q3 is now one of the more aggressive models in the segment. We really like the styling, especially when painted in this new blue featured in the press materials. The rear is a bit bulbous for our tastes, but the front end looks menacing. There will likely be a more coupe-like Q4 later on, but for now, the 2019 Q3 is a huge improvement over the old model.

Touchscreens Are Back

The German automakers were among the first to get rid of touchscreens in cars. BMW had iDrive, Mercedes had COMAND, and Audi had MMI. Now all three automakers are backtracking by reintroducing touchscreens into their vehicles. We recently drove the BMW X2, which featured a touchscreen in addition to the iDrive controller. The Q3 does away with the controller altogether, and relies instead on a touchscreen only. An 8.8-inch touchscreen (with an option to upgrade to 10.1 inches on top trims) handles the infotainment, and pairs nicely with a massive 10.25-inch virtual cockpit display.

The infotainment system has useful features like natural-language voice control, which should make it easy to enter voice commands. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will also be available so you'll have access to generally excellent phone connectivity. We look forward to testing this new infotainment setup to see how it stacks up against other systems.

Mid-Pack Performance

Audi will offer several diesel engines in Europe, but the US models will all be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing either 190 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque or 230 hp with 258 lb-ft. The 190 hp version would be one of the least powerful vehicles in the segment, but the 230 hp version is right on par with the X1, GLA, QX30, and XC40. Audi could surprise us with a more powerful SQ3 or RS Q3 later on, but for now, the Q3's performance will be right in the middle of the pack.

A Potential Bargain

Audi hasn't announced pricing yet, but the current Q3 starts at just under $33,000 and we don't expect that to change much. Most of the cars in this segment also start right around this price, so it really depends on standard features and options to see how good a value the Q3 will be. Some competitors like the BMW X1 and Jaguar E-Pace can nearly double in price when heavily equipped. Front-wheel drive may be offered in the US, which could help bring down the price, but the brand's Quattro all-wheel drive will no doubt be a popular choice even so, and all Q3 models will come with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The Right Recipe

The Q3 looks like a significant improvement that should sell extremely well. A new GLA is on the way soon, which could take away some steam from the Q3. We expect the Q3 to be more comfortable than the X1, but sportier than the XC40. Audi likes to build cars that slot solidly in the middle in terms of sport and luxury, so this Q3 may be the perfect "Goldilocks" combination in the subcompact luxury SUV segment.

Aston Martin Makes A Profit For The First Time In A Decade

Let this be the start of many good things to come.

For far too long, Aston Martin suffered from financial problems that often times put its future into doubt. But things are different today, and the news will hopefully only get even better. The UK carmaker has just announced its first quarter results which, due to strong sales of its new DB11, have more than doubled revenue from $120 million (92.6 million GBP) to $244 million (188.3 million GBP). Pre-tax profits came in at $7.64 million (5.9 million GBP), compared to last year’s losses of $38.5 million (29.7 million GBP).

What also helped Aston Martin’s early 2017 success was strong sales in both the UK and China. Last year, Aston Martin sold only 3,687 units, and the plan is to boost that figure by 30 percent before year’s end. Aston Martin making a profit is a really big deal, mainly because it’s suffered annual losses for the past six years. Heck, it’s even gone bankrupt a total of seven times since its founding. In addition to the new DB11, Aston Martin launched its AMR line of high performance variants of existing models, as well as some special edition models, like the Red Bull Vantage S Racing Edition. We also just reported that Aston Martin is even considering an IPO sometime next year.

Dr. Andy Palmer, President and CEO of Aston Martin, stated that "The group has made a strong start to the year. We are delivering on our 'Second Century' transformation program and building sustainable profitability. Forthcoming models including the new Vantage and Vanquish will expand on our recent growth, underpinned by the financial resources and operational discipline of a true British success story in luxury car production."

Audi Shows Us Inside E-Tron Prototype For The First Time

It looks pretty slick... and about ready for production.

Audi is busy preparing its first fully electric vehicle for production. And for the time being, it's still keeping the exterior shape of the crossover under wraps. But now it's shown us around inside for the first time. Showcased at the Royal Danish Playhouse in Copenhagen, the Audi e-tron prototype rides on a wheelbase 2,928 millimeters (9.6 ft) long – just 66 mm (2.6 inches) shorter than the Q7's. That gives it ample room inside for five passengers (no third row here) and their stuff – all riding in a quiet atmosphere with no engine noise to invade the cabin.

All the occupants are likely to hear is the quiet hum of the electric motors and the wind noise. But even that's been reduced by the absence of door mirrors. Those have been replaced (as an option) by digital cameras – a feature that's been a long time coming to automobiles, but will be put into production for the first time in the e-tron. That is, at least, where local regulations allow it. So we wouldn't count on them featuring on the US version just yet. With no driveshaft intruding into the cabin, the rear floor is also completely flat. But there's more to the e-tron's interior than what it doesn't have. As you might expect, Audi has crafted a suitably modern – even futuristic cabin environment for its debut EV.

The interior design is dominated by horizontal lines for an expansive, open look and feel, with a “floating” armrest, fully digital dashboard, and optional ambient lighting and orange piping and stitching. Audi has also partnered with Bang & Olfusen on the 3D-sound system, with 16 speakers and a 705-watt amplifier to deliver concert-quality audio. Despite its “prototype” label, the e-tron's interior looks production-ready. Once Ingolstadt is ready to unwrap it, the electric crossover will take on the likes of the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace. Judging from the length of its wheelbase, it'll be about the same size, and will likely carry a similar price tag starting around $70k (in the US) or €80k (in Europe).