Audi Is Going To Start Selling Long-Wheelbase Versions Of The Q2

Because of course it would.

MQB is more of a buzzword at Audi right now than e-tron is, even though the two are anything but mutually exclusive. Like the e-tron badge, expect to see more Audis derived from the MQB platform albeit with design differentiations that set them apart from one another. These MQB babies will increasingly come with battery packs loaded inside to help the gasoline engines take a break from emitting carbon into the atmosphere. Indian Autos Blog claims that one such MQB derivative will be a modified version of the Q2.

If you recall, that’s the same small crossover that Audi is set to introduce to the US market within the coming years. If the reports are accurate, this upcoming Q2 will be aimed squarely at the Chinese market. To appeal there, the Q2 will morph into a long-wheelbase variant by next year, extending its 4,191mm wheelbase by an unknown amount. Following that will be an all-electric model bearing “Q2 L e-tron” badges on its trunklid in accordance with the Four Rings’ naming convention for such vehicular mashups. Thanks to MQB’s flexibility, Audi can manufacturer both variants without putting a huge sum of money into a factory retooling to do so.

MQB can even lend its ingenuous method of using space efficiently to cram a battery large enough to propel the crossover for 500 km (310 miles) on a single charge. The list of Q2 Ls with a standard internal combustion engine will be long, with a 114 horsepower 1.0-liter turbocharged unit, a 147 horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged power plant, and a 187-horse 2.0-liter turbo engine being offered with the Q2 L—all from Volkswagen’s TFSI engine family. Apparently the Chinese market is still big on manuals, which means a 6-speed stick-shift will be available alongside the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic while quattro AWD will be offered only with the 2.0-liter engine.

No mention if the "global" car will be made truly global with the inclusion of a right hand-drive model for India and the UK, but for now its LHD status means a US landing is not out of the question.

This Drag Race Is The Perfect Example Of Why Top Gear Is Going Downhill

It takes skill to make 1,796 horsepower look this bad.

We’ll at least do Top Gear the honor of differentiating its core presenters, which include Chris Harris, Matt LeBlanc, and Rory Reid, from these guys and their attempt at making YouTube shorts. As fun as the job seems, it’s surprisingly tough to get behind the wheel of a fast car and mumble anything of importance while drool is collecting on the edge of your mouth and your voice is competing for attention with a power house that's literally screaming at the top of its lungs.

But that's why you hire professionals. Especially those that exhibit a great group dynamic with the other presenters. Again, it’s much easier said than done, but if talent isn't on hand, it's time to get creative and come up with some arbitrary challenges that showcase the cars’ abilities to keep the audience entertained.

That’s what the old Top Gear was known for. It’s what enabled Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond to make an audience want to tune in and learn about ￡100 cars. While the cars in this video, the Audi R8 V10 Plus, RS6 Avant, and S8, are a huge step up from cheap jalopies on some of the old TG challenges, the straight line drag race is both predictable and devoid of drama, especially when considering that the three Four Ring rockstars split a 1,796 horsepower sundae. Hopefully practice will lead to improvement. On another note, remind us to never sleep on the RS6 Avant. Even though it lost this race, it doesn't fail to impress.

Here's Why Aston Martin's V12 Isn't Going Anywhere

Where there's a will, there's a way.

Automakers have proven themselves more than capable of coming up with creative solutions to high-revving, large displacement, naturally aspirated engines. For example, Ferrari has already replaced its naturally aspirated V8 for an even more powerful twin-turbo V8. Lamborghini will soon be adding a hybrid system to its V12, which, impressively, will remain naturally aspirated.

Obviously, this is all done for the sake of meeting emissions standards. As for Aston Martin, its NA V12 has also already been swapped out in favor of a twin-turbo V12, but its new AMG-sourced twin-turbo V8, as some may argue, is the better engine. Does this mean that twin-turbo V12 doesn’t have a future? Nope.

Autocar reports that Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer has gone on record in an interview saying the company’s V12 very much has a future. Like Lamborghini, Aston Martin will hybridize the engine. “We see a path that enables us to conform with CAFE regulations [US fuel economy standards] with hybridization,” he said. “The idea was to priorities keeping the V12, which we think is the beating heart of the company, and offset it with a pure electric version. But as that’s matured, you see this application of hybridization instead.”

We already know the Aventador successor will feature a hybridized V12, and now that Aston Martin is planning to do the same for its future flagships could possibly represent the start of an industry trend among supercar brands. Now, some may continue to argue that only a naturally aspirated V12 will suffice, but Palmer has some words for those purists: “A purist might argue that it’s better naturally aspirated or not hybridized,” Palmer said. “But nevertheless, 12 cylinders is 12 cylinders.” We couldn’t agree more.

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Aston Martin Seeks $6.8 Billion Valuation Before Going Public

Anyone interested in buying a piece?

Ever since Ferrari filed for an initial public offering back in 2015, other premium sports car companies have considered doing something similar. Aston Martin is one of them, as we learned not long ago. Today, Bloomberg has provided on update on that. Reportedly, Aston Martin is seeking a valuation for as much as $6.8 billion for its own IPO. The company has been having “preliminary talks” with advisers regarding the valuation including debt. But why aim for this IPO now and not earlier?

Because investors are more interested in Aston Martin now thanks to new models, specifically the DB11 and Vantage, and upcoming new product like the DBX SUV. But perhaps what’s most important is that Aston Martin is now also profitable thanks to strong 2017 sales. The company broke the 5,000-unit mark for the first time in almost a decade. Despite the talk, Aston Martin supposedly has yet to make a final decision regarding the IPO. It’s not a done deal just yet. Not surprisingly, no-one at Aston Martin is even willing to discuss the matter. “As a matter of policy, Aston Martin does not comment about speculation concerning future ownership or capital restructuring,” said company spokesman Simon Sproule.

Ever since Bloomberg broke the IPO news, Aston Martin 2022 bonds have risen as much as 0.2% in London, clearly a good sign. A final decision will probably be made ahead of the UK’s break with the European Union in March 2019, the same year when the production-spec DBX SUV crossover is due to arrive.