Audi’s R8 is already being celebrated as one of the most savory, slippery, sexalicious supercars ever to roam our roads. And, to our delight, the luxury automaker is acting more like such sports-car makers as Ferrari or Porsche by continuing to evolve the flagship sports model.

In addition to the simplified grillwork front and back and that military-grade flat gray paint job, modifications to this particular R8 mule include widened sail panels—implying the need for more air into the mid-mounted engine than satisfies the standard 4.2-liter V-8 in the regular R8—and a high-performance parts-bin braking system, complete with what appear to be Gallardo-sourced carbon-ceramic rotors coupled with large S-line calipers.

Our spy’s guess is that this is the rumored V-10 model, which makes sense, given how much the R8 shares structurally with the V-10–powered Lamborghini Gallardo.

We think there’s an equal chance, however, that this car might be powered by a high-performance diesel V-8 like that found in the Q7 4.2 TDI, where it makes 321 horsepower and an impressive 561 pound-feet of torque.

When Audi first showed us its concept for a supercar, the Le Mans Quattro, at the 2003 Frankfurt auto show, it was powered by a twin-turbo, direct-injection, gasoline V-10 developing in excess of 600 horsepower—making it more powerful than the Gallardo.

© Source: caranddriver
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The 2009 Audi A4 has to turn back time, take us back to a moment when this German sedan was timely rather than just timeless.

Things move quickly in this particular segment of the market, and the A4 is now feeling the pinch of time some six years after its introduction. Its styling has an enduring appeal, but it is no longer at the forefront of automotive design, while the interior lacks many of the gadgets that buyers now expect. Quality remains a key strength for the A4, but its dynamics are now also embarrassed by newer versions of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

But with the unveiling of the 2009 Audi A4 at the Frankfurt auto show, the executives in Ingolstadt, Germany, believe the A4 sedan is once again back in the reckoning. Although the new car isn’t likely to go on sale in North America until next May, we traveled to the Italian island of Sardinia to drive the 2009 Audi A4.

A New Look
From the outset, it is clear that pictures are a poor indicator of the new A4’s styling, making it appear similar to the model it replaces from certain angles and remarkably close to the new A5. But to call it derivative is to do it an injustice.

The austere Bauhaus-inspired lines of the former A4 remain, but tauter surfacing and edgy detailing give the new car a fresh, new appeal. The 2009 Audi A4 also looks expensive, with taut shut lines and neat details like LED running lights. The seriously sexy S-Line styling package adds optional 19-inch wheels, different new bumpers, a more aggressive-looking grille and a unique range of colors.

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