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Audi circulated fabricated renders of its 2026 F1 car ahead of Barcelona testing, a preview of what's shaping up to be a messy factory entry. When a manufacturer can't even get the basic PR right during launch window, you know the engineering timeline is already slipping. The PU regs are unforgiving—Audi's got three years to build credibility.

Audi's new works F1 program got its first track time at Barcelona with the R26, the car that'll carry the marque's new hybrid power unit into 2026. Spy footage is already circulating, offering the first real glimpse at how Audi's interpreting the incoming regulations. The shakedown matters less for what we saw than what it signals: the German manufacturer is locked in.

Audi's new F1 powerplant got its first track time at Barcelona in the R26 test mule. The shakedown hits before the manufacturer fully commits to the grid in 2026, when the sport's hybrid engine regs shift again. Early data matters here—this is where hidden problems surface or confidence builds.

Mazda's dropping the CX-6e as its EV counterpart to the CX-60, signaling a harder design pivot than the brand's typical playbook. The tech-forward cabin—anchored by a 26-inch display—hints at where Mazda wants to position itself in the crowded electric SUV space. UK launch this year puts it squarely against Audi's Q6 e-tron.

The 90s and 2000s were the last gasp of practical performance—when manufacturers still believed wagons could be thrilling. An E39 M5 Touring, an RS6 C5, a 540i with a proper engine: these weren't compromises, they were statements. Today's crossovers pretend they've replaced them. They haven't.

Before SUVs murdered practicality, fast wagons were the thinking enthusiast's move—real performance wrapped in understated sheet metal. The RS6 C5, E55 AMG, and V70 R proved you could haul a family and embarrass sports cars at the same traffic light. Values are climbing because people finally figured out what they lost.

This 2014 R8 V10 coupe is the kind of car that makes you wonder if the original owner actually drove it or just looked at it in the garage. 8,000 miles on a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter FSI V10 mated to a six-speed manual transaxle—the last generation before Audi went turbo and apologetic. Brilliant Red over Titanium Gray, clean history from Texas. These have quietly become the manual transmission redemption arc of mid-2010s supercars.

A clean C5 RS 6 Avant just hit the Dutch market—the kind of practical 580hp hauler that defined the mid-00s before Audi decided efficiency mattered. That naturally-aspirated 5.2L V10 paired with a six-speed manual made these Avants untouchable for winter runs with style. Values are finally climbing as people realize these aren't getting replaced.

While everyone's obsessing over RS6 depreciation curves, the W213 E63 S sits quietly appreciating with half the hype. 612 hp M177 twin-turbo, nine-speed automatic, and wagon practicality—it's the performance appliance that actually delivers without the Instagram tax.

Audi and Volvo are issuing separate recalls affecting over 750,000 vehicles—different root causes, same result: rearview camera blackouts. Both manufacturers are scrambling with dealer fixes, though the scope suggests this wasn't caught in development. If your A4, Q5, or XC90 is suddenly flying blind in reverse, you're in the queue.

Audi Club's feature on Pikes Peak High Performance Driving Events cuts through the usual track-day fluff—this is where drivers actually learn what their cars (and themselves) are capable of. The elevation, the variables, the unforgiving nature of the course separate the curious from the committed. If you're running an RS model or contemplating one, this is the proving ground that matters.

Audi shakes down its new F1 chassis at Barcelona this week, marking the German manufacturer's formal entry into the sport after years of acquisition and reorganization. The shakedown is the first time the Sauber-based platform will turn a wheel under Audi power—a crucial moment to validate months of bench work before pre-season testing begins in earnest. How the PU behaves under real track load will tell you everything about whether this $500M commitment actually works.

Audi gets early track time with the R26 on January 9, running Hulkenberg and Bortoleto through a filming day at Barcelona. It's not glamorous, but being first to shake down your new chassis in anger—even in a controlled setting—is the kind of advantage that compounds over a season. The bean counters love the optics; the engineers love the data.

Today's Bring a Trailer slate spans the full spectrum—from air-cooled 911s to family-kept '51 GMC pickups to a fresh 992 GT3 RS still wearing dealer plates. The trucks are the real story here: vintage F-250s and Dodges are moving on no reserve, a sign the market finally remembers that 1970s iron holds its own against euro exotica. One eye on the Ferrari 512 TR; Euro cars from that era are getting their due.

Audi's new hybrid V6 turbocharged power unit for the 2026 F1 season has completed its initial test run across three continents of development. The real story isn't the ceremonial first start—it's whether Sauber's chassis can actually leverage whatever gains Neuburg and Hinwil have engineered into this thing. Late to the party, tight timeline, and the grid's already moving.

Autocar's staff went to war over which model defined each marque. From the MG ZT-T 260's sleeper credibility to whether a 911 variant beats the 356, they're parsing the real difference between good and generational. The gap between what journalists remember and what the market actually values keeps widening.