Audi and parent company Volkswagen have been burning up auto shows lately on their quest to become the number one automaker in the world. At each show, the company raises the bar slightly higher, and the upcoming North American auto shows are no exception. The new Audi Q7 is about to be unveiled at the Detroit auto show, and it is going to have a lot of surprises. The 2016 is definitely an improvement on the 2015. It is lighter, more powerful, and definitely more efficient thanks to a plug-in diesel hybrid variant. It weighs 717 pounds less than the 2015 thanks to the use of some carbon fibre, aluminum and high-strength steel; and remains the roomiest in it's class. Depending on the engine, it will be either 28 percent more efficient, as in the TFSI, or 23 percent more efficient, as in the TDI model. The 2016 Audi Q7 is also going to be the most powerful four-wheel drive SUV available. The 3.0-litre TFSI delivers a healthy 328 horsepower, and the 3.0-litre TDI brings 268 hp to the table. Not impressed? Try the 500 lb-ft of torque produced by the plug-in diesel hybrid version. Yes, we used 500 pounds of torque in the same sentence as the words plug-in hybrid. The Audi Q7 e-tron quattro will follow soon after, bringing with it 369 horses and 516 lb-ft of torque from the two motors. It will be four-wheel drive, and achieve an astounding 138 miles per gallon with a 35 mile range.

Audi has confirmed the arrival of a new electric model. As its name suggests, the Q6 e-tron will slip into the German automaker’s lineup between the Q4 e-tron and Q8 e-tron. The electric SUV could debut in Europe this year and in North America in 2024, likely as a 2025 model.

The finalists in each of the six 2023 World Vehicle of the Year categories have been announced. Once again this year, there is a very strong Korean presence in several of the categories. The winners will be announced at the New York Auto Show in early April.

Do Audi's vaunted Quattro all-wheel drive systems lose their effectiveness in EVs? That's the question we asked ourselves before taking to the track at the winter driving program the company invited us to attend.