Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)

Q ship for Audi

Audi's Pikes Peak quattro SUV concept that debuted at the 2003 Detroit show will be known as the Q7 when it reaches dealerships in 2006. The five-door seven-seater will be fully off-road capable, according to Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the Audi AG board of management. "The letter Q denotes a new type family within our company, alongside A, S and RS,'' Winterkorn said. "The 7 indicates that it is positioned between the A6 and A8.''

Diesel rumblings

Among the good news emanating from the Paris show is that Mercedes' new clean diesel engines will make their way into U.S. dealerships, first in the coming R-Class sports tourer. The new turbodiesel V6 in the Vision R develops 218 hp.

Meanwhile, Toyota didn't need to wrap a concept car around its introduction of the D-4D Clean Power diesel engine at the Paris show, but it did. The highly efficient and low-emission 2.2-liter four-cylinder makes 180 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Look for a 1.4-liter 90-hp version of the engine in Euro-market Yarises soon, followed by the ...