You can start the presses again. It was all a big misunderstanding. Autocar said that even though Audi hadn’t admitted it, the RS4 sedan had ceased production. Don’t know where their source came from, but Winding Road’s source, from Audi Communications in the US, calms all of our nerves with a hearty “Have No Fear.”

Even though Audi is getting its larger bahn-stormer the RS6 ready for production and RS models don’t usually overlap, the RS4 will complete its production run through 2008. Thank you, Winding Road, for giving us news that keep our food down today. And a wet haggis for the folks at Autocar.

[Source: Winding Road]

Here in the States, if you want a people-mover from Mazda, you need to go the crossover route and pick up either the CX-7 or CX-9, or you can go for a compact minivan in the spiffy-looking Mazda5. In Japan, however, the MPV lives on, and it’s a lot nicer than any of the editions we ever had. Today, Mazda announced the availability of — long JDM name alert — the MPV Bright Stylish M’z Custom. Powered by the automaker’s 2.3L four cylinder driving either the front wheels (4-speed auto) or all four wheels (6-speed auto), the new trim level adds some shine in the form of a chromed grille and added brightwork all around, plus some extra skirting for a sportier appearance.

Inside, enhancements include things like extra leather trim, and outside, the car can be finished in either Pearl White Mica or one of two darker shades, including the black (or is it dark gray?) metal flake seen above. Mazda E&T (Engineering and Technology) is behind this creation, and pricing is set at ¥2,870,000 for the 2WD version and ¥3,140,000 for the AWD edition.

[Source: Mazda]

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, and any automotive passion is usually OK in our books, but this is pushing things a bit, even for us. Someone took a perfectly nice Camaro SS and added a bunch of Batman adoration to create this Batmaro, a.k.a. the Caped Crusader Camaro, complete with an appropriately winged body kit, Batman symbol spinner wheels, and the airbrushed visage of Gotham’s freedom fighter adorning its hood scoop.

Seems a shame the unknown owner didn’t start with a Ram-Air Trans-Am, which always looked to us like it emerged from the Bat Cave instead of a General Motors assembly plant. For some reason, the words Dark Knight Rider come to mind.

[Source: DCSportbikes.net]

Hyundai’s initial foray into the consumer hybrid marketplace won’t take place here in the US, nor will it use the gasoline/electric config that’s become synonymous with the term, from a consumer’s standpoint. Hyundai will introduce the car, a version of the Avante (Elantra here) in Korea sometime in 2009.

Instead of gasoline/electric, the Avante Hybrid will feature an LPG/electric setup in order to take advantage of the low price of Liquid Petroleum Gas in Korea (it’s half the cost of the dino juice), and the fact that there’s a working LPG infrastructure there already. They’ll need government help to loosen up some regulations, because right now, LPG is reserved for rental cars and handicapped transport. The fact that Hyundai’s moving forward with the plan is a pretty clear indicator that it expects the rules will be modified to allow regular citizens to purchase LPG-powered cars.

When combined with the hybrid system, the Avante is expected to pull down fuel economy in the neighborhood of 47 mpg. A gasoline/electric hybrid is also reportedly planned for 2010. Maybe we’ll get that one.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]

We’ve had a few wood-themed posts here of late, but the work of Italian artist Livio De Marchi is in a class all its own. He’s worked with many materials, but has settled on wood now, making everything from lifelike clothing (remarkable to look at, really) to the the reason you see him here today — life-sized cars. Read more »

Not many automakers have accomplished as much as Audi at LeMans. Though it only began competing at LeMans in 1999, the automaker has achieved six overall victories from its eight starts, including the first ever win for a diesel-powered car with its R10 last year. This Saturday before the start of the 75th running of the 24 Hours of LeMans, a 12-meter high sculpture will be unveiled in the circuit’s “Village” to honor Audi’s success in what many consider to be the most demanding race in the world.

Fourtitude has pics of the “Audi Tower” as it looks today, which appears encased inside a giant box shaped like, well, a 12-meter-tall tower. According to Audi, the actual sculpture features 24 rotating rings that light up between the tower’s base and its top. There’s also a video wall on the sculpture’s front face, and its glass surface will be etched with the names of every driver to have ever won the 24 Hours of LeMans.

We’re excited to see what this thing looks like, but have enough faith in Audi’s aesthetic taste to expect a finely crafted work of art. You can check out a few more pics of the tower as it stands by clicking the Read link.

[Source: Fourtitude]

If you’re the type who gets excited at the thought of viewing an engine block being machined out of a solid piece of metal, then get ready to indulge all your fantasies with a look at the Bugatti Veyron’s mighty W16 being carved up by a computer-controlled milling machine. Inch by inch, the tiny spindle meticulously cuts away at the single block of metal until eventually the first few cylinders start to appear, and before long the lifeless lump of metal starts to resemble the familiar W-patterned heart of the Veyron supercar. Read more »