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Audi, Google readying infotainment partnership announcement for CES?

The merging of our smart phones and automotive infotainment systems may be about to get an even bigger boost, if a report from Forbes is to be believed. The business publication is reporting that Google and Audi may announce a partnership at next week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that would see Google's Android OS taking control of Audi's MMI infotainment system.
The move by Google would be a direct counter to Apple's iOS in the Car initiative, the marquee feature of which allows drivers to access the company's Siri digital assistant via a car's voice controls. According to Forbes, other iOS features that have found their way into cars include functions for iMessage, as well as audio and satellite navigation systems.
Audi and Google already enjoy a working relationship, with the tech company providing data services on many of the automaker's cars, as well as lending Google Maps to the MMI system. If this report turns out to be true, fans of Android could find Audis looking a lot more appealing.

Audi S1 officially shows itself as 228-hp hot hatch [w/video]

We got the first leaked pics of the new Audi S1 Sportback five-door hot hatch yesterday, and as expected, Audi has unloaded the full details today, including confirmation of its S1 three-door sibling ahead of its debut at next month's Geneva Motor Show. The two cars are essentially identical aside from their door counts, and together, they represent a new entry-level rung into Audi's S car range.
The subcompact S1 is propelled by Audi's ubiquitous 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder, tuned here to produce 228 horsepower and 279 pound-feet with a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive. The potent combo accelerates the S1 to 62 miles per hour in 5.8 seconds (5.9 seconds for the Sportback) and on to a top speed of 155 mph. Fuel economy is rated at an average 33.6 miles per gallon (40.3 mpg UK) in the UK cycle. The S also gets a completely different four-link independent suspension to replace the less sophisticated torsion beam setup found in the standard A1.
Styling also gets a bump in aggressiveness that befit the S1's performance upgrades. In addition to a new body kit with a lower front air dam and 17-inch wheels, the S1 comes standard with Xenon headlights, LED taillights and two new available exterior colors ­- Vegas Yellow and Sepang Blue. The interior gets combination leather and cloth sport seats, piano black trim and a retractable 6.5-inch color infotainment display.

Tom Kristensen walks through a perfect lap of Le Mans in Forza 5

One of the best ways of learning a new track, aside from driving it, is to hear someone that's intimately familiar with it give you a good walkthrough. That's just what you'll get here, as the winningest driver in 24 Hours of Le Mans history, Tom Kristensen, walks you through the Circuit de la Sarthe's high-speed, 8.5-mile strip of pavement.
Kristensen is dubbed over scenes of drivers from a Forza Motorsport 5 contest lapping the track at the wheel of an Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro, adding a bit of visual sense to the Danish drivers description of the track.
With the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans kicking off this weekend, this is just the sort of video you'll want to watch to get you in the mood. Take a look below, and then let us know what you think in Comments.