Audi announces 2015 A3 pricing

The last A3 we drove, an Irish-spec model with cloth seats and a 1.4 TSI engine paired with Audi's S-tronic twin-clutch gearbox, retailed for $54,495. Thankfully, American buyers won't face that sort of out-the-wazoo payment when the new sedan arrives early next year. Audi's announced a price that takes a direct shot across the bow of rival Mercedes-Benz' CLA: $29,900.

Rain doesn't dampen spirits at Orphan Car Show

With rain falling as the show cars arrived, organizers worried that moving the 15th-annual Ypsilanti Orphan Car Show from its original June weekend to late September wasn't going to work out after all. It was rescheduled last year after heavy rain in June and participants voted to make the change permanent. Fortunately, the rain blew over before the gates opened to spectators and Sunday turned out to be as nice a day as Saturday, when more than 30 entrants enjoyed a tour to view the extensive Nash collection that Ken and Mary Ann Havekost have accumulated in Monroe, Mich.

Uwe Bahnsen 1930-2013

The design world remembers Uwe Bahnsen, who passed away on 30 July aged 83. Born in Hamburg, he studied Fine Arts at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste before joining Ford in 1958. His final position at the blue oval was vice president of design, which he held until 1986.