Though not the next generation of the Audi A3 line which winked at us from the cover of Autobild, this shot of what appears to be the new Audi S3 Sportback sure does look good in a shrunken, well-powered wagon sort of way. Snapped somewhere in Germany behind the oppressive bars of what we're assuming to be some sort of Audi facility, the upgraded four-door hatch gets a set of 18 inch wheels and some aggressive body work. We're told to expect an engine to match that aggressive-looking exterior — specifically, a 265 HP 2.0-liter turbo four with a six speed manual or a flappy paddle shifter. We're happy to see the more powerful version is just around the corner, as one of the biggest complaints of the A3 is its relative lack of motivation for the price — though we suspect all that motivation will motivate Audi to command a meaty premium over the standard A3.

2009 Audi S3 Sportback Breaks Cover In Cat Carrier? (www.jalopnik.com)