The idea of a hot crossover has yet to really take off, but that isn't stopping Audi from trying to blaze the trail with the 2014 RS Q3. While we wait in suspense to hear if Audi will finally bring the Q3 to the U.S., we doubt the RS Q3 will follow.

Too bad for us, as this blend of tall hot hatch and compact crossover is intriguing, at least in the photos from Audi's recent Land of quattro Alpen Tour 2013.

In a range of colors, from red to Imola Yellow to Daytona Grey Matt (yes, Audi insists on dropping the "e" from matte), it looks interesting enough to want to test it.

Although the physics of crossovers works against their value as performance vehicles, we have been convinced otherwise in the past. A compact crossover might just make even more sense.

Whatever the case with the RS Q3 and its Forbidden Fruit status, we can look, and imagine, even if we can't touch.

2014 Audi RS Q3

2014 Audi RS Q3

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