Audi of America CEO Scott Keogh could have kept a low profile during 2017, and no one would have faulted him for it: Sales remain brisk and growing (Audi's streak of consecutive year-over-year U.S. gains reached 96 months in October), the diesel emissions scandal and customer buybacks are largely in the rearview mirror, and Audi has new product coming to keep traffic flowing into dealerships.

But Keogh, 48, would rather that low profile" describe only the tires on Audi's lineup of premium sedans