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<h2>World premiere at 2014 CES in Las Vegas:
The Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept car
</h2>
<h3><ul>[*]Dynamic coupe has powerful plug-in hybrid drive
[*]Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of AUDI AG,
Technical Development: “This show car embodies our engineering
competence and shows cutting-edge electronic features such as
high-performance laser-light headlights.”[/list]</h3>
<div ="picture-ing"="">
<div ="picture-wrap"="">
![]()
<div ="caption"="">
The Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept car
Dynamic design, immense power and new
electronic features: Audi is presenting a fascinating technology concept
car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from January 6 to 10, 2014
in Las Vegas, USA. The Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept is
reminiscent of the classic Sport quattro of 1983 while pointing towards
the future – with the latest of the brand's technologies in plug-in
hybrid drives, user control and display interfaces and lighting
technology.
<div ="ptext="" richedit"="">
“The new show car demonstrates technical ‘Vorsprung' on many
levels,” says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg. “On-board this car we have
e-tron technology with 515 kW of power and 2.5 l/100 km (94.09 US mpg)
fuel economy; laser headlights that leave all previous systems in the
dark with its higher performance as well as new display and operating
systems with cutting-edge electronic performance. We are showing the
future of Audi here.”
The coupe, a new evolutionary stage of the
Sport quattro concept, painted in the color Plasma Red, combines the
power of the historic Sport quattro with emotional elegance. Its body is
tautly set over its large wheels. The overhangs are short, and the
car's proportions show a sporty balance. With a wheelbase of 2,784 mm
(109.61 in), it is 4,602 mm (181.18 in) long. At a width of 1,964 mm
(77.32 in), the two-door model is very wide, and it is just 1,386 mm
(54.57 in) tall, which is exceptionally low.
In the dual
headlights, a typical quattro feature, Audi is demonstrating the future
of lighting technology by combining matrix LED and laser light
technologies. Two low-profile trapezoidal elements are visible within
the headlights – the outer one generates the low beam light using matrix
LEDs and an aperture mask, while the inner element produces laser light
for high-beam functionality.
The powerful laser diodes are
significantly smaller than LED diodes; they are only a few microns in
diameter. Illuminating the road for a distance of nearly 500 meters
(1,640 ft), the laser high-beam light has approximately twice the
lighting range and three times the luminosity of LED high beam lights.
In this future technology, Audi is once again demonstrating its
leadership role in automotive lighting technology with a system that
will also be used on the race track in the 2014 R18 e-tron quattro.
The
angular, swept-back C pillars of the Audi Sport quattro laserlight
concept car and the blisters above the fenders are other design elements
reminiscent of the classic Sport quattro. The broad shoulders of the
body were reinterpreted and intensively sculpted to convey even greater
dynamism. Throughout the car, sharp contours frame muscular surfaces –
the interplay between convex and concave curvatures defines the athletic
character of the coupe.
The hexagonal single-frame grille also
offers an outlook on future design of the sporty production models. The
lower section is nearly vertical, while the upper follows the contour of
the hood; the screen insert is a typical solution from car racing. The
low grille emphasizes the show car's width. Two large, vertical blades
divide each of the large air inlets; their form is repeated in the
creases of the hood. The splitter, which is made of carbon fiber
reinforced polymer (CFRP), is shifted far to the front, as on a race
car.
The combination of a swept-back glass cabin and broad
shoulders defines the proportions at the rear. Another defining element
at the rear of the show car is the CFRP diffuser, which extends upward
significantly. Its upper section is honeycombed, while its lower section
houses two large, oval tailpipes. The tail lights, which are backed by a
black CFRP panel, are rectangular in form – another quattro reference.
The luggage space, which is reinforced by a large cross bar stiffener,
offers 300 liters (10.59 cu ft) of cargo capacity.
Precise design
details round out the dynamic look of the Audi Sport quattro laserlight
concept. The sill extensions are made of CFRP, the door handles
electrically extend from the door when they detect the approach of a
hand. The center locking wheels have a five twin-spoke design.
Lightweight design made visible: the interior
In
its generously cut interior, the elegant sporty styling of the show car
is continued with dark gray colors and clean lines. The interior design
and material selections demonstrate the Audi philosophy of lightweight
design. The slender instrument panel is reminiscent of the wing of a
sailplane. The supporting structure of the interior is a carbon shell
that also serves as a storage compartment in the doors.
A line of
trim beneath the windshield wraps around the driver and front passenger
and integrates functions such as the inside door handles. The folding
race car shell seats with their high lateral supports and integrated
head restraints, together with the two rear seats, provide space for
four persons. The climate controls are integrated in the air nozzles; a
single element is used to control the intensity, temperature and volume
of the air stream. In addition to showing climate control settings, the
slim display at the centers of the air nozzles also shows media data.
New solutions: displays and controls
The
interior of the Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept focuses very much
on the driver. Even the multifunction sport steering wheel points the
way towards future sporty production solutions. It has two buttons which
the driver can use to control the hybrid drive, a red start-stop
button, a button for the Audi drive select vehicle handling system and a
"View" button to control the Audi virtual cockpit.
All key
information is shown on the large Audi TFT display in high-resolution,
three-dimensional graphics; a cutting-edge Tegra 30 processor from Audi
partner Nvidia processes the graphics. The driver can switch between
different modes. For example, in the MMI mode the dominant display
elements include the navigation map and media lists, while in the
Classic view the speedometer appears in the foreground.
Nearly all
functions of the Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept can be
controlled from the further developed MMI terminal that is mounted on
the center console over the tunnel. Its large rotary pushbutton, which
also serves as a touchpad, can be pushed in four directions, and it is
surrounded on three sides by four buttons – for the main menu, submenus,
options and a back function.
The new user interface has a menu
structure whose intuitive layout is similar to that of a smart phone.
All frequently used functions can be accessed lightning fast. For most
inputs, just a few steps are needed thanks to a new free text search
feature; generally just four characters suffice for a navigation
address. The driver can quickly scroll through lists or zoom the map
image using multitouch gestures on the touchpad. Voice control
functionality has also been intensively further developed.
Powerful and highly efficient: the drive system
The
plug-in hybrid drive gives the Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept
fascinating dynamic performance. Its system output is 515 kW (700 hp),
and its system torque is 800 Nm (590.05 lb-ft). Power flows via a
modified eight-speed tiptronic to the quattro drivetrain, which features
a sport differential at the rear axle. The show car's combined fuel
consumption, based on the applicable fuel economy standard, is just 2.5
liters of fuel per 100 km (94.09 US mpg) – which equates to CO2
emissions of 59 g/km (94.95 g/mile).
The combustion engine is a
four-liter V8 with biturbo charging; it produces 412 kW (560 hp) of
power and 700 Nm (516.29 lb-ft) of torque. The cylinder on demand (COD)
system, which deactivates four cylinders under part load and a
start-stop system make the sonorous eight-cylinder engine very
efficient. Located between the 4.0 TFSI and the transmission is a
disc-shaped electric motor that produces 110 kW and 400 Nm (295.02
lb-ft). It draws its drive energy from a lithium-ion battery at the
rear, which stores 14.1 kWh of energy – enough for up to 50 km (31.07
miles) of all-electric driving. An Audi wallbox that is used for
charging provides for optimal energy transfer.
An intelligent
management system controls the interplay of engine and motor on demand.
The driver can switch between three different modes. In EV mode, just
the electric motor operates; its high torque propels the show car with
plenty of power – even outside of the city. The active accelerator pedal
indicates the transition to Hybrid mode to the driver – by a change in
pedal resistance; this is done so that the driver can intentionally
influence the mode selection.
The Hybrid mode aims at optimal
fuel-savings in the interplay between the TFSI and the electric motor,
and environmental and route data are utilized here. The driver can
choose the Hold and Charge modes in the MMI to influence the operating
strategy, e.g. if the driver wants to ensure that sufficient electrical
energy is available for the final kilometers to the destination. The
Audi drive select dynamic vehicle handling system offers even more
control options – individual driving profiles are set up for different
levels of regenerative braking.
In Sport mode, the operating
strategy configures the drive system for maximum power. When the V8 and
electric motor are boosting, the Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept
accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 3.7 seconds and
can reach a top speed of 305 km/h (189.52 mph).
Body and chassis
A
lightweight design strategy also plays a major role in the car's
dynamic performance. A combination of ultra high-strength steel sheet
and structural elements of cast aluminum is used in the occupant cell.
The doors and fenders are made of aluminum, and the roof, engine hood
and rear hatch are made of CFRP. This results in an unladen weight of
just 1,850 kilograms (4,078.55 lb), including the large battery pack.
The
front suspension is comprised of five links per wheel, while the rear
suspension is based on the self-tracking trapezoidal link principle of
Audi, which guarantees dynamic performance and stability. Stiff tuning
of the springs and shock absorbers make the Audi Sport
quattrolaserlight concept hold tightly to the road, while Audi drive
select makes the driving experience even more multifaceted. The dynamic
steering system varies the steering ratio as a function of driving
speed. The brake calipers grip large, carbon fiber-ceramic brake discs,
and the tire size is 285/30 R 21.
Source: Audi AG
The Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept car
</h2>
<h3><ul>[*]Dynamic coupe has powerful plug-in hybrid drive
[*]Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of AUDI AG,
Technical Development: “This show car embodies our engineering
competence and shows cutting-edge electronic features such as
high-performance laser-light headlights.”[/list]</h3>
<div ="picture-ing"="">
<div ="picture-wrap"="">
<div ="caption"="">
The Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept car
Dynamic design, immense power and new
electronic features: Audi is presenting a fascinating technology concept
car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from January 6 to 10, 2014
in Las Vegas, USA. The Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept is
reminiscent of the classic Sport quattro of 1983 while pointing towards
the future – with the latest of the brand's technologies in plug-in
hybrid drives, user control and display interfaces and lighting
technology.
<div ="ptext="" richedit"="">
“The new show car demonstrates technical ‘Vorsprung' on many
levels,” says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg. “On-board this car we have
e-tron technology with 515 kW of power and 2.5 l/100 km (94.09 US mpg)
fuel economy; laser headlights that leave all previous systems in the
dark with its higher performance as well as new display and operating
systems with cutting-edge electronic performance. We are showing the
future of Audi here.”
The coupe, a new evolutionary stage of the
Sport quattro concept, painted in the color Plasma Red, combines the
power of the historic Sport quattro with emotional elegance. Its body is
tautly set over its large wheels. The overhangs are short, and the
car's proportions show a sporty balance. With a wheelbase of 2,784 mm
(109.61 in), it is 4,602 mm (181.18 in) long. At a width of 1,964 mm
(77.32 in), the two-door model is very wide, and it is just 1,386 mm
(54.57 in) tall, which is exceptionally low.
In the dual
headlights, a typical quattro feature, Audi is demonstrating the future
of lighting technology by combining matrix LED and laser light
technologies. Two low-profile trapezoidal elements are visible within
the headlights – the outer one generates the low beam light using matrix
LEDs and an aperture mask, while the inner element produces laser light
for high-beam functionality.
The powerful laser diodes are
significantly smaller than LED diodes; they are only a few microns in
diameter. Illuminating the road for a distance of nearly 500 meters
(1,640 ft), the laser high-beam light has approximately twice the
lighting range and three times the luminosity of LED high beam lights.
In this future technology, Audi is once again demonstrating its
leadership role in automotive lighting technology with a system that
will also be used on the race track in the 2014 R18 e-tron quattro.
The
angular, swept-back C pillars of the Audi Sport quattro laserlight
concept car and the blisters above the fenders are other design elements
reminiscent of the classic Sport quattro. The broad shoulders of the
body were reinterpreted and intensively sculpted to convey even greater
dynamism. Throughout the car, sharp contours frame muscular surfaces –
the interplay between convex and concave curvatures defines the athletic
character of the coupe.
The hexagonal single-frame grille also
offers an outlook on future design of the sporty production models. The
lower section is nearly vertical, while the upper follows the contour of
the hood; the screen insert is a typical solution from car racing. The
low grille emphasizes the show car's width. Two large, vertical blades
divide each of the large air inlets; their form is repeated in the
creases of the hood. The splitter, which is made of carbon fiber
reinforced polymer (CFRP), is shifted far to the front, as on a race
car.
The combination of a swept-back glass cabin and broad
shoulders defines the proportions at the rear. Another defining element
at the rear of the show car is the CFRP diffuser, which extends upward
significantly. Its upper section is honeycombed, while its lower section
houses two large, oval tailpipes. The tail lights, which are backed by a
black CFRP panel, are rectangular in form – another quattro reference.
The luggage space, which is reinforced by a large cross bar stiffener,
offers 300 liters (10.59 cu ft) of cargo capacity.
Precise design
details round out the dynamic look of the Audi Sport quattro laserlight
concept. The sill extensions are made of CFRP, the door handles
electrically extend from the door when they detect the approach of a
hand. The center locking wheels have a five twin-spoke design.
Lightweight design made visible: the interior
In
its generously cut interior, the elegant sporty styling of the show car
is continued with dark gray colors and clean lines. The interior design
and material selections demonstrate the Audi philosophy of lightweight
design. The slender instrument panel is reminiscent of the wing of a
sailplane. The supporting structure of the interior is a carbon shell
that also serves as a storage compartment in the doors.
A line of
trim beneath the windshield wraps around the driver and front passenger
and integrates functions such as the inside door handles. The folding
race car shell seats with their high lateral supports and integrated
head restraints, together with the two rear seats, provide space for
four persons. The climate controls are integrated in the air nozzles; a
single element is used to control the intensity, temperature and volume
of the air stream. In addition to showing climate control settings, the
slim display at the centers of the air nozzles also shows media data.
New solutions: displays and controls
The
interior of the Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept focuses very much
on the driver. Even the multifunction sport steering wheel points the
way towards future sporty production solutions. It has two buttons which
the driver can use to control the hybrid drive, a red start-stop
button, a button for the Audi drive select vehicle handling system and a
"View" button to control the Audi virtual cockpit.
All key
information is shown on the large Audi TFT display in high-resolution,
three-dimensional graphics; a cutting-edge Tegra 30 processor from Audi
partner Nvidia processes the graphics. The driver can switch between
different modes. For example, in the MMI mode the dominant display
elements include the navigation map and media lists, while in the
Classic view the speedometer appears in the foreground.
Nearly all
functions of the Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept can be
controlled from the further developed MMI terminal that is mounted on
the center console over the tunnel. Its large rotary pushbutton, which
also serves as a touchpad, can be pushed in four directions, and it is
surrounded on three sides by four buttons – for the main menu, submenus,
options and a back function.
The new user interface has a menu
structure whose intuitive layout is similar to that of a smart phone.
All frequently used functions can be accessed lightning fast. For most
inputs, just a few steps are needed thanks to a new free text search
feature; generally just four characters suffice for a navigation
address. The driver can quickly scroll through lists or zoom the map
image using multitouch gestures on the touchpad. Voice control
functionality has also been intensively further developed.
Powerful and highly efficient: the drive system
The
plug-in hybrid drive gives the Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept
fascinating dynamic performance. Its system output is 515 kW (700 hp),
and its system torque is 800 Nm (590.05 lb-ft). Power flows via a
modified eight-speed tiptronic to the quattro drivetrain, which features
a sport differential at the rear axle. The show car's combined fuel
consumption, based on the applicable fuel economy standard, is just 2.5
liters of fuel per 100 km (94.09 US mpg) – which equates to CO2
emissions of 59 g/km (94.95 g/mile).
The combustion engine is a
four-liter V8 with biturbo charging; it produces 412 kW (560 hp) of
power and 700 Nm (516.29 lb-ft) of torque. The cylinder on demand (COD)
system, which deactivates four cylinders under part load and a
start-stop system make the sonorous eight-cylinder engine very
efficient. Located between the 4.0 TFSI and the transmission is a
disc-shaped electric motor that produces 110 kW and 400 Nm (295.02
lb-ft). It draws its drive energy from a lithium-ion battery at the
rear, which stores 14.1 kWh of energy – enough for up to 50 km (31.07
miles) of all-electric driving. An Audi wallbox that is used for
charging provides for optimal energy transfer.
An intelligent
management system controls the interplay of engine and motor on demand.
The driver can switch between three different modes. In EV mode, just
the electric motor operates; its high torque propels the show car with
plenty of power – even outside of the city. The active accelerator pedal
indicates the transition to Hybrid mode to the driver – by a change in
pedal resistance; this is done so that the driver can intentionally
influence the mode selection.
The Hybrid mode aims at optimal
fuel-savings in the interplay between the TFSI and the electric motor,
and environmental and route data are utilized here. The driver can
choose the Hold and Charge modes in the MMI to influence the operating
strategy, e.g. if the driver wants to ensure that sufficient electrical
energy is available for the final kilometers to the destination. The
Audi drive select dynamic vehicle handling system offers even more
control options – individual driving profiles are set up for different
levels of regenerative braking.
In Sport mode, the operating
strategy configures the drive system for maximum power. When the V8 and
electric motor are boosting, the Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept
accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 3.7 seconds and
can reach a top speed of 305 km/h (189.52 mph).
Body and chassis
A
lightweight design strategy also plays a major role in the car's
dynamic performance. A combination of ultra high-strength steel sheet
and structural elements of cast aluminum is used in the occupant cell.
The doors and fenders are made of aluminum, and the roof, engine hood
and rear hatch are made of CFRP. This results in an unladen weight of
just 1,850 kilograms (4,078.55 lb), including the large battery pack.
The
front suspension is comprised of five links per wheel, while the rear
suspension is based on the self-tracking trapezoidal link principle of
Audi, which guarantees dynamic performance and stability. Stiff tuning
of the springs and shock absorbers make the Audi Sport
quattrolaserlight concept hold tightly to the road, while Audi drive
select makes the driving experience even more multifaceted. The dynamic
steering system varies the steering ratio as a function of driving
speed. The brake calipers grip large, carbon fiber-ceramic brake discs,
and the tire size is 285/30 R 21.
Source: Audi AG
