It's been rumored for a while now that Audi was exploring the possibility of adding a four-door sedan body style to its A3 range, but today, the German firm officially confirmed the news with the release of the first official sketches of the A3 Concept ahead of its world premiere at the 81st International Geneva Motor Show in early March.
Its main purpose is to preview both the saloon variant and the styling direction of the next A3, which is scheduled for a rollout in 2012 and will also include the successors to today's three-door hatchback, five-door Sportback and the two-door convertible models.
"The four-seater notchback sedan offers a glimpse of the future expansion of the A3 family," Audi said in a statement.
The A3 concept measures 4.44 meters (14.57 feet) long, 1.84 meters (6.04 feet) wide and just 1.39 meters (4.56 feet) high, meaning it's slightly smaller than the new Volkswagen Jetta (4.64 m long).
The sedan study embodies Audi's latest design language as seen on the recent A8, A6 and A7 Sportback models featuring a single-frame grille with tapered upper corners, angular headlights with LED technology and taut body lines.
The show car is fitted with an upgraded version of the 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbocharged engine found under the bonnet of the current RS3 and TT RS models, producing a peak output of 408-horses. The five-pot distributes power to all four wheels through a seven-speed S tronic transmission and permanent all-wheel drive.
We'll have more details on the A3 Concept from the Geneva Motor Show in March.
It seems that the VW Group will do just about anything to become the world’s biggest automaker by 2018. After announcing a €51.6 billion (US $70.3 billion) investment plan last November, the Germans also want to showcase their future intentions at the Geneva Motor Show in March, by displaying up to seven concepts.
Walter de Silva, head of the group’s design department, told ANE that the concept lineup will include Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen models, plus “one – if not two” Audis.
Furthermore, the Italdesign Giugiaro design studio, acquired by the automaker last spring, will also present two Volkswagen concept cars.
Seeing this kind of commitment, one has to wonder what exactly has Volkswagen is store for us. With the Golf Mk7 said debut in late 2012 or early 2013, we're inclined to say that it’s too early for a design study and the same goes for the next generation Audi A3, due for a release in the summer of 2012. While the manufacturer did say that it wants to expand its North American SUV lineup, information on the subject is scarce, so we wouldn’t bet on an SUV concept either.
In any case, if you have an opinion on the matter, now is the time to share it with us in the comments section below.
*Note: Volkswagen Up! Lite Concept featured in the gallery
At this year’s International Toy Fair in Nuremberg (February 3-8), Audi will showcase a selection of model cars and other products, including the Auto Union Type C e-tron, a concept study with a fully-electric drive based on the firm's limited edition pedal car, which is sold through is quattro GmbH subsidiary.
The one-of-a-kind Auto Union Type C e-tron boasts a hand-finished body made of aluminum and carbon-look material. Measuring 2.32 meters (91.34 inches) in length and 97 centimeters (38.2 inches) in width, the 1:2 scale model is suitable for children as well as adults up to 1.8 meters (5’11”) tall.
The high-tech toy car is powered by an electric motor delivering 1.5HP (1.12kW) and up to 60 Nm (44.25 lb-ft) of torque, fed by a lithium-ion battery. Power is sent to the rear wheels and the study is also equipped with a reverse gear.
The top speed is a very respectable 30 km/h (18.64 mph) and, depending on the driving style, the electrified Type C can travel as far as 25 kilometers (15.53 miles). Charging takes about two hours at most, using any standard 230-volt household socket.
Audi did not say if it has any plans to introduce a production model of the study in the future.
For the time being, Audi is content with its automotive operations but it never hurts to raise your sails to a catch a different wind. The Daysailer is the result of university-level partnership with the Joanneum University of Applied Science, Graz. The 1:15 scale mode was designed by Markus Klug. The 25-year-old student said that he drew his inspiration from his passion for sailing with the Audi MedCup, a regatta series in the Mediterranean for TP52 yachts, playing a vital role in the design of the model.
"I wanted my design to be clear and direct, but also luxurious and sport," explained Markus Klug. "It has to captivate the onlooker at first glance, in precisely the same way that the cars do, he added.
The prototype mode for the Audi-inspired yacht is just over one metre long but if it were to come to life, it would measure 15 metres in length, its mast would be 21 metres high and it would have a draught of between 1.5 and 2.5 metres.
Talk about a lightning fast response. It's been less than 24 hours since Audi pulled the veils off the fourth-generation A6 premium sedan, and yet we already have a photoshop rendering of the future RS6 created by an artist from EDL. Granted, the production model would most likely sport blistered wheel arches while it wouldn't sit so close to the ground, but the 'chop gives us an idea of what an RS version of the new A6 would look like.
Rendering aside, we're still in the dark about the details surrounding the next generation RS6. Despite some rumors of Audi opting for a force-fed V8 engine, we wouldn't dismiss the possibility of the German firm using an upgraded version of the 5.2-litre V10 engine mated to a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. In any case, expect the horsepower-war between German luxury carmakers to continue with Audi's proposal moving closer to the 600hp mark.
At this year's Paris Auto Show in October, Audi celebrated the original 1980s Quattro's 30th anniversary by unveiling the Quattro Concept. Soon after, rumors started flowing around that Audi plans to develop a production version of the sports car, which is loosely based on the RS5 Coupe's architecture using a modified version of the RS3 Sportback / TT RS' 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five with 408 ponies.
Even though we've yet receive any official confirmation on the production model, the German automaker continues to release new material on the Quattro concept. This time, the Ingolstadt firm has published a new promotional film showcasing the design study as well as its spiritual predecessor, the 1984 Quattro Coupe. Watch the video right after the break.
Furthermore, the Q5 Concept's track was widened by 90mm (3.54 in) and the ride height lowered by 60mm (2.36 in). The customized version of the German SUV rolls on 21-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels while other features include the orange accents on the outside and the S-Line interior treatment with sport seats and stainless steel-plated pedals.
Alongside the Q5 Concept, Audi will also showcase many other production and concept cars like the new TT RS, R8 5.2 FSI quattro and the A1 supermini concept that is slated to enter the market in 2010.
source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com
Overview of the Audi Q5 custom concept
