Continued from our News story.....
Audi is presenting another version of the innovative hybrid
technology in the drive unit for the A1 Sportback concept. At work
under the hood is a 1.4-litre TFSI engine developing 110 kW (150 hp),
whose power is directed to the front wheels by means of the S tronic
dual-clutch transmission. A 20 kW (27 hp) electric motor integrated in
the drive train is able to deliver up to an additional 150 Nm of torque
(110.63 lb-ft) when the vehicle is accelerating. During the boosting
phase, i.e. when the TFSI engine and electric motor operate
simultaneously to enable a sporty driving style, the two power packs
deliver impressive propulsion. The tried-and-tested front-wheel drive –
supplemented by the newly developed, ESP-controlled active front
differential lock – ensures optimum transfer of power to the road.
The
electric motor is furthermore capable of powering the vehicle alone for
zero-emission driving in residential areas, for instance. The capacity
of the lithium-ion batteries gives the vehicle a range of up to 100 km
(62.14 miles) in pure electric mode; the motor can be recharged from
any power socket. The automatic start/stop facility, energy
regeneration and phases of purely electrical operation reduce the fuel
consumption and emissions of the Audi A1 Sportback concept by almost 30
percent compared to when it is running on the combustion engine alone.
Despite its sporty performance, with acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h
(62.14 mph) in 7.9 seconds and a top speed of 200 km/h (124.27 mph),
the Audi A1 Sportback concept requires only 3.9 liters of premium fuel
per 100 km (60.31 US mpg); CO2 emissions are an efficient 92 g/km
(148.06 g/mile).
Exterior
The difference is not down to the
two extra doors alone: the styling of the five-door concept vehicle is
a consistent development of the three-door study, the Audi A1 project
quattro from the year 2007. Surfaces and lines are distinctly tauter
and more masculine.
The basic proportions, with a high vehicle
body and a flat window area bordered by a coupe-like roof line, produce
a virtually classic look for a vehicle bearing the four rings. The rear
end is rounded off by a two-part spoiler with a striking centre groove,
integrated into the rear window.
The side-on view presents
another typical coupe attribute in the form of doors with frameless
windows and a glass-covered and thus homogeneously integrated B-pillar.
The bold segmentation of the study's side paneling with its gently
rising shoulder line accentuates the styling.
The shoulder line
of the Audi A1 Sportback concept with its Daytona Grey paint finish is
a new interpretation of yet another trademark feature of the current
Audi design. Here, the prominent double lines continue around the
entire vehicle as a curvaceous band that links the front end – from
which it seems to emerge – with the vehicle's tail, which rises to
create a slightly wedge-shaped effect.
The aerodynamically
designed single-frame grille indicates the sporty ambitions of the
study, which are further emphasized by the flared fenders – a tribute
to the legendary Ur-quattro design and the current Audi RS 6.
The
design of the three-dimensional main headlights in innovative LED
technology is especially eye-catching. The completely new styling
underlines yet again the amount of freedom that this technology has
afforded to designers. All light functions – low‑beam and high-beam
headlights, daytime running lights and turn indicators – have been
located in one flat housing, in concentrically arranged, parallel and
squared-off strips.
The layout, with light segments of varying
sizes – the low beam taking up most space – completely changes the
character of the front section, the “face” of the A1 Sportback concept.
The
rear lights, too, continue this theme and combine the function of tail
and brake lights, turn indicators, reversing and rear fog lights into
an unmistakable design. The interplay of acute and obtuse angles and
the clear and colored glass areas create a particularly dynamic look. A
large-dimensioned, transparent cover over the entire width of the
vehicle additionally combines both light units and emphasizes the
horizontal design of the rear.
Like the three-door version, the
body of the four-door Audi A1 Sportback concept makes optimum use of
the small road surface area available to a vehicle from the premium
compact class. Measuring 3.99 m long (13.09 ft) and 1.75 m wide (5.74
ft) with a wheelbase of 2.46 m (8.07 ft), it succeeds in combining
sporty looks with impressive economy of space thanks to its short
overhangs. The transverse installation of the engine also has a
significant role to play in this respect. The third dimension of this
compact, sporty car – i.e. the height – comes in at 1.40 meters (4.59
ft).
Interior
The interior, with its four
individual seats and a surprisingly generous amount of spaciousness for
this class, has a tidy, no-frills appearance. The curved, wrap-around
section combines the doors and the sporty cockpit into one single unit.
The dashboard and center console are designed entirely around the
driver.
Ergonomics and aesthetics unite to create an ambience of
clear-cut architecture and high-class appeal. Details such as the
turbine-look air vents and air conditioning controls seem to be
straight out of a jet plane. This is where advanced form and precise
function are combined in typical Audi fashion: air flow direction and
volume can be regulated simply and intuitively by turning or pressing
the control button in the centre of the vent.
The center console
accommodates the integrated selector lever, only extended in drive
select dynamic mode, the start/stop button for the engine, the switch
for Audi drive select and the armrest with an integrated mobile phone
pocket.
The sporty seats with integrated head restraints offer
levels of comfort and ergonomics that far exceed the customary
standards in the sub-compact class and live up to the expectations of a
typical Audi. A transparent, mesh-like fabric covers the lightweight
seat apertures, which further accentuates the airiness of the design.
The
materials used for the interior trim appeal with their high-class looks
and feel. The contrasting color scheme for the interior – white and red
– emphasizes the feeling of spaciousness.
Audi mobile device – the second generation
Whereas
the Audi A1 project quattro study featured its own mobile control unit
for infotainment and vehicle systems, the A1 Sportback concept takes
one step further into the future: the driver can use his commercially
available mobile phone (equipped accordingly) as a car phone, address
database, navigation system and audio/video player. At the same time it
can be used as a control unit for numerous vehicle systems in the Audi
A1 Sportback concept. Several phones that are suitable for these
functions are already available from various manufacturers.
All
that is required is some additional software, which Audi will provide
on the internet for the driver to download and install. He can then
enter his route plan or adjust the sound system to his individual
preferences, all from the comfort of his own home, for example.
The mobile phone and vehicle communicate via a fast WLAN connection, even over considerable distances.
The
system also offers the user a security function: within the range of
the WLAN it can constantly monitor the current status of the vehicle,
for instance whether all windows and doors are closed. What’s more, the
additional software offers numerous comfort and convenience features
such as continued destination guidance on the mobile device after the
vehicle has been left in a car park. If the user sets a maximum parking
time with the device, its navigation software leads him back to the
Audi A1 Sportback concept – in good time of course, allowing for the
current distance from the vehicle.
During the journey the mobile
device demonstrates its strength as a portable media player. If the
user listens to a song in a certain driving situation – on the
motorway, for example – it is entered in an appropriate playlist. The
software registers when and where the user prefers to listen to
particular songs. The music is then available at the right moment.
The
MMI control unit in the vehicle is a further development of the
familiar design. In terms of feel it is easier to operate, particularly
while driving. Grouped around the central rotary pushbutton are four
fixed-function hardkeys for the Navigation, Telephone, Car and Media
basic menus. Four additional, backlit softkeys have variable functions
which change within the individual menus.
The projected softkey
labels combine with the bold softkey colors that identify the
corresponding menus to ensure swift, intuitive user orientation.
All
system information appears in the central display in the instrument
cluster. This is designed in its entirety as a digital, freely
configurable display with no mechanical elements. Superimposed glass
elements make the graphics stand out with a three-dimensional look,
producing a level of depth which could never be attained using a
standard display.
As well as the virtual, large circular dial of
the analog speedometer, which is always visible on the right-hand side
of the instrument cluster, numerous other displays can be called up on
request, and can be selected via control buttons on the steering wheel.
These include infotainment, classic navigation by pictogram or map, a
rev counter, information on how to drive as efficiently as possible and
a current status report on the hybrid drive.
The layout of the
infotainment display features icons arranged in a semicircle. As the
driver turns the central MMI rotary pushbutton, the icons mimic the
movement until the desired function is selected by pushing the button.
Content can therefore be communicated visually, enabling it to be
grasped faster and more intuitively than pure text.