Audi’s biggest product release at the Detroit Motor Show 2014 will be the Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Show Car. The Show Car uses the concept of a compact crossover to reveal a raft of future Audi design applications including a hybrid drive system, LED headlights and a unique carbon fibre aluminium bodywork. The Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Show Car picks up where the Sport Quattro Concept left off at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2013.
Audi are pushing the drivetrain of this one-off Show Car more than any other aspect of the car. It features what Audi are terming as the e-Tron quattro layout. That translates to plug-in hybrid drive which features two electric motors linked to a conventional 2.0 TFSI engine. The petrol unit produces 292 PS and 380 Nm torque for a total system power of 408 PS and 650 Nm of torque coupled to a six-speed e-S tronic gearbox.
The system sends the petrol power to the front of the vehicle and the electric power to the rear. This is what gives the Audi Allroad Shooting Brake its quattro credentials. At the rear axle, perfectly balanced for weight, you will find a lithium-ion battery consisting of eight modules. It has an energy capacity of 8.8 kWh, which is enough for 31 miles of all-electric driving.
The Audi Drive select management offers three driving modes. EV mode prioritises all-electric driving which allows the electric motor at the rear axle to accelerate the two-door car to a top speed of 81 mph. Hybrid mode where the electric motor in front acts as a generator driven by the engine, it charges the battery, and this extends the car’s effective electric driving range. Finally, Sport mode allows the driver to select the car’s full system power with the electric motor at the rear axle working together with the 2.0 TFSI.
Depending on the driving situation, releasing the accelerator pedal can cause all drive units to be decoupled, or it can result in energy recovery by regenerative braking. The driver can use the “Hold” and “Charge” functions in the MMI user interface to specifically influence the battery’s charge state.
The Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Show Car uses an electro-mechanical steering system together with a MacPherson front suspension and a four-link rear suspension.
The system is geared towards everyday useable performance with a 0 to 100 km\h time of just in 4.6 seconds, and a 250 km/h limited top speed. In terms of efficiency, the system is said to offer a staggering 1.9 l/100 km efficiency rating (149 mpg) and 45g/km CO2 emissions, with a 502-mile driving range possible. Impressive for a car that weighs 1,600 kg!
The Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Show Car incorporating a number of design elements that will define the brand’s future design values. It gets elegant lines reminiscent of the shooting brake designs.
It gets an aluminium and carbon fibre body shell with a single-frame grille and a look as if it were sculpted from a single solid piece. The Allroad Shooting Brake has a wheelbase measuring 2.51 metres. It is 4.20 metres long, 1.85 metres wide and 1.41 metres tall, giving it a powerful stance on the road. As is typical with all Audi Allroad products, the car features dark grey rubbing strips, large wheels and flared wheel arches.
The low-profile dual headlights are split into four segments. They include matrix LED technology with individually controlled light-emitting diodes.
As the name suggests, the Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Show Car is a car that is just as home off-road as it is on-road. The overhangs are short, and its roof line stretches low over the vehicle body. There is a charging port in the left pillar and a fuel door in the right pillar. It gets aluminium underbody protection as well as a diffuser, two large exhaust tailpipes and a roof spoiler.
The wheels are seven-arm, central locking, 19-inch lightweight units shod with 255/40 tyres and Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) rims.
Inside the Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Show Car, there is enough room for four passengers. Narrow sports seats give the driver and front passenger optimal body support. An easy entry function makes rear seat access simpler whilst the rear seatback can folded down to reveal a cargo area suitable for sports equipment.
Surfaces feature alcantara, various qualities of leather and a mixture of bright and dark aluminium trim materials. Apparently, when viewed from the top, the instrument panel resembles the wing surface of an airplane. The centre console features adjustments for the seats which remains at an optimal distance to the driver. The controls include an electronic selector lever for the e-S tronic (shift-by-wire) and the terminal of the MMI user interface.
The Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Show Car features a new design MMI terminal and sporty multifunction steering wheel with enough controls to manage this new system. The menu structure is based on that of a smart phone and is said to be easy access for all major functions. Multitouch gestures on the touchpad of the MMI terminal enable quick scrolling and zooming in lists and maps.
The Allroad Shooting Brake features a 12.3 inch TFT display with all the key information in top quality 3D graphics. The Audi phone box is also unique. It links the driver’s mobile phone to the vehicle electrical system and can inductively charge it as necessary.
