Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - Feb. 28, 2015
The Audi Prologue Avant Concept will be shown at the Geneva Motor Show this coming week.
First shown at the LA Auto Show this past November as a two door, Audi gave the media and show goers alike a peek into the brand of four rings next stage in automotive design. Called the Audi Prologue Concept or A9, it was long, low and spelled a new direction for the brand of four rings. Let us call it a trial balloon.
Now four months later, Audi will be showing another variant at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.
The Audi Prologue Avant Concept is a 4-passenger 5-door hatch with almost flat D-pillars that is 16.8 ft. long, 6.5 ft wide, 4.6 ft. tall all sitting on a massive 10.0 ft. wheelbase.
The high tech high-resolution Matrix Laser headlamps of the show car are located in such a manner that their tips are above the Singleframe.
The upper and side edges of the grille incorporate additional LED light guides along with std. LED DRLs.
From the profile, a day light opening (DLO) frame made from polished and matt aluminum surrounds the windows. The wide, hunched shoulders above front and rear wheel arches show off its luxurious character. 22-inch alloys with sharp-angled spokes, and the exhaust comes out through the upper side sills to finish off the new “look”.
The rear fenders accommodate the charge socket on the left side with the diesel fuel port flap on the right. Pressing the charge or refueling button has the cover flaps retracting into the body electronically. I am sorry I have not seen this sliding action occur yet.
Out back, those flat D-pillars sweep elegantly into the rear shoulder. The rear section leans forward in the direction of travel like a yacht.
The rear lamp strip runs across the full width of the car – thinkA7 - combining with the rear LEDs. At their bottom end, the rear light is shaped in such a manner to create a wavy contour. Deep inside the lamps lies the brake light.
Its least attractive side imho.
Inside the Audi Prologue Avant is a unique exterior that will – if it becomes available - be loaded with the most luxurious interior and be digitally connected beyond that available in any car on the road today.
The front of the dashboard is composed of three touch displays in which the driver and passengers can establish a digital communication via two of them. The two driver displays to the left and right of the steering wheel are aluminum framed. The left one serves to control the assist functions, the right one is for multimedia management.
In the center is the large 12+ inch display for text entry, HVAC and infotainment selections. When inactive, the OLED display stores in in a flat retracted position. The curved display ensures a constant ergonomic distance to the driver’s hand, his wrist calmly resting on the eight‑speed tiptronic selector lever.
Two extremely slim, detachable and curved OLED displays complete the rear – a spin-off of the Audi tablet from the new Audi Q7 – provide passengers with on-demand information and entertainment.
The two tiered instrument panel stretches horizontally from one side to the other, dropping off towards the driver and front passenger. The upper level includes a virtual cockpit future and wide air vents. It forms part of the wrap‑around trim encompassing the entire interior. Actual aluminum trim and dark ash wood veneer abound.
A perforated trim panel covers the air vent that somehow angles downward when the A/C is set to a higher temperature? A newly designed flat shift‑by‑wire selector lever for the eight-speed tiptronic is integrated in the center console.
The seats, dashboard and center tunnel console are upholstered with the very natural Unikat leather. A strip of Alcantara leather covers the door inserts, front and rear armrests.
The Audi Prologue Avant drivetrain is a PHEV from the Audi Q7 e‑tron Quattro. Meaning the 3.0L TDI turbo diesel engine and the electric motor in combination make the car sprint from 0 to 60 in under 5 seconds. Like the 2016 Q7 TDI e-tron quatto, the Audi prologue Avant includes a 14.1 kWh Li-Ion traction battery. The all electric range will be approximately 20 to 22 miles on our own U.S. EPA drive cycles.
With its AWC (Audi wireless charging) technology which Audi is developing, the battery can be charged inductively. AWC technology provides energy from a floor plate which is connected to the power grid and which can be embedded on or into the asphalt. This plate integrates a primary coil and an inverter (AC/AC converter). When active, this coil induces a magnetic field of alternating current. On the basis of state-of-the-art technology, Audi uses 3.6 kW of power as provided by a wall socket with a maximum of 16 amps of charging current.
The chassis is equipped with adaptive air suspension, AWD, and dynamic all-wheel steering.
The adaptive air suspension offers a wide spread between smooth power transmission and tight handling. Front and rear axles are lightweight five‑arm wishbone constructions. The 20-inch brake disks are made from carbon fiber ceramics.
The dynamic AWD steering system combines a dynamic transmission steering system on the front axle with an additional steering system for the rear wheels where an electric motor actuates two tie rods.
When the driver steers at low to moderate speeds, the rear wheels turn up to five degrees in the opposite direction of the front wheels. This gives the responsiveness of the car a further boost and reduces its turning circle. At higher speeds, the Audi prologue Avant handles swerving very calmly and with superior reliability: in such a maneuver, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels.
All told, the 2016 Audi Prologue Avant TDI - PHEV Concept is going to be a world class luxury Tourer beyond the reach of most. 22+ miles on the plug and probably close to 45 mpg at its limits on diesel is going to make one hell of an efficient ultra-luxurious automobile. Who would not want to take this one for a ride?
Audi in Geneva – The A9/Prologue Avant Concept Evolves
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