Audi makes history: for the first time, a low-emission prototype with an electric drive, high-voltage battery and energy converter wins the world’s toughest desert rally with the Audi RS Q e-tron. The Spaniards Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz secured Audi’s first victory in the Dakar Rally after around 7,900 kilometers with a lead of 1h 20min. Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist also crossed the finish line.

 

“Congratulations to Team Audi Sport on winning the Dakar Rally,” said Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. “Audi has once again set a milestone in motorsport. Winning the world’s toughest desert rally with an electrified drive is a visible ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ and points the way to our electric future.” The Audi RS Q e-tron has electric all-wheel drive. The energy supply is ensured by a high-voltage battery and an energy converter that runs on residual fuel-based reFuel, thus saving 60 percent of CO2 emissions compared to conventional fuels.

 

“With our revolutionary electrified drive, we have overcome one of the biggest challenges in motorsport after just three years. We are thus continuing a long series of pioneering achievements that have always characterized Audi in four decades of motorsport. I would like to thank the entire team for this outstanding performance in a particularly tough edition of the Dakar Rally,” says Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, Technical Development. At the Dakar Rally, Audi was up against the two brands Toyota and Ford as well as the experienced opponents from Prodrive, who proved to be tough challengers.

Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz secured their big lead after having been in the lead without interruption since the sixth stage. For the two Spaniards, who finished first in 2010, 2018 and 2020, this is their fourth success with a different brand, including the second from the Volkswagen Group. However, two-time World Rally Champion Sainz and his experienced co-driver could not be sure until shortly before the end. With Sébastien Loeb/Fabian Lurquin from Team BRX, they had strong pursuers who continued to close the gap until their car suffered damage on the penultimate day. “That was an overwhelming team performance,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Rolf Michl. “Everyone pulled together to make this historic result possible for Audi. A big thank you to this wonderful team. Today we have written a new chapter for Audi, but also in the history of the Dakar Rally.”

Daily stages of often more than 400 kilometers, two marathon stages with limited or even no service, as well as 4,600 timed kilometers and 7,883 kilometers in total characterized the 2024 Dakar Rally. Sharp scree and gravel roads, but also towering chains of dunes in the Empty Quarter of the Arabian Peninsula and often difficult navigation demanded everything from the teams. Carlos Sainz, who at 61 looks back on a rally career spanning around four decades, recorded a total of eight days in the lead with Lucas Cruz on the twelve stages.

The two other Audi crews had also put in a strong performance early on. The Swedes Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist won the prologue at the beginning and improved to second place behind Sainz/Cruz by the rest day after six stages. However, a defect on the rear axle on the seventh stage cost them all their chances. Stéphane Peterhansel, record holder with 14 Dakar victories, was in sixth place shortly before the halfway point after his 50th stage win in the car and his 83rd overall. A defect in the hydraulic system threw him and his French compatriot Edouard Boulanger back to 22nd place on the sixth stage.

Both teams then put themselves at the service of Team Audi Sport. Head of Audi Motorsport Rolf Michl and Sven Quandt, Team Principal of the entry partner Q Motorsport, implemented a perfect strategy in a demanding 46th edition of the rally. Whether it was tactically dropping back before the second marathon stage to avoid having to open the route or supporting the leaders Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz, the management was able to rely on its strong driver crews at all times. The team personnel also worked tirelessly and reliably during the physically demanding, long and tough rally. Ekström/Bergkvist finished the event in the top 50.

Audi Sport has let the highly efficient Audi RS Q e-tron mature so that it is capable of winning within just three years. Under the technical direction of Dr. Leonardo Pascali, Audi Sport set the next historic milestone with the innovative drive: after the quattro all-wheel drive changed rallying forever in the 1980s and subsequently clinched victories and titles galore on the circuit, Audi demonstrated great innovative strength at Le Mans. The efficient TFSI drive, the electrified e-tron quattro all-wheel drive and individual technologies such as the LED matrix light and the Audi laser light stand for a high level of innovative strength and “Vorsprung durch Technik”. Audi’s first all-electric racing car then made its debut in Formula E, before the brand took on the extreme challenges of the Dakar Rally and successfully completed it as the first manufacturer with an electric drive.

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Audi positions itself as the sportiest manufacturer in the premium segment and has a perfect basis to do so: motorsport. Sportiness, advanced technology and emotive design are the basis for the success of the Audi brand. The genes for this have their origin in racing, since 1980.

 

The success story began with the Audi quattro

Excluding the era before the Second World War that included the legendary Auto Union Grand Prix race cars in the 1930s, the motorsport history of AUDI AG began with the Audi quattro. The dominant victories and two manufacturers’ and two drivers’ titles achieved with the “original quattro” in the World Rally Championship between 1982 and 1984 were an important factor in the market success of the quattro drivetrain.

quattro victorious in circuit racing as well

After Audi had turned rallying upside down and stormed up Pikes Peak (USA) with the Sport quattro in record time on three successive occasions, Audi also made the quattro drivetrain fit for circuit racing: initially with the Audi 200 quattro and the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO in the United States, in 1990 and 1991 with two championship titles for the Audi V8 quattro in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM), and ultimately also with the A4 in the production-based super touring cars. In 1996, the Audi A4 quattro won the championship titles in seven countries. Between 2012 and 2016, the all-wheel drive system returned to the race track as the e-tron quattro.

Audi R8 most successful Le Mans sports car in present-day racing

After the dominant quattro drivetrain was banned from touring car racing, Audi switched to sports prototypes and also underpinned its slogan “Vorsprung durch Technik” in this motorsport category for 18 years. Audi, on making its debut at Le Mans in 1999, the toughest endurance race in the world, immediately managed the leap onto the podium, finishing third overall. In the following years, the Audi R8 was in a class of its own. From 2000 to 2002, Audi achieved a historic hat-trick, not least thanks to the TFSI technology that debuted in 2001 and then also subsequently made its way into production. In 2004 and 2005, customer teams clinched two further overall victories for Audi. The R8 secured its spot in motorsport history with a total of 63 victories in 80 sports car races.

Title wins following the return to DTM

Following Laurent Aiello’s victory with the Abt-Audi TT-R in 2002, Audi returned to the DTM with a factory-backed commitment in 2004 and instantly won the title with Mattias Ekström. In 2007, the Swede triumphed again, followed by Timo Scheider in 2008 and 2009, making Audi the first and so far only automobile manufacturer in DTM history to have managed a title hat-trick. In the 2011 season, Martin Tomczyk completed the success story of the Audi A4 DTM with another title, the fifth in total for the Audi A4 DTM. In 2013, Mike Rockenfeller, diving the Audi RS 5 DTM, clinched the ninth DTM title for Audi. René Rast caused a sensation in 2017 when he clinched another title for Audi in his rookie year. Audi took home the manufacturer’s championship crown in the same year. In 2019 and 2020, Rast won the prestigious title two more times. Audi drivers have thus already won the DTM drivers’ title twelve times. Added to this are six manufacturers’ and eight teams’ titles. Technologically, Audi has mastered one of the biggest upheavals in the history of the racing series with flying colors: In the two years of the DTM turbocharged engine era, the Audi RS 5 DTM, with its highly efficient two-liter turbo engine, was the benchmark with 28 victories, 95 podium finishes, 29 pole positions and 28 fastest race laps, as well as all six of the championship titles. Since 2021, the DTM has been exclusively held for GT3 sports cars.

Pioneering achievements with TDI technology

With TDI technology, Audi achieved a pioneering feat and, at the same time, demonstrated “Vorsprung durch Technik” once again. In 2006, the Audi R10 TDI featuring a new concept was the first sports car with a diesel engine to triumph in the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours. In total, TDI technology came out winning eight times at Le Mans. In 2007 and 2008, Audi was again victorious with the R10 TDI at La Sarthe. In addition, Audi won the American Le Mans Series with the diesel-powered racing sports car three times in succession and, in 2008, the European Le Mans Series as well. With the R15 TDI in 2010, Audi celebrated a one-two-three result in the fastest Le Mans race of all time and set a new distance record that has not been broken to date. In 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, Audi TDI power was again victorious at Le Mans. In 2014, the brand celebrated its 13th victory in just 16 participations. Audi also demonstrates “Vorsprung durch Technik” in terms of energy efficiency. During the entire TDI era, Audi reduced diesel consumption by a total of 46 percent within the space of one decade.

First hybrid winner at Le Mans

On clinching the first victory with a hybrid race car in the 2021 Le Mans 24 Hours, Audi achieved another pioneering feat in the world’s most important endurance race. The Audi R18 e-tron quattro remained unbeaten at Le Mans for three consecutive years (2012, 2013 und 2014). Many other innovations such as Audi Laser Light have been added to these pioneering feats in technology. The drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles won with the hybrid sports car in the 2012 and 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) complete the track record in Audi’s sports car era that ended in 2016.

Success with electric drive concepts

The company systematically continued the electrification of its motorsport program, which began in 2012 in endurance racing. Following the LMP program with the R18 hybrid sports car, Audi was the first German car manufacturer to compete in the all-electric Formula E racing series in the 2017/2018 season. With four victories and a total of eleven podium finishes, Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler clinched the team championship after twelve races. The brand with the four rings entered the famous Dakar Rally in 2022 with an innovative prototype. Audi made history in January 2024: the Audi RS Q e-tron was the first low-emission prototype with an electric drive, high-voltage battery and energy converter to win the world’s toughest desert rally.

Entry into the premier class of motorsport

Sustainability also plays an important role in the premier class of motorsport. From the 2026 season, Audi will be competing in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship with its own factory team. The development of the drive unit (“Power Unit”) is in full swing at the Neuburg a. d. Donau site. Thanks to open competition, Formula 1 serves as a technology driver for both electric mobility and sustainable e-fuels.

 

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The manufacture of the Audi Q6 e-tron series is a collaboration across locations. The electrically powered SUV marks the first time the brand with the four rings has produced an all-electric Audi model at its headquarters in Ingolstadt. Audi is building the electric motors for the premiere Premium Platform Electric (PPE) model in Győr, Hungary. In this interview, Siegfried Schmidtner, plant manager in Ingolstadt, and Alfons Dintner, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria, discuss the collaboration between the two sites, the mood among employees in the light of the company’s ongoing transformation, and the future prospects for Ingolstadt and Győr.

 

Mr. Schmidtner, what’s the attitude of the workforce in Ingolstadt toward the upcoming shift to electric mobility?

Siegfried Schmidtner: Our employees are key to the transformation; I observe daily that they are incredibly positive and motivated by the shift. There is a palpable sense of optimism. We’ve been working hard to prepare for the transformation to electric mobility – so we’re ready to get going. Electric mobility represents a tremendous opportunity for Ingolstadt. We will be the pioneer for the Premium Platform Electric and the new E3 electronics architecture. We’re proud to play a vital role in shaping the company’s transformation.

What challenges do Győr and Ingolstadt face in view of the impending changes?

Alfons Dintner: Győr has been manufacturing for 30 years. The site has successfully handled numerous model launches, so it is prepared for the transformation, the changeover, and the zeitgeist. The people who work here have been with the company for a long time and are therefore very experienced. In addition, Audi Hungaria doesn’t only build engines but also entire vehicles. It has its own technical development department, in-house toolmaking shop and offers services to the whole Volkswagen Group. As a result, we have a unique responsibility within the Group because there is no other site that can provide such a broad range of services. This means transformation is nothing new for us. We have been developing, building, testing, and servicing electric drive systems since 2018. Our contribution to PPE, i.e., manufacturing perfect electric drive systems for Ingolstadt and our other Group customers, is a significant responsibility for us and, therefore, also an equally significant challenge.

Siegfried Schmidtner: The challenge we face together is clearly to achieve perfect collaboration between all the trades and locations involved. This is something we’ve been proving we can do for a very long time. Nevertheless, a new ramp-up is always exciting, and I see it as motivation for us to take each other to the next level and push ourselves to become even better. The transformation of the company is bringing us even closer together. Both sites have embarked on an all-encompassing transformation journey, from combustion engines to electric motors in Győr and here in Ingolstadt, from the complete vehicle with a combustion engine toward electric mobility – and everything that goes with it, such as the newly built battery assembly.

How and how often do you engage in dialogue with employees? What wishes, worries, and hopes have they communicated to you?

Siegfried Schmidtner: As a native of Ingolstadt, I grew up with Audi. I use every free minute to be on the production line and to chat with my employees. I also know many of them personally. An open dialogue with the team is extremely important to me. As a plant manager, you need to have a sense of what the current mood is and what concerns the workforce has. Naturally, the employees are wondering what the future of the site will look like in concrete terms and how much of it will be utilized. As for the upcoming ramp-up, we will meet the challenge together and prove that we are a really strong team. We’re approaching this task with dedication and passion.

Alfons Dintner: When we think ahead, we get our employees involved. We don’t work in an ivory tower. This also happens with the people on the line. A certain amount of skepticism can, of course, be felt in the workforce. After all, an electric motor has significantly fewer parts than an internal combustion engine. In addition, we keep hearing claims that we’ll need fewer employees for electric mobility. These are sentiments that don’t necessarily help us. But we have moved beyond this point because experience shows that production scopes don’t decrease but often shift. For example, our performance models don’t just need a single electric motor but, on average, more than two motors for the rear axle and front axle. After all, we have been successfully building electric motors since 2018. There is, of course, a degree of uncertainty in the face of change because people will sometimes find themselves working in a different role at Audi Hungaria. But we have always had employees moving from engine production to vehicle construction and vice versa. Our entire team is extremely flexible in this respect. That’s why transformation for us doesn’t necessarily involve fears. It’s a process that we can handle well.

Can you explain the specifics of the collaboration with the respective other location?

Siegfried Schmidtner: As I see it, there are two levels of collaboration. There’s a strategic exchange between the plant managers, for example, about what we can learn from each other or where we can initiate projects together. In addition, there’s the technical exchange, i.e., working groups in which we work together on subject-specific and technical topics. Győr and Ingolstadt are bound together by a long-standing tradition of extremely close collaboration, which has now lasted 30 years. I spent two years in Győr myself. People know each other; they trust each other. Our collaboration has an extremely strong foundation, and we are constantly developing it further. And that’s extremely important when it comes to driving the completely new vehicle platform with our Q6 e-tron across the proverbial finish line. The electric drive system and power electronics are vital components of this vehicle project.

Alfons Dintner: The exchange with Ingolstadt – for example, on the subject of motors – is conducted extensively between Technical Development, Quality Assurance, and the field ramp-up team. Our analysis and preproduction center also regularly receives partially equipped vehicle bodies from Ingolstadt, which we process at our facility. In other words, the collaboration works wonderfully. We have already approached 44 employees who want to accompany the ramp-up support in Ingolstadt for one year. Supporting each other is standard practice. Everyone in our production network is open to this.

Mr. Schmidtner, what signs do you think the expansion of jobs in Ingolstadt sends out?

Siegfried Schmidtner: It’s been a long time since we have hired so many new employees – 500 in all, and that’s in production alone. This is immensely beneficial for the city of Ingolstadt and for the entire region. To me, this is more than just a commitment to the location. It is job security in times of upheaval. Showing a greater commitment to the location isn’t possible – even for those who already work at Audi. At the same time, the innovative E3 architecture opens up new fields of activity. We need more electronics expertise, for example. We are elevating ourselves to the next level of vehicle engineering with significantly different technologies. We are getting much more heavily involved in the topics of connectivity, digitalization, and automation.

That’s a perfect segue to the topic of the 360factory, Audi’s vision of the future of production – how far along are the sites in terms of the goals of profitability, sustainability, flexibility, and attractiveness?

Alfons Dintner: Győr is an outstanding location. But 360factory also means manufacturing much more productively. In this respect, every site must overcome the same challenges. We are well positioned. We have opportunities during the transformation to utilize our employees according to their abilities. In terms of productivity, carbon neutrality, and quality, we are already doing very well. We were named “Best Employer in Hungary” for the ninth time this year. This underscores the fact that we’re a highly attractive employer. At Audi Hungaria, we’ve found a good balance between keeping people with the company and attracting talent at the same time.

Siegfried Schmidtner: As the Group’s headquarters, Ingolstadt will always play a pioneering role. Our aspirations are high. We want to be the most attractive automotive factory in the world. To this end, we have identified ten strategic areas we are working on very specifically. In this process, we are taking our people along with us and not simply imposing a strategy from above. I place much more emphasis on participation – after all, a strategy is only effective if it is brought to life - if implemented, and if people get actively involved. The factory is prepared, and we have amazing products. We’re all chomping at the bit and can’t wait to get the Q6 e-tron series on the road. Production of the new model started in December, and we are now gradually ramping up production.

 
Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

The most notable anniversaries at a glance: In the “Anniversary Dates 2024” digital booklet, Audi Tradition details this year’s anniversary highlights and summarizes over 30 historically significant events spanning products, the company, and motorsports. The booklet is now available for download in English and German from the Audi MediaCenter.

 

The anniversaries that Audi Tradition is celebrating in 2024 are as varied as the history of the brand with the four rings itself. The Audi 50 turns 50, the Auto Union GmbH in Ingolstadt turns 75, and Audi founder August Horch established his first company in Cologne 125 years ago. The anniversary booklet lists over 30 anniversaries, including a look at Audi models launched over 30 years ago receiving their “H” number plates in 2024. Among these is the Audi A8; its launch in 1994 marked Audi’s entry into the luxury class. Made in Neckarsulm and unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show, the sedan pioneered the Audi Space Frame, a body made entirely of aluminum. The iconic Avant RS2 also turns 30 in 2024. Developed as a joint project between Audi and Porsche, the Avant RS2 established the tradition of RS high-performance models. The booklet devotes an entire chapter to the RS2.

Audi Sport quattro turns 40: A powerful production car from Germany

For Audi Sport, 1984 turned out to be especially successful. The season kicked off with a victory when Walter Röhrl won the legendary Monte Carlo Rally in an Audi quattro in January. Stig Blomqvist and his co-driver Björn Cederberg went on to win the World Drivers’ title and Audi took the World Manufacturers’ title. The season ended in victory for Harald Demuth. Alongside Willy Lux, Demuth won the German Rally Champion title ahead of schedule in an Audi quattro at the International Sachs Baltic Rally, the ninth round of the German Rally Championship. French driver Michèle Mouton also raised eyebrows 40 years ago. At Pikes Peak, she drove an Audi Sport quattro to victory in the rally car class for Audi. Since homologation required a production run of 200 vehicles, the Sport quattro has been available in both road and rally versions since 1984. Often called “The Short One” due to its shortened wheelbase, the 306 PS version was the most powerful production car from Germany at the time. At the end of April 1984, the 200 Audi Sport quattro units required for homologation were completed. In early May, the Group B rally version of the Sport quattro debuted at the Corsica Rally; an entire chapter in the new anniversary booklet tells the story.

The Auto Union Grand Prix racecar turns 90: The dawn of the Silver Arrows

Half a century earlier, 90 years ago, Auto Union was already active in international motorsports: After the merger of Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer in 1932, the newly formed Auto Union AG wanted to promote the new group name “Auto Union” and the distinctive four-ring emblem. Ferdinand Porsche, who had already been commissioned to build a racecar before the merger with the Wanderer factories, was asked to build a racecar for Auto Union. The result was as sensational as it was groundbreaking: The new 4.4-liter engine with 16 cylinders, a supercharger, and an output of 295 PS was mounted in the middle of the vehicle, directly behind the driver. This design gave the racecar its unusual appearance with a short front end, anticipating the drivetrain still used in Formula 1 racecars today. The Auto Union racecar made its first official appearance at the AVUS in Berlin on March 6, 1934, with Hans Stuck at the wheel. A few weeks later, on May 27, 1934, the Auto Union Type A, as it was called internally, made its debut on the international racing scene, ushering in the booming era of the Auto Union Silver Arrows.

 
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It is inspired by the world’s premier desert rally: the Audi Q8 e-tron edition Dakar1. On the exterior, the special model’s raised chassis and the optional decals are reminiscent of the RS Q e-tron designed for the Dakar Rally and featuring an electric drive system and an energy converter. The off-road capabilities of this exclusive SUV, combined with its high and instantly available torque, are perfect for adventurous people who also want to drive off the beaten path electrically. The Q8 e-tron edition Dakar1 can be ordered in the first quarter of 2024. In Germany prices start from around 120,000 euros.

 

The Audi Q8 e-tron edition Dakar1 is based on a Q8 advanced 55 e-tron quattro2. The net battery size is 106 kWh (gross: 114 kWh) and the quattro drivetrain, with its two motors, delivers 300 kW in boost mode with a torque of 664 Nm. This means the vehicle accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.8 seconds with the standard tires. With the General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tires, the car reaches 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. The range according to the WLTP is up to 487 kilometers. The top speed is limited to 200 km/h (124 mph). 

Compared to the base model, the electric SUV with General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tires has 31 millimeters higher ground clearance and is designed for better handling on loose surfaces such as gravel or snow. In the base setting, the vehicle has a ground clearance of 206 millimeters. At higher speeds, the vehicle gradually lowers – by 15 millimeters at 85 km/h (53 mph), 17 millimeters at 100 km/h (62 mph), and 13 millimeters at 120 km/h (75 mph). This optimizes driving stability at high speeds for improved aerodynamics and range. In conjunction with the front angle of approach of 20 degrees and the rear angle of approach of 26 degrees, the electric SUV is well prepared to tackle light off-road terrain. The vehicle has a ramp angle of 19 degrees. 

The control strategy for the air suspension was also revised to meet the requirements typical of off-road driving. The wading depth is 300 mm.

Distinctive exterior accentuates sporty off-road look

The Q8 e-tron edition Dakar1 is available in Siam Beige metallic, Mythos Black metallic, and Magnetic Gray. The Singleframe always comes in body color. As an option, the projection light in the Singleframe, with its light strip, creates a visually consistent connection between the headlights. The Bottom Line also comes finished in Mythos Black metallic, giving the vehicle a touch of stability and grip. Widened and continuous wheel arch trims at the front and rear lend the Q8 e-tron edition Dakar1 a confident stance on the road. When the driver’s door is opened, LED lights project the words “edition Dakar” onto the street. The individual class of the edition Dakar is also reflected in the exclusive key cover with a special branding. A convenience key (with anti-theft alarm system) is available as an option, which can be used to open the doors and luggage compartment lid via wireless communication between the key and the vehicle. The key can also lock the vehicle via sensors on the door handles.

The Q8 e-tron edition Dakar1 can be fitted with a unique decal package inspired by the legendary RS Q e-tron. Starting with the body color Mythos Black metallic, the car receives a partial embellishment. This means that the wrap uses purposeful transparencies and does not mask the entire surface, even though all exterior components are treated. The wrapped models are limited to 99 units. On the D-pillar, the special model’s serial number can be seen in frosted lettering.

The edition Dakar features extensive standard equipment

The special edition model rolls off the production line with Matrix LED headlights and taillights as standard for precise and high-resolution road illumination. Standard equipment also includes tinted sun visors for the tailgate, rear door, and side windows. On the inside, the S line interior is now standard : This package includes deeply contoured sports seats upholstered in Dinamica microfiber and artificial leather. The vehicle also features a multifunction sport leather steering wheel, an elegant black roof lining, stainless steel pedals, and a comfort center armrest. The decorative inlays come in brushed matte aluminum, while the door sills feature aluminum inserts. The upper part of the instrument panel and the lower interior elements are finished in black artificial leather. The Audi Sport stitching package in red is available as an option. It adds contrasting accents with colored stitching on the sport seats, steering wheel, knee pads, and door armrests. The seat belts are also trimmed in red to blend in perfectly with the cabin’s sporty feel.

A head-up display supplements the screens. It projects important information right onto the windshield – the projections seem to float front of the driver. Another new feature is a display in the MMI operating system that displays information the vehicle’s tilt angle. Plus, Audi offers MMI background images on the MMI display created especially for the edition Dakar1.

In the MMI display, Audi offers theme worlds generated especially for the Edition with MMI background images and coordinated ambient lighting. The spirit of the vehicle is represented here in three scenes: from desert thunderstorms and tire tracks to a dune landscape. The Audi phone box makes phone use very convenient. It connects the driver’s smartphone, which it charges inductively, to the car antenna. The edition also comes standard with the City and Tour assistance packages.

The robust equipment of the Q8 e-tron edition Dakar1 offers further proof of its practicality. The storage and luggage compartment package is also a standard feature. The durable luggage compartment liner and the sturdy floor mats feature edition lettering. The special edition also comes standard with a roof rack. With its load capacity of 40 kilograms (88 lbs.), the roof rack can be used to store a variety of items. A bag for the roof rack and straps for attaching accessories are included. A second charging socket can be used to charge the high-voltage battery using the Combined Charging System Type 2 (CCS2). What’s more, the e-tron charging system offers everything adventure-seekers need to charge their vehicle – whether at home, with friends, or at a vacation home.

The Q8 e-tron edition Dakar1 is delivered with eight tires. The car comes fitted with General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tires for excellent off-road resilience. The tires also ensure improved grip on a variety of surfaces including gravel, stony terrain, mountain and forest paths, and snow. The special tread pattern optimizes acceleration as well as braking and lateral control quality while also enabling the tires to efficiently self-clean, especially when driving on muddy surfaces. The Grabber AT3 also have excellent driving characteristics and low noise emission on asphalt roads for significantly increased driving comfort. The all-terrain tires have an M+S marking, meaning they are suitable for year-round use. A set of summer tires on 20-inch wheels in an attractive 5-V spoke S design is also included with the Q8 e-tron edition Dakar1.

More light, visibility, and sound: Special features

 

The optional ambient light package plus with six predefined color profiles stages the interior to great effect. Featuring extensive contour lights in up to 30 colors, it precisely traces the elemental lines of the interior. As an alternative to the standard two-zone automatic air conditioning, Audi offers four-zone automatic air conditioning. The system can use an optional second high-voltage heater to noticeably increase the heating power. This means that the interior warms up faster in very cold conditions, while the additional battery heater ensures that the battery is ready for charging in very low temperatures. The optional Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System with 3D sound makes the electric SUV an even greater high-end sound experience. It drives 16 speakers with 705 watts of power. The optionally available virtual side mirrors with cameras reduce the overall width of the vehicle by 15 centimeters, improving the drag coefficient.  The virtual mirrors provide clearer visibility than conventional mirrors in dusty or wet off-road conditions. 

 
Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com