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Second-generation Audi S1 EKS RX quattro presented at Silverstone

Audi factory driver Mattias Ekström relies on new technology and new teammate
Season kicks off at Barcelona on April 14 and 15

On the official test and media day of the racing series at Silverstone (Great Britain) this Monday, EKS Audi Sport presents the second-generation Audi S1 EKS RX quattro in which Ekström and his new teammate, Andreas Bakkerud, will contest the 2018 season.

The calendar features a total of twelve rounds on three continents (Europe, North America, Africa). For 2020, the series is planning to switch to fully electric powertrains. “This prospect is one of the reasons why Audi continues intensifying its commitment in the World Rallycross Championship this year,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass.

Ekström had formed his rallycross team at the beginning of 2014 and went on to lead it to the top of the world’s ranking within the space of just three years. In 2016, Ekström and EKS won the drivers’ and teams’ world championships. In the 2017 season, Ekström, after having scored four victories, celebrated the runner-up’s spot in the championship and EKS placed third in the teams’ classification. Looking at the new season, Ekström and Team EKS Audi Sport are brimming with energy: “With intensified support from Audi we intend to battle for victories as well as for the World RX titles in the drivers’ and teams’ championship again,” says the Swede. To achieve this goal, EKS Audi Sport will be on the grid with two new Audi S1 EKS RX quattro cars. “We were driving more or less the same cars for four years. Now we’ve prepared two all-new ones, practically the second generation of our winning car.”

Audi Sport is involved in this more than ever. While the focus in 2017 when Audi Sport came on board was primarily placed on development work and support for tests and races, the development of the now 580-hp Audi S1 EKS RX quattro was intensified for the 2018 season. Among other things, the S1 received a new aerodynamics package that enhances performance. At all twelve WRX rounds, Audi employees will be at the race tracks to assist EKS Audi Sport in taking care of the engine.

“Anyone can see the modifications that have been made to aerodynamics at first glance,” says Ekström. “But underneath the body shell, a lot has happened as well. We’ve made a clear step, the first tests were promising. Last year, we started the season as the hunted, now we’re the hunters.”

It is not just the technical update that inspires the 2016 World Champion with optimism. “This is the first year in which I’m able to fully concentrate on the rallycross project,” says Ekström who concurrently competed in the DTM and the World RX from 2014 to 2017. “For me, personally, that’s very positive because the dual load was definitely enormous. I’m also proud of the fact that many of our longstanding partners – above all Red Bull – continue to be on board and that we’ve additionally been able to gain new sponsors for EKS Audi Sport. Plus, there are a few new faces in our team that will hopefully make us even more powerful.”

In Andreas Bakkerud Mattias Ekström also has a new teammate who has already done some initial test races for the team. “For me, the past few weeks were primarily about familiarzing myself as quickly as possible with the Audi S1 EKS RX quattro, which is a little shorter than the cars I’ve been driving so far,” says the Norwegian. “My first impression is positive. I’m also impressed by the way the team works that pays attention to even the smallest details which in the end make the difference. It’s clear that Mattias is not just a brilliant driver but also an excellent technician. I look forward to working with him and am trying to learn as much as possible from him. In the first step, I’d like to immediately help EKS Audi Sport win the teams’ world championship. Step two will be the drivers’ title which in the long run is my big personal aim.”

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

As part of the "From 0 to 100" special exhibition, Audi museum mobile is presenting one of the most exciting moments in the history of AUDI AG: the company entering the upper executive class with the Audi 100. From March 28 to June 24, 2018, visitors can expect to see 15 variants of this historically important model which the company premiered 50 years ago.

The Audi 100 won the "Golden Steering Wheel" award five times, was crowned "Car of the Year" twice and was also voted "World Car of the Year" by a panel of motoring journalists. In all, 3.2 million units were sold which demonstrates the success which this model experienced. The premiere of the Audi 100 in 1968 was preceded by a turbulent history because its development was actually started in secret.

In the mid-1960s, Volkswagen AG acquired Auto Union GmbH and prevented the company from developing any new models. This stipulation to only look after the existing models was ignored by Ludwig Kraus, then Technical Director at Auto Union GmbH. In 1965, Kraus wanted to expand the range of vehicles which the resuscitated Audi brand offered. He saw adding a model in the executive segment as the only way to keep an independent Auto Union GmbH afloat in a time when the Ingolstadt plant was being used for production of the VW Beetle. Without informing Volkswagen, Kraus developed and subsequently presented the concept before it was eventually given the go-ahead from the team in Wolfsburg. Very quickly, the capacity of the Ingolstadt plant was pushed to its limits and thus Auto Union shifted the entire production of the Audi 100 to the Neckarsulm works in 1970. From the first series alone, the company sold 800,000 units.

A car from this model generation is also on show at the "From 0 to 100" exhibition, as are a further 14 variants from the different model series. Among the vehicles exhibited are the Audi 100 Cabrio from 1969, the Audi 100 C1 electric passenger car from 1976 and the Audi research car from 1981. These shed some light on previously little-known facets of the model and demonstrate both a ground-breaking design and a number of technical innovations. Highlights of the Audi 100 include its world-best aerodynamics value, the first fully galvanized body on an executive sedan and the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. Equally on show is the Audi Duo, which not only features a 136-hp five-cylinder engine, but also an electric motor, thus making it the first hybrid vehicle of the Audi brand. The brand with the four rings presented this concept study on the basis of an Audi 100 at the Geneva International Motor Show in March 1990. Since 1995, the Audi A6 has continued the success story of the Audi 100. An Audi A6 2.8 quattro from the first model series rounds out the new "From 0 to 100" special exhibition.

The Audi museum mobile at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt is open daily from Monday to Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m., and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

While the current Formula E season is well underway, the future of the electric racing series has already begun at Audi in Neuburg. The first pre-season test of the new Audi e-tron FE05 for Season 5 (2018/2019) is coming up soon.

The futuristic design of the second-generation Formula E car is causing a stir. “Also in terms of technology, it proves the rapid advancement of developments in electric mobility,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass. Audi’s new electric race car will hit the track for the first time this spring for pre-season tests.

Thanks to a more powerful battery and improved efficiency, the range of the Formula E race car will double. As a result, a mid-race car swap will no longer be necessary from the 2018/2019 season onward. In addition, the Audi e-tron FE05 has a motor with clearly higher power output than its predecessor. “We were all excited to see the new Formula E car,” says Allan McNish, Team Principal of Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler. “It looks breathtaking, especially with Audi’s livery. Equally impressive is the technology inside the race car. Here the Gen-2 car is making another huge step forward compared with the first-generation Formula E car.”

The second-generation Formula E car was unveiled by the FIA at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday, March 6. Audi’s lineup being showcased at its booth in Geneva includes Lucas di Grassi’s championship-winning car from the 2016/2017 Formula E season.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

Early access to order first production versions of fully electric Audi SUV now available to customers placing deposits online or via Audi Centres

£1,000 deposit placed online or via UK Audi Centres grants priority order access to production version of Audi e-tron quattro concept, due later in 2018
Deposit also opens up access to special events and entry into exclusive competitions
250 e-tron prototypes will cover more than three million miles on four continents as part of the car’s final testing programme

From virtual to reality in just a few mouse clicks. Audi devotees excited by the e-tron quattro concept - an SUV which is the first to carry the genes of Vorsprung durch Technik into the era of fully electric mobility - can not only now view the prototype’s recent Geneva Motor Show appearance online, but in the same browsing session can also secure priority access to the forthcoming series production version by placing a deposit.

The £1,000 deposit towards the first ever series production full EV from Audi can be placed online at audi.co.uk, where it can be accepted via the Audi Store area, within the site:

Place your order now

Or it can be taken by any of the 116 Audi Centres across the country. Depositors will be enrolled in a Priority Order Members Club which will entitle them to be the first to order the series production model. They will also benefit from regular updates on the car’s journey to production readiness, invitations to special preview events and opportunities to enter exclusive competitions. The first of these will be a prize draw to win tickets to the prestigious, invitation-only Audi Polo Challenge taking place this summer.

When the priority ordering system is activated, depositors will immediately be informed of the final UK pricing and specification position and of the options available, enabling them to submit an order via their preferred Audi Centre before the car becomes publicly available later this year. The £1,000 deposit is offset against the purchase price, and is fully refundable at any time.

Those who do proceed will take delivery of the first Audi to be built on the next generation MEB platform, one of the key cornerstones underpinning the brand’s advance towards widespread electrification of the model portfolio. More than 20 electric cars and plug-in hybrids will join the range by 2025, spread across all segments and concepts.

Produced at the carbon-neutral Audi manufacturing facility in Brussels, the premium SUV based on the e-tron quattro concept will offer space for five people and their luggage in accommodation that is similar to that of a typical Audi luxury class model. It will offer a driving range that is favourably comparable with a conventionally powered equivalent, and when this range is exhausted it will be 80% rechargeable in less than 30 minutes at fast-charging stations with up to 150kW capacity. With motive power to each axle it will also offer the all-weather traction advantages of ‘e-quattro’ drive.

All-wheel-drive will be invaluable to the e-tron prototype in the coming months because 250 examples are set to cover more than three million miles on four continents as part of the car’s final testing programme. This is equivalent to circumnavigating the earth 125 times, and is expected to involve around 85,000 hours on the road.

From the cold of Scandinavia and the heat of Africa through the mountainous regions of Asia and the merciless cambers of the Nurburgring to the stop-and-go traffic of major Chinese cities and American highways – the purely electrically powered SUV will have its mettle tested in uncompromising practical tests under the most extreme of conditions from below -20 to above +50 degrees Celsius. In addition, intensive tests of the charging technology are being conducted worldwide – an important safeguarding criterion for battery-electric models.

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

Dynamic, highly efficient and extremely comfortable: Audi presents the Audi Q8 concept at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) 2017. With this model the premium manufacturer is tapping into a new segment for the full-size class – an elegant alternative to the robust presence of a classic sport utility vehicle. The Q8 concept stands for maximum prestige. It combines the spaciousness typical of an SUV with the emotional lines of a coupe. Propulsion is provided by a powerful, yet highly efficient plug-in hybrid with 330 kW of system output and 700 Nm (516.3 lb-ft) of torque. The concept car is the basis for a production model that Audi will launch on the market in 2018.

At 5.02 meters (16.5 ft) long, the Audi Q8 concept is an impressive presence in the full-size class. Thanks to a wheelbase of three meters (9.8 ft), the show car offers plenty of space for passengers and luggage. Despite the sloping, coupe-like roofline, even the rear-seat passengers enjoy ample head and shoulder room. The control concept uses large touchscreens in the cockpit and is rounded out by an expanded version of the Audi virtual cockpit and a contact-analogue head-up display. The latter uses intelligent augmented reality technology that merges the real and the virtual worlds.

“The Q8 concept is an Audi in peak form. It demonstrates the strengths of our brand in both technology and design while providing a glimpse at a future full-size, production SUV,” said Dietmar Voggenreiter, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG. “With its next-generation display and control solutions, we are enabling customers to experience connectivity in a whole new way.”

Dynamic lines and digital Matrix laser technology: the front end
The front view of the 2.04-meter-wide (6.7 ft) Audi Q8 concept is already impressive. The distinguishing feature here is the octagonal Singleframe with honeycomb insert. It is sculpted and significantly wider than in today’s Audi production models. Six upright double bars structure the radiator grille while simultaneously emphasizing its height. A mask painted in a contrasting color frames the grille. The outer air inlets have a deep and dynamic appearance like the intakes of a turbine. A distinctive aluminum blade forms the bottom edge of the bumper.

The flat, wedge-shaped headlights of the Audi Q8 concept are integrated progressively into the exterior and connected from a design perspective to the surrounding air inlets. The individual lighting units have glass covers, but the headlights as a whole are open. This creates the impression that they are free in space. The aluminum housing for the headlights carries over the sculpture of the Singleframe. The clear geometry gives the Audi Q8 concept a determined look. An x-shaped, blue laser light signature highlights the digital Matrix laser technology used for the low and high beams. Broken down into more than one million pixels, their light can illuminate the road in high resolution and with precise control. Located below the edge of the engine hood is a narrow LED light guide that emits the light for the dynamic turn signals and the daytime running lights. It wraps around the outside of the headlights, where its ribs create an innovative e-tronsignature. All lighting functions are dynamic.

Athletic and powerful: the side view
The silouhette of the Audi technology study also evokes tautness. The doors do not have window frames, thus contributing to the flat roofline. The Audi Q8 concept is 1.70 meters (5.6 ft) tall. All lines on the body climb upward dynamically toward the rear – the bottom edge of the side window, the shoulders, the dynamic line and the sill lines. The surfaces of the fenders, doors and side panels are athletically curved. The lower section of the doors form a deep fillet. Other design features are the quattro logo milled below the rear doors and also the exterior mirrors with their multifaceted edges. The doors are opened via touch sensors. As soon as the door detects hand contact, it opens easily and swings to a defined opening angle.

The extremely flat and very wide C-pillar is reminiscent of the Audi Ur-quattro from the 1980s, as are the strongly flared shoulders over the wheels. This places the concept car in a logical line with the show cars of the Audi Prologue series. The balanced proportions of the Audi Q8 concept emphasize the front and rear wheels equally – that too is typical quattro. The strongly accentuated wheel arches feature a double design. The sill region of the doors shines in
brushed aluminum for an intriguing contrast to the show car’s Bombay blue paint finish.

Flat and compact: the rear
A long roof edge spoiler shades the extremely flat rear window of the Audi concept car. A double spoiler lip below the window forms a distinctive contour on the power luggage compartment hatch. The strip of lights extending over the entire width of the rear end is part of a distinctive e-tron light signature. It serves as both the tail and brake light as well as the dynamic turn signals. The four outer lighting elements are set in aluminum blades and reflect the semantics of the headlights. The individual elements of the tail lights are also open, and all lighting functions are dynamic.

The license plate of the Audi Q8 concept is located on a black trim strip between the lights – a typical feature of the Audi Ur-quattro. The diffuser is made of aluminum; its clasp of high-gloss Carbon Atlas. This combination of materials is also used around the headlights to demonstrate sportiness.

Luxury lounge for four: the interior
The interior of the Audi Q8 concept offers opulent spaciousness for four persons and their large suitcases. The luggage compartment has a capacity of 630 liters (22.2 cu ft). Widely stretched lines lend the cockpit a sporty as well as elegant ambiance. Virtually floating above the center tunnel is a console for the shift-by-wire lever, with which the driver controls the eight-speed tiptronic transmission purely electronically. The console’s appearance resembles the stern of a sailing yacht.

The wrap-around begins in the front doors. This large, horizontal arc runs along the lower edge of the windshield and frames the driver’s and front passenger’s seats without hemming in the occupants. The sport seats as well as the two individual seats in the rear are made up of segments that appear to be separate geometric bodies, from the pronounced side bolsters to the head restraints. A horizontal aluminum clasp divides the backrests at the height of the window shoulder line.

The instrument panel with its distinctly horizontal character descends in steps toward the interior. The central control and display surfaces are integrated into the so-called “black panel” – a glossy black strip framed by an aluminum clasp. When switched off, the monitor is invisibly embedded in the surface and the lines flow harmoniously. When the display is in operation, it assimilates perfectly into the design line. In the front passenger area, the black panel encircles
a graphical quattro badge. The arrow-shaped inlays in the doors pick up the expressive design. Filigree aluminum bars integrated into them serve as door openers. When dark, LED light guides illuminate the interior with white light.

The colors and materials in the Audi Q8 concept provide for a cool and sporty atmosphere. One highlight is the three-dimensional, engineered grain on the instrument panel, doors and floor. High-gloss carbon applications with a new, abstract fabric structure as well as aluminum strips and frames set accents. Their brushed finish is relatively dark. Brightness increases gradually from the headlining to the center console in graduated shades of gray from steel gray to pastel silver.

The technical materials in the Audi Q8 concept contrast with the soft surfaces. The seats are covered in a combination of Fine Nappa leather and Nubuk leather, both in pastel silver. The upholstery is pulled around the clasp that divides the backrests – the inside becomes the outside at this point. The head restraints are covered with a structured textile of a color similar to that of the leather elements.

New ways: controls and displays
The elegant interior architecture of the Audi Q8 concept merges with a groundbreaking control and display concept. Information and commands are passed primarily through touch displays augmented by the Audi virtual cockpit and a contact analogue head-up display. All displays feature a new “digital design” that concentrates systematically on the most important things.

The contact analogue head-up display projects important displays onto the windshield in the driver’s direct field of view, seemingly placing them in the real environment. A navigation arrow, for example, appears in the same position as an actual arrow on the road – an intelligent application of augmented reality. The notifications from the driver assistance systems also merge the virtual and physical worlds.

The Audi virtual cockpit future is even more dynamic thanks to new functions, and with a resolution of 1920 x 720 pixels displays graphics with more detail than ever before. In “auto” display mode, the 12.3-inch TFT display offers generous space for maps, lists and additional information. The top-down map view visualizes the selected route. When zooming in, the current position and surroundings are displayed in 3D. Through the buttons on the steering wheel, the driver can switch to “performance” mode. The needles of the speedometer and powermeter now appear in a foreshortened, three-dimensional display.

All other monitors in the Audi Q8 concept are touch displays. The great strength of this principle is the direct, fast and intuitive operation. Drivers select each function exactly where they see it. Audi was also able to reduce the number of buttons, switches and levers thanks to the touchscreens. The interior now appears even neater and cleaner.

The MMI monitor in center of the dashboard is used to control the infotainment system and for vehicle settings. A display for the climate control system is integrated into the diagonal section of the center console. The driver’s wrist rests comfortably on the low selector lever of the eight-speed tiptronic while using this display. If the sensors in the seat detect a front-seat passenger, the touchscreen displays their climate control settings. This function is not available when the driver is traveling alone. Another touchscreen is reserved for the lighting functions.

Powerful and highly efficient: the drive system
The Audi Q8 concept uses production technologies for the drive system and suspension. Their use in the study demonstrates their importance once again. The plug-in hybrid combines sporty performance with high efficiency. The combustion engine is a 3.0 TFSI producing 245 kW (333 hp) and a maximum of 500 Nm (368.8 lb-ft) of torque. The electric motor generates 100 kW of power and 330 Nm (243.4 lb-ft). Together with a decoupler, it is integrated into the eight-speed tiptronic. The complete system produces 330 kW and 700 Nm (516.3 lb-ft) of torque. The Audi Q8 concept accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 5.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 250 km/h (155.3 mph). According to the standard applicable for plug-in hybrids, it consumes just 2.3 liters of fuel (102.3 US mpg) per 100 kilometers (62.1 mi) in the NEDC, corresponding to 53 grams CO2 per km (85.3 g/mi).

The lithium-ion battery located in the rear consists of 104 prismatic cells. With a capacity of 17.9 kWh, it enables an electric range of 60 kilometers (37.3 mi), and the total range with the TFSI engine is up to 1,000 kilometers (621.4 mi). A full charge with 7.2 kW output takes about two and a half hours.

When driving, the hybrid management system controls the operating states of the Audi Q8 concept intelligently and flexibly. The full-size SUV can boost, coast and recuperate as appropriate for the situation. The predictive efficiency assistant, which in production models supports the driver, provides the hybrid management system with highly detailed information about the near surroundings for this purpose. Route data from the navigation system and Audi connect Car-to-X services are also considered.

The driver controls the Audi drive select system via a prismatic satellite button on the flat-bottomed steering wheel, just like the start-stop system. There is a choice of three driving modes: “EV” mode prioritizes electric driving, while in “hybrid” mode the decision regarding the drive type is left largely to the hybrid management system. In “battery hold” mode, it saves the available electric energy for a later time.

High-tech from production models: drivetrain and suspension
In the Audi Q8 concept, the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system delivers the power of the hybrid drive to the road with supreme control. At the cornering limit, it works closely with the wheel-selective torque control. This minimally brakes the inside wheels, which further enhances dynamics and stability.

The technology study also uses high-end production solutions for its wide-track suspension. The adaptive air suspension sport – an air suspension system with controlled damping – allows a wide range from cushioned cruising to firm and tight handling. In addition, it sets the ground clearance in two levels, with 90 millimeters (3.5 in) height difference, to the ideal level in each case. The front and rear suspensions are engineered as lightweight five-link designs.

Audi mounts 305/35-series tires on the large 11J x 23 wheels. The five intertwining Y spokes project a filigreed, three-dimensional and powerful image. Ceramic brake discs measuring 2 inches in diameter effortlessly decelerate the Audi Q8 concept.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

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