IAA 2011: Audi Urban Concepts Revealed in the Flesh [Photos + Videos]

During a media presentation held ahead of the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Audi unveiled its Urban Sportback and Spyder concept cars in the flesh. Up until now, the Ingolstadt-based automaker had only released sketches and computer generated images of its 1+1 seater studies.

Designed for use in urban and metropolitan areas, the tiny twins are powered by an electric drivetrain and feature a seating for two in a tandem layout.

The Urban Sportback is fitted with a canopy that forms part of the body and slides up and to the rear, while the roofless Spyder features a flat window strip wrapping around the cockpit and doors that open upward at an angle.

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Audi Drops First Photos of A2 Concept

Less than a week after publishing the preview renderings of its Frankfurt Motor Show-bound A2 Concept, Audi today issued the first (computer-enhanced) photos of its pure-electric hatchback that will inspire a production version scheduled to go on sale within the next two years.

The new study comes six years after Audi terminated the original A2, which was the first high-volume production, aluminum-bodied car. It’s conceptual successor does away with the costly aluminum build but adds an electric powertrain to the mix.

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Frankfurt Show Preview: New Audi A2 Concept

These past few years, Audi and the German premium automakers in general, have set out to fill every possible niche consumers may or may not think they need, from luxurious superminis to wild supercars. And they are far from done.

At the upcoming 2011 Frankfurt auto show, Audi will lift the covers off a new pure-electric concept study that revives the name of long gone A2.

The original model was a small MPV built from 1999 to 2005 that was way ahead of its time in several ways, but what made it truly unique was that it was manufactured entirely out of aluminum.

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Audi Publishes New Pictures of Urban Sportback and Spyder Concepts

After teasing us with a couple of videos and a few sketches, Audi has now unleashed a wave of computer generated images of its two-seat Urban Sportback and Spyder concept models, both of which will receive their world premiere at the upcoming 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. Read more »

Audi's concept design studio in Munich for a luxury yacht

Audi's concept design studio in Munich came up with an interesting proposition for a luxury yacht that would wear the four-ring logo. The Trimaran is the project work of Pforzheim Technical College student Stefanie Behringer, who explains the idea behind the study:

“The Audi Trimaran is a new concept which integrates two jet skis in a motorboat. The hull architecture is based on a trimaran, consisting of a main center hull supported by two smaller outrigger hulls. Two jet skis are stored inside pods in the outriggers. The main boat is powered by two lightweight and efficient Audi TDI diesel engines, whereas the jet skis are electrically-driven,” said Behringer.

The jet ski engines can be used to propel the yacht, provided that the required speed is not higher than 8 knots. At higher speeds of up to 30 knots, the two diesel engines can be switched on continuously. When more powerful acceleration is needed, the electric motors in the jet skis support the diesel engines for a faster and more fuel-efficient journey. At the same time, the diesel engines recharge the batteries in the two jet skis in the same way it’s done in a hybrid car.

The Trimaran is 15 meters long and 6.4 meters wide due to its slender center hull. The boat can accommodate 12 persons on the deck, with six berths available in the lower compartment. The silver frame that links the outer pods with the main hull gives the Trimaran a high-tech look that reminds Audi's aluminum frame structures. Too bad Audi has no plans for building the Trimaran.

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Audi Drops Sketches of a Spyder Version of its Hardcore R8 GT

The 2012 A3 Sedan and Hatchback weren't the only future Audi models to be teased today, as another set of drawings previewing the R8 GT supercar in drop-top guise also hit the internet. Scheduled for a reveal in early 2012, the R8 GT Spyder will be the roadster version of the lightweight R8 GT Coupe.

The Spyder model will use the same 5.2-liter V10 engine found in the R8 GT that produces 552HP and 398 lb-ft of torque (540 Nm). Expect the Spyder to be slightly slower than the R8 GT coupe, which can go from 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in 3.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 320 km/h or 199mph.

The sketches reveal that the Spyder will also use a fixed rear wing, a massive air diffuser, a front splitter and winglets as well as other design features from the R8 GT coupe. It is likely that Audi will produce the car in limited numbers, like they did with the coupe, whose production is restricted to 333 units.

The drop-top R8 GT will be previewed in June at Le Mans, the Mecca of endurance racing, a place chosen to stress the important link between the Spyder and the R8 LMS race car with which it shares some components. The public launch will take place at the Frankfurt Motor Show in late September.

Like the coupe model, the Spyder will feature a quattro all-wheel drive system and a six-speed R-tronic robotized manual gearbox. The AWD system setup favors sportiness, with 85 percent of torque being directed to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions.

The R8 GT Spyder is expected to be heavier than the coupe but lighter than the standard R8 V10 Spyder, as the car will benefit from the same weight-saving measures from the track-focused coupe. The R8 GT coupe is 95 kilograms lighter than the standard V10-powered R8, thanks to the use of carbon fiber components and a thinner glass windscreen.

By Dan Mihalascu

Source: Automobilemag

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Future Audi A3 Hatch and Sedan Previewed in Official Sketches

Audi released a set of sketches portraying the next-generation A3, which is expected to go on sale in late 2012. The officials drawings show the three-door hatchback and sedan versions, plus a view of the interior.

The A3 Sedan sketch does not come as a surprise, since it shows a car very similar in design with the A3 Concept premiered by Audi at the Geneva Motor Show. The three-door hatchback, however, is more interesting, as this is the first time Audi offers a sneak peak at the design of its future compact model.

The three-door version looks sharp and dynamic, sporting a narrow glasshouse, massive wheel arches and an interesting crease in the lower part of the door.

The interior looks very much like the one previewed on the A3 Sedan Concept, with less buttons and switches and no traditional center console, which has been replaced by a prominent central tunnel. The next generation Audi A3 is expected to offer high-tech features as optional extras, such as the MMI infotainment system with a touchscreen that comes out from the upper part of the dashboard.

The new A3 will be unveiled next year as a three door hatchback (possibly at the Geneva Motor Show), with the five-door and sedan versions to arrive shortly after. The sedan is designed specially for markets like the U.S. and China.

The A3 sedan is believed to have roughly the same dimensions as the original A4 sedan, while sporting a longer wheelbase (+35 mm) than the 3-door hatchback version.

Conventional engines aside, the lineup may also include a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid and natural gas versions, plus a full electric model.

By Dan Mihalascu

Source: Audi via AMS

2012 AUDI A3 SEDAN AND HATCH

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AUDI A3 SEDAN CONCEPT

Audi Presents High-Tech Auto Union Type C e-tron Toy Car Study with All-Electric Drive

At this year’s International Toy Fair in Nuremberg (February 3-8), Audi will showcase a selection of model cars and other products, including the Auto Union Type C e-tron, a concept study with a fully-electric drive based on the firm's limited edition pedal car, which is sold through is quattro GmbH subsidiary.

The one-of-a-kind Auto Union Type C e-tron boasts a hand-finished body made of aluminum and carbon-look material. Measuring 2.32 meters (91.34 inches) in length and 97 centimeters (38.2 inches) in width, the 1:2 scale model is suitable for children as well as adults up to 1.8 meters (5’11”) tall.

The high-tech toy car is powered by an electric motor delivering 1.5HP (1.12kW) and up to 60 Nm (44.25 lb-ft) of torque, fed by a lithium-ion battery. Power is sent to the rear wheels and the study is also equipped with a reverse gear.

The top speed is a very respectable 30 km/h (18.64 mph) and, depending on the driving style, the electrified Type C can travel as far as 25 kilometers (15.53 miles). Charging takes about two hours at most, using any standard 230-volt household socket.

Audi did not say if it has any plans to introduce a production model of the study in the future.

By Csaba Daradics

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