As Audi CEO Rupert Stadler gave his keynote presentation at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg of Audi drove onto the stage in the Audi Sport quattro Laserlight concept car in a bold marketing move designed to set Audi apart from its competition in the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. The Audi Sport quattro Laserlight is in appearance retro to the to the classic 1983 Quattro but also defines the future in design and technical automotive advances, including lighting technology, driver control and display interfaces. The Audi concept car, with its attention grabbing design and electronic plug in hybrid drive, is a vehicle of extreme power producing over 700 horsepower that is capable of propelling the driver from 0-100 km/h (62.7 miles per hour) in an impressive 3.7 seconds. It boasts a top speed of 190 MPH and can cover 31 miles on battery power alone.
Technical Innovation and Classic Appeal
The concept car introduced at this year’s CES was a plasma red coupe with large, split spoke wheels and dual headlights, which are a signature Quattro design feature. The headlamps are exemplifying the future of automotive lighting technology with a marriage of matrix LED and laser light technologies. Visible within each headlamp are two, low profile trapezoidal elements. The outer LED has an aperture mask and generates the low beam of the headlamp. The smaller, inner element is the high beam laser light technology which is capable of illuminating the road for a distance of over 500 meters (1.640 feet) which is the equivalent of over five football fields. The laser technology produces twice the range and three times the luminosity of a typical LED high beam. This technology is planned for use by the Audi 2104 R18 E-tron Quattro on the racetrack. Approval for street use in the US could lag due to the reputedly slow turning wheels of the DOT. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler did tell Automotive News that Audi plans to be the first into production with a laser lamped vehicle. He did not specify which model.
The Audi Sport quattro Laserlight’s sleek body features include a hexagonal, contoured low grill surmounted by two large sweptback trapezium air intakes. The overall look of the body is sleek and muscular defined by a combination of swells and contours. Another striking yet classic design feature is the concave port channels that run the lower length of the door and quarter panel. Set upon oversize racing wheels the overall result is an athletic physique that combines the classic sports car with the ultimate in modern design features.
Combined Power and Ultra Efficiency
Despite its brute power, the Laserlight version of the Audi Sport quattro has its engineering tipped toward efficiency with its hybrid power train. Audi adds to the twin turbo traditional V8, a start stop system, cylinder deactivation and all wheel drive, coupled to an eight speed transmission. In addition another performance feature is the mechanical torque vectoring to overpower the outside rear wheel in a turn. Audi is claiming it is capable of 94 US MPG when equating its electric motor and 14.1kWh extended life battery.
The Inside Story
On the inside the message is lightweight, sleek and functional. The carbon shell interior is accented by a slim instrument panel. The folding race car style seats have high have integral head restraints and offer complete lateral support to the back. The steering wheel contains two buttons with which the driver can control the hybrid drive, a red start stop button, a view button to control the virtual vision command and a control for the drive select handling system. A large Audi TFT display in high resolution, 3D graphics displays all pertinent information. The graphics are processed by a Tegra 30 from Audi partner Nvidia, allowing the driver to switch between different modes.
Created to Lead
Audi in recent years has successfully seduced customers from BMW, Lexus and Mercedes Benz, through advanced engineering, consumer safety concerns, cutting edge technology and a combination of classic and contemporary styling, along with excellent marketing. Introducing the Audi Sport quattro Laserlight concept car at CES, well ahead of the Detroit Auto Show was another smart step in that direction. People who know technology took notice at CES and will take that impression on to Detroit, spreading the news and creating more hungry consumers. It will be a tough act to follow for the competition, but follow is the only option.
Credits: Words courtesy of Jeff Gross | Photos by Jon Leicht
