Audi has issued the following press release:
Audi Roadjet Concept
Debut in Detroit: Audi is taking the wraps off a study car by the name of Roadjet Concept at the North American International Automobile Show.
A vehicle that blends the latest evolutionary stage of Audi’s formal idiom with an entirely new space concept. The drive technology, too, represents a new departure: on the 300 bhp 3.2 FSI engine, innovative concepts produce an unprecedented synthesis of performance, liveliness and efficiency. In conjunction with a longitudinally installed engine, the Audi Roadjet is moreover the first model to feature the sporty 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox. The study car furthermore serves as a technology demonstrator of innovative electronic systems that will be finding their way into production models in the next few years.
The styling of this four-door fastback saloon is a new, distinctive interpretation of Audi design. Characteristic features include the dynamic wedge-shaped nose with the typical single-frame grille and the two large air inlets beneath the bumpers. The high shoulders that lend the vehicle an air of power and safety are also typically Audi. The Audi Roadjet Concept moreover has a large window area, reinforcing the impression of light and spaciousness inside the vehicle.
The dynamic line above the sill, as well as the shoulder line, defines clearly horizontal overall proportions that are emphatically road-centred. An effect that is echoed by the rear-end view: wide wheel arches, the trapezoidal tailgate and the diffuser below the bumper emphasise the sporty character of the Audi Roadjet Concept.
Measuring 4.70 m in length and 1.85 m in width, the Audi Roadjet Concept respects the standard dimensions of a B-segment vehicle. Yet its height of 1.55 m and the wheelbase of 2.85 m result in substantially more effective space for the occupants; both the higher seat position with ample legroom and the ample shoulder room and headroom at all four individual seats represent a new class best. — new Audi A3 Cabriolet.
An evolutionary version of the current 3.2-litre six-cylinder engine with FSI petrol direct injection serves as an appropriate source of propulsion for the Audi Roadjet Concept. Thanks to a fixed intake manifold and the innovative Audi valvelift system for valve control, the engine develops 300 bhp at 7,000 rpm and 330 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm. This power unit is impressive not merely in terms of absolute performance, but also thanks to its pulling power and bite, coupled with a linear increase in power all the way up to the rated speed.
The Audi Roadjet Concept is the first model to feature the sporty Direct Shift Gearbox in conjunction with a longitudinally installed engine and quattro permanent four-wheel drive. Closely related to the DSG used to such dazzling effect in the A3 and TT, it combines the advantages of a manual gearbox with the qualities of a modern automatic transmission, resulting in a drive concept that is superior in every respect.
The dynamic suspension layout with four-link front suspension and self-tracking trapezoidal-link rear suspension delivers the accustomed standard of driveability and ride comfort. Variable shock absorbers and the new Audi dynamic steering rack-and-pinion steering concept with variable ratio are used for the first time.
One particular innovation that enhances driving fun is Audi drive select: this system enables the driver to preselect several entirely independent vehicle characteristics at the push of a button. Three modes – “comfort”, “dynamic” and “sport” – alter the steering, damping and transmission response, as well as the engine characteristic. Audi drive select thus provides access to highly distinct driving experiences that can be realised by a single vehicle, entirely as the driver sees fit.
Safety in particular, but also economy and comfort, benefit from the new system of car-to-car communication that Audi is unveiling in the Roadjet Concept. This cross-manufacturer form of information electronics is based on data exchanges between vehicles moving in traffic and the ambient infrastructure, via the WLAN network. — Tokyo Show sustainability concepts.
Refined power in the sports luxury class: Audi S6 / S6 Avant
A refined flow of power in conjunction with superlative comfort and an elegantly understated appearance: this is the new Audi S6 / S6 Avant. It is the sporty top model in the luxury-class family of models comprising the Audi A6 saloon and A6 Avant, which took the market by storm following their launch in 2004 and have since garnered countless accolades worldwide from both customers and experts within the trade.
The S6, the latest product to result from the systematic application of Audi’s philosophy of sportiness, will go on sale in the spring of 2006. Its appearance will coincide with the launch of the S6 Avant, the estate-car version that combines the exemplary versatility and variability of an Avant with the decidedly sporty character of the new Audi S6.
In response to the challenge to deliver supreme performance that always remains perfectly under control, the new Audi S6 will be powered by a completely new ten-cylinder V-configuration engine. This engine, a virtually identical version of which is likewise fitted in the new Audi S8, makes maximum use of its resources: with a displacement of 5.2 litres, it mobilises an output of 420 bhp (309 kW) at 6,800 rpm. It reaches its peak torque of 540 Nm between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm. Between 2,500 and 5,500 rpm, torque of over 500 Nm is available. This engine, weighing only 220 kilograms, is thus able to guarantee superior pulling power in every driving situation.
FSI petrol direct injection, a principle that has proved its worth in the most successful racing car ever built, the Le Mans winning Audi R8, plays an instrumental role in this model’s refined flow of power. The saloon is capable of racing from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds (S6 Avant: 5.3 seconds); the top speed is electronically governed to 250 km/h. — Volkswagen space up! blue concept.
Both the driveline and the steering and suspension have been modified to reflect the immense power potential of the new Audi S6. The six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission, supplied as standard, accomplishes swifter gear changes; the steel-spring suspension is configured for greater agility and a more direct response, as is the servotronic steering. The latest-generation quattro permanent four-wheel drive with a 40:60 torque split naturally ensures optimum propulsion in all conditions. Thanks to this concept, the new Audi S6 sets itself apart as the progressive alternative to all its competitors.
One of the key requirements in the development of the Audi S6 was to provide a high standard of comfort in every situation, for all its sporty emphasis. This vehicle consequently also demonstrates over long distances that there is no inherent contradiction between refined power and the scope for the driver and passengers to enjoy a highly relaxing form of travel.
The interior offers a luxurious atmosphere. It features, for instance, new sports seats complete with integral head restraints, exclusive leather/Alcantara upholstery on all five seats and deluxe automatic air conditioning plus, with separate temperature distribution for the driver’s and front passenger’s sides.
For all the uncompromising and methodical nature of the technical concept, the external appearance of the Audi S6 is decidedly understated and elegant. The S6 saloon is characterised by such features as 19-inch wheels, subtly flared front wheel arches, the striking single-frame grille with vertical double struts and a harmoniously integrated rear spoiler, and the Avant has a modified roof spoiler.
