The Audi prologue allroad is making its world premiere at Auto Shanghai. The five-door show car with its raised body and tougher stance provides a new emphasis in the conceptual Audi prologue family. Its operating concept enables digital interaction between driver and passengers; the plug-in hybrid drive impresses with 734 PS, yet low consumption.
Audi is now presenting a study in China that reflects a fresh interpretation of the typical allroad themes, providing a clear glimpse into the brand’s design future. The design of the Audi allroad prologue accentuates the elegance and uniqueness of the allroad concept.
The show car, finished in Dehua White, is a stage for progressive elegance in every detail. The window capping strips include sensor surfaces for the door locks; the covers for the charging port and fuel tank are also electric. Aluminium accents are present on the roof rails, the mirror housings, the area around the windows and both the front and rear of the car. An extension offset in grey runs along the wheel wheels and the entire bottom edge of the raised body. It expresses the power and robustness of the car and makes it seem even wider.
Driver and passengers experience the spacious interior of the show car as a luxurious lounge. Graceful lines and slender geometric bodies convey the impression of expanse, serenity and lightness. The continuous centre console and the front seats appear to float. The instrument panel features a strictly horizontal orientation. Its upper level is part of the wraparound – the arc encircling the cabin and the luggage compartment. A perforated trim panel covers the broad air vent; it retracts as soon as the air-conditioning is set higher.
The show car offers its driver and passengers superior comfort before the car even begins to move. The “butler” – an innovative, intelligent software program – identifies the passengers as they get in based on their smartphones and adjusts the seats and climate control system according to their preferences. The system also makes suggestions for music and route planning according to the owner’s preferences. The Easy Slot system in the centre console connects the phones with the onboard infotainment system and charges them inductively.
The 4.0 TFSI engine – a V8 with twin turbochargers – and the electric motor integrated into the eight-speed tiptronic produce 734 PS of system power and 900 Nm (663.8 lb-ft) of system torque. The quattro all-wheel drive system utilises the power of the Audi prologue allroad perfectly in every situation.
The show car rockets from 0 to 62mph in 3.5 seconds, yet is capable of achieving up to 117mpg according to the NEDC standard for plug-in hybrids, which corresponds to 56 grams CO2 per km. The lithium-ion battery mounted in the rear of the car has a capacity of 14.1 kWh for a purely electric range of 33 miles. With its AWC (Audi wireless charging) technology which the brand is developing for series production, the Audi prologue allroad can also be charged inductively.
The body of the Audi prologue allroad is 77 mm higher than that of the Audi prologue Avant. The chassis is state-of-the-art. The front and wheel axles are lightweight, five-link constructions. The 20-inch brake discs are made of weight-saving carbon-fibre ceramic. The adaptive air suspension sport – an air suspension system with controlled damping – offers a wide range between extremely comfortable cruising and tight handling. The dynamic all-wheel steering combines a variable-ratio, dynamic steering unit with an additional steering unit for the rear wheels to harmoniously resolve the conflict between dynamic driving and stability.
