Two new Audi models making their U.S. auto show debuts in Los Angeles this week show how the German brand intends to raise its profile in the top reaches of the U.S. luxury car market over the coming year.
The main attraction at the L.A. Auto Show is the all-new Audi A7, which will establish a new class of progressive luxury that combines prestige, functionality, elegant design and leading-edge executive technologies. The Audi A7 is scheduled to reach U.S. Audi showrooms next spring.
Sharing the Los Angeles stage will be the new 2011 Audi A8L, which sets the standard for luxury motoring. The long wheelbase version of the Audi flagship line arrives in U.S. showrooms this week, but it already earned high praise from car reviewers for its innovative features, efficiency and luxurious interior appointments.
Los Angeles ranks among the world’s showcase markets for luxury performance driving, which makes it the appropriate venue for the U.S. debut of the exclusive Audi R8 GT supercar and the acclaimed Audi quattro concept study.
Here are more details on the models that Audi will feature at the L.A. Auto Show this year:
Audi A7
Audi enters a new market segment with the A7. The large five-door model with the dynamically flowing lines brings together the best of three vehicle concepts: the sporty elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon. The A7 features a lightweight body thanks to numerous aluminum components. For Audi, lightweight design is a fundamental technology for the sustainable mobility of the future. The elegant interior of the Audi A7 shows a craftsman’s level of workmanship. The assistance, infotainment and safety systems come from the luxury class. The 3.0-liter V6 engine offers exceptional performance dynamics with a high level of efficiency. Audi has harnessed the strengths of a compressor supercharger for the TFSI® engine.
2011 Audi A8L
The 2011 Audi A8L features a long wheelbase and an optimized 4.2 FSI V8 engine teamed with an all-new 8-speed Tiptronic® transmission for new levels of smoothness and segment-leading fuel economy of 17 mpg in city driving and 27 mpg on the highway, according to the U.S. EPA. Setting new standards of luxury, dynamism and efficiency, the A8L is a technical work of art combining sportiness and progressiveness. With an overall length of 17.28 ft, the new Audi A8L is 0.43 ft longer than the normal wheelbase version and 4.8 ft high. The width remains unchanged at 6.39 ft. The A8L has a body built from aluminum using the ASF® principle, weighing about 40 percent less than a comparable steel body and achieving equal or greater fuel efficiency than leading luxury hybrid vehicles. Audi’s flagship sedan also features a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen® sound system, MMI® touch, Audi pre-sense safety features and the Audi signature LED lighting.
Audi R8 GT
The limited-production version of the Audi R8 GT high-performance sports car is even more dynamic, lighter, more powerful and faster. The 5.2-liter V10 has been increased to 560 horsepower and vehicle weight has been reduced by roughly 220 lbs. The R8 GT accelerates from 0 to 62.14 mph in 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 198.84 mph. With quattro permanent all-wheel drive the R8 GT is a driving machine with breathtaking lateral acceleration and lightning-fast, nearly instantaneous reactions. The 19-inch wheels keep the car planted firmly on the asphalt, and the available ceramic brakes easily keep the power under control.
Autonomous Audi TTS Pikes Peak
What once seemed to be the stuff of science fiction – a car that can safely operate without direct input from a driver – is rapidly moving from the realm of science fiction toward reality. This is being clearly demonstrated with the Pikes Peak Autonomous Audi TTS coupe research project, which has become a sensation worldwide. The vehicle features a pair of trunk-located computers that allow the Autonomous Audi TTS Pikes Peak to drive on the very edge of its speed and handling limits on a variety of surfaces, including mountainous conditions, without a driver. The Autonomous Audi TTS Pikes Peak was developed with the Stanford University Dynamic Design Lab and the Audi Electronic Research Laboratory.
Audi quattro concept car
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the debut of the quattro, Audi is presenting the quattro concept car, a thoroughbred driving machine with 408 horsepower, a five-cylinder turbocharged engine, a lightweight body and the latest generation of quattro permanent all-wheel drive. The quattro concept from Audi is also the gold standard for the combination of winning motor sport qualities with the utmost in everyday practicality. The foundation is provided by the powerful Audi RS 5, one of the brand’s sportiest production vehicles ever. The key innovation, the crown-gear center differential, is compact, lightweight, and can vary the distribution of power between the front and rear axles over a broad range, enabling the quattro drive system to react within milliseconds to coax the maximum of fun and safety out of every last bit of torque.