INGOLSTADT, GERMANY – May 14, 2012: Audi is exhibiting conceptvehicles that appeal to lifestyle, action and sporty themes at theWorthersee Tour. three powerful versions provide new accents in the Q3model family, and with its e-bike W?rthersee prototype Audi defines atechnical bike concept that explores the limits of technical feasibility onthe basis of Audi’s core competencies “design”,“ultra”, “connect” and “e-tron”. Thisgrand meeting of Audi, VW, Seat and Skoda fans is being held for the 31sttime from May 16 to 19 in Reifnitz, on the W?rthersee in Carinthia,Austria.
The focus for Audi at this year’s W?rthersee Tour are threeQ3-based themed cars: the new Audi Q3 red track, the Audi Q3 jinlong yufeng(or “Golden Dragon in the Wind”) and the Audi RS Q3 concept.all three add new but quite different aspects to the character of thiscompact SUV: leisure-oriented, sturdy, dynamic. They are powered byfive-cylinder TFSI engines developing between 228 kW and 265 kW.
The Audi Q3 red track will appeal to winter-sport enthusiasts. on itsroof it carries two pairs of Audi skis made from carbon fibre-reinforcedpolymer. Stored in the load area are two hand lamps with radiant heatingelements and a thermos flask, all supplied by inverter electric power.Heatable seat cushions are integrated into the reversible load-areamat.
This concept car has an Energy Red paint finish that has been givenadditional lustre by golden pearl-effect particles. Add-on body elementsare finished in matt grey quartz paint; some of these items will soon beappearing in the Audi accessories program. In the Singleframe radiatorgrille, the aluminium struts are vertical and red panels partially blankoff the air inlets. the high-gloss package accentuates the window areas.two compact LED headlights are installed in the roof rack and back up thebeams from the xenon headlights after dark. the tailpipes of thedual-branch exhaust system are integrated into the rear diffuser. Insidethe headlights, the zones in the lower part of the daytime running lightstrips are painted in body colour.
Inside the Audi Q3 red track the dominant colours are black, grey andred. the seats are upholstered in an innovative combination of leather andcloth: Narrow strips of leather only a few tenths of a millimetre in widthare woven together with the yarn. Smaller segments of the upholstery aremade from Velvet leather, a strong material that is given a fascinatingappearance and feel by a special treatment process. the large inlays makeuse of a three-dimensional stainless steel mesh.
The Audi Q3 red track features a powerful engine: the turbochargedfive-cylinder TFSI with a displacement of 2.5 litres, a power output of 250kW and a maximum torque of 450 Nm. with this power and torque, the Q3 redtrack accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and reaches a top speedof 263 km/h. A 7-speed S tronic transmission and quattro permanentall-wheel drive delivers power to all four road wheels. the 20-inch wheelsare fitted with 255/45 offroad tyres. Compared with the standard Q3 model,the front and rear tracks are 40 mm wider and the ground clearance has beenincreased by 30 mm.
Only a few weeks ago the Audi Q3 jinlong yufeng (Golden Dragon in theWind) and the Audi RS Q3 concept made their debut at the Auto Chinaexhibition in Peking. the Audi Q3 jinlong yufeng, with a brilliant LiuliYellow paint finish and yellow interior decor, conjures up a close linkwith windsurfing. Its 2.5 TFSI engine has an output of 228 kW.
Even more power is available in the RS Q3 concept: Its 2.5 TFSI enginedevelops
265 kW – top performance for maximum dynamism. the body, with itsflared wheel arches and blue paint finish, has been lowered by 25 mm. Theadd-on body elements are made from carbon fibre-reinforced polymer, witheither a black or a blue lacquered finish. the individual honeycombs in theSingleframe grille are slightly offset. inside the car, a cool black finishhas been adopted. the seats have sport seat cushions and backs with theintegral head restraints that are normally reserved for the S sportseats.
One of the highlights on the Audi stand is the bicycle technologyconcept known as the Audi e-bike W?rthersee – a sport bike that doesnot fit into any of the usual categories. It is neither a pedelec nor aconventional bike, but is best described as a high-end pedelec made by Audifor sport, fun and tricks. the Audi e-bike W?rthersee combines the Audibrand’s principal competences – design, ultra, connect ande-tron – and explores the limits of what is technically feasible interms of design, lightweight construction, networking and electricmobility.
This show bike is futuristic at the very first glance – a bike fortomorrow and beyond. all its components, even the pedals, have been shapedby Audi’s designers, for instance the 26-inch wheels are made fromCFRP and weigh only 600 grams each. They feature innovative large-areablade-pattern spokes.
The Audi e-bike W?rthersee’s ultra-light carbon-fibre frame weighsonly 1,600 grams. It makes use of bionic principles derived from nature.Material reinforcements are needed only at the points where loads actuallyoccur. the swinging arm for the rear wheel is also made of CFRP. all inall, the Audi e-bike W?rthersee represents the full extent of thebrand’s expertise in ultra-lightweight design.
The rear wheel is driven by a chain. the electric motor is a permanentmagnet synchronous machine; it is located at the lowest point on the frameand drives the bottom bracket shaft directly. Maximum torque at the rearwheel is in the region of 250 Nm. Peak output from the electric motor is2.3 kW – a new top value on the e-bike scene. Excluding the battery,the complete bicycle weighs only 21 kg, equivalent to a power-weight ratioof 9 kg per kilowatt, or 7 kg per horsepower – anotherrecord-breaking value.
The lithium-ion battery is housed in the frame; it weighs about 5 kg andoperates at a voltage of 48 V. Its capacity is 530 Wh and it can be fullyrecharged from a 230 V supply in two and a half hours. as an alternative itcan be easily detached from the bike and replaced by a rechargedbattery.
The rider of the Audi e-bike W?rthersee can choose between fiveprograms; these either support use of the pedals or permit electric-onlytravel.
In the “Pure” mode the rider only propels the bike by meansof the pedals. In the “Pedelec” mode the rider is assisted bythe electric motor; a top speed of up to 80 km/h can be reached and theaction radius is between 50 and 70 kilometres. In the “eGrip”program the Audi e-bike W?rthersee can be ridden with the electric motorproviding all the necessary power; in this case at speeds up to 50 km/h.the rider controls the power output from the electric motor at a twistgripand can configure it at the on-board computer.
In “Wheelie” mode the power flow is electronicallycontrolled in order to assist the rider when the front wheel is in the air.Alternative operating modes are available, and can be selected bysmartphone or directly at the e-bike: either “Power Wheelie”with an adjustable wheelie angle for less skilled riders, or“Balanced Wheelie” for those with more experience. In thelatter mode the rider’s balance is maintained electronically: as hisor her weight is displaced forward or back, this is counteracted by eitherbraking or accelerating the electric motor.
In this way the rider can influence the speed when riding on the rearwheel only by shifting his or her weight. Leaning forward speeds up thebike, leaning back slows it down. If the rider wants to use the pedals andmaintain a constant power input, the training mode can be chosen. Theelectric motor then makes good the extra power needed when riding into thewind or up a hill, so that the rider’s performance can be keptconstant for training purposes.
The Audi e-bike W?rthersee has a varied specification. the nine-speedhydraulically actuated gear shift has a very rapid sequential action,similar to the R tronic transmission in an Audi R8. the two disk brakes arealso applied hydraulically. Seat height can be continuously adjusted at ahandlebar control, even while the bike is being ridden. the front fork usesthe more complex ‘upside-down’ principle; it is air-sprung,with 130 mm of travel. LEDs are used for powerful lighting: the front lightis integrated into the handlebar, the rear light into the seat.
The on-board computer is located in the frame top tube and operatedusing a touchscreen. among the functions it provides are riding modeselection, recording trick sequences and adjustment of various e-bikefunctions such as electric pedaling assistance and lighting. the displayshows road speed, distance covered, state of battery charge, energyconsumption and slope angle at any given moment.
The rider’s smartphone communicates by WLAN with the bike’scomputer. the antenna is integrated into the front brake line. To ride thebike, the immobilizer is deactivated at the smartphone; the bike is thenready for use. In addition, by way of the interface between thebike’s computer and the smartphone, video images recorded whileriding or even complete trick sequences can be transmitted to the Internetor the trainer.
Every trick performed successfully qualifies for success points. as thenumber of points increases, the rider is rewarded and at the same time thechallenge level rises. the total Internet ranking can be compared withfriends or other riders. the rider can locate them by way of Facebookentries that can be shown on the Audi e-bike W?rthersee’sdisplay.
The Audi stand at W?rthersee For the GTI meeting the Audistand will not only display the Audi e-bike W?rthersee but also 16production models from the current Audi product range. among the exhibitsthat the brand will be presenting to its fans at the lakeside is the newAudi A3. the public will also be able to inspect the Audi S6 in DaytonaGrey and the A1 quattro in Glacier White. yet another model on show is thenew Audi TT RS plus; it is on display next to an RS 4 Avant in SepangBlue.
At the entrance to the Audi stand at W?rthersee there is the Audi TT RSLight show car, a series-production vehicle that was modified by five AUDIAG apprentices over three months. Selected special equipment highlightsinclude: A singleframe lit in red, a rear windscreen that functions as aprojection screen for photos and videos, and red daytime running lightswhich visualize the bass lines of music.
The three Q3 concept vehicles will appear in a stage show starting fromWednesday, May 16; this will take place hourly on the Audi stand and befollowed by a discussion with experts participating.
After the Q3 show comes a dynamic presentation of the Audi e-bikeW?rthersee. Trial biker Julien Dupont and women’s downhill specialistPetra Bernhard will demonstrate their stunt skills on the stage. the showbike, which has no gear shift, permits controlled rear-wheel wheelies.Acceleration sensors detect the bike’s position and the rider’sbody weight in relation to the force of gravity; the control unit registersthis data and varies the electric motor’s power output as necessary.the stunts appear on Facebook, where they are assessed according to apoints system.
New production-car accessories Since the A1 market launchAudi Genuine Accessories has introduced new customizing kits twice a year.the competition kit legends is now followed by the competition kit elevenand competition kit eleven plus.
The new kit consists of decal sets for the roof, trunk and engine hood,with a large “11” as a prominent decor feature. Highlightsinside the car include decorative trims at the ventilation outlets, thecenter console, the door pulls and the interior mirror, and decorativetextile floor mats.
The “11” that gives the kit its name recalls motorsportsuccesses in 2011. Audi racing drivers crossed the line ahead of the fieldno fewer than 11 times in German Touring Car Masters events and in theclassic 24 Hours of Le Mans. For the competition kit eleven plus, there arematching decals for the sides of the car as well.
An ideal accompaniment for the competition kit eleven (or eleven plus)is the roof spoiler in contrasting Misano Red, which is exclusive to thiskit. To distinguish between the Audi A1 and Audi A1 Sportback, the roofspoiler for the five-door model is a totally new design.