Audi Cross Coupé quattro

Motoring Channel Staff - 20/Apr/2007

Shanghai, China — Is this the first glimpse of a pre-production Audi Q5, the German car makers mid-sized SUV? The Audi Cross Coupé quattro was shown today at the Shanghai Motor Show and Audi insists the new concept design presents a study that defines a new segment in the field of crossover vehicles.

There's every chance that this new concept car may not turn out to be an embryonic Q5, and could in fact represent an entirely new model, a cross-over vehicle like Mazda's CX-7 - which is one part sports wagon and the other part SUV.

According to Audi, the new Cross Coupé quattro combines the design of a compact premium sports car with the spaciousness and versatility of a 4-seat sport utility vehicle (SUV). 

The styling of the new model stays within the bounds of the Audi family design ethos, but pushes a few boundaries. Most obvious of these is the rear end, which slopes away steeply and gives the car a odd profile. The German automakers says the silhouette is typical Audi, but is hard to compare with its current vehicles, whether the A3 Sportback, A6 Avant or any other models. 

The Shanghai show car sits on big 20-inch wheels yet the ground clearance points towards the off-road potential of the Cross Coupé quattro.

Audi points out that a new design element has been incorporated into the concept car - a fabric-based folding sunroof. It's a simple and cost effective way to offer open air motoring, while still keep the roof rails for rigidity and load bearing, and also adds a sense of ruggedness to the new car. 

Power for the Cross Coupé quattro comes from an inline 4-cylinder TDI engine that is completely new, and likely to find its way into other Audi vehicles as time passes. Audi says the small 2.0-litre comes equipped with all the latest in diesel tech, such as high pressure common-rail fuel injection and piezo injectors.

Audi explains that with power output of 152kW (204hp) and 400Nm of torque, it gives the show car sporty performance and a good degree of efficiency. For example, the all-new 2.0 TDI engine needs just 5.9 litres of diesel per 100 km on average, which is a very good level of consumption. The diesel particulate filter and Bluetec system reduce soot and nitric oxide emissions effectively, which Audi claims will satisfy emissions standards that haven't even come into effect yet, ensuring its future viability.

The powerful 152kW 2.0-litre diesel engine is connected to a sporty Audi S tronic dual-clutch gearbox, which ensures the power is used by all four wheels thanks to the 'quattro' permanent four-wheel drive system. Audi has revealed that a Haldex clutch system is used for the all-wheel drive system rather than the higher quality Torsen differential, suggesting the new car is based on the Audi A3/VW Golf platform.

Other facts and figures that have been released during the Audi Cross Coupé quattro's launch at the Shanghai Motor Show in China include chassis particulars. The Cross Coupé will be suspended by a McPherson-strut front axle and a four-link rear axle is, which Audi claims is perfect for sporty and agile handling, suggesting the new crossover vehicle is leaning more towards a road vehicle than an off-road vehicle. 

The Audi Cross Coupé quattro shown in Shanghai is fitted with ceramic brake discs and 20-inch wheels, but a commercially viable model would be equipped with more modest running gear.

Audi will also outfit its new crossover model with a number of electronic systems, which can be seen on the concept car here. The most important one, called the Audi drive select system, makes it possible to choose from three different configurations for the engine, gearbox, steering and adaptive shock absorbers. This gives the car the ability to adapt to different terrain and driving styles. Audi has revealed that the standard or default mode is called "dynamic" and the "sport" drive select mode setting will be suited to enthusiastic driving and there's also an "efficiency" driving program. This option alters the engine fuel injection mapping and the gearbox shift points to reduce fuel consumption, perfect for long-distance highway driving. Audi says the "efficiency" mode will also deactivates energy-hungry components like the air-conditioning compressor.

Another innovation that Audi is spruiking on the Cross Coupé quattro show car in Shanghai is the MMI control panel, the next generation version of Audi's car interaction program. This new version is operated by a touch pad on the transmission tunnel, and the monitor of the system employs what Audi calls 'dual-view' technology. 

This 'dual-view' system broadcasts different images: one for the driver and another for the front-seat passenger, and they can only visible when viewed from a specific angle. Basically, this means the driver can view information from from the on-board computer, such as the sat nav or the stereo, while the front passenger watches a TV programme.

Audi has highlighted the high quality sound system as another key feature, which has prominent extending tweeters (like in the Audi S8) and sets a new infotainment standard in the class claims Audi.

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