Review Car

2015 Audi Prologue Concept Review - Audi explains its new Prologue concept car as a rolling blueprint because of its future model line-up below new design employer Marc Lichte.

Hes the person credited with championing this clean and specialized styling treatment of several of parent corporation Volkswagen’s latest designs, including the most up-to-date Golf and Passat.

Created within a development program that began the government financial aid April – shortly after Lichte’s arrival throughout Ingolstadt – this sleek two-door coupé provides clues towards the mechanical layout set being adopted by this German car maker’s upmarket offerings some two years from now.

Maybe more important, in addition, it lays down the new styling treatment Audi says will probably be applied to this next-generation A6, A7 as well as A8, all that are currently throughout development.

But theres more to it compared to that. The Prologue furthermore presages the long-mooted A9. Conceived to express its mechanical package while using upcoming fourth-generation A8, alongside which will probably be built at Audi’s Neckarsulm factory in Germany, the production version from the big aluminium-bodied flagship is scheduled to rival the kind of the Mercedes-Benz S-class coupé towards the top of the Audi line-up when it continues on sale in 2017.

Seconded through the Audi stand on the Los Angeles generator show, where that made its planet premiere, the new Audi concept looks magnificent within the midday sun the way it sits in the driveway of an Beverly Hills resort – ready for us to climb aboard and take this wheel.

Distinguished by its wide single-frame grille, angular headlamps, tight surfacing, low as well as prominent shoulder collection, subtle crease traces, traditional wheel mid-foot flares and quickly honed tail-lamp detail, it is absolutely eye-catching, with an increased hint of athleticism to be able to its lines that will current Audi designs. Yet despite the new design lineage, additionally it is unmistakably an Audi in the beginning.

At 5100mm long, 1950mm in breadth and 1390mm tall, the Prologue is 40mm shorter, exactly the same width and 70mm lower than the current A8. Audis study and development overseer, Ulrich Hackenberg, suggests that those dimensions will probably be retained for this production version from the A9.

The customized cast 22-inch wheels, which fill this sizeable wheelhouses together with precious little area to spare, are usually supported by well wide tracks, presenting the Prologue some sort of terrifically confident posture.

Before I’m capable to drive the Prologue, however, I’m asked to pull on the disposable polyethylene general. Too new, too costly and frankly far too rare, the car’s minders are usually taking no likelihood, suggesting the blue dye around my jeans might discolour this leather upholstery.

The long driver’s home automatically opens on the wave of my give over a sensor within the upper trailing border, and inside you discover a highly innovative cabin providing you with seating for some on individual seating. The cabin makes extensive utilization of contemporary touch-and-swipe functions on some high-resolution display units that replace the fascia to provide it a wonderfully clean and tidy look.

The cabin is beautifully finished within a liberal covering of leather, brushed lightweight alloy and fine wooden veneer. After a shorter cockpit drill, I slide right broad but supportive driver’s seat that has every-which-way electric change behind a efficiently proportioned four-spoke, multi-function tyre that also adjusts electrically for rake as well as reach. The driving position is im all over this.

The immaculate dashboard incorporates musical instrument panel featuring some sort of full-width OLED solar panel with three independent displays – something not only delivers it with high-tech appeal but serves to accentuate its width. Audi’s idea is usually to enable simple digital interaction involving the driver and front-seat traveler via swipe directions.

A fourth display incorporates a fascinating bending OLED solar panel, one of just 10 available right now, according to Audi. Its mounted on the base of this centre console. In the touch of some sort of button, its trailing border motors upwards to produce the driver with availability to infotainment, climate control along with a host of different functions – all simply a hand’s length ahead of a stubby T-shaped tools selector.

There is often a strong hint of mechanical potency the second I hit this milled aluminium starter button about the centre console; the engine fires instantly with a deep blast of exhaust before settling down with the alluring rumble at idle.

With my suitable foot set firmly about the brake, the electrically operated gear selector requires only a light backwards nudge with my own index finger to be able to send the eight-speed computerized into drive – as indicated within the mesmerizing three-dimensional device display. Then, we’re off.

Sitting up front underneath the new concept car’s comparatively low-set bonnet is Audi’s familiar twin-turbocharged some. 0-litre V8 fuel engine. In a touch of what’s in to the future for the next-generation S8 and its particular more sporting S9 sibling, the 90-degree unit has become tuned to deliver 597bhp along with a nominal 516lb legs of torque – or a far more prodigious 553lb legs in overboost function during short bursts of full-throttle action.

The heady reserves are channelled by way of a traditional eight-speed torque converter computerized gearbox and Audi’s torque-sensing four-wheel drive system with a torque vectoring function on the rear.

As well as featuring a cylinder-on-demand arrangement that will shuts off four from the eight cylinders in light throttle a good deal for added energy efficiency, the engine showcased within the Prologue also uses a 48-volt electrical method – a advancement that Audi insiders indicate will probably be adopted on the next A8 and the A9 as part of a new age group of fuel keeping initiatives.

The brand new 48-volt electrical method employs a belt starter generator, which provides this advanced V8 together with mild hybrid capability and a power recovery output as high as 12kW under braking.

And so configured, Audi suggests that the production version from the Prologue will give back nearly 33. 0mpg about the combined fuel economy cycle to provide it average CARBON emissions of below 200g/km.

Initial images? Well, the big Audi has each of the typical hallmarks of an concept car. A reduction in ride height signifies approaching a driveway at some thing than walking pace would risk ripping journey expensive-looking polished carbonfibre splitter that come with the leading edge from the front bumper. So I gingerly manoeuvre out from the hotel, being careful to be able to angle the nose from the Prologue out about the road to stay away from any cringeworthy scratches.

An exploratory prod about the accelerator reveals that will engine response is often a little tardy at low revs, as a result of excess engine bay heat that, Audi fitters say, has brought on the electronic throttle mapping to be able to intermittently retard this ignition.

Once I’ve negotiated my way via an initial dead spot within the delivery, though, the turbochargers spool up plus the sharp-looking concept smoothly increases speed.

The Prologue rides on the heavily modified platform through the current A8, although such may be the extent of the changes that it must be virtually a brand new structure – one who provides solid clues towards the underpinnings set being used by this next-generation A8 plus the A9.

As effectively as reducing this wheelbase by 50mm to be able to 2940mm, Audi has additionally provided its most up-to-date concept car with a thoroughly new five-link raise multi-link suspension wearing adaptive air springs capable of varying the drive height.

In an increasingly significant move, in addition, it receives a four-wheel steering system that permits the rear wheels to turn by up to be able to five degrees with regard to improved manoeuvrability all-around town and greater agility about the open road.

For that new Audi’s introduction, the advanced suspension has become lowered quite significantly within the name of design, robbing the Prologue of any meaningful tire travel. And those customized 22-inch wheels are usually shod with purposeful 285/30 Pirelli R Zero tyres offering little with respect to additional compliancy.

Predictably, there is some sharp vertical pitching even as turn right on the traffic lights and set off down Rodeo Drive towards the stares of onlookers.

But, wow, there’s encouraging experience and accurate action towards the steering. Like a great many other aspects of this mechanical package utilized by the Prologue, the electro-mechanical method is taken directly through the S8. It is allied towards the new rear control mechanism that aids you to provide the big coupé with the outstanding turning group of friends of just 8. 5 metres – lower than that of this significantly smaller A3, approximately says Audi.

The Prologue is often a concept, but there may be real substance to be able to its low-speed manoeuvrability. Also at limited data transfer rates, it possesses the makings of an very appealing production car. It steers within a direct manner, changes direction impatiently and corners within a flat and unperturbed method.

Once I’ve obtained the Prologue percolating along at a constant speed, the ride also settles plus the cars true personality begins to shine through.

At 40mph there may be sufficient compliancy to be able to call it cozy, although admittedly this smooth- surfaced roads your route weren’t exactly taxing the suspension to be able to any great stage.

Encouraged to the pace, I lean about the throttle, at which stage the sleekly formed two-door suddenly feels way less like a delicate concept and more of a brutish functionality car.

With 3000rpm wound about the engine, the initial hesitancy within the throttle response disappears plus the advanced V8 will start to propel the Prologue with the sort of authority you would expect of a motor vehicle set to rival the Mercedes-Benz S-class coupé.

Audi suggests this production version from the Prologue will struck the scales at around 1980kg and possess a 0-62mph time period of just 3. 7sec, which seems entirely believable if you think about the huge shove displayed on the wide open throttle.

The shift action from the gearbox is pretty sweet, too. The ZF-sourced unit engages higher gears smoothly and it is quick to downshift when you come off this throttle. The brakes, somewhat over-servoed you might say all Audis once was, are quite sensitive at the top of the pedal’s vacation. But they’re manageable enough on the limited speeds I’m yanking.

Each brief increase in acceleration involving the traffic lights is along with a glorious blare of exhaust, and it is not long before our own police escort switches on the siren and boasting blue lights to be able to clear traffic, allowing us to be able to cruise uninterrupted through the heart of Beverly Slopes in true celeb style.

That mentioned, there are limits to the amount I’m prepared to be able to push. For a single, the Prologue has become hand-built and is far from being a genuine road-going prototype.

Its also the only example available, and I don’t strive to be the one to inform Hackenberg that his / her priceless concept automobile, completed just five days just before our drive, provides gained some sudden styling modifications.

Nonetheless, if Audi is to be believed, we won’t have to wait too some time before the production edition reaches showrooms. Given the difficulty it has been paid to, it would seem odd to formulate expectations of the latest range-topping model the way it has in the event that it wasnt about to grant it some sort of definitive production environment friendly light sometime quickly.

But while this pillarless two-door coupé body kind of the concept is usually an intriguing proposition, youll find hints that this production version from the A9 will get a more practical five-door liftback layout much like that used from the A7. In a segment from the market known with regard to convention, it is a daring move. But I’m sure it will win Audi quite a few admirers.