Buoyed by its record sales year Audi is continuing its model onslaught by taking the wraps off the Sportback Concept at the Detroit Auto Show overnight. The swooping four-door machine is expected to appear in production form as the A7 by 2011.
The Sportback is based on the A5 Coupe but features an extra pair of doors and a steeply raked roofline tapering down to a short boot. The A7 will sit in between the A5 Coupe and A8 sedan and compete against the growing list of coupe-inspired sports sedans which includes the Mercedes-Benz CLS and new Porsche Panamera.
The new car signals Audi's intention for the Sportback style not to be limited to its A3 compact. In fact the company is planning on rolling out the Sportback theme across its range of cars in the same way it evolved the humble station wagon into the more fashionable Avant. The Sportback is designed to include sporting, coupe looks but combined with five-door versatility.
It is part of Audi's push to become the world's leading luxury car brand by 2015 with a raft of new models. Already the company has added the A5 Coupe and Cabriolet, A3 Sportback, Q7 SUV and range-topping R8 supercar with the Q5 soft-roader and compact A1 expected in the short-term.
The Sportback Concept features very clean lines in an evolution of Audi's current design philosophy. Although similar to the A5 the concept features a cleaner roof line and wider shoulders and sills to give the car a more purposeful look. Audi's trademark grille has also been updated, now reduced in size and the vertical struts removed to help give the car a sportier look. The swooping wheel wells house 21-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels. The car is topped off with a glass roof.
The simple and sporty design theme carries over to the interior and features extensive use of horizontal lines and leather. Audi's traditional MMI monitor is concealed within the dashboard and pops out when the ignition turned on. The centre console runs almost the entire length of the interior splitting the two rear seats.
Under the bonnet Audi has given another indication of its future direction with the 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbodiesel unit that the company claims posses the world's cleanest diesel technology.
Audi's engineers have developed a new "downstream exhaust emission control system" that the company claims reduces emissions by up to 90 per cent. The engine meets EU6 standards -- not due to be introduced until 2014 -- as well as regulations for all 50 American states. The new engine is due to be introduced into showrooms this year.
As usual power is delivered via the company's iconic all-wheel-drive system and is mated to its seven-speed S tronic transmission. The concept also features ceramic brakes to help improve stopping performance.