Audi Oz confirms first hybrid

Audi has confirmed it will release its first hybrid model in Australia earlier than expected this year, with the A6 hybrid due in local showrooms by December as a direct rival to the new GS450h from luxury hybrid pioneer Lexus, as well as Infiniti’s new M35h.

What’s more, the four-cylinder A6 hybrid is likely to undercut the $99,900 starting price of both large petrol-electric six-cylinder Japanese hybrids, and BMW Australia’s first electrified model - the ActiveHybrid 5 sedan, which is also due here by year’s end but will cost more than the $115,600 535i sedan upon which it’s based.

Audi Australia’s first hybrid shares its turbo-four engine with the entry-level A6 2.0 TFSI sedan (from $77,900) and combines with an electric motor to deliver total outputs of 180kW and 480Nm to its front wheels, delivering class-leading combined fuel consumption of just 6.2L/100km.

However, the A6 hybrid — which can accelerate to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds, making it almost a second quicker than the more frugal A6 2.0 TDI, and offers zero-emissions driving for up to 3km — won’t match the V8-like performance of either the GS450h, the ActiveHybrid 5 or the M35h, which Infiniti bills as the world’s fastest hybrid.

The Volkswagen-owned German brand’s hybrid play, which comes as a surprise following consistent claims by successive Audi Australia managing directors that the company’s advanced diesel technology makes hybrid power redundant here, will leave Mercedes-Benz as the only mainstream premium brand not to offer a hybrid model.

Like its German rivals, Audi will also eventually offer all-electric models – with the R8 e-tron supercar due on sale in Europe next year – while plug-in hybrid versions of other Audi models will go on sale in 2014.

The A6 hybrid will be the last in a bevy of new or upgraded Audis to go on sale in Australia this year, before at least another six arrive here in the first half of next year.

Fresh from launching the all-new Q3, new A6 Avant, facelifted A4 and S4 sedan, A5 Sportback and Cabriolet, plus the new A1 Sportback price-leader earlier this year, Audi will release its upgraded 331kW RS5 super-coupe in coming days, complete with a $13,400 price cut to $161,900.

Next on the overloaded Audi launch list is the simultaneous release of both the A4 and A6 Allroad in October. The smaller A4 wagon-based all-wheel drive crossover will be available exclusively in 2.0 TDI S-tronic quattro guise, while the new-generation A6 Allroad will be sold only in 3.0 TDI S-tronic quattro form.

October will also see the arrival of the all-new S6 sedan and wagon, and the all-new S7 Sportback, both powered by Audi’s new 309kW twin-turbo V8, the 4.0 TFSI, which features cylinder deactivation and is also employed by Bentley. All three Audi models will come standard with quattro AWD, but the S6 twins will come with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, while the S7 has an eight-speed auto.

The same 4.0 TFSI engine could also appear in the A8 limousine and Audi Australia has also received design certification for the latest S8, which is powered by an even hotter version of the twin-turbo engine that produces 382kW at a higher 6400rpm, but says the S-badged A8 could remain an order-only affair here.

Next in November will be the facelifted Q5 range, which should continue to be Audi Australia’s best-seller by bringing upgraded four- and six-cylinder forced-induction engines, including the range-topping – for now – new supercharged Q5 3.0 TFSI.

While homologation issues continue to prevent the cracking RS3 hot-hatch from coming to Australia – despite another batch recently being announced for right-hand driving markets including the UK - joining the A6 hybrid on sale late this year will be the quicker and less efficient new TT RS Plus.

As we reported from the global launch, the swansong for the Audi’s second-generation TT coupe employs an enhanced 2.5-litre turbo-five to produce 265kW and 465Nm – 15kW/15Nm more than the already-peppy TT RS, sending it to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds on the way to a top speed of 280km/h.

The equally rapid new RS4 Avant will be one of Audi’s first new models to arrive next year, followed by the facelifted R8 supercar and the A6 and A7 biturbo twins, powered by the same sequential-turbo 230kW/650Nm 3.0-litre diesel that powers the new SQ5 super-crossover.

The latter is also due by mid-2013, as is Audi’s all-new A3, which will only be available here in the five-door Sportback guise to appear at September’s Paris Motor Show.

While bahnstorming new S3, RS3 and RS6 models are also on Audi’s horizon, there’s no official word yet about a new RS4 sedan – or the widely speculated BMW X6-rivalling Q6. In fact, motoring.com.au understands Audi’s next all-new SUV will not be Q5-based, but smaller than the Q3 – perhaps badged as the Q2.

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