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From YourSITE.com Audi News For nearly everyone who didn’t work for Audi at the North American International Auto Show, the shape and scope of Ingolstadt’s latest e-tron Detroit Concept car was a total surprise when it was uncovered in Detroit this week. Audi had already revealed that there would be a concept car but held its ground and allowed no further photos or information to slip out until the day it debuted. When the cloth came off, one very interesting and very enigmatic design study was shown.
When the crowd was finally invited on stage, our staff went directly to Audi AG’s development chief Michael Dick in order to get more details. With questions coming at him from journalists all sides, Mr. Dick;s tone was somewhat enigmatic with statements such as “This is an all-new platform we haven’t used before” and unlike the R8-based e-trons shown before “there are no plans yet to build this car.” So what is this Detroit e-tron? We see a bit of an Aston Martin balance to the profile – one of a slightly snub-nosed remix of the classic ‘60s GT silhouette that might feel familiar to the owner of a modern Aston Martin… and this confused us. Could this be the next-generation TT and based on the upcoming MQB modular transverse architecture? After asking many contacts including Mr. Dick we’ve been able to ascertain some key details. Most importantly, don’t let the frontal proportions fool you as this would be a mid-engined car were it to have an engine
During the conversation with Michael Dick, the Audi board member was asked about Porsche, the Boxster/Cayman pair and specifically if having that brand in the fold would help bring about cars like this. Dick did allude to such sharing making a lot of sense and that the idea of a “little brother” for the R8 was not lost on either him or the Audi Board of Directors. Of course this peaked our interest. On the floor, the e-tron Detroit Concept appeared to be roughly the same size as Audi’s TT. We inquired with Audi brand group design boss Wolfgang Egger about this and he corrected us. The footprint is close, but overhangs are shorter. Overall height is also shorter than TT. The car is actually closer to the Volkswagen Polo in size and thus also the upcoming Audi A1.
So what exactly is this e-tron? We’re told that it is an Audi take on the platform with a mid-mounted transverse engine layout. Its architecture was first seen last year in Detroit underpinning the Volkswagen Bluesport TDI concept car and numerous rumors about it have swirled ever since. We’re told the chassis, one we’ve come to call MQB-mid until engineers give us a more official nomenclature, is very close to getting the green light. We also hear a Porsche concept is being readied and our guess is that it will debut at either Geneva in March or Paris in September. Why then call this Audi concept e-tron, which is a bit confusing since there is another concept by the same name? Audi AG chairman Rupert Stadler expressed in his presentation that Ingolstadt intends to brand its electric cars ‘e-tron’ and, much like ‘quattro’ being synonymous with all-wheel drive, the Audi hopes to see ‘e-tron’ become synonymous with electric mobility.
Automotive jounralist Georg Kacher reported last year in CAR Magazine that an Audi based on the BlueSport and powered by electricity might be built. If so, this is likely that car. However, we suspect gasoline versions will also be built. So where would such a car position within the Audi lineup? We’re not exactly sure and suspect neither is Audi. Given Michael Dick’s (and others’) statement about a little brother for the R8, this may likely be an R-badged model like R2, R3 or R4. One other question goes back to Boxster and Cayman. Replacements for those two cars with their longitudinally mounted engines will likely not be built on this ‘MQB-mid’ setup and that honor will likely go to a new Porsche model positioned below Boxster. In that respect there could be yet one more Volkswagen Group hardware set between MQB-mid and the R8/Gallardo replacement.
As for TT, this is another point of discussion. Is there room for both a TT and a range of two to three Audi R-cars? Could the TT name be flipped to a mid-engine design? It is a bit too early for Audi planners to comment on this but we’re sure this needs to be determined as Audi’s numerous impending sportscar models move into place. For now, the e-tron Detroit Concept remains one very beautiful car and one of the most significant design studies shown in Detroit.
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