2024 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:13
The Audi Q3 should combine the features of a sports car with the advantages of an SUV. The near-series study is powered by a two-liter engine of the latest TDI generation.
From Susanne Kilimann
Officially, the Q3 that Audi presented at the Shanghai Motor Show still has the status of a study. But that is already very close to the series, let the Ingolstadt know. And the car that was unveiled in China clearly shows where the journey is headed with the Ingolstadt-based youngster, which the Q family will soon expand. The "Cross Coupé quattro" - this is the name of the forerunner of the Q3 in Shanghai - is a crossover model and, according to Audi, combines the design and dynamics of a compact premium sports car with the spaciousness and versatility of an SUV. The distinctive radiator grille, the proportions with the large sheet metal surface on the side, the slim ribbon window and the powerful rear show that the Q7 is a close relative. The side surface with the gently rising shoulder line of the rear area, on the other hand, is copied from the Coupé A5.
Well-known platform
Audi's Crossover Q3 shares the platform with the A4, the future new Golf and other Group models. With a length of just 4.38 meters, the car is a remarkable 1.82 meters wide. The wheelbase is 2.60 meters and the height, typical for SUVs, is 1.60 meters. The chassis - with a McPherson axle at the front and four-link independent wheel suspension at the rear - carries large 20-inch wheels with 245/45 R20 tires. Audi is once again relying on permanent all-wheel drive with variable power distribution. The “magnetic ride” shock absorber technology of the new crossover is already being used in the TT and in the high-performance R8 sports car.
New TDI generation
Under the hood, a completely newly developed two-liter diesel engine goes to work, the first representative of a new four-cylinder TDI generation in the Volkswagen Group. The powerful diesel engine revs up the Q3 harbinger with 204 hp (150 kW). The maximum torque of 400 Newton meters is between 2000 and 3500 rpm. With all the power development, the diesel engine should be modest with an average of 5.9 liters.
Mixture preparation is handled by a latest-generation common rail system that will also be used in the V6 TDI. The high injection pressure of a maximum of 2000 bar ensures finer atomization of the fuel and thus more efficient combustion. Diesel particle filters and Bluetec injection to reduce nitrogen oxides are plus points in terms of environmental compatibility.
Classy chic
For the presentation in China, the Ingolstadt-based company gave the interior of the sports car SUV a chic leather dress. There is space for a maximum of four occupants, because the rear bench offers two comfortable seat hollows instead of a flat surface. The electric folding roof almost makes you feel like a convertible. The perforated application strip in the dash panel area, which connects the center console and the passenger area, is new in the Audi. According to Audi, its perforated surface has more than 4,600 holes. And they should guarantee an indirect and draft-free function of the air conditioning.
The Ingolstadt-based company wants to impress multimedia freaks with even more high-tech. Another Audi innovation is the retractable display of the MMI electronic communication system. Via the retractable monitor in the upper area of the center console, information - for example about incoming SMS and phone calls - can be displayed by laser projection directly on the windshield. Even electronically authorized vignettes or parking permit stickers can be projected onto the window in a mirror-inverted manner and thus legible from the outside. They remain visible there - even when the vehicle is parked.
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