Audi to showcase seven world premieres at the 85th Geneva Motor Show



Audi is going all out this time at Europe’s largest auto show, the 85th Geneva Motor Show. The famed Ingolstadt-based carmaker will be exhibiting four variants of their second generation Audi R8, the AMG A45 rival RS 3 Sportback, Q7 e-tron quattro and the futuristic Audi Prologue Avant concept; making for a whopping seven world premieres.

Audi prologue Avant
Audi Prologue Avant Concept

 

First off, the Audi Prologue Avant Concept points the direction to their future design language, flaunting a holistic styling approach both inside and out. It shares the same powertrain as the Audi Q7 e-tron quattro – the 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine that’s complemented with a 100 kW electric motor. Drivetrain is an eight-speed tiptronic, sending 455 hp and 750 Nm of torque to all four wheels via the brand’s Quattro system.

Making another global debut is the blistering Audi RS 3 Sportback, a 367 hp and 465 Nm beast with its sight set firmly on the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG. Power comes from a 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that’s also used in the preceding model, but has been bumped up by as much as 30 horsepower.

Audi RS3 Sportback (8)

 

Joining the onslaught are four R8 variants – the R8 V10, R8 V10 Plus, R8 LMS and R8 e-tron. Highlighting the mid-engine V10 supercar is the e-tron variant, but wait, it’s an all-electric, waging war against Tesla’s Model S. The R8 e-tron is fitted with a 92 kWh lithium-ion battery which delivers 456 hp and a numbing 920 Nm of instantaneous torque. It sprints from standstill to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, yet manages an impressive 450 kilometers in a single charge.

Audi R8 e-tron quattro

 

Summing up the list of world premieres is the Q7 e-tron quattro. Audi claims that it’s the world’s first six-cylinder diesel plug-in hybrid with quattro drive in its segment, sharing the same powertrain as the Prologue Avant Concept. In electric mode, the lithium-ion battery is capable of delivering 56 kilometers, but its hybrid drive system allows the Q7 to cover more than a ridiculous 1,410 km. This diesel V6’s state of tune makes 373 hp and 700 Nm of torque, whilst consuming 1.7 litres of fuel per 100 km. The 0 to 100 km/h sprint is done in 6 seconds flat – that’s mighty quick for a vehicle this size.

Audi Q7 e-tron 3.0 TDI quattro

 

The 85th Salon international de l’automobile has in its history seen some of the automotive industry’s greatest milestones, and we’d be lying if we told you we’re not excited. Bookmark this page because we’ll bring you the latest developments at the world famous motor show!

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IMAGE GALLERY

Audi Prologue Avant Concept

 

Audi RS 3 Sportback

 

Audi R8 e-tron

 

Audi Q7 e-tron Quattro