(January 12, 2014) DETROIT — Sporty, compact and versatile: It is with these attributes that the Audi allroad shooting brake makes its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week. The two-door car is a crossover and so it is not limited to paved roads.

Its high level of functionality makes it ideal for recreational sports. Its hybrid drive, which is as powerful as it is efficient, makes a new form of quattro drive possible — the e-tron quattro.

“The show car combines sex appeal, highly efficient e-tron-quattro technology that produces 300 kW of power yet only is rated at 123.80 mpg and cutting-edge electronic applications,” says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, member of the Board of AUDI AG, Technical Development. “We are offering very concrete glimpses of the near future in this show car.”



Audi is extending its design language in the Audi allroad shooting brake. The compact two-door show car combines a host of visual elements of future sports car models with the Audi-typical allroad concept and "shooting brake” car body form. Its user interface strategy also offers an outlook on future production solutions.

The Audi allroad shooting brake maintains a powerful stance on the road. The interplay of its cleanly drawn lines and the taut muscular tension of its surfaces create a sculptural, emotional design. The exterior skin appears as though it were sculpted from one solid piece, from the single-frame grille to the distinctive tornado line and crisp rear styling, in which the characteristics of the allroad and the shooting brake come together.

The concept represents the first time that Audi has combined the allroad and e-tron form languages. As on every Audi, the large hexagonal single-frame grille dominates on the impressive sculptural front; it is slightly offset towards the rear of the body. Typical of an e-tron model, it has an insert with narrow fins, which resemble the cooling ribs of an electronic component. There is a quattro logo on the lower part of the single-frame. The low-profile central air inlet is milled into the underbody protection that is made of aluminum.

In a side view as well, the characteristic lines of the show car give the impression of concentrated energy. Its overhangs are short, and its roof line stretches low over the vehicle body. Typical of the shooting brake style, it descends early and runs out into the distinctive C-pillars. There is a charging port in the left pillar and a fuel door in the right pillar.

The exterior skin of the Audi allroad shooting brake is a material mix of aluminum and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). The dark gray rub strips are typical allroad elements, and they visually reduce the volume of the body; they ascend dynamically from front to rear. Together with the large wheel flares, they highlight the car's offroad character.

Fine details attest to the precision with which the show car was designed. There are aluminum inlays in the angular sill add-ons. The large lightweight wheels have rims made of CFRP. Their finely detailed styling with seven arms is based on the look of the e-tron models, while their central locks are another feature that highlights the sporty character of the compact crossover.

The versatility and functionality of the Audi allroad shooting brake is ideal for young, sporty and active people. In the winter in California, for example, they could drive the car from Los Angeles to the San Gabriel Mountains for snowboarding in the morning, and then head out to at Venice Beach for some kite surfing in the afternoon.

There is plenty of room for four passengers inside. In front, the narrow sport seats give the driver and front passenger optimal body support; they feature highly contoured lateral panels and integrated head restraints, while cushioned pads support the thighs in quick driving through curves. An easy entry function makes it easier to enter the rear seating area. When the rear seatback is folded down, a cargo area with a level cargo floor is created, in which there is space for rather large sports equipment.