Dubai Motor Show: Audi’s next step into the future
Dubai, November 10, 2011 – At the 2011 Dubai International Motor Show visitors have the chance to get up close and personal with the latest vehicles on the market including Audi’s newly launched Audi A1, A6, A7, A8 L W12 and R8 GT. As a surprise, the brand with the four rings also revealed the new Audi Q3 – Audi’s first SUV in the premium compact segment. The small, sporty SUV will join the other members of the Q family, the Audi Q5 and the Audi Q7 in the second quarter of 2012.
The five-door Q3 with its dynamic, coupe-like styling offers genuine SUV traits in terms of seating position, wheel size and ground clearance, and stands out on account of the extremely sporty driving experience it provides. The Q3 combines the design and dynamics of a compact car with the roominess and versatility of an SUV. Every aspect of the Q3 showcases Audi technology – the body, where Audi once again demonstrates its competence in “ultra” lightweight construction, the drivetrain, the chassis and the assistance and multimedia systems. The Audi Q3 will be launched with two four-cylinder TFSI powerplants. Developing between 170 hp and 211 hp, they are as powerful as they are efficient.
Speaking during the press conference Jeff Mannering, Managing Director of Audi Middle East, focused on the car of the future “At the 125th anniversary of the car, we are reinventing the car. The objective for Audi is not just to keep up with the pack; we want to set the pace. For our path forward we have defined five priority topics: Audi design, lightweight construction under the name “Audi ultra”, “Audi connect” for the future of networked mobility, “Audi e-tron” for electric mobility, and “Audi balanced mobility”, which stands for our objective of CO2 neutral mobility. There are major challenges ahead such as standards, costs and infrastructure, but Audi is ready to write the next chapter of mobility. The new Audi Q3 is our next step into the future here in the Middle East.” He continued “We are aiming for 25 percent growth in the Middle East in 2011 and a new record year overall. The Arab Spring has affected parts of the region, but we are growing through new models - many of which you can see here at the Dubai Motor Show - and our continuous efforts to delight our customers through sales and after sales service.”
One of the most anticipated highlights of the 2011 Dubai Motor Show is the regional premiere of the Audi quattro concept car. Thirty years after the original Audi quattro rewrote the rulebook of motorsports and everyday practicality Audi moves it’s most iconic model into the fast lane with this futuristic interpretation in both design and technology. The Audi quattro concept is a thoroughbred driving machine with 408 hp, a five-cylinder turbocharged engine and – of course – the latest generation of quattro permanent all-wheel drive. Constructed following the principles of Audi “ultra” lightweight construction, the two-seater concept car weighs just 1,300 kilograms, almost exactly the same as the Sport quattro from 1984. Entertainment is offered not just under the hood, but also in the form of digital media and mobile connectivity. Whether or not the successor to the legendary Audi quattro will go into series production has yet to be announced.
