Geneva show: Audi's Prologue Avant points ahead

AUDI has uncovered its second Prologue concept car, this time wearing the Avant label, ahead of next week’s Geneva motor show, and, like its sedan sibling, points to likely future production models.

The wagon-like Avant is longer than the fastback styling of the sedan shown late last year at the Los Angeles motor show, however the exterior and interior styling are very close.

Audi board member and head of technical development Urlich Hackenberg said the design of the sedan has been translated into a longer form.

“The Audi Prologue Avant is progressive, emotion-filled and versatile,” he said.

“It reflects Audi’s technological competence and quality claim perfectly.” While Audi won’t confirm it, the Prologue sedan is the design future for the Audi A8 that is expected in 2017.

That design, marked by a low silhouette and a flat-faced full-width grille with chamfered edges, is then expected to march on to the A6 and A7.

The new grille is a big step away from the full-depth, framed grille that Audi has used as a defining point for more than a decade.

In its future A8 guise, it is also expected to morph into the A9 coupe that will rival the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe.

The Prologue Avant, however, is more likely to lead to wagon versions of the A6 and A4 and become the styling tool for the higher-riding Allroad model family.

But while there are common styles in the sedan and Avant, the drivetrains are completely different.

The sedan was shown at Los Angeles with a working drivetrain made up of a more powerful 4.0-litre bi-turbocharged engine from the RS7 rated at 450kW and 750Nm.

The Avant is shown at Geneva with the same plug-in hybrid system as fitted to the upcoming Q7 e-tron.

This powerplant has 340kW and 750Nm thanks to a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine and an electric motor. Audi claims the Avant is capable of the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.1 seconds and an electric-only range of 52km. It also has wireless charging, meaning the car can be parked over a plate in the garage and draw power via induction.

Audi’s Avant also features all-wheel drive, electric steering on all wheels and air suspension.

The wagon also showcases Audi relationship with Samsung and highlights in-car technology based around touchscreens.

The driver and up to three passengers can establish a digital communication via two organic-LED (OLED) displays. Audi said these are extremely thin, detachable displays that offer on-demand information and entertainment. They are similar to the Audi tablet concept used in the next-generation Q7 that is due in Australian showrooms in the second half of this year.