Beijing show: Audi flies a kite with Q3 concept

WHILE the RS Q3 won most attention on Audi’s stand at the Beijing motor show this week, the German luxury car-maker presented a second “recreationally oriented and rugged” vehicle based on its compact SUV.

The company also unveiled a plug-in hybrid version of the A6 L that it bills as its first “luxury-class” e-tron concept car, which slots an alternative drivetrain into its popular Chinese-built long-wheelbase sedan in an effort to “specifically fulfil Chinese needs”.

While the RS concept explores the dynamic performance of the Q3, the ‘Jinlong Yufeng’ – or ‘Golden Dragon of the Wind’ – version has a kite-surfing theme and features two kiteboards made of carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) mounted to the roof.

Audi’s designers also developed a unique cargo floor liner in the form of a pouch that provides protection against dirt and can be used to stow wet beach articles – or even be used as a beach umbrella or a seat cover.

From top: Audi's long-wheelbase A6 L e-tron and Q3 Jinlong Yufeng.

The other main recreational accessory on the Jinlong Yufeng is a pair of ‘Audi Cams’ that can be used to transmit images to the vehicle and then send them on to other receivers using onboard multimedia technology.

The concept is finished in a “luminous monochrome colour” called Liuli Yellow that aims to express a “zest for life and high energy” and has a host of body accessories, including flared wheelarches and brushed stainless-steel running boards that will soon be available on the regular Q3.

The A6 L e-tron, meanwhile, is a parallel hybrid that combines a 155kW 2.0-litre TFSI petrol engine and a 70kW electric motor, with a lithium-ion battery pack located in a “collision-protected” space at the rear of the vehicle.

Audi claims that in pure electric mode the concept can travel up to 80km at a constant speed of 60km/h, with the hybrid control module automatically choosing the most appropriate operating mode “with the focus on driving range”.