As Audi rolls out electric autos to cowl a lot of its mannequin line and fill the gaps between its current fashions, it’s making ready to supply simply as a lot flexibility in physique kinds as you’ll discover if gasoline is your choice.
The Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron idea launched Tuesday follows a design theme that Audi phrases “dynamic elegance,” standing in distinction to the pragmatic take of the Q4 SUV idea, which was launched on the 2019 Geneva motor present..
In a sneak peak earlier than the Q4 Sportback’s official reveal, Audi additionally known as its two production-bound Q4 fashions “a cornerstone in the electrification strategy” for the model. The Q4 Sportback and the Q4 SUV are successfully two sides of the identical coin however could attraction to clients with very completely different priorities.
Audi Q4 e-tron idea
The upcoming Q4 E-Tron fashions might make extra inroads for the model and its electric-vehicle push by providing much more luxurious and refinement than you’re prone to discover within the Tesla Model Y or Ford Mach-E, for about the identical worth.
Choice is part of it, too. Distinct physique kinds are going to be a part of the brand new norm afforded by going all-electric, partly as a result of conceiving them is less complicated. Unlike what underpins the bigger E-Tron SUV and E-Tron Sportback, the modular toolkit (MEB) shared by Volkswagen and Audi for smaller and extra reasonably priced electric fashions is designed to accommodate a bevy of physique kinds and customization—as these manufacturers have proven with numerous idea vehicles from the Volkswagen ID Buggy to the ID Buzz.
The Q4 Sportback and SUV begin and finish with roughly the identical dimensions however are distinctive in profile, every with its personal distinct roofline. While the SUV has a chopped-off look in again, with extra rear glass—and sure cargo area and visibility—the Sportback’s roofline follows a easy arc on the aspect pillars, as if it had been traced alongside a French curve.
The Sportback’s roofline makes the a lot of the at-the-corners positioning of the massive 22-inch wheels and articulated fenders, which in keeping with Marc Lichte, the top of Audi design, appear to be 4 muscle groups on the corners. And the automobile as an entire is uncommon, Lichte notes, because it places “a very sporty and slim roofline, on a very robust SUV body.”
Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron idea
There isn’t a lot distinction by the numbers. Audi confirms that the Sportback is simply 0.four inches longer and decrease than the Q4 idea SUV. It’s 181.1 inches lengthy, 63.Zero inches tall, and 74.eight inches extensive, on a 109.1-inch wheelbase.
The ground of the Sportback idea is manufactured from recycled supplies, with a lightweight, heat colour scheme and white and beige microfiber supplies on the sprint. A 12.3-inch touchscreen stands atop the instrument panel, canted towards the motive force, and an “augmented reality” head-up show pushes turn-by-turn instructions and different help cues to the windshield.
The Sportback has twin motors, with a complete output of 302 horsepower. A rear permanent-magnet motor delivers 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque and the entrance asynchronous motor provides 101 hp and 111 lb-ft of torque.
Audi notes that this model displays the highest trim of the upcoming 2022 Audi Q4 manufacturing mannequin. It says the Q4 accelerates from 0-62 mph in 6.Three seconds and to a prime pace of 112 mph.
The suspension consists of a entrance strut, rear multi-link suspension structure with adaptive damping, and the corporate claims a weight distribution near 50/50.. Range from the 82-kwh battery pack is 280 miles in keeping with the European WLTP commonplace, with the potential for a fast-charge to 80% in simply over 30 minutes. Expect much less vary within the U.S.
Partly because of the roofline and the spoiler at its tail, the Sportback’s coefficient of drag is 0.26, versus 0.28 for the SUV, which suggests this physique fashion may do a bit higher in driving vary.
The Q4 E-Tron lineup will go into manufacturing only a yr from now, which can give potential patrons sufficient time to mull which of those decisions is greatest for his or her garages.