Updates on Audi: A1 coming, Tokyo concept, A8/Bentley diet
by Damon Lavrinc on Sep 18th 2007 at 5:31PM 
4Car sat down with Michael Dick, a member of Audi's board who heads up the product engineering side of things, and came away with new insights on the MINI-fighting A1, the future of Bentley and what products are waiting in the wings.Starting small, Audi's new A1 will not share the all-aluminum construction of the less-than-popular A2, instead using the steel PQ24 platform that underpins the VW Polo and Skoda Fabia. It will be distinctly Audi in its design, albeit in a small package, and will feature a number of technologies – specifically the MMI setup – that's found in the quad-ring's luxury offerings. Don't expect Quattro in the beginning, nor will a three-door body be offered at first, but Dick confirmed that there would be a concept debuting in Tokyo next month that hints at the A1's styling.
Audi is also developing a new alloy structure for the A8 that will underpin the next generation of Bentleys, and will likely reduce the overall weight of both models by over 300 pounds. Also, the reworked A3 is coming next year, along with a convertible version, while the Q5 will arrive in 2008 complete with either a hybrid drivetrain or a diesel engine – both slated for sales in the U.S.
[Source: 4Car]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Csingh 5:47PM (9/18/2007)
Cool cant wait to see audi always has hot designs i wonder how come theres been no word on the Q5?
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Mike 5:57PM (9/18/2007)
"nor will a three-door body be offered at first"
What else would the A1 be? A four door hatch like the A3? A two door sedan like the A5 but smaller? I don't get it.
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WestSiderRider 6:19PM (9/18/2007)
Mike -
There was a time when cars with just 2 doors were called coupes. That's probably what the A1 will start out as.
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mctwist16 6:35PM (9/18/2007)
excellent point mike. 1 door car ftw!
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fizzandpop 8:11PM (9/18/2007)
Seriously, the guy is called Michael Dick? I bet he doesn't like it when you shorten his name to Mick.
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adrian 8:28PM (9/18/2007)
I don't like the silence of the lambs grill.
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tim 9:17AM (9/19/2007)
Listen, Audi makes some really great cars. But do we have to have an Audi entry EVERY DAY? Seriously, it's worse than the hundreds of Mustang variations that we were subjected to over the last couple of years. I say Audi does not do something every day that warrants an Autoblog entry, my apologies to Audi enthusiasts.
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mxrz 12:44AM (9/20/2007)
We need more Audi coverage imo.