World Premiere Of The Audi Prologue Allroad Concept At Auto Shanghai
Following in the footsteps of the Prologue Concept sedan, which was presented at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2014, and the Prologue Avant Concept, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2015, comes the third in this trinity of concept cars: the Audi Prologue Allroad Concept. This trio pushes the limits of the brand’s visual vocabulary, paving the way for the next generation of production models, like the new A8 expected next year.
Compared to the Prologue Avant Concept, the Prologue Allroad Concept features more ground clearance, reviving the German automaker’s original intention for this model. Aside from that, though, it looks a lot like the Avant. It’s 5.13 metres long, rolls on 22-inch wheels and includes integrated roof rails and special cladding. The Prologue Allroad is massive, but we expect the production A6 Allroad, which will probably launch in 2018, to be more compact in size.
- Also: Audi Might Unveil Their Prologue Allroad Concept In Shanghai
- Also: First Pictures Of The Audi Prologue Avant Concept
Twin-turbo V8 and electric motor
Curious about the drivetrain? Audi is playing both the performance and efficiency cards by equipping the Prologue Allroad with a gasoline-powered 4.0L twin-turbo V8 and an electric mill housed in the tiptronic eight-speed automatic gearbox. The combined power is said to be 734 horsepower, with 663 lb.-ft. of torque transmitted to all four wheels via an all-wheel drive system. According to Audi, the 0 to 100 km/h sprint takes just 3.5 seconds. Meanwhile, fuel consumption is just 2.4 litres/100 kilometres, in accordance with European standards for rechargeable hybrids. The 14.1 kW/h lithium-ion battery is stored under the trunk floor and gives the Prologue Allroad Concept 54 kilometres of all-electric range. One of the new concept vehicle’s most interesting features is that the battery is recharged using induction, and not by plugging a cable into an outlet. Audi says they eventually want to include induction charge systems in its next production rechargeable hybrids.
First-class comfort
The Prologue Allroad Concept’s cabin comes with four seats and a centre console that stretches from front to back. Up front, three touch screens face the driver and passenger, while the driver is treated to the virtual cockpit first seen on the recent Audi TT. Rear passengers can control the A/C and infotainment system, and play with the two electronic tablets mounted behind the front seats. What’s more, Audi has introduced the “butler” program, which recognizes passengers based on their smartphones and adjusts the seats and the climate control system to their preferences. It can also make recommendations on music or which route you should take to get to your destination.