The New Audi A6 Hybrid AWD Sports Car Will Soon Make Its World Debut In Frankfurt
The New Audi A6 Hybrid AWD Sports Car Will Soon Make Its World Debut In Frankfurt
The latest Audi A6 generation will also be getting a hybrid version called the Audi A6 Hybrid (duh!) which will make its world debut this fall at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The model will be powered by the same hybrid powertrain from the Q5 Hybrid SUV, which will also equip the A8 flagship in the future.
In the official press release, Audi says the powertrain features a 2.0-liter TFSI petrol engine that delivers 211 hp and a maximum torque of 350 Nm which is paired to an electric motor producing 40 kW (54 hp) and peak torque of 210 Nm. Combined, the two offer the Audi A6 Hybrid a total power output of 245 hp and maximum torque of 480 Nm.
As you can imagine, the performance numbers are pretty decent: The car sprints from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 238 km/h (148 mph), while the estimated fuel consumption is 6.4 liters per 100 km (36.7 US mpg) on the combined cycle. The car produces only 146 grams of CO2 per kilometer and its 73 liters (19.2 gallons) gas tank offers a maximum range of more than 1,100 km (around 685 miles).
The lithium-ion battery pack is located under the trunk’s floor, which means the luggage has been reduced from 500 liters to 375 liters, leaving enough space just for the passenger’s baggage, so if owners want to carry larger objects they might have some problems. Audi invested a lot of time and money into making sure the battery pack is as compact as possible, the total weight being just 36.7 kg (81 pounds). The battery features an architecture with 72 cells, and the German carmaker promises it will offer increased reliability and handle temperature differences without problems.
When driving in the EV mode, which can be selected from a button on the central dashboard, the Audi A6 Hybrid can drive in electric-only mode for around 3 kilometers (2 miles), during which it can achieve a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). When selecting the eight-speed automatic transmission’s “D” mode, the car uses both engines for propulsion. When the driver selects the “S” mode, the electric motor is only used during aggressive acceleration to provide an additional boost.
Like we said at the beginning of this article, the new Audi A6 Hybrid will make its debut this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany; the market launch is scheduled for 2012. However, the Ingolstadt-based carmaker hasn’t released any details regarding the starting price, which will probably be announced closer to the launch date.
