Audi Q3 Vail Concept

Mr. De Nysschen announced at the recent press conference in New York that what prompted the German automaker to strongly consider importing the car to the U.S. was the great enthusiasm of US car dealers about the prospect of the Q3, which the company originally wanted to sell only in Asia and Europe. As it is now, the automaker has no doubt the concept car would perform very well on the US market, when it starts selling as a production car soon.

Audi Q3 Vail Concept at Audi Press Conference

Until this latest development, Audi was the lonesome German luxury car manufacturer that didn’t make an entry into the very lucrative compact, crossover market segment. But that position is about to change, when the Q3 Vail hits the US market! But if it wasted so much time before joining the bandwagon is open for debate. Or is late entrance a tactical move designed to conquer the stage once it does? Well, we shall soon see what Audi has in its offing!

Audi Q3 Vail Concept Crossover

Here are some of the remarkable features that help the Audi Q3 concept to ring a loud bell that can be heard from afar: it shares the same platform with the renowned Audi A3 hatchback and its power is supplied by a 314-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder engine with a 7-speed automatic transmission system.

Audi Q3 Vail Concept with Open Doors

At the moment, no one, except the Audi insiders, knows how much the Audi Q3 Vail will be priced at and how soon it will hit the market here in the US. All the Audi representatives Audi Concept tried to interview about the matter declined to comment regarding the timetable for the US launch. But judging from the new S7, TT-RS and A4 Allroad, introductions of Audi cars in the US market generally trail their European counterparts by about eight to twelve months. So, since the Q3 will start shipping in Europe later this year, we expect to see it at auto dealers’ shops sometime next year. That’s assuming all things being equal!

Audi Q3 Vail Crossover

For Audi to make the production model of the Q3 Vail competitive against Mercedes-Benz GLK and BMW X3, analysts suggest that the starting price would be in the range of mid-$30,000s.

We’re still probing deeper to get more details about the precise pricing and release date of the Audi Q3 Vail crossover here in the US, and we’ll certainly update you with more information, as we get them. What do you feel about this machine? Do you think it has all it takes to challenge the likes of BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLK?

Concept cars are, of course, very exciting to look at. If cars that commonly drive on city streets all over the world can interest serious automotive enthusiasts, cars that may pave the way toward the automotive future can only be that much more intriguing.

Still, there is the reality that, once we get the car of our dreams, we will inevitably want to improve on it and make it even more the car of our very wildest dreams. Or, we might have a little bad luck and find ourselves licking our wounds in the aftermath of a minor auto accident, with some dented fenders or other body damage causing damage to our egos. That’s why we thought a look at concepts in Audi body kits might be a good way to spend some time.

The Aero kit above from Oettinger is a great place to start. It’s simple and sleek, cunning without being ostentatious. Priced at between $5,000 and as much as $7000 or more, it nevertheless is worth every single penny for the discerning Audi fan.

Priced at between $1500 and a $2300, this product from Extreme Dimensions is more affordably priced as Audi body kits go. It presents a sturdy and solid look for the Q7 and is made from the most durable of resins and fiberglass materials. It’s a solid piece of craftsmanship, as we understand it, and it looks mighty fine to us.

Priced at $700-800, this TT kit is one of the more affordable and sportier of the Audi body kits on the market. The manufacturers boast of its Duraflex technology, which is supposed to yield major benefits in terms of, naturally, durability. All we know for sure is that it looks quite cool here. We certainly wouldn’t mind being seen in a car decked out in this kit.

2013 Audi A2 Concept

We’re getting curious, folks! Isn’t it interesting to guess the approximate amount of money for this small Audi’s car insurance? Well, judging by its specs and considering the fact that that of the original version, the A1 is inexpensive, the car insurance won’t be much. Naturally, the 2013 Audi A2 Concept will complement the soon-to-be predecessor, the Audi A1.

2013 Audi A2 Concept Exterior

Just like the original A2 version, which was unveiled in 2000, this new concept vehicle is extremely small in size. Actually, it’s nearly a half foot shorter than the latest Audi A1. In contrast with the original model, the A2 concept car does not implement Audi’s trademark aluminum spaceframe, which lend a lightweight to the first version, but also made it a bit expensive.

2013 Audi A2 Concept Front View

Apart from the first-hand information we got that the car will have a powerful electric drive system for long range traveling and agile performance, the German auto maker is yet to tell us the exact mechanism of this system. And we at Audi Concept are more than curious to know about this.

2013 Audi A2 Concept Side View

The concept car’s interior is designed in such a way to take advantage of its flat floor. It can accommodate up to four people, with each siting comfortably on a bucket seat. To facilitate maximum flexibility when it comes to placing cargo, a center console is cantilevered from the seats.

As we wait for the 2013 Audi A2 Concept to hit the roads, exactly how much the car insurance for the production model will cost is yet to be seen. Well, that waiting won’t be long.

Audi A4

The layout of the Audi A4 vehicle comprises a longitudinally-oriented engine at the front and trans-axle-like transmissions positioned at the engine’s rear side. Generally, the models of the vehicle deploy front-wheel drive system, though there are some models that feature quattro all-wheel drive.

Audi A4 Front View

The Audi A4 is built as a sedan/saloon and wagon/estate, and that design approach has helped it to permeate all segments of the auto market. The 2^nd and 3^rdgenerations (B6 and B7 respectively) of the German executive car also included a convertible model.

Audi A4 Rear View

Called “Typ 8D” internally, the first generation of the Audi A4 concept was presented to the auto world in 1994, and it went into production in November of that same year. That entry version utilized the Volkswagen B5 (PL45) platform, which was also incorporated in the 4^th generation of VW Passat (B5, Typ 3B). It implemented a front-wheel drive mechanism and a front-mounted, longitudinal engine. With the German automaker’s quattro four-wheel drive system, a wide variety of the A4 were also available on the market. And used Audi A4 of that first design remains a hot sale! That said, the original version of the A4 was unveiled as a 4-door sedan, and its Avant wagon was introduced a year later.

Audi A4 Convertible

A wide variety of internal combustion engines were sold on European markets, between 1.6 and 2.8 liters for gasoline engines. A 1.9 liter diesel engine was also available with VW’s trademark VE technology, with the capability to attain 66 KW; 89 bhp (90 PS) or 81 KW; 108 bhp (110 PS). However, Audi’s carried-over 2.8 liter V6 engine was the only available option in North America until 1997.

Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro

Exterior design of the Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro:
The car creates remarkable effects, regardless of whether the top is covered or in convertible mode. All combined without compromise are classic Audi Cabriolet hallmarks, such as the presence of an SUV, the dynamic lines of a sports car, aluminum A-pillar surface and the elegant fabric hood.

The Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro concept vehicle is very sporty and has clearly-defined lines. To maintain optimal weight balance, the longitudinally-mounted engine is placed down the center-line of the car. It features a basic drivetrain and chassis, derived from those of the Audi A4 and Audi A5 models, measuring 4.62 m in length and 1.91 m across. But the similarities end right there! The Cross Cabriolet Quattro has an SUV-style height of 1.63 m that makes it to captivate onlookers. A sporty silhouette is created by the dynamic lines of the prototype. The pronounced styling of the wheel arches combines with the large 21-inch wheels and 265/35 R21 tires to enhance that positive effect.

Cross Cabriolet Quattro Convertible

The concept car is equipped with Audi’s innovative lighting technology. It flaunts electronically-controlled swivel-cornering lights and all-LED headlights that emit the characteristic strip of daytime-running lights.

Innovative hood system – the concept uses a fabric hood which has become the trademark of all Audi’s open-top designs. The hood automatically lowers itself at the touch of a button in a Z-fold behind the rear seats in only seventeen seconds. Converged at the short-stepped boot lid are the convertible design and SUV functionality. When it’s closed, it becomes a continuation of the hood’s coupé line. On the other hand, it lifts high enough when open, with the glass rear window automatically lifting simultaneously, to yield a surprisingly-large space.

Interior design of the Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro:
Enter the Audi Cross Cabriolet quattro concept, to behold its ergonomically-perfect and sophisticated interior that pays greatest attention to smallest details. The soft, smooth surfaces and naturally-matching colors give an impression of comfort and space.

Cross Cabriolet Quattro Interior

The Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro’s Infotainment:
Just like you’d find in every modern Audi design, this concept is loaded with and Internet radio, Bang & Olufsen sound system, and three-dimensional atlas of the world complete with Google Earth navigation. This design marked the first time Audi incorporated the Internet to a built-in navigation system, for a wide range of features, such as user-friendly graphics.

The driving technology of the Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro:
Audi touts the convertible as having the cleanest diesel engine in the world, and truthfully, its several innovative engine designs deliver an outstanding drive.

Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro Rear

The 240 PS 3-liter TDI engine generates the dynamics of sporty driving. Its very low CO2 emissions from the exhaust meet the European Union limits. Generally, the high-tech chassis combines with the quattro permanent 4-wheel drive system and electric ride height adjustment to deliver an unblemished driving experience on all terrains.