Audi has taken its cue from the Porsche Cayenne and rolled out a 357 kW RS6-powered Audi Pikes Peak Quattro concept SUV – capable of a zero to 100 km/h time of five seconds – at Detroit.
Audi has taken its cue from the Porsche Cayenne and rolled out a 357 kW RS6-powered Pikes Peak Quattro concept SUV – capable of a zero to 100 km/h time of five seconds – at Detroit.
The Ingolstadt manufacturer calls the Pikes Peak Quattro a sport concept study, “for all on-road driving and moderate off-road terrain”. It was developed exclusively for the Detroit Show and this is hardly surprising, given the rampant popularity of SUVs in the United States.
Its name is derived from Pikes Peak, a mountain that rises out of the Colorado Plain of the Rocky Mountains. Pikes Peak is also the venue of the annual International Hill Climb Race that has been won by Audi Motorsport on three occasions.
The luxury four-door 4+2-seat SUV features paddle-shift tiptronic transmission, variable-height adaptive air suspension, permanent all-wheel drive and the Audi RS6’s 4,2-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine pumping out 357 kW.
A decisive factor in the engine’s power output, Audi says, was the addition of FSI direct injection technology. The Pikes Peak quattro is claimed to sprint from zero to 100 km/h in only five seconds and reach a governed top speed of 250 km/h. Its maximum torque of 630 N.m is developed at 2 000 r/min.
The standard torque split between the axles is 50 per cent to the front and 50 per cent to the rear, but if wheelspin occurs at either axle the split is diverted to the axle with more grip.
The electronic differential lock (EDL) controls torque distribution between the two wheels on an axle and the electronic stabilisation program (ESP) assists the driver to maintain control under critical driving conditions.
According to an Audi AG spokesman, variable-height pneumatic control at both axles responds automatically when the load carried by the vehicle increases, and restores its ride height to the standard level. The air springs support the entire load at each axle.
PAX run-flat wheels of size 295/770 R 560 A (equivalent to a visible wheel diameter of 20.6 inches) are designed to maintain the Pikes Peak Quattro’s mobility following a failure by one of the tyres. The vehicle can be driven for up to 200 kilometers at speeds up to 80 km/h, the manufacturer claims.
Interior gadgets aplenty
By means of an optical sensor, a lane departure warning system scans the road markings and issues an acoustic warning signal and a physical response in the form of steering wheel vibration if the driver departs from his or her chosen lane.
Also installed on the Audi Pikes Peak Quattro is adaptive cruise control, which maintains the desired distance from the vehicle in front automatically, and loop-pattern door handles that only extend when the advanced key function’s proximity sensor has detected.
Two additional “out of position” cameras identify the front passenger’s seated position and modify the triggering of the airbags in a collision.
The front centre console is arranged like a bridge from the fascia to the rear end of the front seats. Between the individual second-row seats there is a second retractable centre console. There is a cold-store compartment under the split armrest.
Six people can travel in the Audi Pikes Peak Quattro on three pairs of leather-upholstered seats. To simplify access to the rear seats, those in the second row have an easy-entry function. If bulky loads have to be carried, the two rear pairs of seats can be folded down so that their backs extend the load area.
Furthermore, the MMI (multimedia interface) display is available to all occupants. Two 173 x 130 mm screens fold down from a console in the roof lining to provide both information and entertainment for those sitting in the second and third rows. DVD drivers in the retractable centre console, a separate MMI with Internet access and USB and headphone plug connections are provided.
