Audi previews Prologue Avant concept before Geneva auto show

HI-PO HYBRID GETS 33-MILE RANGE, REAR STEER

    Audi Europe showed off its slick, shooting brake-style Prologue Avant concept on Wednesday before its reveal at the Geneva auto show. The high-performance hybrid delivers 455 hp and 553 lb-ft of twist from its 3.0-liter TDI engine, electric motor and 14.1-kWh lithium-ion battery. A similar, but shorter concept was shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year.

     The Audi Prologue Avant gets the same plug-in hybrid drive as the Q7 e-tron quattro. The sprint to 62 mph takes 5.1 seconds, and all-electric range is pegged at 33 miles. An eight-speed tiptronic transmission sends power to all four wheels.

    “With our show car for Geneva, we now translate the design language of the Audi prologue into a new, dynamic and stretched form,” said Ulrich Hackenberg, board member for technical development. “The Audi Prologue Avant is progressive, emotion-filled and versatile, it reflects Audi’s technological competence and quality claim perfectly.”

The Audi Prologue Avant gets the same plug-in hybrid drive as the Q7 e-tron quattro.

     Audi says the concept's design is a look into the future, which we’ve already sort of seen on the new A6 and A7.

     Inside, the Avant sticks with dark colors. The dashboard is made from three touchscreen displays. Additionally, two detachable OLED displays allow passengers to download info and entertainment.

     The concept measures 16.8 feet in length with a 10-foot wheelbase and a 6.5-foot width. It’s a bit larger than the Los Angeles concept all around. Four individual seats, four doors and a large tailgate finish off the look. All four wheels are 22 inches with 285/30 low-profile tires.

     The Avant concept comes with wireless charging, meaning you could park the car in your garage on a charging plate and never have to actually plug it in.

    An adaptive air suspension holds everything down, while both the front and rear benefit from a lightweight, five-arm wishbone setup. All four wheels steer; the rears have an electric motor that actuates two tie rods.

     We’ll get more on this concept next month in Geneva.