The Audi RS Q3
concept: Interpretation of a high-performance athlete
Ingostadt - At the Auto
China 2012 in Beijing, Audi presented a themed vehicle based on the Q3 –
the RS Q3 concept. It interprets the character of the compact SUV in a
very special way – systematically dynamic.
The blue painted Audi
RS Q3 concept is a vehicle based on the theme of thrilling dynamic
performance. Its engine, a 2.5 TFSI with 265 kW (360 hp) of power, and
its body – lowered about 25 mm (0.98 inches) and widened with sharp
visual details – explore the potential of the Q3 model series in a new
way.
Brushed and polished
aluminum trim frames the Audi RS Q3 concept’s single-frame radiator
grille. Its black grille insert exhibits a new geometry – the honeycombs
are slightly offset to one another deeper inside, creating a distinct
three-dimensional effect. The lower area of the grille integrates
another sculpted feature – a silver quattro signature. The headlights
are slightly tinted; inside them, some chrome parts are dark or covered
by panels of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).
The bumper was redesigned; there are now powerful edges around the outer
air intakes. They are subdivided into two segments – the inner sections
have honeycomb screen inserts, while their outer sections, made of CFRP,
have a smooth funnel shape. The front spoiler is also made of CFRP. Its
lower section is matt black. The entire lower section of the bumper is
coated with blue clearcoat paint.
The same combination of black and blue tinted areas is repeated on the
sides of the Audi RS Q3 concept – on the trim strips of the doors and
sills and on the add-on parts of the wheel housings. The door mirror
housings consist of black CFRP, while matt aluminum trim frames the side
windows. The roof spoiler runs a long way towards the rear; its middle
section has been slightly shortened compared to its outer sections. It
is painted in the body color Ordos Blue – a matt blue with a slight
yellow tint.
At the rear, the lower bumper section has
a sporty and angular style. The diffuser insert, which integrates the
two large elliptical tailpipes in typical RS look, has been shifted far
upward. Here too, Audi designers chose a combination of blue clearcoat
and black CFRP. The rear lights and auxiliary lights in the bumper are
tinted in anthracite and are made of clear glass.
The inside door handle has a perforated
lightweight construction look as in every RS model. In the tachometer,
Chinese characters replace the usual Arabic numerals. RS Q3 badges adorn
the instrument cluster, the seatbacks, door sill plates and floor mats.
The styling of the engine compartment is
also extremely sporty in appearance. A layered-carbon trim panel covers
the area around the five-cylinder engine that sports a red valve cover,
and two laterally arranged ventilation screens feed air to the engine.
As is the practice in car racing, the cylinder numbers are marked on
their spark plug covers. An aluminum housing holds the open sports air
filter, and the filtered air tube is made of stainless steel.
Powerful: the drivetrain The extremely
powerful 2.5 TFSI in the RS Q3 concept combines two classic Audi
technologies – gasoline direct injection and turbocharging. From 2,480
cc of engine displacement, it generates 265 kW (360 hp) of power. The
car catapults itself from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 5.2 seconds,
and its propulsive force takes it to a top speed of 265 km/h (164.66
mph).
A seven-speed S tronic transfers the
forces of the sonorous 2.5 TFSI to the quattro permanent all-wheel
drive. Generally, it directs these forces almost exclusively to the
front wheels. When slip is detected there, it can redistribute forces to
the rear axle via a hydraulic multi-plate clutch with electronic control
– instantaneously and variably.
The alloy wheels of the Audi RS Q3 concept
continue the dynamic RS Q styling and have the dimensions 8.5 J x 20.
The front surfaces are high-gloss, while the sides are sandblasted. The
tire size of 255/30 is not exactly typical for an SUV, but certainly for
an RS model.
