Text and photos by Kap Maceda Aguila
THE biggest spectacle of the “four-ring” marque in this part of the world, called the Audi Brand Experience Singapore 2018 (ABE), took up over 8,100 square meters of the Sands Expo and Convention Center of the landmark Marina Bay Sands.
Broken down into four distinct “experiences,” visitors were, upon entry, first treated to a static display of all current models of the Ingolstadt-headquartered brand.
Next was a choreographed 30-minute product display of present and futuristic Audis. Running eight times a day, the live showcase was a veritable fashion show with vehicles taking the place of models on the catwalk. More than 30 automobiles rolled onto a 20-by-20-meter grandstand (boasting a seating capacity of 500 people) with LED-lit flooring and backdrop for an impressive and comprehensive presentation of the complete Audi collection.
In another section of the exhibition, the flagship Audi A8’s intelligent technology — particularly its active suspension — was featured. Running the car through a speed bump with the feature off and then engaged, visitors could compare the visible stabilizing effect on the chassis as the suspension system ostensibly bore more of the change in terrain — rendering the A8 ride much improved.
Perhaps most significantly, ABE attendees were shown the extensive experience of Audi in innovation (indeed, its longtime tagline has been Vorsprung durch Technik, or Advancement through Technology). This boast was given much credence with a trio of impressive futuristic vehicles: the Audi Aicon, Audi Elaine, and Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo.
The Aicon is a “Level 5 Autonomous luxury sedan that embodies the brand’s vision for the future” — one that provides both comfort and freedom for occupants and drivers while promising efficiency. This self-driving vehicle totally dispenses with the need for a driver.
A step below it in autonomy is the Level-4 Elaine, which “combines… electric drive with Audi Intelligence to create a sports utility vehicle coupe that relieves the driver of as many operating inputs as possible while adapting itself constantly to better fit the driver’s behavioral patterns.” Level-4 vehicles can essentially operate without human input or oversight, with intervention needed only in select conditions.
Finally, the Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo crosses over from bestselling “Gran Turismo” Sony PlayStation game into reality as “the first concept car of its range to be deployed into the real-world race tracks as a fully functional vehicle. The car aptly finds its place in Formula E events “to give guests a vivid impression of the future of electric mobility.” What a future it is: A system of electric motors generates 815 hp and 990 Nm to help the Vision Gran Turismo clock standstill to 100 kph in 2.5 seconds, all the way to a top rate of 250 kph.
FIVE AUDIS DEBUT
For the here and now, Audi trotted out five new models at the ABE’s aforementioned 30-minute presentation. That marked the regional debut of the Audi A6, Audi A7 Sportback, Audi A8, Audi Q8, and Audi E-tron.
The eighth-generation of Audi’s full-size sedan, the all-new A6 “brings numerous innovations from the luxury class to the full-size class.”
Then Audi designers combined the design of a coupé with sedan comfort and the “variability of an Avant” in the new A7 Sportback. A Gran Turismo styling is complemented with “systematic digitalization, a dynamic driving experience,” and lots of space.
Leading the charge of sedans is undoubtedly the A8, Audi’s flagship in terms of design, material choice and use, craftsmanship, and high technology.
Set to make its formal entry into showrooms across the region “in coming months,” ABE attendees were nonetheless able to preview the first-ever Q8, touted as “(uniting) the elegance of a four-door luxury coupe with the practical versatility of a large SUV that can be used for both business and leisure.”
Speaking of SUVs, ushering in a new age for the German brand is the E-tron, Audi’s first all-electric SUV. Initially unveiled to the world on Sept. 17 in San Francisco (with a starting price of $74,000 there), production has begun in Brussels, Belgium, and the E-tron is expected to be available in the region by the second half of 2019. There is no word yet if the Philippines will be among the territories the E-tron ships to.
Said Audi AG overseas region director Alex von Waldenburg-Dressel at the presentation of the E-tron: “Audi in Latin means ‘listen,’ and listening to our customers and ensuring that we meet their needs is important to us. Today is the beginning of a new era, and you are about to meet the car that begins this new era.
“The world as you know is changing rapidly… Digitalization, urbanization, and sustainability are driving the future. The proof of that is right here in this part of the world. Megacities are [demanding] new forms of mobility and we are completely connected to our environment and we need to ensure that our business remains sustainable.”
For Audi, it’s about forging and embarking on a decisive path away from fossil fuels. “The Audi E-tron is the first of many to come delivering on the promise of Vorsprung durch Technik,” maintained the executive. “Electric has gone Audi.” That declaration should charge up future of mobility.
