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Audi Chooses Shanghai to Introduce Concept Previewing Upcoming Small Crossover SUV
Audi‘s second SUV is a smaller entry set to go into production next year in Ingolstadt, and will be named Q5 when it reaches dealerships. As the production date gets closer, Audi floated a preview in the form of the Cross Coupe Quattro concept at this year’s Shanghai auto show. Yes, that’s right. Audi gave a worldwide introduction of a major concept at a Chinese auto show. Audi was not alone in making major product news in China this month and we’ll only see more introductions in Shanghai and Beijing as the Chinese market grows.

The Audi Cross Coupe Quattro Concept face embodies Audi’s latest big-mouth grilles and clearly pulls from the Q7. As such, it is likely pretty close to the production Q5’s face, though the concept’s extremely fast rear roofline will get raised for production. A taller rear roofline will also improve the looks, to our way of thinking. Among the interesting features on the Cross Coupe Quattro is a power-folding fabric roof, a la the 2008 Jeep Liberty. The interior shows a new direction for Audi, and the initial photos promise that they haven’t lost their touch for creating great-looking interiors.

Under the hood was a 204HP 2.0L TDI four-cylinder diesel, with the DaimlerChrysler-VW-Audi Bluetec emissions equipment, which could be part of the U.S. model mix as Bluetec will allow it to meet U.S. as well as European emissions regulations. An Audi drive select system allows gives a standard mode called “dynamic” but allows drivers to select either “sport” or “efficiency” modes. Differences between each mode are in engine map and shift points, and in the efficiency mode it would deactivate fuel-economy-sapping components like the air conditioning compressor.

While the roofline is a tease, the Haldex Quattro all-wheel-drive system likely was not, nor the dual-clutch automated manual. (Audi used to call this transmission DSG, but in early 2007 began calling it S tronic.) The concept sported ceramic brakes aren’t likely to make the options list in production, though the twenty-inch wheels could. Some of the ambient lighting elements, the sound system, and the new version of MMI which is operated by a touch pad and includes a dual-view monitor may all reach production. The new MMI allows for different driver and passenger views on the same screen, depending on the angle of view, and allowing driver to get on-board computer data while the front passenger could watch TV and listen via headphones.