Audi developed the Nanuk Quattro concept show car in collaboration with the designers from Italdesign Giugiaro.
Displayed earlier this year at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany, the sports car was built for any stage of life and for any surface – equally at home on the race track, the highway or a winding country road as it is off-road in the sand or in the snow.
Its crossover concept combines the dynamics of a mid-engine sports car with the versatility of a sporty recreational vehicle.
The two-seater is powered by a newly developed V10 TDI installed longitudinally in front of the rear axle.
The powerful 5.0L diesel engine produces more than 544 hp and delivers 737.56 lb-ft of torque to the crankshaft from just 1,500 rpm.
Its twin-turbo register charging unit is controlled via the Audi valvelift system (AVS).
The common rail system operates at an injection pressure of 2,500 bar. A beefed-up seven-speed S-tronic, located behind the engine, transfers the torque to a specially designed quattro drivetrain.
The Audi Nanuk Quattro concept has a curb weight of around 4,188 lbs, yet is able to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds with a top speed of 189 mph.
The innovative thermal management with its separate cooling loops and the steplessly regulated oil pump contribute to the excellent fuel consumption of about 30.16 mpg on average.
Double wishbones guide the show car’s 22-inch wheels, which are shod with 235/50-series tires up front and 295/45 at the rear. The carbon fiber, ceramic brake discs can withstand high temperatures and are extremely abrasion-resistant.
The adaptive air suspension with electronically controlled dampers features the next generation of technology from Audi.
The driver can manually adjust the ground clearance of the Audi Nanuk Quattro concept in three stages: normal, 1.18-in. lower or 1.57-in. higher.
The system also controls the level of the body itself based on driving speed and the predictive route data supplied by the navigation system.
On the highway, for example, the body remains lowered even when the Audi Nanuk Quattro concept is moving slowly. It is automatically raised when turning onto a gravel road.
Another technological highlight of the show car is the integral steering, which resolves the classic conflict between dynamic handling and stability.
The system combines the proven Audi dynamic steering at the front axle, which among other things can intervene at the cornering limit for enhanced stability, with supplemental steering for the rear wheels. Separate actuators activate the two active track rods.
Although plans to build the Nanuk Quattro for the general public is undecided, consumer excitement for such a performance vehicle could steer Audi executives in the right direction.
View more on the Audi Nanuk at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ-w9xmxXLk
