Audi E-Tron Detroit concept
This is the third time Audi has affixed the E-Tron nomenclature to a concept car, but while the previous concepts seen at the Frankfurt and Los Angeles auto shows in 2009 showcased an electric powertrain in the shell of the Audi R8, the Detroit E-Tron is based on a shortened version of the R8 platform and its design has been reduced along with the exterior dimensions.
Designed by Pforzheim graduates Wolf Seebers (exterior) and Florian Flatau (interior), the two passenger rear-engined electric sports car pares back all non-essential elements to a simplified and sculptural form that retains Audi's design DNA. "The goal was to transfer the [previous] E-Tron aesthetic into a more reduced, small sports car," Seebers told CDN.
The sculptural surfacing of the exterior and simple light graphics lend a dynamic look to the design, while the aluminium blades within the large grille illustrate the technical feel: they are functional components which serve to cool the lithium-ion battery pack. The most interesting graphical element - the blades nestled into the C-pillar - also serve to cool the electric engines at the rear. Made of carbon fiber, they showcase the open and lightweight aspect of the design while also depicting its strength.
The clean and precise exterior aesthetic is complemented by a technical interior which can best be described as contemporary minimalism. The monolithic aesthetic, inspired by motorsports, is adorned in leather, carbon and sandblasted aluminum, which combine to give the interior a rough but elegant appearance. The center console is made of aluminum for lightweight, with the material again reappearing jewel-like in the frame of the seats, the door furniture, in the dashboard and under the headrests.
In another nod to motorsports, the steering wheel has been squared off at the top as well as the bottom, and the simple IP, with two dials either side of a center screen, caters to the driver. Technology abounds as well: an iPhone application allows users to access the vehicle's diagnostic information and check the car's range or whether the doors have been locked, while the HVAC unit is accessed by an electronic touch slider interface attached to the vents.
Source: http://www.cardesignnews.com/
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