Wheel aerodynamics are “not necessarily intuitive”, said Islam, and a featureless flat disc would not be the optimal design. The A6’s are designed to maximise cooling for the brakes and to “unblock” part of the flow from under the body.
Virtual mirrors
Optional side cameras are so much slimmer than the standard mirrors that they add a claimed 4.3 miles of range. “It’s a technology that we use not only to present attractive and progressive aesthetics but really to improve the vehicle,” said Islam.
Air suspension
At speeds of more than 75mph, the A6 E-tron drops by 20mm, which both smooths the airflow over the body and brings the body closer to the wheels to reduce turbulence inside the arches.
Hidden Gurneys
Painstakingly modelled Gurney flaps at the rear of the floorpan direct air away from the rear axle, while the rear wheels get their own mini spoilers to create a bubble of still air even at speed.
Q&A: Gernot Dollner, CEO, Audi:
The most aero-efficient cars are low and sleek, but your customers want SUVs. How do you approach that paradox?
“For sure, the concept of an SUV is a burden when it comes to efficiency, but that’s the customer demand: to have SUV cars. By the end of the decade, in the US, 85% of vehicles will be trucks or SUVs, and we also see that trend in Europe. China still likes conventional limousines and flat cars, but we have to look at the world, and on average the SUV is more important.”
How will your next-generation EVs stand up to technically competitive rivals from China?
“The competition is strong and it’s broader than in the combustion-engine field. For example, in China there are 104 new brands that have come up in the last three years, and we are happy to have that competition.
“We see that our values – like design quality, classical driving functions and especially efficiency and range – are really best in class and so we have no worries when we see that competition. We have a task to do when it comes to in-cabin experience and automated driving, but we are catching up and step by step improving in these fields.”