Audi has made it known that they are pursuing a new, next-gen design for all of its future vehicles. The decision was made when Audi confirmed that it will develop a new line of vehicle, the A9. Speaking of which, the top of the range luxury sedan will be looking to take the stage in the upcoming Los Angeles Motor Show, happening this November.
The A9 Concept has yet to be named but it will be the first to feature the all-new design that is developed and guided by the new head of design, Marc Lichte. After all, this high-end sedan will be looking to compete with the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide.
For all we know, the A9 will be based on the MLB platform as it shares the mechanical and electrical features with the upcoming A8. The A9 will also be built with the latest aluminium specframe construction to keep its weight light. The choice of material also includes carbonfibre.
Audi aims to keep the A9 at 1660kg in weight as it runs on the FWD 2.8 V6 engine. Then again, nothing has been revealed on the sort of powertrain the A9 will run on but insiders are hinting it to support both FWD and AWD.
Furthermore, the top-line luxury sedan will also get the diesel treatment. The A9 is heavily linked to the 3.0-litre V6 diesel, in single and electrically operated twin-turbo guises. Also, there will be the option of a new 4.0-litre V8 diesel, which is currently undergoing development at parent firm Volkswagen’s R&D centre in Braunschweig, Germany.
Some rumours suggest that the A9 will also get a pair of hybrid models. One is revealed to be the petrol-hybrid, while the other is a believed to be a diesel-hybrid. This will also be the case for the upcoming Q7 SUV. Known as the A9 e-tron, the car will offer and electric range of up to 31 miles and a CO2 output of less than 80g/km.
As for the design, the A9 will measure at 5 meters in length while having a highly technical look. It sports a newly interpreted single-frame grille, laser headlights, precise detailing within its aluminium body structure and a newly defined shutline architecture.
One independent artist, Theophiluschin, created his visualization of the vehicle and we can expect it to look more or less like it. Then again, the fan-made concept somehow resembles a lot of the latest Lagonda all over it. This will surely be clarified when the A9 gets unveiled at the end of the year.
