By combining opposites in perfect synthesis, the Audi activesphere proves to be a versatile crosser of boundaries, with a drive system and suspension which make it equally adept on both on and off the road. The steering wheel and pedals allow the driver to actively control the car, while also offering autonomous driving for a more relaxed time on the road. As a coupé that is as elegant as it is dynamic, it features classic proportions and lines, but in just a few seconds, the car transforms into a pickup for transporting top-class sports gear – there is even enough space for two e-bikes in the cargo bed.

The concept car was conceived and designed at the Audi Design Studio in Malibu, just a stone’s throw away from the Pacific Coast Highway, the legendary coastal road. Studio manager Gael Buzyn and his team are the creative minds behind the project. He describes the idea behind the project: “The activesphere is unique. It is a new type of crossover that cleverly combines the elegance of an Audi Sportback, the practicality of a SUV and true offroad capabilities.”

With an electric drive and quick-charging technology from Audi’s PPE modular system, the Audi activesphere joins the sphere family of concept vehicles. With no local emissions, a range of over 600 km, and extremely fast charging times thanks to 800-volt technology, it combines the sustainability, dynamics and long-distance capability of state-of-the-art electric vehicles.

Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development: “The sphere concept vehicles show our vision for the premium mobility of the future. We are experiencing a paradigm shift, especially in the interior of our future Audi models. The interior becomes a place where the passengers feel at home and can connect to the world outside at the same time. The most important technical innovation in the Audi activesphere is our adaptation of augmented reality for mobility. Audi dimensions creates the perfect synthesis between the surroundings and digital reality.”

The autonomous chauffeuring capability on suitable terrain gives drivers and passengers a new level of freedom, which, thanks to the new display and operating technology, can be used in the activesphere in a variety of ways. The innovative operating concept, Audi dimensions, combines the physical and virtual worlds (i.e., mixed reality) by displaying digital content in the occupants’ fields of vision in real time.

High-tech headsets provide a view of the real environment and the route, while simultaneously displaying 3D content and interactive elements– individually configurable for drivers and passengers.

This means all driver-relevant information, such as driving status and navigation, can be displayed. And in the interior, headset users can see control panels and other virtual displays in a tidy, minimalist design that remains hidden to the unaided eye. Mixed reality optics gives users the ability to interact precisely with these real, yet invisible, touch-sensitive zones, as the headsets display and carry out functions by reacting in real time when users touch them.

As a perfect all-rounder, the Audi activesphere concept is ideally suited for the high demands of a future-oriented generation of Audi customers – people for whom individual mobility and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. Also, owners who expect their vehicle to deliver the brand’s typical aesthetics and dynamism in the highest degree, combined with future-oriented technology. For these customers, the Audi activesphere concept acts as a fascinating vision of crossing the boundaries between these dimensions.

“Just as we have done in the last three decades of our company’s existence, we successfully closed the year 2022. External factors, such as the aftermath of the pandemic or the energy and raw material supply problems, have presented our company with unprecedented challenges. However, our high production volumes clearly demonstrate that we are able to perform well even under difficult circumstances, thanks to the flexibility, expertise and many years of experience of our colleagues. We continue to deliver on our Next Level strategy. In 2023, we will reach new milestones in digitalization, electromobility and sustainability, and continue to develop our business model, especially in the Shared Competence Center (SCC). In 2023, we will show again what great things the team of Audi Hungaria is capable of,” said Alfons Dintner, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria Zrt.

In 2022, a total of 171,134 Audi models (including cars for the Brazilian SKD production) rolled off the production lines at the brand with the four rings, a record performance for Audi Hungaria. Audi Q3 models were produced in the highest number, with 98,665 units. In addition, 64,343 Q3 Sportback, 6,291 TT Coupé and 1,835 TT Roadster models were also produced in Győr. Of the Q3 and Q3 Sportback models with electric powertrains, 21,466 plug-in hybrid and 25,181 mild hybrid models were produced in 2022.

As the world’s largest powertrain manufacturer, Audi Hungaria manufactured a total of 1,677,545 powertrains last year, including 108,097 electric powertrains. The company also produced 221,141 three-cylinder, 684,018 four-cylinder petrol and 293,667 diesel engines. During the previous year, of five‑cylinder Otto engines, a total of 21,745, while of six-cylinder engines, 265,857 petrol and 77,931 diesel engines were produced. In addition, Audi Hungaria also manufactured 5,089 ten-cylinder engines.

Audi Hungaria had 11,957 employees as at December 31, 2022.

Two anniversaries are highlighted in Audi Tradition's annual schedule: "150 years of NSU" and "25 years of the Audi TT". Since its premiere in 1998, the sports car has been delighting fans worldwide with its driving pleasure and purist design. A quarter of a century of Audi TT and the anniversary of the style icon is closely linked to the history of Audi Hungaria. The AUDI AG subsidiary based in Győr, Hungary, will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2023. Originally founded in February 1993 as an engine-only plant, Audi Hungaria took over the assembly of the Audi TT in 1998 in a production network with the Ingolstadt plant. A "TT" also played a role in NSU's 150-year history. What began with ten workers and waterwheel-powered knitting machines in 1873 evolved at the Neckarsulm site into an impressive story of transformation with many technical innovations. As is the heritage of NSU, these are still embedded in the genes of AUDI AG today. So it is no coincidence that Neckarsulm is now the headquarters of Audi Sport GmbH, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2023 and has its origins in quattro GmbH, which was founded in 1983.The path taken by the traditional NSU brand also reflects the development of transport in Germany, as it progresses from bicycles to motorcycles and finally to automobiles. The NSU brand's innovative spirit and multifaceted nature are also apparent in the fact that quite a few models will be celebrating anniversaries in 2023: for example the NSU Wankel Spider (60th anniversary), the NSU Quickly (launched 70 years ago) and the two pre-war automobiles NSU 6/30 and NSU 7/34 (95th anniversary).

Up-to-date event calendar always available in the Audi Tradition App

Audi Tradition is taking part in more than a dozen events in Germany and abroad this year. Classics on the event calendar include the Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 13-16), the Classic Days in Düsseldorf (August 4-6), the Donau Classic (June 22-24) and the Heidelberg Historic (July 13-15) as the two classic car rallies at the company's home bases in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm.

The Audi museum mobile will participate in International Museum Day (May 21) and the Night of Museums (September 9). An up-to-date calendar featuring the dates of all events at which Audi Tradition will be present with historic motorcycles or automobiles, including supplementary information, can be found in the Audi Tradition App.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

“The strong numbers for the all-electric models show us that our clear focus on electric mobility is the right path,” says Hildegard Wortmann, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG. Overall, Audi delivered 118,196 electric models to customers last year, which is 44.3 percent more than in 2021.

The high demand for the all-electric models Audi Q4 e-tron, Audi e-tron GT quattro, and Audi e-tron affirms the company’s clear decision in favor of an all-electric future and will increase Audi’s momentum on its path toward becoming a sustainable premium mobility supplier. A new model is already waiting in the wings: the new Audi Q8 e-tron is continuing the Audi e-tron’s success story as an electric pioneer. The model has already received many preorders ahead of its market launch in the spring of 2023. Starting in 2026, Audi will only introduce all-electric cars to the global market.

“In a challenging and dynamic environment, our global team once again proved its resilience in 2022,” says Hildegard Wortmann. “Thanks to extraordinary team spirit, operational excellence and effective sales control, we were able to close out the business year successfully.”

Alongside the all-electric models, the Audi A3 (+12.1 percent), Audi A4 (+8.0 percent), and Audi Q5 (+2.7 percent) saw particularly large increases within the overall portfolio. Audi Sport also had a special year in 2022: deliveries of 45,515 high performance cars mean a new record and an increase of 15.6% year-over-year.

With 624,498 cars delivered in Europe, Audi was able to increase sales by 1.2 percent over 2021. All-electric models saw increased demand here as well, particularly the Audi Q4 e-tron (+99.4 percent), Audi e-tron GT (+29.2 percent), and the Audi e-tron (+8.5 percent). Audi Sport contributed to the strong result with a record of 29.417 vehicles delivered in Europe (+30.8 percent). In total, sales were higher 29 European markets year-over-year.