In festivities on the eve of the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA – International Automobile Exhibition), also known as the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Volkwagen Group took the wraps off of the Audi nanuk quattro concept, an apparent derivative of the Giugiaro Parcour concept shown earlier this year. The nanuk quattro (Audi’s spelling) has AWD and unlike the Parcour it is powered by a diesel engine, turbocharged. The 4,189 lb vehicle is said to be capable of 3.8 second 0-60 runs and a top speed of 190 mph, with overall fuel economy of 30 mpg. The engine is a V10 with twin turbos and TDI and it puts out 544 horsepower, which doesn’t sound that impressive these days, but being a diesel it brings the torque, 738 pounds feet. It features Audi’s next generation of adaptive air suspension with that the driver can adjust up or down through a range of 2.76 inches. Four wheel steering has been making a comeback lately over at Audi’s VW Group stablemate Porsche, and the nanuk features something similar that Audi is calling integral steering. Rear wheels turn up to 9 degrees opposite to the front wheel’s direction to quicken steering at low to medium speeds, helping maneuverability. The wheelbase is effectively shortened by ~100 centimeters (about 40 inches), reducing the turning circle to roughly 10 meters (32.81 ft). At higher speeds, the rears turn up to 2.5 degrees in tandem with the fronts, effectively lengthening the wheelbase by about 140 centimeters which is said to enhance stability.
Shades of the Aixam Mega Track.
I hadn’t heard of that one. A supercar for the winter. Very cool.
That is sweet!
It’s a Camaroghini!
Those wheels look huge. Pretty car though… wants it…
Yes between this and the Elmiraj, it looks like Donks are the next big thing.
Looks like it needs way more sidewall if it’s going to even pretend to be useful off pavement.
Once that’s resolved, it would be a great winter toy.
I like the car too…nice colour. That being said, yes, drop the tire diameter at least an inch maybe two. Looks like a Hot Wheels car.
I liked the wasp waisted Stratos rallycar look of the concept. This just looks like someone with too much money decided to turn his R8 into a dune buggy.
That said, tech sounds cool. I look forward to Clarkson thrashing it on Top Gear.
Haunches, vent fenders, raked back window…is this the new Mustang?
Fueled and lightly loaded, we have a 4,500+ pound Panzer ‘Etappendienst’. And with the AWD and active rear steer, we have a vehicle that won’t be much fun in a corner, just like that Panzer. But wasn’t that what the autobahn was designed for, moving heavy equipment, rapidly.
From a designers point of view, it is a nice clean design, but looks somewhat generic/boring, and almost like a car designed for a game.
Indeed, it does look rather generic. There’s none of the surprise that you generally get with a German car design. It seems like Audi was having a bit of designer’s-block on this one. The supposed powertrain is interesting, though.
For really interesting German/auto design, Kyree, step over to the Vauxhall Opel stage with the new Monza ‘Sportsbrake’.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/vauxhall/65643/vauxhall-opel-monza-revealed-ahead-frankfurt-motor-show?_mout=1&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter
By the way, I always find your comments highly knowledgeable and unprejudiced… appreciated in a world of emotion driven, prejudicial opinion.
I have seen the Sportbrake and it is one of my favorite concept cars so far; it’s beautiful. I hope it makes its way over here as a Buick.
And thank you; I really appreciate that.
Why is it so heavy!? They trying to outdo the SVX?
It’s just so interesting to me that Volkswagen basically creates whole sets of world-class parts and then is free to use them in whatever applications it chooses across its multitude of brands. No one else could stuff a W12 engine into an SUV, for example. And I bet that somewhere, someone is trying to stuff that same engine into a Golf…
Already happened…
http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/golf-gti-w12
The Parcour looked better
cant think of a reason why anyone wants a 2 ton SUV slash supercar thats diesel?
because?
Right, the next thing you know they’ll get some crazy idea like running diesel race cars at Lemans or something. Absolutely ridiculous.
Is this the future of performance cars? Diesel.
The V10 is 5 litres.
30mpg!!!!
Diesel, gotta love it.
Here’s a link with a couple more bits of technical information.
http://www.caradvice.com.au/250832/audi-nanuk-quattro-concept-diesel-powered-performance-crossover/
Pretty wild. Looks like a mid-engined Charger. The wheel are too big though.
I’m really not feeling the styling.
looks like a Bayformer to me.
Starting to think that Audi peaked with the A7 and has been steadily rolling downhill since with the whole gaping maw angularity thing.
“At higher speeds, the rears turn up to 2.5 degrees in tandem with the fronts, effectively lengthening the wheelbase by about 140 centimeters which is said to enhance stability.”
Really? Extend the wheelbase by 1.4meters? This sort of bullshit marketing spin is completely
unnecessary when the car looks so good.
Reminds me of BMW M1, even the color…
There was a guy around the shop commenting on a vette that was stock, not lowered like a lot are done. He was saying “What is that a 4×4?”
No mistaking that with the Audi.
Pre-squashed at the factory so rollovers are irrelevant.
Schlau
If they make the wheels any bigger it could drive upside-down!
Ha! Exactly… just cut away the tops of the wheelwells, let the wheels protrude on top :-D
I had a remote controlled car like that as a kid. It was called Ricochet. After a quick google search, its still made, and its where Audi must have got the design.
Heh… yep, made by Tonka and Amazon sells it for $129.
Disturbing.
It looks to be more aerodynamic than a lead-filled snowshoe.
Oh, I like your AMC Spirit SX/4.
Alignments will cost $1000.
I was at the press conference this morning, and photos do not do it justice. It looks super bad-ass, and forget about the Nanook name and the spin about desert 4X4. You just caught the first glimpse of the next R8.
Not a desert 4X4? So what am I supposed to do with these 30-profile Mud Terrains I just ordered?
Where can I see a pic with something in the frame to give some sense of scale? Is it a raised R8 or a big goofy crossover?
The term Nanuk sounds very caveman-ish. I’m guessing in real life it looks less like a Crossover. Reminds me of the ZDX from the side.