The electric Gran Turismo will be available as a strictly limited Audi exclusive edition at market launch Customization program has been setting standards in the personalization of premium vehicles since 1995 Studios in the Audi Forums in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm offer customers advice to help realize their vision
The car is an unmistakable expression of one´s own personality – that is the philosophy of Audi exclusive. Since 1995, the brand with the four rings has been setting standards in the personalization of premium vehicles in keeping with this motto. An early example of this pioneering spirit was the Office packages for the first-generation Audi A8, which included a refrigerator, bar compartment, VHS player and monitor, folding table, and power curtains.
The ability to integrate high-demand design options directly into production has improved significantly in recent years. While the standard range for most Audi models boasts up to eleven colors, Audi exclusive allows customers to choose from an even broader spectrum of additional finishes, including a variety of special Audi exclusive finishes and standard colors from other Audi models. Different markets show different preferences among a range of nuances, from matte to gloss finishes in a wide range of colors. The Audi exclusive portfolio covers three main areas: full personalization, predefined design and stitching packages, and editions. Customers can choose from a range of eight main finishes for the interior, complemented by three accent colors – Alaska Blue, Iguana Green, and Calendula Yellow. They are showcased perfectly in the Bicolor packages for the Audi e-tron GT, for example. “We want to allow everyone to design their Audi to be as individual as they are,” says Michael Binder from the Audi exclusive Product Marketing team. “Every one of our customers wants to express themselves with their Audi – without saying a word.
Higher performance: Advanced drive systems and adapted thermal management enable up to 680 kW (925 PS) of output More exclusive: Specially developed RS performance mode and push-to-pass function offer optimal setup for challenging coastal roads and winding mountain passes Dynamic duo: High-performance tires with more grip at high lateral acceleration or innovative tires with improved sustainability and optimized rolling resistance
With the Audi RS e-tron GT performance, Audi is debuting its first fully electric RS performance model. The four-door coupé demonstrates bundled technical expertise – and Audi’s passion for details. Powerful, sporty, and confident, it reflects the brand’s high standards for developing and building cars. The RS e-tron GT performance is the dynamic flagship for electric mobility at Audi.
In addition to a permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PSM) on the front axle with a reinforced driveshaft and an output of 252 kW (342 PS), the electric Gran Turismo features a newly developed PSM on the rear axle with an output of 415 kW (564 PS).The increased copper density of the special hairpin winding in the electric motors’ stator maximizes current conduction. Moreover, the rotor in the electric motor at the rear is more compact and lighter. Overall, Audi has reduced the weight of the electric motor on the rear axle by ten kilos. What’s more, both electric motors have power reserves for dynamic driving situations.
In this interview, exterior designers at Audi discuss developing the design for the Audi A6 e-tron series Sascha Heyde and Wolf Seebers reveal how they brought their visionary concepts to series production Wolf Seebers remembers: “I still get goosebumps when I think about it.”
They live next door to each other, with garages adjacent, and that is where they love spending their time together. Sascha Heyde and Wolf Seebers are car guys through and through and have been friends for 20 years – and as Audi exterior designers, they shaped the A6 e-tron family together. They first revealed their vision in the stunning A6 e-tron concept and A6 Avant e-tron concept; now, they have brought the design and technology of these vehicles to series production. But how does one make one’s ideal a reality? A conversation about and with two real brothers of design.
Mr. Heyde and Mr. Seebers, the story of the Audi A6 e-tron began with two show cars. Do we still need concepts today? Sascha Heyde: We think of concepts as visions unbridled. Free and uncompromising in terms of their conception and implementation. We live in a unique age for automotive design. The importance of sustainable solutions, suitability for everyday use, personal freedom, and the evolution of Audi’s high-performance and premium quality DNA for the electric age – design can take many approaches to help shape this transition. Concepts let us quickly and systematically break down old barriers, create new worlds, and look for answers. They are leaders in innovation, representing a vision of design and new technologies.
Adam Baker, CEO of Audi Formula Racing GmbH, and CTO Stefan Dreyer in a double interview Complete F1 Power Unit runs on the test bench and has already covered simulated race distances Development at the Neuburg site with 22 state-of-the-art test benches
Work on the Power Unit for Audi’s Formula 1 entry has been underway for more than two years. The specially created Audi Formula Racing GmbH (AFR) in Neuburg a. d. Donau is responsible for the development of the F1 hybrid drive (“Power Unit”) and has successfully completed the set-up phase. Together with the Hinwil facility, the team from Neuburg will form the future factory team with which Audi will compete in the top class in 2026. The Audi F1 Power Unit “Made in Germany” is making great progress behind closed doors. AFR CEO Adam Baker and AFR CTO Stefan Dreyer provide an insight into the current status.
Work on the development of the Audi Power Unit for Formula 1 has been underway at the Neuburg facility since spring 2022. What has been achieved so far? Baker: After just two years, our Power Unit, consisting of a combustion engine, electric motor, battery and control electronics, is running dynamically on the test bench. Successfully marrying the various components into a single unit is the result of hard work and great teamwork. The Audi Power Unit has already covered simulated race distances on the test bench. We gained a lot of testing time with the individual components in 2023 and were able to incorporate the experience gained into the next construction stages in parallel. Significant milestones and goals have been achieved, which gives the entire team a good feeling. Dreyer: We implemented a very ambitious modernization and expansion of our test facility. Today, we have 22 state-of-the-art test benches at the site. Our new development tools are state-of-the-art and have enabled us to achieve a steep learning curve.
At Audi, the health of its employees is a top priority – as demonstrated by the company’s recent receipt of the prestigious German Gold Seal of Corporate Health award. In this interview, Dr. Andreas Haller, Head of Audi Occupational Health, explains how exactly the brand with the four rings invests in its employees’ health and discusses the challenges faced by health management in times of transformation.
Dr. Haller, what are the current priorities for health management? Andreas Haller: We take a holistic approach. Some of Audi’s employees have physically demanding jobs. We offer them just as much support as other employees with office jobs who need to make sure they get enough exercise. Our employees can have very individual needs, so we look at each person very closely. Among other things, we work with Audi’s gastronomy services to provide advice on a healthy diet. Another aspect to mention here is mental fitness. The world of work is undergoing a monumental change; jobs are becoming more complex, and the flood of information is enormous – all of which has an effect on people. We know healthy ways of dealing with the strain. Our credo is “Stay strong, focus the mind”. We’re keeping at it. What does that mean exactly? Andreas Haller: We launched a comprehensive program a few years ago to raise awareness of and destigmatize mental health. We called it “Jede_r hat Psyche” (English: Everyone has mental health). It paid off; people dealt with the topic more openly. We added a Mental Health Checkup to our Audi Checkup, which is a preventive healthcare program available to all employees. By focusing on prevention, we want to give our employees the tools they need to stay healthy and prevent crisis situations that would require therapeutic treatment in the first place. And what effect did the program have? Andreas Haller: It more than paid off. We were able to significantly reduce symptoms of stress and help people effectively.
The Audi headquarters in Ingolstadt is the first Audi plant in Germany with its own battery assembly facility Integration of production into existing body shop and assembly structures The Q6 e-tron series rolls off the production line in Ingolstadt with net zero emissions
Since production started in late 2023, the Audi Q6 e-tron series has been the first high-volume fully electric model series that Audi has produced at its headquarters in Ingolstadt. In keeping with the brand’s 360factory production strategy, Audi has integrated individual production steps into existing body shop and assembly structures and processes. Since January 1, 2024, Ingolstadt is the third Audi location to manufacture with net zero emissions1, following Brussels (2018) and Győr (2020). In addition, the brand with the four rings’ headquarters is also the first Audi location in Germany to have its own battery assembly facility.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner emphasizes the significance of the first model based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE): “The PPE, and with it the Q6 e-tron series, form the basis for subsequent electric Audi models. In this way, we are taking a decisive step towards offering an electric model in all core segments by 2027.” Audi Board Member for Production and Logistics Gerd Walker sees the start of production as an important milestone for the 360factory production strategy: “By the end of the decade, we will have successively equipped all Audi locations for the production of electric models. We are harnessing electrification to comprehensively transform our existing plants. With the production of the Q6 e-tron series, the Ingolstadt plant is taking the next step towards becoming a 360factory.” Audi has a clear vision for the production of the future. As part of this holistic, sustainable approach, the company is modernizing, digitalizing, and transforming its existing plants.
Change of leadership to take place on February 1, 2024 Audi Board Member for Production and Logistics Gerd Walker: “Alfons Dintner has set the course for a successful transformation at Audi Hungaria. Michael Breme will continue to systematically lead the company along this path.”
A change of leadership in Győr: On February 1, 2024, Michael Breme will assume the role of Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria. He succeeds Alfons Dintner, who is concluding his 40-year career with the Volkswagen Group to focus on his private interests.
Michael Breme is currently Head of Steering Business Area Product Lines and Module Management at AUDI AG. In this role, he is responsible for developing and implementing a future-oriented approach to module and platform management. “Michael Breme has more than 20 years of experience in the world of production at Audi. In his previous roles, he was instrumental in developing the Győr site. As Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria, he will sharpen the company’s strategic focus and at the same time continue to develop the location’s role in Audi’s production network,” says Audi Board Member for Production and Logistics Gerd Walker. After completing his studies in materials sciences at RWTH Aachen University as a graduate engineer, Breme began his career at AUDI AG as a planner for Body Substructure / Structure Planning and foreign plants. In 2009, Breme became Head of the Audi Tool Shop, responsible for the tool-making sites in Ingolstadt, Neckarsulm, Győr, Audi Tooling Barcelona in Martorell, and Audi Tooling China in Beijing. In 2016, Breme became Head of Production and Plant Planning at AUDI AG. In this role, he was responsible for the production-side planning of all Audi brand vehicle projects and the planning and implementation of plant structures at all Audi locations worldwide, including Győr.
Carbon hood and fenders as well as 22-inch wheels in a distinctive design ensure high recognizability Adjustable coilover suspension, high-performance tires, and optimized quattro sport differential enhance the driving dynamics Only 660 units worldwide and heritage decals based on the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO guarantee exclusivity
The new AudiRS 6 Avant GT is the pinnacle of the model series. The special edition is packed with exclusive details for both the exterior and the interior. An impressive pass-through roof edge spoiler, redefined diffuser, and 22-inch wheels in a distinctive design underscore its top position in the model series. The interior features high-quality bucket seats, a fresh color combination, and individual numbering in the center console as exclusive accents. Lightweight adjustable coilover suspension unique to the RS 6 Avant GT and a reworked quattro sport differential on the rear axle sharpen the driving experience. The twin-turbocharged eight-cylinder engine in a V-layout has an output of 463 kW (630 PS) and delivers 850 Nm of torque from 2,300 to 4,500 rpm. Delivery of the AudiRS 6 Avant GT will begin in the second quarter 2024, the price starts at 219,585 euro.