Cars & Autos | Tuesday 19 November, 2019 1:34 am |

Audi is pressing ahead with its electric initiative. The brand with the four rings will be showcasing the series-production version of its electric Audi e-tron Sportback at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The 4.90-meter (16.1 ft) four-door model combines the elegance of a large coupe with the progressive character of an electric vehicle. 

 

The e-tron Sportback features innovative Digital Matrix headlights – a first for a series-production vehicle. These can light the way in front of the car with unprecedented precision thanks to a million or so micro mirrors. The e-tron Sportback shares its powertrain with the Audi e-tron SUV and will be built at the same production location in Brussels. It will be unveiled in Los Angeles on the evening before the show begins, starting at 6 p.m. local time on November 19, 2019 (3 a.m. CET on November 20). Early risers in Europe can watch the world premiere via social media channels and on Audi MediaTV. 

 

Audi Sport GmbH will be presenting another world premiere in Los Angeles. The top model in the Q product line will be appearing for the first time in the form of the Audi RS Q8. Powered by an eight-cylinder twin-turbo engine, the RS Q8 will offer performance to match. Its capabilities will be complemented by exceptional efficiency. That is because it features a mild hybrid (MHEV) system based on a 48-volt main electrical system. With its belt alternator starter, the RS Q8 can recover up to 12 kW of power to its lithium-ion battery. As a result, it can “glide” for up to 40 seconds with the engine switched off at speeds between 55 and 160 km/h (34.2 to 99.4 mph). Under partial load and at low engine speeds, the Audi RS Q8 offers another weapon in its armory for improving efficiency: cylinder deactivation.

 

The Audi e-tron Sportback and the Audi RS Q8 will be on show at the Audi stand during the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show starting on the press day on November 20.