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Exciting design and longest range in the model family: the new Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron

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Ingolstadt, October 14, 2024 – Audi is expanding its electric model portfolio with the Q6 Sportback e-tron, one of the most popular body designs among customers. The powerful and iconic SUV design typical of Audi in the Q6 SUV e-tron is complemented by the Sportback’s sleek features. The result is a more progressive and sportier silhouette that will appeal to design-oriented customers. The Q6 Sportback e-tron, which features the familiar strengths of the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) in terms of performance, range, efficiency, and charging, is yet another example of the scalability of the PPE. Thanks to the aerodynamic benefits of the model’s design, the Q6 Sportback e-tron performance is the range champion in the model series, with a range of up to 402 miles. 

Audi will unveil the Q6 Sportback e-tron to the global public for the first time at the Paris Motor Show 2024. “The new model demonstrates the versatility of our new generation of electric vehicles,” said Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG. “The Sportback variant is the next step in the expansion of our electric model portfolio. The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron combines the strengths of our new electric models – efficiency, range, and performance – with the evocative, functional design of its distinct body.”

The dynamic-looking Q6 Sportback e-tron combines the spaciousness of an SUV with the elegance of a coupé. Sporty and expressive, the electric car features a 511-litre luggage compartment and a 64-litre frunk (optional as part of storage pack). When the rear row of seats is folded, the luggage compartment increases to up to 1,373 litres. The long wheelbase of 2,899mm makes for ample room in the interior, even in the rear seats, and the Q6 Sportback e-tron boasts 25 litres of useful storage space. The high towing capacity of up to 2,400kg in the Q6 Sportback e-tron quattro (2,000kg in other drive variants) stands for uncompromising suitability for everyday use.

Thanks to its aerodynamic design with a cd value of 0.28 and a large 100kWh battery (94.9 kWh net), the 4,771mm long, 1,965mm wide (without mirrors), and 1,665mm tall Q6 Sportback e-tron performance (37 mm lower than the SUV variant) has a range of up to 402 miles. This means the Sportback has the longest range in the Q6 e-tron series. As an option, customers can choose a smaller capacity 83 kWh battery pack (75.8 kWh net).

The exterior design accentuates the sporty character
Echoing the iconic first-generation Audi TT Coupé, the Sportback’s sloping roofline enhances its sporty aesthetics. The vehicle’s silhouette flows gracefully, resembling a streamlined drop of water. The design team reimagined the entire roof arch, starting from the A-pillar, resulting in a Sportback 37mm lower than the SUV variant. This adjustment infuses the classic proportions of an SUV with dynamism and elegance unique to the Sportback form. As a result, the Q6 Sportback e-tron exudes an unmistakable sportiness even when stationary.

The greenhouse stretches considerably lower and tighter over the vehicle’s powerful body. Its soft shapes purposefully contrast with the body’s creases and edges, creating a dynamic interplay of shadows. The flat rear window ends in a breakaway edge that incorporates the third brake light. A striking line sweeps from the rear over the taillights to the rear doors, accentuating the top of the quattro blisters and the broad shoulders above the wheel arches. The rear window design has a dynamic upward bend. A distinguishing feature shared by all Audi Sportbacks, this small detail gives the vehicle even more forward thrust and is further accentuated by the surrounding aluminium-look trim.

The upright front dominates the fully closed, three-dimensional Singleframe. A mask in Selenite Silver or high-gloss black encloses the side air intakes. Thanks to their high placement, the digital daytime running lights give the Q6 Sportback e-tron its striking and unique appearance.

The rear, which tapers more dynamically than the SUV’s, blends sporty elegance and power. With its continuous light strip, the clean, spacious rear architecture gives the Sportback the clarity and poise typical of Audi.

An interior meticulously tailored to the occupants
The Q6 Sportback e-tron interior is perfectly suited to its occupants’ needs. Material properties were carefully considered from the early stages of interior design. Together with the Audi MMI panoramic display and the MMI passenger display, they create a visually striking digital stage. The high-contrast interior design intentionally places elements in the foreground or background, resulting in a three-dimensional spatial architecture that balances aesthetics and ergonomics tailored to the occupants.

The interior ambiance is emphatically intimate. The dynamic interaction light (part of the Sound & Vision pack) offers a wide range of communication functions, aiding the vehicle’s interactions with its occupants. It envelops the interior and the cockpit in a generous arc. The soft wrap extends from the doors through the entire cockpit to the centre console, creating a cohesive and welcoming sense of space. Its colours and high-quality materials, such Dinamica microfiber, made partly from recycled materials, are also used in the seats. Optionally available in S line specification, the soft wrap uses Elastic Melange fabric made from recycled material. The roof lining, pillars, and sun visors are made from Draft, another fabric made with 100 percent recycled polyester.

Full portfolio of drive and battery variants available at launch
Two battery sizes and two drive variants are available for the Q6 Sportback e-tron, the details of which are listed below:

Sophisticated HV battery thermal management and the 800-volt electrical system make for impressive charging performance. For example, the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron performance needs only 10 minutes at a fast-charging station to charge a range of up to 164 miles at a maximum charging power of 260 kW under ideal conditions. It only takes the high-voltage battery 22 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent. The smaller capacity 83kWh battery has a maximum charging speed of 225 kW.

UK pricing and model lineup (MDP)
The Q6 Sportback e-tron is priced at £2,500 above the equivalent Q6 SUV e-tron. The powertrain lineup is consistent across both body styles, as are the specification options: Sport, S line, and Edition 1. An in-depth list of the Q6 Sportback’s standard equipment can be viewed via this link.

Q6 Sportback e-tron Sport
Q6 Sportback e-tron S line
Q6 Sportback e-tron Edition 1		 £62,475
£65,475
£70,475
   
Q6 Sportback e-tron performance Sport   
Q6 Sportback e-tron performance S line 
Q6 Sportback e-tron performance Edition 1		 £65,975
£68,975
£73,975
   
Q6 Sportback e-tron quattro Sport
Q6 Sportback e-tron quattro S line
Q6 Sportback e-tron quattro Edition 1		 £71,475
£74,475
£79,475
   
SQ6 Sportback e-tron quattro Edition 1    £95,450

 

Driving dynamics to match the Sportback’s sporty character
The progressive and sporty design of the Q6 Sportback e-tron matches its driving dynamics. Audi has redeveloped most of the suspension systems and components for the Q6 e-tron series. The redesigned front axle significantly influences the driving dynamics of the electric Sportback. Like the SUV, the Sportback’s trailing arms are positioned in front of the tie rods in the direction of travel. The optimized axle kinematics achieve a noticeable increase in driving dynamics and simultaneously improve the steering response, not least thanks to the subframe holding the steering securely in place. This makes the vehicle much more agile.

The steering design and its control via new software modules, combined with the new front axle, continuously give the customer significantly more feedback via the steering wheel about the current driving situation and road conditions, further enhancing the Sportback’s agility. With its rear-biased tuning, the drive ensures highly variable all-wheel drive distribution overall and is another feature that improves the driving dynamics of the Q6 Sportback e-tron. The different dimensions of the electric motors on the front and rear axles in the all-wheel variant enable rear-biased torque distribution even under full load.

The new passive damping system FSD (Frequency Selective Damping) gives the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron more composure on the move. More damping is required to offer greater ride comfort in certain driving situations; for example, when driving over cobblestones during dynamic driving manoeuvres, the system adapts accordingly to control the movement of the vehicle’s body. The adaptive air suspension (SQ6 Sportback e-tron only) with controlled damping compensates for the load via the level control to maintain an even ride height even under different load conditions.

Five stars in Euro NCAP and ‘Best in Class’ for child safety
The Q6 e-tron was awarded the highest rating of five stars by Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program), the renowned European consumer protection organization. The vehicle was evaluated and achieved excellent results in the Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road Users, and Safety Assist categories. The car received a near-perfect score of 91 percent for Adult Occupant Protection, indicating that it provides optimal protection. For the first time, an Audi model was evaluated for its post-crash safety features (including rescue data sheets for first responders and eCall), with the Q6 e-tron receiving an excellent rating.

With a score of 92 percent for Child Occupant Protection, the Audi Q6 e-tron model family is currently the best in class of all vehicles tested in 2023 and 2024. Features that exceed the legal requirements contribute to this excellent result. For example, the Q6 e-tron is one of the few models in its segment to offer three i-Size seats: two in the rear and one in the front passenger seat. i-Size is a European safety standard introduced in 2013 that ensures complete compatibility between the car seat and the car itself. The front passenger seat in the Q6 e-tron has a smart vehicle feature that automatically deactivates the front passenger airbag when a rear-facing child seat is used. The restraint systems were further improved for use with child car seats to provide optimal protection for children of all ages.

State-of-the-art lighting technology
The active digital light signature (standard on Edition 1 specifications) stands for a one-of-a-kind design unique to Audi. The second-generation digital OLED rear lights (SQ6 Sportback e-tron only) have six 60-segment OLED panels that use a specially developed algorithm to generate a new image every ten milliseconds, giving the lights a vibrant and intelligent appearance. At the front, the active digital light signature is generated via the algorithm’s interaction with twelve dimmable segments. At the rear, all the digital OLED segments are used. The individual light segments interact so that the overall image of the light signature does not vary in light intensity.

The second generation of digital OLED technology shapes the look of new Audi models and increases their range of functions many times over. This also improves road safety, as demonstrated by the communication light in the digital OLED rear lights 2.0 (SQ6 Sportback e-tron only). This feature warns other road users of accidents and breakdowns. In critical road situations, it displays a specific, static rear light signature with integrated warning symbols in addition to the regular rear light graphic. The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron also sets new standards in personalization: With up to eight digital light signatures (depending on the chosen equipment level) available for the redesigned daytime running lights in the Matrix LED headlights (standard on Edition 1) and digital OLED rear lights 2.0 (standard on SQ6 Sportback e-tron), drivers can personalize the appearance of their Sportback. This can be done via the MMI or the myAudi app.

The digital stage: the new display and operating concept
Like their SUV sister model, the Q6 Sportback e-tron, the A6 e-tron, A5, and the Q5 series models include a new display and operating concept. Above the soft wrap, the digital stage with the Audi MMI panoramic display and the MMI passenger display dominates the interior. The slim, free-standing Audi MMI panoramic display features a curved design and OLED technology. It comprises an 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit and a 14.5-inch MMI touch display. The digital stage is complemented by an optional 10.9-inch MMI passenger display with active privacy mode (standard on Edition 1 specifications).

The optional augmented reality head-up display (standard on SQ6 Sportback e-tron) signifies a major advancement in display technology at Audi. This innovative display projects a large, tilted image plane onto the windshield, providing the driver with essential information such as speed, traffic signs, assistance, and navigation icons. The forward tilt of the image plane enhances the AR experience by aligning with the natural focus of the human eye. This tilt, combined with the large virtual image distance, creates the impression that the displayed items float up to 200 metres away and interact directly with the environment. From the driver’s perspective, the field of view for AR content spans a diagonal of approximately 88 inches.

In addition, Audi has significantly expanded its voice control options. The driver can control many vehicle functions using Audi’s self-learning voice assistant, the Audi assistant. The AI-supported digital assistant is deeply integrated into the vehicle and represented by an avatar. The new voice assistant recognizes over 800 voice commands. Having been expanded with the chatbot ChatGPT, the Audi assistant automatically recognizes whether to execute a vehicle function, search for a destination, or, for example, provide a weather forecast. The Audi system only forwards queries to ChatGPT when it cannot answer general knowledge questions. Passengers enjoy a seamless experience, as all the functions are integrated into the Audi assistant. Moreover, ChatGPT never has access to vehicle data. All questions and answers are deleted in the interest of data protection. The basis for this feature is the Cerence Chat Pro solution from software specialist Cerence, which incorporates numerous sources, including ChatGPT.

The new infotainment system uses Android Automotive OS. It comes with the latest Audi connect services, such as the enhanced e-tron route planner. Popular apps, such as YouTube, are available via the store for third-party apps embedded directly in the MMI, eliminating the need for a smartphone. New apps that will be available regularly maximize digital functionality in the Q6 Sportback e-tron.

The Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System delivers (standard on SQ6 Sportback e-tron) superb 3D sound experience. A highly efficient amplifier at the heart of the system drives 20 loudspeakers with a total output of 830 watts. Four speakers are integrated into the front seat headrests, enabling Audi to introduce so-called sound zones for the first time.

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