The chassis

The second key to its excellent dynamics on the road is its highly effective suspension with McPherson strut layout at the front and the new four-link independent suspension at the rear. Large 19-inch wheels with size 245/40 R19 tyres promote driving fun and safety.

The dynamic suspension is designed for sporty, agile handling with a high standard of stability, and makes cornering a distinct pleasure. An additional forte is the high standard of ride comfort, as befits a car in a segment further up the range.

The Audi Shooting Brake Concept features ceramic brakes which ensure the appropriate braking performance. Compared with conventional steel discs, these not only last four times longer, but also offer high braking performance, even when driving at the limit, as well as maximum resistance to fading.

The significant reduction in weight also leads to advantages in terms of comfort and handling thanks to reduced unsprung masses.

The electromechanical steering with speed-dependent power assistance is furthermore one of the keys to optimum handling. It combines optimum steering feedback with minimal sensitivity to excitation from the road surface, and operates on far less energy.

The particular strengths of the four-link suspension layout stem from the functional separation of longitudinal and transverse forces. This provides a high standard of lateral rigidity in the interests of optimum dynamics and driving safety and, at the same time, makes the suspension relatively soft lengthwise in order to improve the standard of ride comfort.

Separate springs and shock absorbers provide the necessary vertical support. The shock absorbers are fitted right next to the wheels, leaving space for a particularly generous through-loading width in the luggage compartment. A tubular anti-roll bar is secured to the axle beam by means of extremely stiff rubber-to-metal mounts; it reduces body roll effectively and has a positive influence on the amount of lateral force that can be absorbed and thus on the vehicle’s handling.

An innovative technology is used for the shock absorbers: Audi magnetic ride. Instead of the conventional damper fluid, a magnetorheological fluid is used – in other words, a fluid whose viscosity can be influenced by an electromagnetic field. This effect enables to damping characteristic to be influenced electronically at will by applying a voltage to the electromagnets.

Audi uses this property to supply the correct damping forces in every driving situation, thus optimising ride comfort and road behaviour. A computer equipped with sensor technology determines the prevailing driving situation in a matter of milliseconds. The driver can choose from two driving programs depending on whether they want to drive in a very sporty style – in which case the magnetorheological fluid exhibits high viscosity – or more with the accent on ride comfort.