German automaker Audi is set to unveil what they’re calling a completely new kind of concept car that’s so innovative they’ve yet to actually build it.
The auto, which so far exists only as artist drawings, still has yet to even have a snappy name attached to it. For now it’s been dubbed the Urban concept and, according to Audi “combines elements of a racing car, a fun car and an urban car into one radical new concept.”
Audi hopes to have the Urban concept set to debut at this year’s 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show in September. According to the automaker, the Urban concept is unique among Audi’s other concept cars in that it’s not based on any previous designs.
The company’s engineers claim that the Urban concept’s development “is solely oriented on the strict principles of lightweight construction, efficiency and reduction.”
One of Audi’s main goals for the Urban concept is to keep the car as lightweight as possible. To that end, both the car’s body and cockpit are constructed of reinforced carbon fiber. Occupants enter via the tailgate with the roof sliding to the rear to open.
Inside, the steering wheel and pedals are adjustable to suit the driver’s measurements. Two seats are slightly staggered placing the passenger slightly behind the driver.
The car is powered by two e-tron electric motors with energy supplied by lithium ion batteries. Once complete, Audi claims that the car will have powerful acceleration with a range ideal for extended urban tours.
