Detroit 2009: Audi Sportback Concept

Battle of the 4-Door coupes! Audi has introduced the Sportback concept, a very stylish "4-Door Coupe" concept vehicle that should offer us a good glimpse at Audi's upcoming CLS (And maybe Fisker Karma competitor), the A7.

 The Audi Sportback concept, like it's intended competition, has a coupe-like roofline and overall the design is very clean, offering a look at the next iteration of Audi's design language. LED lighting features prominently, keeping with recent moves by Audi in this area.  Audi's R8 is the first production car to have both LED high and low beams.

The large, Audi single frame grille is more svelte in this application, and is reshaped with a flatter outside edge, fitting in with the rest of the design quite well. The rear is perhaps the best looking part of the car. The broad shoulders come to an end with a notchback and it makes out for a sporty, almost supercar-like feel.  Audi takes on the 4-Door coupe and succeeds. The Porsche Panamera's styling could learn a thing or two from the Sportback.

Inside is no different, with a very sporty cockpit that continues to flow with the intended purpose of the vehicle. It looks to be quite a departure for Audi with the wood surfaces and wide, minimalistic orientation. It works very well, and seems as if there  is some BMW influence in there as well.

Audi's interiors have been known for their exemplarly quality and design, but as of late the design has been getting a bit tired, and the Sportback concept offers potential possibilities for a new style of Audi interior design.

The Audi brand has been very succesful as of late, passing over 1 million vehicles worldwide for the first time in 2008. Audi would like to continue that success in the future, and part of that includes a particular emphasis on expanding the model lineup. The production version of this car, the upcoming A7, figures a large part of the equation for Audi in markets around the world.

To recap, in case you haven't noticed, I love this vehicle! Showing Audi's commitment to diesel, the Sportback Concept is shown with a 3.0L TDI Diesel V6 making 225HP and offering a combined 39 MPG. 

The Sportback bodes well for the future of Audi, as it looks to be a thinly disguised concept car previewing the production Audi A7.