For us, the winner of the Detroit Show ‘best-looker’ award is a no-brainer – it’s the Audi Allroad Shooting Brake.
It’s a two-door crossover with off-road ability, but under that gorgeous skin is the real story – e-tron Quattro power (the first time Audi has combined these technologies) with two electric motors. The 2.0 TFSI plug-in hybrid is capable of 300kW/650Nm and in a vehicle which weighs just 1600kgs delivers zero to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds and combine cycle fuel consumption of 1.9l/100kms (820kms range between refills).
But here’s the tricky part – there’s a separate electric motor for the rear wheels which operates in low-moderate speed ranges. So the Audi Allroad Shooting Brake is normally a front-drive but in tricky conditions becomes all-wheel-drive.
Impressive – yep. But we just love the looks.
Painted in Ice Blue, the alloy-bodied Audi Allroad Shooting Brake is 4.2-metres long, 1.85-metres wide and 1.41-metres tall. There’s the hallmark Audi front-end and Shooting Brake style C-pillars but the body – like the Frankfurt Show Sport Quattro concept has a rear bias which Audi says is a pointer to future models.
And the 19-inch alloy wheels feature carbon fibre rims.
Inside is plenty of room for four people and luggage.
We would not be surprised if a version of the Audi Allroad Shooting Brake goes into production – it’s too stylish and too well-suited to the Audi lineup to ignore.
