Audi has revealed its Audi prologue show car at the LA Motor Show. It hints at a new design direction for A6, A7 and A8.

AUDI HAS REVEALED its Audi prologue show car at the LA Motor Show previewing the brand’s new design direction. Designed by Audi’s new head of crayon twirlers, Marc Lichte who since joining Audi this year has launched a “design offensive”.

“His clear philosophy and precise understanding of Audi DNA let him develop a design strategy that is opening up entirely new perspectives for us. It is progressive and highly emotional; it expresses the technological competence and quality claim of the brand perfectly. The Audi prologue is its first proponent – it is a ‘signature car’ for Audi,” said Professor Ulrich Hackenberg, board member for development at Audi.

The vehicle’s designer, Marc Lichte said: “Audi stands for sportiness, lightweight design and the quattro permanent all‑wheel drive. In the Audi prologue, we are expressing this know‑how in a new form – we have put the sportiest car in the luxury segment on wheels. Our team took new approaches in both exterior and interior design.”

Slightly shorter and flatter than an Audi A8 and with only two doors, the Audi prologue measures 5100mm long, 1950mm wide, and 1390mm high. The whole vehicle is dominated by its hunkered down look and deep front single frame grille, the headlights are shaped like “flat, wedges” with a projection lens and laser lights.

Under the long wide bonnet is a 4.0 TFSI which thumps out 445kW and 750Nm of torque (it’ll hit 100km/h in just 3.7 seconds); it also features all-wheel steering which sees the rear wheels turn up to five degrees… but that’s not new, Honda and Mitsubishi both had that on cars in the 1990s. This engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive – it rides on air suspension.

Designer, Marc Lichte, said he took inspiration for the bulging, squared off guards from the Audi Ur-quattro, while he claims the rear of the Audi prologue look like a luxury yacht. Okay.

On the inside, the Audi prologue shows off the Audi virtual cockpit future with three touch displays that allow the driver to control everything from the safety assistance technologies to lighting. On the passenger’s side is another screen allowing control of the entertainment features.