Audi 2010 Annual Report Download - page 173

171
Management Report
132 Audi Group
141 Business and underlying
situation
156 Financial performance
indicators
159 Social and ecological aspects
159 Employees
162 Audi in society
163 Location-based
environmental aspects
167 Product-based
environmental aspects
173 Risks, opportunities
and outlook
183 Disclaimer
LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN IN THE NEW AUDI A6
MMI 3G
system integration
Aluminum module cross-member
Lightweight optimization of
engines and transmissions
Functional integration
Use of lightweight materials
(Al, Mg)
Cast aluminum strut braces
Aluminum
front lid
Aluminum bumper
system
Aluminum wiring
Aluminum axle
components
Use of high-end steels
in the cell,
including form-hardened
steel and tailored blanks
Aluminum rear shelf
Aluminum rear lid
Lightweight
forged wheels
Aluminum doors
Neodym speakers
Aluminum fenders
Lightweight optimization
of quattro drive
Composite cast
lightweight brake disks
Considerably greater use will be made of fiber-reinforced plastics in the future. The models of
the R8 car line, for example, already feature not just design components, but also exterior skin
elements and supporting structural components withstanding high mechanical loads made from
carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP). In addition, the volume use of fiber-reinforced plastics as
well as suitable production methods are being propagated at a specially established facility at
the Lightweight Design Center in Neckarsulm.
The group brand Lamborghini is also a major proponent of automotive lightweight design in its
supercars. For example, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento technology study that it exhibited at
the 2010 Paris Motor Show weighs a mere 999 kilograms despite having a ten-cylinder engine
and all-wheel drive. Its weight was largely reduced thanks to the use of CFRP, with the outer skin
and numerous structural components, for instance, made from carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic.
Efficiency modules launched: A7 Sportback and A6
In the A7 Sportback and the new A6, the Audi brand has again achieved the goal of blending a
dynamic driving feel with good fuel economy by using a large number of items from the modular
efficiency platform.
The systematic application of lightweight design for the body, engine and transmission has
reduced the vehicle weight, for example. Highly efficient automatic air conditioning, innovative
thermo-management, the start-stop system and energy recovery furthermore result in excellent
energy management.
Aerodynamic measures and low-resistance tires also help to improve efficiency. On-demand
control of ancillaries, electromechanical power steering and the use of assistance systems have
likewise helped to improve fuel efficiency and CO₂ emissions.