The Novelis Fusion AS250 sheet uses an innovative, patented, multi-layer aluminum technology that Novelis has dubbed "the new aluminum" because it offers performance benefits that are not achievable with conventional aluminum.
The aluminum sheet from Novelis will be used for a number of outer panels and design-critical structural components. The outer panels are the hood, deck lid, doors and the roof. The structural components include the complete floor tunnel and various reinforcements.
"Novelis is delighted to be the largest supplier of aluminum sheet for the new A8," said Tadeu Nardocci, president of Novelis Europe. "We are particularly excited that Audi is using our proprietary Novelis Fusion technology for the first time and that we are able to create this weight-saving opportunity for our customer."
For the next generation of the A8, Audi wanted to increase the strength of the load-bearing components in the car by 25 percent. The use of Novelis Fusion has enabled Audi to meet this goal for the floor tunnel, thus reducing overall vehicle weight and meeting the latest global crash requirements.
This solution was chosen instead of a dual-phase steel solution, which would not have achieved the weight reduction required by Audi.
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