Just as VW Group's Winterkorn was telling us how they will dominate the electric mobility market by 2018 in Frankfurt, Audi rolled out its first commercial for the A3 e-tron. OK, it's in German, but we're willing to bet it will broadcast everywhere they sell their compact hybrid.
The idea here is that Audi is joining the electric car market and does the robot boogie, the moonwalk and the shuffle with the other robots (read other automakers). But while the others have to halt their dance when they run out of batteries, the German robot can switch to petrol.
Quite skillfully, the red robot is portrayed that 5% better looking and longer lasting, even in battery model.
Audi released this ad today specifically to get its German customers to visit the IAA in Frankfurt.
So what about the car? Revealed at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, the A3 Sportback e-tron will have a total output of 204 hp (150 kW) from a combination of 1.4 TFSI with 150 hp and an electric motor that can drive the car by itself.
While Audi's claim of 1.5 l/100km sounds a bit too ambitious and is worth investigation once the car goes on sale in 2014, the technology does seem sound.
Perhaps the best thing about the A3 e-tron is that it looks like a normal car, in fact we'd say it's even better than a regular A3. If we were in the market for an electrified premium compact, we wouldn't want it to be a fanciful futuristic embarrassment… not that dancing are the epitome of cool.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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