Audi Plans to Show Full-Hybrid A8 at the Geneva Auto Show
By Greg Migliore
Audi will reveal a full hybrid based on the A8 at the Geneva Motor Show in March, board chairman Rupert Stadler said on Monday at the Detroit Auto Show.
The car is part of Audi's strategy to bypass mild hybrids en route to full electric vehicles.
“These share more synergies with future electric drivetrains,” Stadler said.
The 2011 A8 broke cover last year and goes on sale in the fall. A hybrid based on the Q5 crossover is also planned for later this year. The A8 was a spotlight display for the company at the Detroit show.
Audi says it's planning eight model launches this year, and is aiming to increase sales to 1 million worldwide in 2010. That would be an increase from 2009's tally, which approached 950,000 units. Stadler said even though sales fell last year, it gained market share as its competitors faltered even more.
“We exceeded our own expectations in 2009,” Stadler said.
The electric A8 news came as Audi revealed another version of its electric supercar, the E-tron, on Monday at the Detroit show. The latest version of the concept reduces weight by 551 pounds from its predecessor.
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(Pictured: Audi showed the 2011 A8 at the Detroit Auto Show. A full hybrid version will debut at the Geneva show; photo by Greg Migliore.)
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