ultra is at the spearhead of strong, lightweight automotive construction.
At Audi, we
do not view lightweight construction as being the sum of individual components
but as a highly-integrated overall concept: from innovative materials and
intelligent design principles to resource-efficient production processes. All
of these factors already go into making every Audi, but the development is far
is expanding an additional core competence - ultra lightweight construction.
Aluminum is already used according to the ASF (Audi Space Frame) principle in
many models today to reduce the weight of the bodies by roughly 40 percent. The
material improves the environmental balance: the fuel savings it enables more
than offsets the greater amount of energy required for its production. For
example, the intensive lightweight construction measures used on the Audi A6
already pay off after a distance of around 5,000 kilometers (3,107 miles).
In the future, each new Audi model will continue to be lighter - in some cases
much lighter than its predecessor. The development engineers will
intelligently combine new materials, including carbon fiber-reinforced polymer
(CFRP), in the bodies. At Audi, lightweight construction means the flexible use
of various materials, always with the aim of using the least possible amount of
the right material in the right place. In the intelligent composite
construction, the selection and use of materials and their influence on the
overall energy balance plays a crucial role. At Audi, an intelligent mix of
different materials always also takes into account the effects on the
environment and resources.