The driver can use the multi-function steering wheel to switch between two modes: The Infotainment mode is dominated by a central window while the rev counter and speedometer are displayed as small round elements. The classic view focuses on the instruments. The central window with the navigation map or the telephone, radio or audio lists is correspondingly smaller here.

The Audi virtual cockpit presents the required information in an attractive colour design – for example, it shines in orange in the media menu and in green in the telephone menu.

The Audi virtual cockpit is controlled via the multi-function steering wheel plus. The switches on the left spoke are used for navigating through the menus of the audio system, the on-board computer and the telephone and navigation elements. The mode is changed with the “View” button.

quattro is a permanent four-wheel drive system. If the wheels of one axle lose grip and threaten to spin, the drive torque is redirected to the other axle – automatically and continuously distributed through the self-locking centre differential with torque vectoring. The basic distribution is 40:60 – with 40% of the power going to the front axle and 60% to the rear. If necessary, however, up to 70% can be directed to the front and up to 85% to the rear to counteract wheel slip.

The advantage: more grip when accelerating and greater safety thanks to the exceptional roadholding. So much for the technology. But what makes quattro unique is really the driving feel. “It’s like you’re stuck to the road,” some customers say. We put it this way: quattro gives you a better feel for the road and thus more safety.

With the sport differential, it’s like driving on rails

The optional quattro with sport differential further reinforces this inimitable quattro feeling. Vehicles tend to understeer when turning into and moving through bends. This is a normal physical process: a moving body resists a change in direction. The elastic tyres and the suspension mounts tense up until the vehicle adopts the new direction. When accelerating into a bend, the load on the front axle is reduced and it can therefore transfers less lateral force to the tyres – the vehicle understeers.

This tendency is largely counteracted with the sport differential on the rear axle. This is because a superposition unit with two gear stages has been added to the quattro rear-axle differential on the left and right. These ensure that the individual wheels on the rear axle receive different levels of drive torque. The clutches are activated by an electrohydraulic actuator. Depending on factors such as steering angle, lateral acceleration, yaw angle and road speed, the control unit calculates the most suitable distribution of torque to the wheels for every driving situation. When the steering wheel is turned, for example, or the car accelerated in a bend, power is redirected specifically to the outer rear wheel.

This has the effect of pushing the car into the bend so that it follows the angle of the front wheels. The difference in tractive force between the left and right wheels exerts an additional steering effect, so that the corrections the driver has previously had to make to the steering wheel become virtually unnecessary. This allows precise control and sporty handling as well as greater agility along with outstanding traction.

The 7-speed S tronic consists of two multi-plate clutches and two sub-transmissions. Both of these are continuously active, but only one is powered by the engine at any given time. For example, when the driver accelerates in third gear, fourth gear is already engaged in the second transmission section. Gears are switched over by changing the clutches – one opens and the other closes. The gear change takes just a few hundredths of a second with almost no interruption in power flow. So quickly and so smoothly that the driver barely notices it.

A distinctive feature of the 7-speed S tronic is its two separate oil systems. While the dual clutch, mechatronics module and oil pump are supplied by their own oil circuit, the gear sets, centre and front-axle differential are lubricated separately. The advantage of this is that no compromise is required with regard to the lubricant used, ensuring an optimum oil supply for all components.

S tronic® combines the efficiency and sportiness of a conventional manual gearbox with the convenience of a modern automatic

The 7-speed S tronic gives the driver the choice of changing gear manually or leaving this to the transmission. In manual mode, he decides when to change gear and does so by means of paddles on the steering wheel or by nudging the selector lever. In automatic mode, he can change the gearshift behaviour of the transmission with the Drive program (D) and Sport program (S). In combination with Audi drive select®, which is available for many models, the efficiency mode can also be selected. This features a modified shift program as well as a more energy-efficient basic setting. If the driver takes his foot off the accelerator when efficiency mode is selected, for example, the vehicle automatically goes into coasting mode; the vehicle continues to move without any engine braking losses.

As much as we focus on dynamic performance, we also attach great importance to efficiency, as excellent efficiency reduces fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.