X

Audi Sport Quattro Laserlight concept to show at CES 2014 (pictures)

Audi announced it would show off this new concept car, using laser headlights and a powerful plug-in hybrid drivetrain, at CES next week.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
Audi_Laserlight-002.jpg
1 of 6 Audi
Audi's newest concept car, set to show at CES 2014 next week, gains its Laserlight name from the laser-based high-beam headlights it uses. Audi says the laser diodes are smaller than LEDs, yet produce twice the lighting range. The concept uses LEDs for its low beams.
Audi_Laserlight-000.jpg
2 of 6 Audi
The Quattro part of its name means this concept would use Audi's all-wheel-drive system. The Quattro Laserlight also gets Audi's Sport Differential, a rear differential that vectors torque across the axle to help cornering performance.
Audi_Laserlight-001.jpg
3 of 6 Audi
Audi defines a plug-in hybrid drivetrain for the Quattro Laserlight comprising a 4-liter V-8 with twin turbos complemented by an electric motor and 14.1 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack. Total system output hits 700 horsepower, while the battery pack allows over 30 miles of pure electric range.
Audi_Laserlight-003.jpg
4 of 6 Audi
To shed weight, the Quattro Laserlight uses carbon fiber-reinforced plastic panels for the roof, hood, and hatch, while aluminum makes up the doors and fenders.
Audi_Laserlight-004.jpg
5 of 6 Audi
Audi puts the engine start and DriveSelect buttons on the steering wheel, helping to clean up the dashboard. An LCD panel takes the place of an analog instrument cluster. Remarkably, Audi does away with a large center LCD in favor of a narrower display for infotainment purposes.
Audi_Laserlight-005.jpg
6 of 6 Audi
While the Quattro Laserlight is purely a concept car, it shows many technologies Audi is developing for the road.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos