Audi comes up with a unique urban study for the 2007 Tokyo auto show. The little metroproject uses a hybrid powertrain for efficiency and an infotainment system that communicates with the car through a WLAN.
Audi's design study does away with the B-pillar, creating an open feeling in this compact car. It's a four seater, although leg room in the back is practically nonexistent. The stainless steel rib bordering the roofline gives the metroproject an interesting two-tone look.
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The metroproject is like no other quattro that Audi has produced. It uses a 1.4-liter turbocharged direct injection engine to drive the front wheels, and an electric motor in back. During normal driving, the metroproject works as a front-wheel-drive car, but under acceleration the electric motor provides extra boost.
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With the back hatch open, you can see this window in the cargo floor, which reveals the 30 kilowatt electric motor. The metroproject has an all-electric mode, letting the motor drive it over a range of 100 kilometers, or a little over 60 miles.
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The metroproject's infotainment unit handles navigation, audio, Bluetooth cell phone integration, and other car functions. Because the unit communicates with the car through wireless, the driver can pull it out of the dashboard and still use it to control car functions.
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As any good concept car should, the metroproject has LEDs all around. Its hybrid drivetrain and DSG dual clutch transmission get the car to 62 mph in a sprightly 7.8 seconds, yet let it get 48 mpg.
