Audi’s Alpine testing continues with the latest batch of pictures from spy photographers showing the all-electric A6 e-tron sedan undergoing development high in the European mountains. Again wearing a frustrating amount of camouflage, little beyond the general shape of the car is visible. As before, the split headlights are emphasized by the wrap, but upon closer inspection, though, we can see that the lower lighting element appears to be set back from the camo. That suggests that, as we have long expected, the car’s fascia will look like that of the A6 e-tron concept with the lighting element located in intakes that bracket the front end.
The lower air intake still looks pretty
large, signaling that Audi’s singleframe grille will be shrinking for duty here
on this electric vehicle. This prototype is also rocking dark new wheels with
what look like sensors on the hub that we haven’t seen before and that are no
doubt collecting valuable data for the automaker. Audi first unveiled the A6
e-tron concept last year and the car will be the same size as the conventional
A6. Otherwise, though, it will differ significantly, as it is based on an
entirely different platform.
The all-electric sedan will be underpinned
by the highly versatile PPE architecture, which was jointly developed by Audi
and Porsche and will be used in an array of different vehicles, from tall
riding crossovers to hunkered down sedans like the A6. Audi said the A6 e-tron
concept had 470 hp and 800 Nm of torque thanks to a
pair of motors on both axles. The automaker is also planning to make an RS
version of the vehicle that should blow us away with its performance figures.
Expected to be sold alongside the internal
combustion A6, the A6 e-tron will also get an Avant (or wagon) variant as the
automaker teased with the very attractive concept model. The sedan isn’t expected to be revealed until 2023 as a 2024MY vehicle in
North America.
