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Unveiled at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show, the Audi Avus concept was the world's first car with an entirely aluminum bodyshell. It paved the way for production cars built by Audi with all-aluminum space frames like the A8 and the A2.
The Avus concept was designed by Munich-based Advanced Design Studio under the direction of Martin Smith. Named after a Berlin racetrack, the Avus featured an unpainted polished aluminum body that recalled the racing heritage of the "Silver Arrows" Auto Unions of the 1930′s.
Chief Designer Martin Smith's polished aluminum body panels visually demonstrated how aluminum would play a significant role in automobile construction. In the Avus Concept, the hand-beaten panels were mounted on a light alloy tubular chassis, in a way similar to the "Touring Superleggera" construction system.
The Avus was powered by a 6.0 liters W12 engine with three banks of four cylinders, which delivered 509 hp. The unit was coupled with Audi's Quattro wheel drive system and a six-speed gearbox. Claimed performances were a top speed of 340 km/h (211 mph) and a 0-96 km/h (0-60 mph) acceleration time of 3 seconds.
Actually, the W12 unit was still under development at the launch date, so the prototype had a dummy engine made of painted wood and plastic. Today the Avus Concept is on display at AudAudi'sseum in Ingolstadt, Germany.
Source: www.audistory.24max.de
Images: AUDI AG.
