The Audi A4 allroad quattro: An ideal balance between performance and efficiency, sportsmanship and sovereignty, intelligence and emotion. Photos Provided to China Daily

FAW-VW Audi will bring what it is billing as its strongest lineup ever to the 2012 Beijing Auto Show on April 23.

Three models will make their international debut, and four models are coming to Asia for the first time: the Audi RS5, the Audi S8, the Audi S7 Sportback and the Audi A4 allroad quattro.

The 22 models cover the full range of Audi's A/Q/R series and represent the portfolio of Audi products as well as the advanced "comprehensive automobile solutions of the future" touted by FAW-VW Audi.

The exhibition marks the international debut of the brand new Audi A6L, the most popular car in the Chinese luxury auto market. Company executives say the A6L will demonstrate the strength of Audi cars made in China.

The show will give Chinese customers their first look at the Audi RS series, the performance of which is comparable to that of a racing car.

Another model that will be debuted in the exhibition is the A8L hybrid. The model has set a benchmark for hybrids, delivering top performance, luxurious equipment and innovative technology.

A8L hybrid is a luxury sedan utilizing two power units: a 2.0 TFSI engine and an electric motor, which deliver a combined output of 245 PS and 480 Nm of torque, giving the car the same outstanding performance as a six-cylinder engine.

The car can be propelled by the gasoline engine or the electric engine separately or simultaneously.

In the pure-electric driving mode, the car can reach 100 kilometers per hour and drive for three kilometers at a constant speed of 60 kilometers per hour on a full charge.

The car's fuel consumption averages 6.4 liters per hundred miles, and its CO emissions are as low as 149 grams per hundred miles.

The car is capable of accelerating to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds and can achieve a top speed of 228 km/h.

Audi A8L has a body built from aluminum using the Audi Space Frame principle and therefore weighing 40 percent less than a comparable steel body. The ASF body structure is built up from cast elements, extruded sections and sheet aluminum.

The hybrid model of the A8L has the same luxurious equipment as its gasoline-powered counterpart, and the hybrid comes with a multimedia interface control panel on the console and seats providing massage functions.

Audi A8L comes with the company's side-assist steering system, which helps the driver change lanes, as well as the lane-assist system, which detects any departure from the chosen lane.

The night view assistant is another safety element. It uses a thermal imaging camera to identify persons on the road ahead of the car. If a potential danger is perceived, the image of the person on the road is shown in red and a warning signal is heard.

"Audi has witnessed the strongest seasonal sales in its history in the first quarter of this year thanks to the strong performance in the Chinese market," said Zhang Xiaojun, executive vice-president of FAW-VW Audi Sales Division. "The record shipment of nearly 90,000 cars represents a 41 percent increase compared to the same period last year."

Zhang said the strong performance is attributed to the company's superior product portfolio and a growing base of loyal customers.

FAW-VW Audi aims to exhibit its advanced technology and unwavering improvement through diverse and charming new models during the upcoming auto exhibition.

Audi has 20 years of experience in hybrid technology. The Audi Duo, its first generation of hybrid concept cars, represented the automaker's initial efforts in this field. When the third-generation Audi Duo was released in 1997, the company became the first luxury auto producer in Europe to sell mass-produced hybrid cars.

With an unswerving commitment to developing alternative energy vehicles, FAW-VW Audi will continue to bring customers high-performing models fueled by new energy in the future.

FAW-VW Audi welcomes visitors to the No E5 Hall of the China International Exhibition Center, where the 12th Beijing Auto Show will be held from April 23 to May 2.

zhuanti@chinadaily.com.cn

The Audi A8L hybrid has set a benchmark for hybrids, delivering top performance, luxurious equipment and innovative technology.

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