Auto show season is ramping up, with the Frankfurt Motor Show kicking things off with its bi-annual look at the latest and greatest in the world of passenger cars. Per tradition, the big makes are bringing out the concepts to wow crowds and offer a glimpse at possible features for upcoming production models. Obviously, all-electric powertrains and self-driving capability are hot topics these days, and Audi is hitting both with its latest Aicon design study. Offering high-end “door-to-door” transportation, Audi frames the Aicon as “… an all-rounder well prepared for its primary task: to offer a maximum of comfort, communications technology and freedom for its occupants during a long journey.” That means lots of space inside, with no inputs required from the any of the humans on board. Just sit down, sit back, and relax as the Aicon whisks you off to your destination of choice.

The four-door looks the part, and its possible we’ll see some of its styling elements carried over into future production models. The Aicon is also big, rocking exterior dimensions that include a length of nearly 18 feet, a width of nearly 7 feet wide, and a height of nearly 5 feet, plus a 11.4-foot wheelbase. That makes the Aicon nearly 10 inches longer than the current A8, while the 26-inch wheels enhance the sense of bigness as well. But there’s a whole lot more to this thing than just its size, so read on for the details.

Continue reading to learn more about the Audi Aicon Concept.

Well, It Certainly Looks Different

We agree, but there are a few details that tie into the more contemporary exterior styling we’ve seen from Audi previously. For example, in front we find the front end dominated by the make’s traditional hexagonal Singleframe grille, although the shape was tweaked a bit and the grille mesh was replaced with a solid covering.

Audi also says the Aicon gets a host of LED lighting and customization features, with the high-mounted headlights resembling “eyes,” both in look and function – “If the car detects passers-by or other road users,” Audi says, “it literally makes eye contact with them and follows them with its ‘eyes.’” Further exterior lighting features are used to indicate the current driving mode.

While it’s unlikely the Audi “eyes” will see production status, it’s possible the sharp lines, wide hips, and large dimensions will get reused.

What About Inside The Cabin?

Beyond the obvious high levels of luxury and copious top-shelf materials in use inside the cabin, one of the biggest standout features of the Aicon is its totally self-sufficient autonomous driving system. That means no steering wheel or pedals whatsoever, which significantly opens up the available space and promises the “luxurious ambiance of a first-class airline cabin.”

Lots of glass complements that sense of space thanks to a surplus of ambient lighting, while the lack of B-pillars eases ingress and egress. The seats will also slide and swivel into a variety of different arrangements, similar to lounge chairs. And thanks to the high degree of safety provided by autonomous drive systems, there are no seatbelts on board, enhancing freedom of movement even further.

The overall design is sleek, with no buttons, controls, or toggles to be found. Instead, there are touch sensitive surfaces to select whatever activity you want to be doing, whether it’s watching a movie, browsing the web, or doing some work. Audi also says the various onboard systems will be able to predict your needs automatically.

Finally, the usual laser and radar systems will autonomously guide the car without interruption to the occupants. What’s more, when you exit the car at night, a drone will take off and activate a flashlight to illuminate the passenger’s path. Neat.

So What’s Making It Go?

As you’ve probably come to expect from concepts like these, the Aicon utilizes an all-electric powertrain to get around, with an impressive 500 miles per charge offered from the futuristic battery pack mounted under the floor. The autonomous system will also move with haste, topping out at about 80 mph when cruising with minimal traffic.

Providing the go is a four-motor set-up with electronic AWD. Output is rated at 260 kW (about 350 horsepower) and 406 pound-feet. That’s a decent chunk of power, but Audi is quick to point out that performance isn’t the goal of the Aicon. Rather, efficiency is the name of the game, and as such, the braking system helps to recover kinetic energy and top off the batteries. Once depleted, the energy pack will hook up to a high-voltage charging system that provides 80 percent capacity in less than 30 minutes, plus wireless inductive charging capabilities.

Finally, electric actuators, pneumatic springs, and fully adaptive suspension control the body for the utmost in comfort, while all-wheel steering keeps it tight in the corners.

Look for our upcoming full review on the Audi Aicon Concept soon.

References

Audi A8

Read our full review on the Audi A8.