It is hard to believe, but somehow another year has rolled around since the last Wörthersee Tour.
The VW Group meeting of all meetings that brings together fans of the Audi, VW, Seat and Skoda brands will be held for the 31st time at lake Wörthersee in the southern Austrian state of Carinthia from May 16 to 19.
At this year’s event, Audi plans to display three conceptual versions of the Q3 compact crossover along with its e-bike Wörthersee prototype.
Beginning with Audi’s two-wheel proposal, the e-bike is a futuristic looking study sporting 26-inch wheels made from carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) that weigh only 600 grams (1.32 lbs) and an ultra-light carbon-fiber frame that tips the scales at an impressively low 1.600 grams (3.53 lbs).
The bike can be driven by pedals, an electric motor producing up to 2.3 kW (3hp) and 250Nm, which is located at the lowest point on the frame, or a combination of both.
A lithium-ion battery that weighs 5 kg (11.02 lbs) is housed in the frame. Its capacity is 530 Wh and can be fully recharged from a 230 V supply in two and a half hours. The entire bicycle, including the battery, weighs 21 kg (46.3 lbs).
The rider can choose between five programs. Aside from the pedal-only ‘Pure’ mode, there is the ‘Pedelec’ mode where the rider is assisted by the electric motor allowing for speeds of up to 80 km/h (50 mph) for 50 to 70km (31-44 miles).
There is also the pure electric ‘eGrip’ program and the ‘Wheelie’ mode where the electric motor assists the rider when the front wheel is in the air. Finally, there’s the training mode, in which case, the electric motor kicks in to maintain a constant speed such as when riding into the wind or up a hill.
Other highlights include the nine-speed hydraulically actuated gear shift, two disk brakes that are also applied hydraulically, and an on-board computer located in the frame top tube.
Moving on to Audi’s automotive display, the three Q3 studies are the Red Track, which we came to know as the Vail Concept at the 2012 Detroit Motor Show, and the 355hp Q3 RS and Jinlong Yufeng or ‘Golden Dragon in the Wind’ that were displayed at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show earlier this month.
Audi will also bring 16 production models from the its current range such as the new A3, an S6 in a pearl effect Daytona Gray finish and an A1 quattro in Glacier White, metallic, along with the TT RS Light Show car, a series-production vehicle that was modified by five Audi apprentices over a period of three months.
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