Here’s a new car...

Here’s a new car with a difference – this Audi is a convertible off-roader!

The Cross Cabriolet, unveiled at the Los Angeles Motor Show, gives the strongest hint yet about the brand’s forthcoming Q5 soft-roader.

Set to slot in below the giant Q7, the car has a blend of sporty and rugч­ged styling, and it’s sure to provide tough competition for the Land Rover Freeч­lander and BMW X3.

On the outside, the Cross Cabrioч­let wears an even larger version of

the Audi family grille, framed by the same LED headlamps as seen on the R8 supercar. At the rear, A5-style lights sit above rectangular quad exhausts set into the bumper.

Chunky side cladding and 21-inch alloys with deeply treaded tyres confirm the model’s off-road intentions, as does the tough underbody guard running the length of the vehicle.

But look above the high waistline, and you’re in for a shock – there is no roof. Instead, there’s a powered hood, as the Audi is a full convertible with a lid that opens or closes in 17 seconds.

As with the baby hatch metroproч­ject quattro, which was seen at the recent Tokyo exhibition (Issue 984), a classy aluminium finish distinguishes the A-pillars and door mirrors.

But this elegance isn’t limited to the outside. The sophisticated cabin easily accommodates four occupants in separate seats, each of which conч­tains heater air vents to keep their head and neck warm.

A domed cowl on the dash incorporates a large LCD screen linked to Audi’s MMI cabin control system. The hi-tech kit features Google Earth 3D mapping software – the first time it has ever appeared in a car.

More advanced technology can be found under the bonnet, because the engine is the latest evolution of Audi’s 3.0-litre TDI turbodiesel. The 240bhp powerplant is capable of propelling the Cross Cabriolet from 0-60mph in a hot hatch-rivalling 7.3 seconds.

Yet this pace is combined with low emissions. Engineers claim the model already beats tough Euro VI standards, which come into force in 2014.

Power from the clean-burning unit is transferred to the road via a quattro four-wheel-drive system. This is connected to an eight-speed paddleч­change autoч­matic transmission, which operates using the latest shift-by-wire hardware. And the gadgetry doesn’t end there. Further hi-tech features on the newcomer include air-suspension, along with electro-magnetically controlled dampers and a powered ride height adjustment function.

According to Audi, these attributes enable the Cross Cabriolet to blend sporty handling and a supple ride on tarmac. But at the same time, when the going gets tough, you can simply jack up the suspension and make the most of the quattro traction. Completч­ing the dynamic package are supercar-style ceramic brakes, which give the newcomer incredible stopping power.

The full production version of this concept is scheduled to make its world debut late next year. By then, however, it is likely to come with a conventional roof, five doors and a more practical interior. Expect UK sales to start in 2009, when it will join the new A1 supermini in Audi’s line-up

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