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2007 Audi Cross Coupe quattro Concept

Like fashion trends, automobile designs also endure popularity cycles thatcome and go. Take the Audi Cross Coupe quattro Concept that was unveiled at the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show as an example. At first glance, it immediately brought back memories of the defunct AMC Eagle of the early '80s – sans the wood trim down each side. Back in the day, the Eagle was among the first crossover vehicles ever made, with the traits of a four door hatchback lifted a few inches higher from the ground and fitted with high profile tires that were driven by all four wheels. In fact I fondly remembered owning a scaled down battery operated toy replica of that same car, equipped with oversize knobby tires and all-wheel drive. For something so small, it was able to climb and conquer almost any obstacle that I placed in its way. It was a blast!

Fast forward almost three decades later, and today you'll see the rising popularity of a similar breed of crossover

It's mean looking, but it's not bad for the environment thanks to Bluetec diesel. (Photo: Audi)

vehicle ranging from Suzuki's humble SX4 to Porsche's outrageously quick Cayenne Turbo, driven by the young and young at heart. Why all the rage? Combine the efficiency and drivability of a car with thevisibility and traction of a four-wheel drive SUV and you get the best of both worlds, at least in theory. The Cross Coupe quattro is Audi's latest tease, a conceptualized vehicle that just might join the heated compact luxury segment if its design team has its way, and if it does this crossover will offer the consumer a very fashionably forward flair.

Let's start with the exterior design. From the front you'll automatically recognize the

Panoramic sunroof made possible by retractable cloth material. (Photo: Audi)

Audi cues, including the prominent “egg crate” square grille that is now the standard badge stamped on the brand's entire lineup. At each side of the grille is a rectangular headlight featuring Audi's now trademark LED cornering lamps. The lower bumper valence is reminiscent of the previous generation A6 Avant-based allroad, which is no bad thing having been one very attractive crossover in its own right. When looking at the athletic profile, take notice of the short overhangs and the abbreviated hood that leads to the sloping front window, followed by a roofline that exits swiftly towards the raked rear hatch. It certainly lives up to its "coupe" designation.

Surprisingly, this crossover is only slightly larger than the Audi A3, measuring just 172.4 inches

Part country, part city, all style. (Photo: Audi)

long and 71.7 inches wide, with a wheelbase of102.4 inches. The illusion of height is no illusion at all, as it comes from the fact that the Cross Coupe sits upright, towering some 7.0 inches over the aforementioned A3 for an overall height of 63.0 inches. Standing on 20-inch oversize chrome wheels and tires, it gives the vehicle that extra “lift” off the ground, should you want to take it off paved streets. From the rear, notice the generous size of the back glass. This is a refreshing change from the current popularity of smaller windows that limit driver's visibility.

Around back, the Cross Coupe puts out quite the light show, with a bead of red LEDs across the top of the window, followed by the rear tails incorporating LED angel eyes, and then finished off by a trail of LEDs along the rear lower bumper valence. You'll be spotted from outer space for sure! And the most striking

Plenty of LEDs light up the Cross Coupe's tail end. (Photo: Audi)

feature? The fabric roof that can be folded open all the way to the back automatically, allowing all four passengers to enjoy open air driving and when satisfied, closed with a push of a button.

Look inside the Cross Coupe and you'll find a conscious effort put forward by Audi designers to balance the contemporary elegance of a luxury sedan with the rugged features of an SUV. Most notable is the purposefully monotone ivory leather dash, console, and trim. Even the ivory-colored steering wheel blends in only to be highlighted by the requisite four chromed rings and other metallic accents around the gauges and dash controls. This sea of ivory sets the backdrop for the four warm toffee brown “baseball glove” seats with tan stitching, giving each of the four occupants a warm “urban barn” feel. The main control center is operated by Audi's MMI control panel situated on the center console and operated by a touch pad similar to a laptop. The display interface is a virtual split screen

The rake of the rear hatchback isn't great for cargo, but say, doesn't it look a lot like the old 5000 Avant? (Photo: Audi)

that offers the driver and front passenger their own viewing section independent from each other.

One would assume the Cross Coupe to be powered by either of Audi's current 2.0T four-cylinder or 3.2-liter V6 powerplants, but if you had guessed these you'd be wrong. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, however, to find out that this ride is powered by a clean-burning Bluetec-equipped, 2.0-liter inline-four TDI diesel producing 204-hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. That means you can travel an estimated 40 miles per gallon of diesel, combined city/highway, an impressive figure for any SUV or crossover, and because of the advanced filter technology, don't expect to see any black soot pluming out its tailpipe. The Cross Coupe's diesel is one of the cleanest engines in the industry (just refer to Volkswagen's TDI reputation) thanks to special catalytic filters that reduce the nitric oxide byproducts as well as AdBlue, a chemical in the engine system that breaks down the exhaust nitrates into harmless nitrogen and water, a system that Audi says will last the entire life of the car.

The power

It's sort of like a cross between an Audi allroad and an A3. (Photo: Audi)

hits the pavement via Audi'squattro permanent four-wheel drive system, but not before being fed through the German brand's ultra-slick S tronic dual clutch sequential manual that operates gear shifts both quickly and smoothly as already seen in some of their production cars.

Balancing on a McPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link rear axle, the Cross Coupe looks to live up to the sporty image that its name suggests. Like an equalizer for your suspension, you can even fine tune its ride quality with three settings on the adaptive damping system: Dynamic, Sport, and Efficiency.

What can I say, I'm a kid at heart. Looking at the Audi Cross Coupe brings back nostalgic memories of good times. Normally, Audi doesn't build its concept cars without intentions of production. Think about it. The Nuvolari, Le Mans and Pikes Peaks concept vehicles have all been transformed into road-going realities, so it's just a matter of time before the Cross Coupe becomes a true production vehicle. When it finally rolls around as a Q3, or whatever they'll end up calling it, I think I'll enjoy this one even more than my old remote control Eagle. Pretty stiff company, I know, but the Cross Coupe looks up to the task.

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