Audi Prologue Concept: First Look

Looks like: The future styling direction of Audi luxury cars – also, a Ford Fusion

Defining characteristics: Big shield grille, round roofline, bulging Quattro-esque fenders

Ridiculous features: Full width, touch-sensitive organic light-emitting diode dashboard

Chance of being mass-produced: Better than average

Think Audi products are starting to get a little stale? The company has had the same basic design since the early 1990s, when the A4 was introduced, and has kept that “one sausage, many sizes” idea throughout the brand’s resurgence. Now the brand is known for more than just its excellent design, establishing itself for its exquisitely crafted interiors, Quattro all-wheel-drive technology, efficient diesel powertrains and outstanding driving dynamics. Yet, as Audi has slowly rebuilt itself, competitors have taken notice and have been introducing strong designs of their own.

Time to shake it up a bit.

Enter the Audi Prologue concept, introduced at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, and the first project under Audi’s new design chief Marc Lichte. It’s basically a peek at what a new range-topping A8-based coupe would look like.

Being built off of the A8 platform, it’s wide, long and low, featuring some unmistakable Audi styling cues from past and present. The swooping arc roofline is pure Audi and is a shape that has been mimicked on many competitors since, but combine it with the bulging fenders that harken back to the classic Audi Quattro rally car and you have something more modern. The front end looks too much like a Ford Fusion, however — something a little different would have been welcome here. The most unusual detail may be the rear window, which is concave.

That progression to something different has instead been applied to the car’s cabin, where a modern yet functionally acceptable interior awaits. Perhaps the most striking feature is the full-width touch-sensitive organic light-emitting diode display panel that spans the dashboard, allowing front seat passengers to operate vehicle systems, not just the driver. It’s certainly different than any current Audi interior, and it’s quite attractive with a fresh look that doesn’t ape anything seen on a competitor’s vehicle.

But the Prologue concept’s innovation isn’t just skin deep. The structure itself is new, with a mix of high-strength steel and aluminum for a lightweight yet extremely strong body. The concept is powered by Audi’s common twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine, making 605 horsepower and 516 pounds-feet of torque, but a special “overboost” function can bump that to 553 pounds-feet for 15 seconds. The powertrain can catapult the Prologue from zero to 62 mph in just 3.7 seconds, according to Audi. The rear wheels also feature an articulated steering function, allowing for up to 5 degrees of angle, which should improve the big coupe’s agility both on twisty roads and in low-speed parking lot environments.

Speculation is that the big coupe could be a preview of a new A10 production model, an A8-based coupe that will slot above the flagship sedan and provide the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe with a worthy (read: “equally expensive”) rival. Audi has created a striking new coupe in the Prologue concept, one that looks set to change up some elements of Audi styling and keep the brand current in an ever more stylish luxury environment.