Audi's to revolutionise use of aluminium in Cars
Audi is going to switch to lightweight aluminium construction for future models from the A4 upwards for chassis .
The third-generation A8 flagship will be exhibited later this year and will pioneer the new 'hybrid aluminium' construction techniques that will allow Audi to use the lightweight metal for high volume production.
The main features of the structure is large aluminium castings for important areas including the front and rear chassis legs, the front suspension mounts, the base of the A-pillar and the front section of the transmission tunnel Measuring 1.4m long, the new A8's rear chassis leg is supposed to be one of the the largest diecasting in the world. The A8's door structures are now also cast in one piece.
These castings which are very important element of the safety structure can apparently be used to underpin all Audi models based around longitudinal engines. The rest of Audi's new body structure (including the sills, roof structure and floor sections) is made of inexpensive aluminium extrusions.
Due to increasingly downward pressure on fuel consumption coming from legislators,it has become necessary to use more & more light weight components in vehicles for better fuel efficiency.Audi has been pioneer in this field.
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