Ulrich Hackenberg with the Audi Sport Quattro concept
After the R&D chief position changing hands twice within one year, and the departure of the chief designer, the dust at Audi is settling and the brand can refocus. Audi's former and current board member for R&D, Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, speaks with our German correspondent about the past and his future plans. Hackenberg knows Audi inside and out, having joined the company in 1985 before moving on to several jobs within the Volkswagen Group. Prominent among his recent decisions is restoring the fully electric R8 e-tron to a production timeline. He has also emphasized the need for a new styling language with more differentiation between the model lines.
Car and Driver: What were your biggest challenges when you returned to Audi as R&D chief? What shape was the department in?
Ulrich Hackenberg: I have returned to a team that is exceptional, but one that has suffered a bit by a backlog of decisions that needed to be resolved. We are not quite there, but things are improving.
C/D: Had too many projects been stopped?
UH: I wouldn't put it that way, but we needed to make a lot of important decisions. I have revisited everything, including those projects that have been stopped.
C/D: You are the driver behind the standardization of architectures in the Volkswagen Group. On the other hand, you are now leading a team of engineers at Audi that has often taken pride in its independence. How does this go together? How will Audis be different from their related VW Group cars?
UH: Audi engineers are still quite independent. An Audi must have a unique aura, a unique execution, and it must offer its own powertrains. There is a focus on Quattro, and there will be RS versions topping almost every vehicle range.
C/D: But platforms will be standardized?
UH: The idea of common architectures was actually developed at Audi; I launched it in the early 1990s with the first A4, from which the A6 and the VW Passat were derived. It was a common architecture despite having different track widths and wheelbases. In 1998, I moved to VW and developed the Phaeton, based on the A8 D2, and then the Bentley Continental range, which was a mix of Phaeton and A8 D3 architectures. When I moved back to Audi, the common-parts bin had almost been abandoned and the A4 and A6 had moved apart again, resulting in high cost and a loss of synergies. Out of this situation, we launched the modular-longitudinal MLB matrix system. Volkswagen saw this with interest, and when Martin Winterkorn moved to VW, he asked me to implement the same approach there. That is how the MQB came about, albeit on a much larger scale, including production. Now I am back at Audi, where my task is to do the second-generation MLB.
C/D: Will it be an evolution of the current MLB?
UH: Yes, on a structural level, but with new materials and a lot of development of possible alternative powertrains, such as natural gas and electrification. The next generation of the MLB will launch with the Q7.
2015 Audi Q7 (artist's rendering)
C/D: Last fall, the VW Group had a massive recall in China due to problems with a dry dual-clutch automatic. Does this indicate a large risk in platforms of this volume?
UH: As you have more components or vehicles of one kind, the risk is not entirely avoidable. But we minimize this by using several suppliers for each component. Having every brand develop its own part is not a viable alternative because the investment would be much larger.
C/D: The engine portfolio hasn't been standardized. There are two kinds of six-cylinder engines, the Volkswagen VR-6 and the Audi V-6. What is your strategy here?
UH: We have the two worlds of transverse- and longitudinal-mounted engines. Our four-cylinder engines can be mounted both transversely and longitudinally, but this is not possible with our V-engines. Therefore, we have two centers of engineering.
C/D: Is the VR-6 here to stay?
UH: The demand is limited right now, but if we had a large SUV or something heavier than the Passat with a transversely mounted engine, this concept could have a future in markets that demand it. A turbocharged 3.0-liter VR-6 would work well, but no decision has been made to move forward on that yet.
C/D: What about the bigger engines?
UH: That's a topic for Audi and Porsche. We will have a new engine family for these two brands, and the development responsibilities will be divided.
C/D: Audi for six-cylinder engines, Porsche for eight-cylinder engines?
UH: That is probably an option.
C/D: In the Audi Nanuk concept, you have shown a V-10 TDI. Will this engine come?
UH: The Audi Nanuk's V-10 was an example from our new engine family. Although a V-10 TDI derivative would be easy to do, the decisions to produce such an engine and which car might carry it have not been made.
Audi Nanuk Quattro concept
C/D: What about a V-12 TDI?
UH: We have shown that we could do a V-12 diesel, but the volumes are very small. We will definitely continue with the 12-cylinder gasoline engines.
C/D: Is it conceivable that you will use Porsche's modular standard architecture (MSB) for the next-generation Audi A8?
UH: No, because Quattro is a core competency for Audi, and the MSB has all-wheel drive only as an add-on. That is a question of philosophy—and of cost. We have Quattro fully integrated into our architecture, and that is different from an add-on where the system is positioned underneath, thereby raising the center of gravity.
C/D: Let's talk about styling. How will Audi design evolve?
UH: It will surely be changed; it will be developed. The face will evolve without losing its brand character. This is a process that is happening right now and that will take a while to materialize. My focus is the next generation of the A8.
C/D: What about the integration of Italdesign?
UH: The brand belongs to Audi, and we will implement a process of integration. There are more than 56 million vehicles on the road in which Italdesign was involved. That is a rich heritage and knowledge base; we use it to do alternative design proposals, not just for Audi. And Italdesign brings significant engineering competency.
C/D: Can you speak about Ducati?
UH: I am taking great pleasure in its development. Ducati is doing great in terms of image, design, and lightweight technology, but I am not satisfied with its performance on the racetrack. We have implemented changes, new responsibilities, and a road map to get back onto the podium. I expect Ducati to grow.
C/D: When will that be?
UH: The goal is two to three years.
C/D: Is Ducati's desmodromic valve system a technology that would work for cars as well?
UH: We need to look at it and understand it to the finest detail. The reciprocating desmodromic valves need precision, slim tolerances, and tightly controlled operating temperatures; it is not easy to make them work with several cylinders. It is a challenge that warrants our closest attention and I find it to be fascinating, but I won't offer a prognosis today.
C/D: What about the Wankel engine?
UH: We know its advantages, and we know its problems, mainly in terms of emissions. The rotary range extender on the A1 e-tron was interesting, especially with its lack of vibration. But I think we need a bigger engine. The customer doesn't want to drive in "emergency mode." It was the right decision to abandon this path.
- First Drive: Audi A1 E-Tron Concept
- Car News: The Future of Audi Under Wolfgang Dürheimer
- Future Cars: 2015 Audi Q7 Rendered, Detailed
UH: It is very important for us, and it should not be reduced to the car being able to drive itself on a routine basis. I think it should be about making life easier for the driver, relieving him of complex tasks—and, only in extreme cases, having the car take over. The car could handle stop-and-go traffic, or execute passing maneuvers. I have defined two situations that an autonomous car must handle above all else. The first one is getting a car from the fast lane of a three-lane autobahn to a safe stop, say, if the driver has a heart attack. It needs to be able to work its way through traffic and come to a stop on the shoulder where it is safe to do so. That is a formidable task. The other one: The car needs to be faster on the racetrack than I am.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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