German automaker Audi is wowing thousands of car enthusiasts at the 2014 International CES with the Audi Sport Quattro Laserlight, which has laser headlights.
The latest concept is similar to the Audi Sport Quattro concept showcased at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September 2013; however, the vehicle showcased at CES 2014 sports a new "Plasma Red" color, improved user control and display interfaces as well as laser headlamps, giving it the name Sport Quattro Laserlight.
"The Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept is reminiscent of the classic Sport quattro of 1983 while pointing towards the future - with the latest of the brand's technologies in plug-in hybrid drives, user control and display interfaces and lighting technology," per the company's press release.
The carmaker explains that the powerful laser diodes are considerably smaller than LED diodes and are only a few microns in diameter. The laser high beam light has approximately two times as much of lighting range and around three times the luminosity of LED high beam lights. The laser high beam of the car can illuminate the road from a distance about 500 meters. The company also indicated that the latest lighting technology will be used on the race track in its 2014 R18 e-tron Quattro race car at Le Mans in June 2015.
The Sport Quattro Laserlight concept uses a plug-in hybrid drivetrain based on a 4-liter V8 with twin turbochargers, which produces 412 kW (560 horsepower) of power and 700 Nm (516.29 lb-ft) of torque.
Audi claims that the Sport Quattro Laserlight concept can hit a speed of 62mph in just 3.7 seconds with a top speed rated at 190 mph. The company may be using the Sport Quattro Laserlight concept to demonstrate new technologies in the car and the car may not see a production version at all. However, the company may replace LED lights across its range in the near future.
