Style and design in a luxury compact vehicle

Luxury compact vehicles have become the epitome of urban chic, incorporating style and design into a neat little package that’s not only fuel efficient but also customizable to your preferences.

The practicality of a compact vehicle in urban environments has long been established and auto manufacturers are now focusing on bringing more comfort and design flare to these nippy cars. Bringing the luxury car experience to compact vehicles is no small task. A luxury compact vehicle needs to focus on both form and function while maintaining a sense of character, strength and substance if it wants to compete in today’s urban automotive market.

Engineered efficiency is of equal importance, incorporating the latest in innovative technologies and reduced fuel consumption systems to create a luxury compact vehicle that is unique in every way.

An extension of self

The style and design in a luxury compact vehicle needs to be an extension of the driver’s own personality. Everything from contrasting the colours on the roof arch to the selection of alloy wheels and interior design styles should be tailored to driver specifications.

It is this understanding of style and design choice that sets the luxury compact vehicle apart from other compact cars. Bright, colourful, dynamic and aesthetically trendy interior features reminiscent of the design of turbines, yachts and aircraft wings - with scope for adding individual touches - give luxury compact vehicles a timeless elegance while still being centred on contemporary design trends.

Efficiency in design

At its core, a compact car is a fuel efficient and economical mode of urban transportation engineered for streamlined performance when navigating city streets. Luxury compact vehicles often improve upon this core with a range of advanced technologies to create a superior and more efficient driving experience.

Luxury compact vehicles are able to deliver tremendous power with minimal fuel consumption with engines that employ direct fuel injection and turbo charging. Both turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel models are available these days, once again bringing choice to the driver.

This fuel efficiency continues in the incorporation of progressive automotive innovations into the style and design of a luxury compact vehicle including recuperation systems, efficiency programs and stop-start technology.

Recuperation systems use intelligent voltage controllers for the generators in luxury compact vehicles to recover energy during the braking and coasting phases and store it temporarily in the battery.

On-board computers with efficiency programs are linked to the driver information systems. This gives drivers easy access to data relevant to fuel consumption as well as recommendations for efficient driving and information on how much fuel amenities such as climate control or the rear view window defogger is using.

Finally, stop-start systems reduce fuel consumption by turning the engine off when the car is at rest and then turning it back on as soon as the clutch pedal is depressed.

Optional extras

What sets the style and design in luxury compact vehicles apart from regular compact cars is the range of optional extras available to enhance the driving experience.

Optional navigation systems with topographical colouring to make routes clearer as well as the ability to display a variety of points of interests or other locations you require, such as restaurants or petrol stations make a fine addition to any multimedia infotainment system.

And, many luxury compact vehicles allow for optional blue tooth connectivity to online-based services and automatic detection of mobile devices putting the world at the driver’s fingertips.

It is these options, that were once exclusive to luxury vehicles, combined with the practicality and fuel efficiency of a compact car that make the luxury compact vehicle a true extension of urban living and a trendy new way to express a driver’s personal sense of style.

About the Author:

Audi South Africa has extensive and innovative experience in the auto manufacturing industry which has culminated in a style and design in luxury compact vehicles that is a cut above the rest. Contact your nearest Audi dealer to book an Audi test drive today.