Take a look at the Audi...

Take a look at the Audi Cross Coupé quattro, which was unveiled at last week"s Shanghai Motor Show in China. It"s officially billed as a design study, but the car closely previews the new Q5, a Land Rover Freelander-sized rival.

With a retractable fabric roof, permanent quattro four-wheel drive and an economical diesel engine, there"s plenty for Land Rover bosses to worry about, too. The smart show car is only 9.4cm longer than a five-door A3 hatchback, and boasts all the familiar distinctive Audi design cues.

A large grille dominates the front end, while LED headlamps give the car a sporty appearance. The Cross Coupé"s curving roof, sloping rear hatch and 20-inch alloy wheels maintain the high-performance look.

Off-road features include contrasting underbody protection integrated with the front and rear bumpers, and practical roof rails. However, the show car also has an unusual electrically operated fabric roof, which exposes the entire cabin to give a cabrio feel.

The interior has a host of advanced features, including a laptop-inspired touchpad for the company"s MMI cabin control system. Its retractable display offers clever dual-view technology, which allows the front passenger and driver to see different images at the same time.

It"s also possible to beam important information directly on to the windscreen using a laser projection set-up. Among the other innovations is an iPod-style touch wheel control for the ventilation system. Road-ready features include brown leather upholstery and Audi"s S Tronic dual-clutch gearbox, which can operate as a full automatic or as a manual via the steering wheel-mounted paddles. The driver can also choose between a trio of drive modes, which tune the engine, gearbox, suspension and steering.

These Dynamic, Sport and Efficiency settings give the Cross Coupé three distinct characters, thanks in part to Audi"s adjustable magnetic dampers. The Efficiency setting is the most notable. By deactivating the air-con and using cruise control to optimise economy rather than speed, it can deliver a 20 per cent fuel saving compared to Dynamic mode.

Under the bonnet, there"s Audi"s latest 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine. Producing 204bhp and 400Nm of torque, it features Bluetec technology to reduce pollution. As a result, the show car meets tough future Euro VI emissions standards and returns 48mpg, despite having permanent four-wheel drive. There"s also lightweight ceramic brake discs - usually found on supercars because of their huge stopping power.

At the back a conventional tailgate lifts to reveal a big 450-litre boot. However, the Cross Coupé can also cater for small loads, thanks to the same multifunction rail system fitted to the A6 Avant. It allows owners to secure items using a variety of straps and nets.

The roadgoing version of the sleek SUV will join the Audi line-up next year, when it is set to go head-to-head with other premium compact off-roaders such as arch-rival BMW"s X3 and the Freelander.