Alien Covenant to feature Audi Lunar Quattro Rover

Nothing’s more exciting than when stories about aliens and “moon travel” finally hit the mainstream news. While “full disclosure” may still be far off, Audi fans will at least have something to be thrilled about come May 18th.

The news? Audi’s Lunar Quattro Rover has landed a role in Ridley Scott’s much awaited sci-fi film. For more than a year now, images of Audi’s 3-D printed moon rover are in fact seen throughout the Internet. So yes, the same Audi Lunar Quattro Rover will be hitting the big screen in the upcoming “Alien: Covenant”!

The new movie is actually the sequel to 2012’s Prometheus, a film in which Scott is also the director. This year’s cast now includes Michael Fassbender, Danny McBride, Billy Crudup and Katherine Waterson. Interestingly, Alien Covenant is also the prequel to the Alien movie series' first episode. Currently on its 8th instalment, the Alien fantasy thriller came out with its first story in 1979.

In the latest film, the Lunar machine will be roving around outer space in search of (well, obviously) aliens. More so, the sci-fi movie is playing on realism by opting for Audi’s Lunar patroller. The roving prop we believe is already being prepped-up to get to the moon in the very near future (or so they say). If we heard it right, the Lunar Quattro will be deployed to the moon later within the year.

Audi's Lunar Quattro Rover was developed in collaboration with Robert Bohme who’s also the founder and CEO of Part-Time-Scientists (a startup company based in Berlin). The concept was originally designed in 2015 as an entry for Google’s Lunar competition. Using a 3D metal printer, Audi together with Bohme's team was able to create the futuristic moon rover that also takes pictures.

All the same, Audi’s extensive knowledge in engineering and its vast experience in lightweight construction and all-wheel-drive have contributed a lot to its development. Weighing only 66lbs (or approximately 30kg), the moon patroller’s design has been optimized extensively using 85% aluminum materials. During the process, Audi has also suggested the use of solar energy which explains why the Lunar Quattro ended up with a revolving solar panel on top.

Audi’s VP for International Marketing, Giovanni Perosio recently stated how the Alien movie series will be representing the brand’s “intelligent technologies in a visionary environment”. It would be interesting to note that aside from featuring Audi’s Quattro drive technology, the moon patroller has been equipped with an e-tron motor and lithium ion battery with solar technology for backup power.

That said, you won't come across Alien Covenant's Lunar Quattro Rover at any Audi dealerships and showrooms. If things line up the way they’ve been planned, this will be Audi’s first moon mission and the 2nd roving machine to ever touch the moon in forty years. China's YuTu rover got there in 2013 while the Soviet Union has also sent a series of lunar rovers between 1969 to 1977. In spite of all these, the exact details of Audi's secret expedition are yet to be confirmed.

PRESS RELEASE

Moon rover Audi lunar quattro featured in Alien: Covenant

The moon rover Audi lunar quattro celebrates its film debut in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi blockbuster “Alien: Covenant” which premieres worldwide this May. Audi experts have developed the Audi lunar quattro in cooperation with the German start-up “Part-Time Scientists”. It will soon embark on an actual mission to space.

Director Ridley Scott has integrated the Audi lunar quattro into “Alien: Covenant,“ a new chapter in his groundbreaking “Alien” franchise. The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imaginations, they must attempt a harrowing escape. In its film debut, the Audi lunar quattro is an integral part of the Covenant mission and is deployed to help Faris (Amy Seimetz) navigate and assess the challenging, unknown terrain of a new planet.

Incorporating the Audi lunar quattro into the film is part of the collaboration between Twentieth Century Fox and Audi. “The ‘Alien’ franchise is the best way for us to garner suitable attention for the moon rover developed by Audi, and to showcase Audi’s intelligent technologies in a visionary environment,” explains Giovanni Perosino, Vice President International Marketing Communication at Audi.

“Fox’s partnership with Audi on ‘Alien: Covenant’ is an opportunity to bring to the forefront the innovative work Audi is doing in exploration,” said Zachary Eller, Senior Vice President Marketing Partnerships at Twentieth Century Fox. “We’re happy to continue our long relationship with Audi that has allowed our filmmakers to incorporate authentic, leading-edge technology into their futuristic worlds.”

As part of the collaboration, a short film created by Twentieth Century Fox, 3AM and Audi was captured on one of the movie’s biggest sets. It shows the Audi lunar quattro patrolling the Terraforming Bay when it detects an unidentified lifeform and goes to investigate what lurks in the dark. Watch “Alien: Covenant x Audi lunar quattro" here: http://youtu.be/5fEmCnStgac

The Audi lunar quattro is preparing for an actual mission to the Moon. Since 2015, the premium manufacturer from Ingolstadt has worked with a team led by Robert Böhme, founder and CEO of “Part-Time Scientists”, on developing the rover. Audi experts have supported the Berlin-based start-up, in particular with Audi’s all-wheel drive expertise (quattro technology), expertise in lightweight construction, experience in developing vehicles with electric and plug-in hybrid motors (e-tron), and with design optimization.

By selecting the finest materials, the developers have managed to reduce the weight of the exploration vehicle to just 30 kilograms. The Audi lunar quattro is 85 percent aluminum, produced by the 3D metal printer at Audi’s headquarters in Ingolstadt. A pivoting solar panel supplies the rover with energy. On top of that, you have intelligent quattro drive technology and the efficient e-tron motor. The car manufacturer’s Mission to the Moon is nearing completion: In the very near future, we can expect to see the advanced Audi lunar quattro set its course for the Moon.

For more on the story of the Audi lunar quattro’s origins and the cooperation with Twentieth Century Fox, visit on www.audi.com/mission.