"The Audi Avus Quattro was revealed twenty years ago at the Tokyo Motor Show. It was probably Audi's most radical concept; rocking a W12 engine that made 509 BHP. The company reckoned it would crack 210MPH and pull away to 100KPH "
Audi Quattro Concept Car
Few concepts are guaranteed to get us hot under the collar like Audi’s resurrection of the original Quattro.
The Audi Quattro concept car from 2010 commemorated 30 years of Quattro all-wheel-drive and specifically paid homage to the revered Sport Quattro of 1984. First unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, the concept car joins many of the legends born at the prestigious automotive show.
Although there were initially reports suggesting that Audi were planning on releasing 200 to 500 models of a limited-production model based on the concept car, this idea was shelved in 2012.
In spite of this, the concept car had its own impact on the brand, with many of the design features being used in the third-gen Audi TT and second-gen R8. Just like Audi’s original statement on the Quattro concept car, the know-how and technologies of the quattro concept body have characterised Audi’s production model portfolio since it was first unveiled at the Paris Motor Show.
Audi Quattro concept car: based on predecessors but still distinct
Although the Audi Quattro concept car was based on the V8-powered RS5 Coupe, it includes many distinct features. For instance, the vehicle was powered by an inline five-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 408PS, as well as a lightweight body, a shortened wheelbase and latest generation Quattro drive.
The concept Audi Quattro weighed just 1,300kg – almost exactly the same as the original Sport Quattro.
Like its eighties predecessor, the 2010 show car was a two-seater. However, the wheelbase was shortened by 150 millimeters and the roofline lowered by around 40 millimeters compared to the four-seat RS5. The concept car’s heavily modified body was made primarily of aluminium, while its bonnet, rear hatch and other components were made of carbon.
While the production model initially featured an eight-cylinder engine, this was replaced by a turbocharged inline five-cylinder engine, the roots of which we can trace back to another Audi sports car: the TT RS.
This pocket rocket produced 408PS, powered the car from 0 to 62mph in just 3.9 seconds, and allegedly had a top speed of 155mph. Torque was distributed as needed via a six-speed manual transmission borrowed from the S4. Its size combined with its power made the concept car an incredible display of elegance and aggression. If the concept car had been produced, it certainly would have turned heads.
Concept car shaped the quattro
You’ll see the concept car’s innovative influence in more recent generations of the quattro system, which showcase a more compact, lightweight diff that can vary the distribution of power between the front and rear axles over a broad range. This enables the quattro drive system to react within milliseconds to coax the maximum amount of fun and safety out of every last bit of torque.
Bravo, Audi. Bravo once again.
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Bring it on…
Great car, I used to own a Quattro and if the new one is half as fun as the original I will be lining up to buy one. The original Quattro was not a two seater though, It was a two door coupe with four seats.
They did say it was based on the “Sport” Quattro; that had 12.6″ cut out of the middle, unlike the A2 (to which I think you refer) and it was purely a 2 seater as there was no room left for a back seat!! Saw a Sport parked in Dalby Forest on the National Breakdown Rally in the mid ’80’s in a gorgeous pearlescent white – awesome!
this is really just magnificent.but i hope they give it enough of a chassis/power advantage that it eclipses the rs4 and rs6,but just under the r8 or what would be the point in the r8 as a supercar.because simply put this is just about 10x nicer looking than the undoubtedly capable r8