Audi is heading back to the future! Thirty years after the original quattro rewrote the rulebook, Audi has re-imagined its most iconic model for the modern age. But can the quattro concept, first shown at the Paris show last month, do justice to its illustrious ancestors? Auto Express was first to put this year’s most exciting new model to the test.
Gone is the boxy styling and long overhangs of the original quattro, replaced by a more elegant look that’s brutal and handsome at the same time. Taking its lead from the 302bhp 1984 Sport quattro (red car picture right), cues like the distinctive trapezoidal C-pillar, the horizontal slot in the bonnet and the restrained spoiler are all nods to the past.
In terms of its engineering though, the quattro concept has its sights fixed firmly on the future. Based on the RS5’s platform, shortened by 150mm and with a 40mm lower roofline, it uses an aluminium chassis and body panels, while the bonnet and rear hatch are made from carbon-fibre to minimise weight.
On the inside, the rear seats have been removed while Sparco racing seats up front weigh only 18kg each. In total, weight is kept down to just 1,300kg – identical to the original Sport quattro.
Drop into the driver’s seat and you sit low in a sporty position, while the beautifully machined manual gearstick falls easily to hand. With its minimalist floating dash and huge display behind the steering wheel, the interior is a step into the future of Audi design, and as with all Audis the soft leather and bespoke aluminium and carbon-fibre trim is superbly put together.
Push the red starter button and the engine splutters into life, sending vibrations and a booming noise reverberating through the cabin. Without the usual sound deadening on production models the cars feels raw and alive even before setting off. On our test drive we were limited to relatively low speeds, but the rasping exhaust note and chatter from the turbo’s wastegate when you lift off is dramatic even on part throttle.
Besides a few squeaks and rattles – understandable on a one-off priceless concept car - it actually feels remarkably ready for the road. The RS5 suspension is firm but not harsh, while the steering is light and accurate and the slick gearbox, borrowed from the S5, is a pleasure to use.
So it feels just a few steps away from the showroom, but the question on everyone’s lips is will it make it into production? Audi is staying tight-lipped, claiming the decision is yet to be made, but after talking to designers and engineers about the frenzy of excitement that this car has generated – it’s all but a certainty.
For the full story pick up your copy of Auto Express next Wednesday, December 1.
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Where's the waiting list! Bootiful!!
Why does this have to be some sort of limited run exotic and not a full run production model? As the latter at say £45-55K the car would sell in bucket loads - I'd certainly be on the list, but not at £86K I won't.
I have my name down for one of these, Audi dealerships are now taking notifications of interested buyers. I was at an R8GT driving experience a few weeks ago at the Nurburgring and the people from Audi said that unofficially it should be launched in 2012 subject to interest of which was already huge, they may only make a limited number as they are doing on the R8GT and think around £80k price range, this car will be a collectors item.
It's like knowin one of your favourite sweets, tv shows or dinks from when you were younger is going to be reintroduced when you re a fully fledged, mortgaged up adult and you soooo long for it to be as good as the memoryof it was way back inthe day. This is my feeling exactly on this car. I grew up seeing it flung round welsh forests by Blonqvist, Rohl, Mouton at al and remember the genuine excitement of hearing it at full chat or seeing one on the road in SWB form. Even later in life having the pleasure of driving one of these SWB Sport models for a period of time led to me to affirm this was one of the best cars ever produced for so many reasons.
Visually, this is so on the money, current, agressive, but not faddish and will i'm positive be beautifuly made. I also have no doubt it will be an instant collectors item and will move the game forward enough in terms of quality, driverinvolvement, and style to sufficiently worry those at Porsche, Bee-m and MB amongst others.
Thank you Audi for (hopefuly) making something which will live up to expectations ( and hopefuly not rot my teeth like those double lollies from the 80's )
chavdi
I'm wondering if Audi have taken their eye off the ball a little. This 'Quattro' could steal sales from Nissan's GTR if it's priced correctly.
Is it just me, but doesn't it look a bit Korean?
Not subtle, deep grille spoils it completely.
Using nostalgia sells........and the manufacturer will charge you a hefty premium for it.
Beetle, Mini, 500C and possibly the 2CV......
Really clean lines, no clutter anywhere, minimalist even but elegant too - like it. But at that price forget it - lost the plot.
However I agree with the price, mental! Sub £45k it would be a big seller without becoming to ubiquitous.
The interior is typical Audi sadly, no sense of occasion and too sombre. I think the dash would need some turbo gauges for added drama in the centre as it looks too long and bland.
Maybe slightly bolder arches on the outside would be another nod to the original and give it more of an agressive stance.
But overall it's surprisingly elegant and a yes from me!
I like what Audi have done, it looks great and would definitely buy one but the price puts me off a lot, an RS 5 is cheaper.
This is absolutely pig-Ugly!
I will laugh very hard if I should ever have the misfortune of seeing one upon the road...
It actually makes the GTR look like a thing of real beauty, rather than the brute it normally looks like in comparison to the more effete Porsches it normally competes against.
My Rating: ** (as it will probably be priced Audi silly and with cars that dont look as Pig-ugly!)
Considering this car was not an artists impression, not a computer generated fantasy, not an actual picture, but an actual car, and you actually got your hands on it, and actually actually drove it.....its a damn short article !!
e.g. how does the bonnet open? [there are only shutlines along the guards, so is it a giant clamshell?]
does the spoiler retract?
Lets see Audi managed two... Just two drivers championships in the WRC and just two manufacturers championships.
In 82 an Opel ascona 400 beat Audi to the drivers championship and in 83, Lancia beat Audi to the manufacturers crown..Only in 84 did Audi get both crowns.
After that Audi was obliterated by Peugeot with the 205T16, (a far more dominant rally car) and then the best rally car of all-time (IMO) the Lancia Delta Integrale won the crown an incredible 5 years in a row!
Toyota was also more successful with the GT4, then Subaru Impreza's, Mitsubishi Evo's, Peugeot 206WRC, Citroen Xsara and C4's all just as successfull if not more so than the Audi Quattro...
Hell even Ford with the Focus has achieved just as much as Audi has ever done in rallying!
The Quattro is a legend only amongst many equal Rally Legend Machinery (if not more so!) rally cars...
Lovely...... my name is down for one of these bad boys...... the only thing that I think they could have done better is embedded the Audi 4 ring logo on the grill instead of the bonnet....... so it symbolises a raging bull - Quattro concept (a bit of marketing there for you Audi should you wish to use it (@ a small fee)).... lol!!........
Are we turnin Japanese or wot?
Audi please stick to European styling!
I totally agree with you over the logo, it should be plastered across the full width of the grill. Placing the huge logo in this way would break up the angularity a little and would make an intimidating statement...
This could almost be the next Kia coupe, designed to be a cheapo priced GTR wannabe...
Just doesnt cut it!
NICE CAR BUT IT'S JUST A SHORT WHEELBASE A5 WITH A LIGHTER TT-RS ENGINE IN IT, IT'S NOT WORTH £85K I'D RATHER HAVE A SKYLINE GTR FOR £50K
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Taking cues from Lambo again are they?
It still needs some extra love at the back and sides to take it away the $30K Acura feel with a lexus ISF
This badboy is a bit strange.....its almost looking like they took a latest Camaro and placed Audi front and rear tail styling. Trying to capture the orignal quattro but mimicking the similarly almost squareish lines on the car and modenising the interior in a minimal tone can't be that costly. This thing should be costing around R300K in todays standards. For that matter another point that should be argued is why modern cars have so many switches knobs and buttons when everything could be intergrated into one unit with cost saving minimalist design??? I think a design shift is required.
Imagine having to overtake a car and when the other driver gives way, all that you need to say is "thanks"....and then your vehicle's voice recognition unit automatically activates hazard lights indicating your gesture....! Get inside your car and yell "light dim" and lights switch off by dimming, instead of the stupid wait until the ignition is on to switch off. Install windshield glass that illuminates day-time lighting. How about vacumm sealing inside the vehicle to prevent that deaf feeling when driving from dry land to the coast, stuff like that and then you can charge £80K..... I ain't impressed!! Wanna impress me throw-in a cuppaccino maker in the cabiole....best at that a cold store to serve me cold chilled beer when i stop every 4 hours.
The Quattro would cost about £60,000. The TT-RS costs £45,000. The Quattro would be about £10,000 cheaper than the Nissan 2011 GTR, the GTR holds it value much better, and gets similar fuel economy. The top speed is 198mph, and 0-60mph takes 3 seconds, some reported 2.9. The point is, the new GTR seems a better option as it much more exciting. In a way, this is just a bad copy of a GTR.
The GTR is the best four wheel drive sports car, and probably the best sports car performance wise and value for money. Audi shouldn't make it as they wouldn't sell many.
I've seen one of these things at a show; there's enough room to add 2 rear seats (comfortably)...