Skip advert
Advertisement

Audi Quattro Concept

We're first behind the wheel of Audi's Paris Motor Show star.

Overall Auto Express rating

5.0

How we review cars
Find your next car here
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

It’s not often that a one-off concept car can deliver on the road as well as the show stand, but the quattro concept does just that. With its shortened chassis and suspension borrowed from the RS5, and a pumped up version of the TT-RS’s five cylinder engine, it’s easy to drive and seriously fast on public roads. Reinventing old classics is something that’s handled with varying degrees of success, but Audi’s designers have taken inspiration from the past, rather than simply copying it - which is why this car will push all the right buttons for Audi fans and a whole new generation of car buyers alike. This is a model more than worthy of the quattro name, and one that Audi must put into production.

Advertisement - Article continues below

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.
 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Fiesta Active

2019 Ford

Fiesta Active

22,703 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £11,787
View Fiesta Active
Kuga

2019 Ford

Kuga

32,427 milesManualPetrol1.5L

Cash £13,087
View Kuga
XC90

2019 Volvo

XC90

59,931 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £23,987
View XC90
Range Rover Evoque

2023 Land Rover

Range Rover Evoque

23,319 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £27,587
View Range Rover Evoque

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_narrow","fid":"69304","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image"}}]]

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.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £18,505Avg. savings £4,062 off RRP*Used from £16,316
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,105Avg. savings £3,743 off RRP*Used from £30,795
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £37,870Avg. savings £3,419 off RRP*
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £27,795Avg. savings £2,454 off RRP*Used from £15,500
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The smart money is being spent on hybrid cars
Opinion - Toyota Yaris Cross

The smart money is being spent on hybrid cars

Mike Rutherford thinks hybrids sit in the sweet spot between cheaper petrol and diesel models and more expensive pure-electric cars
Opinion
23 Mar 2025
Return of the Audi TT: iconic coupe to make all-electric comeback
Audi TT design render (watermarked)

Return of the Audi TT: iconic coupe to make all-electric comeback

Iconic coupe is set to be resurrected for the electric era, and this is what it could look like
News
21 Mar 2025
Used Car Hunter: six-cylinder luxury cars for £35,000
Used Car Hunter £35,000 luxury cars - header image

Used Car Hunter: six-cylinder luxury cars for £35,000

Our Car Hunter has £35,000 to track down an upmarket car with a decent bit of shove
Features
22 Mar 2025