Currently reading: New Audi Quattro concept for Frankfurt
Audi poised to revive legendary Quattro coupé as a limited-run model with £125k-plus price and a 600bhp twin-turbo V8

Audi has released official design sketches of its reborn Quattro supercar concept, which will be shown at the Frankfurt motor show next month.

The modern-day Quattro aims to revive the spirit of the rally-bred Sport Quattro launched in 1984 - and has been conceived as a limited-production model that is set to be priced well above that of any existing Audi - which means more than £125,000. It will be assembled on a dedicated line at the Quattro division in Neckarsulm, Germany. Sales of the car are expected to begin next year.

First hinted at in 2010 with the unveiling of the Audi Quattro concept, the new car is expected to form the centrepiece of Audi’s renewed focus on four-wheel drive following moves by Jaguar, BMW and Mercedes-Benz to increase the number of four-wheel-drive models in their line-up.

Ingolstadt officials have already revealed to Autocar that the focus of the company’s activities at the Frankfurt show will be on four-wheel drive. “We have a great history with quattro four-wheel drive and this will be reflected by what we have in store for the Frankfurt motor show,” said a source.

Details remain scarce, but in a move aimed at reining in development costs and providing crucial economies of scale, Audi is thought to have held firm to its original plans to base the road-going production version of the well received Quattro concept on a modified version of the MLB platform that underpins the Audi A5.

However, while the concept rode on a 2600mm wheelbase, the production car is likely to use a wheelbase similar to that of the existing A5, at 2810mm. The change will alter the Quattro’s proportions slightly but at the same time provide it with added interior space.

The use of the longer wheelbase means the new car is also set to grow beyond the 4280mm of the concept to somewhere around 4500mm in length, or just over 200mm less than the A5. Width and height are, however, likely to mirror the concept at 1860mm and 1330mm respectively.

In place of the 408bhp turbocharged 2.5-litre, five-cylinder engine used in the earlier concept, Audi looks set to provide the production version of the Quattro with a heavily tuned version of its twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, complete with cylinder deactivation. Again, nothing is official, but Audi sources suggest power will be pumped up to more than 600bhp — 40bhp more than the recently introduced RS6 Avant, which uses the same powerplant.

The V8’s heady power reserves will be channelled through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox with paddle shifters and, in keeping with tradition, a Torsen torque-sensing four-wheel drive system with a sport differential offering torque vectoring to all four wheels.

Extensive use of lightweight materials will be made in non-load-bearing areas as part of Audi’s Ultra weight-saving initiative, but whether Audi can achieve the 1300kg kerb weight it claimed for the concept remains to be seen. As a point of reference, the four-wheel-drive, 328bhp supercharged 3.0-litre V6-powered S5 weighs 1745kg.

Advertisement

Read our review

Car review

The Audi RS5 is a success not only as a premium sports coupé, but as a long-distance cruiser offering an engaging drive.

Back to top

Sources suggest a 0-62mph time of less than 4.0sec and a top speed approaching 186mph, which is the sort of straight-line performance matched in the Audi line-up only by the R8 V10.

Click here for more Frankfurt motor show news.

Join the debate

Comments
17
Add a comment…
Peter Cavellini 15 August 2013

A car for today?

A well respected car journo and car show presenter(?) recently said that, car like these are just too fast for public roads, do we agree?, or is it just the price?

Frightmare Bob 15 August 2013

Peter Cavellini wrote: A

Peter Cavellini wrote:

A well respected car journo and car show presenter(?) recently said that, car like these are just too fast for public roads, do we agree?, or is it just the price?

Probably right but, as very few, if any, will actually get used on the public road, except for posing in places like Knightsbridge and Monte Carlo, I don't think it really matters.

 

 

marj 18 August 2013

MODERN DESIGNERS

These sketches show exactly what is wrng with modern design. The level of 'art of drawing' far outweighs teh originality and skills of actulally designing beautiful cars. This isn't just Audi, it is a lot maufacturers. What happened to the excellent proportions of the (long wheelbase) Quattro. These sketches look very impressive as a technical demonstration in drawing but look deeper and there is no pzazz or originality to the designs being drawn. They all look starship meets muscle car, which is not what the original Quattro was about. Please can modern designers stop doing drawings worthy of a Manga cartooon and get back to the art of actually designing graceful and well proportioned vehicles. Is it too much to ask? 

IAD 14 August 2013

I have to say the concept was

I have to say the concept was a mediocre/poor attempt by the designers.  Apart from the front detailing which I like the rest is really poor for a concept.  Looks like the old VW Corrado from the rear. Hope they do a better job with the production vehicle

Frightmare Bob 14 August 2013

"The Quattro would provide an

"The Quattro would provide an answer to the BMW M4, Jaguar XFR-S and the next Mercedes C63 AMG"

Not priced at more than £125,000 it won't.