You probably remember the Audi Quattro Concept that the German carmaker presented at the Paris motor show in 2010. Although some reports said Audi canned the project, it looks like the situation could be reversed – at least according to a recent report from German magazine Auto Zeitung.
The publication says the VW Group is preparing some big novelties for the Frankfurt Auto Show for each of its core brands, including an extreme lightweight sports coupe that purportedly previews a production version of the Audi Quattro Coupe, the successor to the legendary 1980s sports car.
Auto Zeitung says the project is top secret, as Audi wants to shock BMW and Mercedes-Benz and surprise its fans – or at least it was if this report turns out to be true…
Basically, Audi is planning the resurrection of the iconic Sport Quattro of 1984. The concept is said to be more production-ready than the 2010 Quattro Concept pictured here, as Audi wants to start a small series production of the car in two years’ time. Compared to the 2010 study, the body is said to be “much sharper and more sculptural.” The car is based on the A5 Coupe, with a length of 4.40 meters, a width of 1.87 meters and a height of only 1.34 meters.
The lightweight body, made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), aluminum and magnesium should only weigh about 1,300 kg (2,866 lbs). Naturally, the car will be all-wheel drive, but the 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine from the study will be replaced by a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with cylinder deactivation technology delivering 650 PS (641 hp) – an upgraded version of the RS7 engine. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) is expected to take only 3.4 seconds, with top speed to reach 300 km/h (186 mph).
The Audi Quattro will have a sport differential on the rear axle, carbon ceramic brake discs and magnetic ride adaptive damping, with all these reportedly pushing its price to R8 territory, more specifically somewhere around €115,000 ($153,400).
By Dan Mihalascu
Note: 2010 Audi Quattro Concept shown in pictures
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