Audi Quattro Concept

We first saw the Audi Quattro Concept at this year’s Paris Auto Show. What a car! It’s proof to us that Audi remains on a roll, and we can’t think of a more dynamic way for the Ingolstadt company to celebrate 30 years of Quattro all-wheel drive.

Now, that same Quattro Concept is on the Audi stand in Los Angeles, looking as stunning as ever with its striking Col de Turini white paint and powered by a compact turbocharged 5-cylinder engine that puts out a whopping 408 bhp and 354 lb.-ft. of torque, the latter peaking at a low 1600 rpm.

Beneath the muscular body with its bold fender flares, the Quattro Concept is based on the chassis of the 4-seat Audi RS 5, but with a wheelbase shortened by 5.9 in. and a roof lowered by 1.6. As a 2-seater with an aluminum body and hood, plus a hatch and bumpers made of carbon fiber, the Quattro Concept weighs a svelte 2866 lb., almost exactly the weight of the Audi Sport Quattro from 1984. That translates to the Audi Quattro Concept having a power-to-weight ratio that’s on a par with the 525-bhp, V-10 powered, Audi R8 supercar’s.

The turbocharged inline-5 is pulled straight from the Audi TT RS, which is coming to the U.S. next year. In the Audi Quattro Concept, this stout longitudinally mounted engine accelerates the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in only 3.9 seconds, says Audi. A 6-speed manual transmission and a torque delivery that’s 60-percent biased toward the rear wheels will provide a sporty feel, but the crown-gear center differential can (and does) vary the split between the front and rear axles over a broad range for added stability. Perhaps more important, the Quattro Concept is also fitted with Audi’s sport differential, which actively distributes torque between the rear wheels and enhances cornering by sending more power to the outside wheel.

As for the appearance of the Audi Concept Quattro, there’s clearly an A5 and an RS 5 in the car’s genes, but this car has a much more aggressive appearance. Muscular C-pillars pay homage to the design of the original Quattro and the short overall length of 158.6 in. (only 1.3 in. longer than a Mazda MX-5 Miata) means this Audi will not lack for agility.

Other details of note include center-lock 20-in. wheels, LED headlamps, carbon-ceramic brake rotors and an air outlet on the right side of the hood to help the turbo 5-cylinder keep cool. The single-frame grille has no chrome trim and the large carbon-fiber spoiler integrated into the rear hatch extends automatically as needed. Also, to pay proper respect to the original Quattro as the winner of numerous World Rally Championships, a so-called “prayer book”—the classic rally copilot's track description—can be displayed on the dash in racing mode. This provides precise information about the route ahead for an authentic rally feel.

As we said at Paris, we hope the road ahead for this Audi Quattro Concept is one that leads to production. Based on the reaction to the car at both Paris and Los Angeles, we don’t see how Audi could ever decide not to build the potent Quattro, which we see as a most fitting tribute to the company’s rally heritage.