Friday 17th September 2010

Audi's 'Mystery Car' Is An Ur-Quattro Tribute

Swirly coupe said to be 'Anniversario' Paris show car

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This disguised Audi sports car, snapped last weekend at an Alpine ski resort, had been rumoured to be the new 'R4' - Audi's planned sub- R8 sports car - but a new report from German magazine Auto Bild seems to suggest otherwise.

The latest suggestion is that it is a concept study set for a Paris show debut to celebrate the original Audi Quattro - which turned 30 earlier this year.

The concept will be called 'Anniversario' (see what Audi's done there?) and is, we read, based on a cut-down RS5 chassis.

It won't get that car's 444bhp 4.2-litre V8, however - a turbo five-pot is, much more appropriately for a Quattro, rumoured to be the power unit of choice, and the 335bhp motor from the TT RS is the current favoured candidate.

No doubt the full story will be revealed in Paris at the end of September...

[TheRoadWarrior]

Sounds like a posh competitor for the S3 and Focus ST (At least the current Focus ST)

[Mr Gear]

I'm sure this will be a nice car, but will it not just be a direct competitor to the TT?

[tyrrell]

Will it have dead life less steering feel as standard

Edited by tyrrell on Friday 17th September 11:43

[anonymous-user]

The whole rear of the car is covered so you would think it's mid engined. But is it a double bluff to make us think it's front engined?

[TommyBuoy]

Reminds me of the Z4 Coupe.

Audi really do have a strong 'family' resemblance to their designs, even more so than BMW.

[Woody34]

Could it be mid engined with a glass cover so you can see the engine like the R8?

[Hendry]

Looking forward to seeing this. I love the Ur Quattro, Sport Quattro especially.

[vz-r_dave]

I dont see it being mid engined, the chassis sits too high and it is a little on the short side from the driver seat back I think.

[GTRene]

could indeed be a R4 mid engined...
but then the TT-R engine in the back instead of in the front of the TT-R so you don't need the V8 longitudinally space of the V8 and can kept short with the R5 engine there the way it lays also in the front (how do you call that in English)

[anonymous-user]

Can't see any intakes for a mid engine. Anyone?

[LeoSayer]

vz-r_dave said:

I dont see it being mid engined, the chassis sits too high and it is a little on the short side from the driver seat back I think.

Yes, the Ur was a proper 4 seater. The pic looks more like a 2+2.

[anonymous-user]

If it is a cut-down RS5 it will be front engined - maybe mid-front but definitely front engined.

Looking forward to seeing the R4, but this will be a 'meh'.....

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 17th September 12:31

[LuS1fer]

I was up the Sierra Nevada last week and there was a fully clad Audi prototype with a mock "estate" back being shadowed by a white Audi A4 estate. looked the same size. Wonder what that was.

Later, there was another small hatchback covered in cladding and striped bits but i was unable to divine what that was.

Sierra Nevada by Granada - has never let me down yet on spotting a prototype testing.

[goron59]

The nose is not long enough for a front-mid arrangement, especially if it has a V8. 5-pot from the TT-RS maybe.

Looks ok, though I don't agree it looks very Audi.... the back looks reminiscent of old Z cars.

Nice to see something new though.

[UncappedTag]

Looks like a schools DT project 'build a car from paper mache"

[Yertis]

LeoSayer said:

vz-r_dave said:

I dont see it being mid engined, the chassis sits too high and it is a little on the short side from the driver seat back I think.

Yes, the Ur was a proper 4 seater. The pic looks more like a 2+2.

I bet this isn't much, if any smaller than a urQuattro though. If you stand next to one now they seem quite small cars.

[aeropilot]

Hmmmmm......maybe Audi are finally getting the message.

A truncated RS5 platform with proper quattro system and longitudinal engine but with the TT-RS 5 pot installed

[LCR270]

Looks a bit like an Aston Marin hatch - anyone?

[annodomini2]

goron59 said:

The nose is not long enough for a front-mid arrangement, especially if it has a V8. 5-pot from the TT-RS maybe.

Looks ok, though I don't agree it looks very Audi.... the back looks reminiscent of old Z cars.

Nice to see something new though.

With all the pedestrian safety legislation the front looks too low to be front engined.

The back too short to be inline mid.

This'll be the TT's replacement, mid-rear transverse, with 4/5pots and V6's

[ge0rge]

Looks mint lets hope it gets more grunt than the tt rs to become a gtr contender?