Tuesday 5th April 2011

Quattro Coupe To Get Green Light

400bhp coupe in final stages of exec evaluation at Audi; could be here by 2013

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There's been much hope in recent months that Audi's chunky 402bhp Quattro Concept would become a production reality (including on this very site), and now it seems about to become true.

According to the super-sleuths at our sister publication Autocar, an S5-based prototype has been built for evaluation by senior Audi management before the final green light is lit, but it seems as if this may just be an effective formality, with a launch planned for 2013.

Like the car that wowed the crowds at the Paris motor show last year, the prototype is constructed from an aluminium spaceframe with a mixture aluminium and carbon fibre body panels, even though it looks like a standard S5

The prototype, says Autocar, shaves 300kg from the kerb weight of an RS5, but the final production car could be even lighter, with a 150mm-shorter wheelbase and lightweight tricks for the interior. Word is that the final car could be 225kg lighter than an Audi R8. Now that, we like the sound of...

 

[blearyeyedboy]

Great news!

Here's hoping it handles anywhere near as good as it will be hyped.

[Rawwr]

This could be Audi's turning point.

[carsnapper]

1300 KG's and 400hp = FUN!

[ZZGB]

doogz said:

Do we really need another one?

What difference does that make?

Following Mercedes route i'd imagine to offer something to everyone. Good on them i say.

[Tankman]

QUOTE AUTOCAR:-
"However, in its final form there will be further weight-saving measures, including a 150mm reduction in the wheelbase and a lighter interior, including seats made from forged composites and possibly dash mouldings made from hemp."

Now where did I put my bong?

[Insight]

doogz said:

But they already offer the S5, the RS5 is out this year, you can buy a TTS, TTRS, and V8 and V10 R8's.

They kinda have the fast 4WD coupe/sports car sector covered.

Ahh yes but this new derivative keeps them in the headlines - so we all end up buying the A3 1.8d

[Fetchez la vache]

doogz said:

ZZGB said:

doogz said:

Do we really need another one?

What difference does that make?

Following Mercedes route i'd imagine to offer something to everyone. Good on them i say.

But they already offer the S5, the RS5 is out this year, you can buy a TTS, TTRS, and V8 and V10 R8's.

They kinda have the fast 4WD coupe/sports car sector covered.

So? If they think they'll sell all they make and make a profit why the hell not? Audi are a company looking to make money, not appease people who don't like what they're doing

[SR06]

Great! Shame it looks like a Corrado with a Max Power style front-end chop though.

[steveb8189]

"with a 150m-shorter wheelbase"

That's going to be short!

[george h]

Not keen on that bonnet scoop, but the rest of it looks fantastic. About time Audi made a good looking fast car.

[0to60]

doogz said:

ZZGB said:

doogz said:

Do we really need another one?

What difference does that make?

Following Mercedes route i'd imagine to offer something to everyone. Good on them i say.

But they already offer the S5, the RS5 is out this year, you can buy a TTS, TTRS, and V8 and V10 R8's.

They kinda have the fast 4WD coupe/sports car sector covered.

Audi's aim to be recession proof was to keep on releasing lots of models and it has worked....one of the car companies who has ridden the recession well.

[ZZGB]

doogz said:

ZZGB said:

doogz said:

Do we really need another one?

What difference does that make?

Following Mercedes route i'd imagine to offer something to everyone. Good on them i say.

But they already offer the S5, the RS5 is out this year, you can buy a TTS, TTRS, and V8 and V10 R8's.

They kinda have the fast 4WD coupe/sports car sector covered.

They're all aimed at different people though, both for performance & budget. Someone considering an S5-type car isn't going to be considering a TT or an R8 and vice-versa. Plus i would wager there would be alot of people on here that wouldn't have any of those you've listed but would have this new Coupe, as it sounds like a proper drivers car therefor worthy of production IMO.

[powerhungry]

Great the corrado is back about time should be a graet car only down point is it will probably cost about £75000 putting way out of reach of mere mortals like me .

[blearyeyedboy]

doogz said:

Do we really need another one?

Not as much as we need more fuel efficient vehicles that are practical propositions, no. But that rather misses the point.

We don't need more coupés. We want them.

If Audi can make a marketing case for more coupés than already exist then they're clearly just catering for that demand. If they make a good one, all power to them.

[Riggers]

steveb8189 said:

"with a 150m-shorter wheelbase"

That's going to be short!

Yup - the first car to have a negative wheelbase (fixed now)

[anonymous-user]

It better come out exactly like that, awesome.

ETA:

SR06 said:

Great! Shame it looks like a Corrado with a Max Power style front-end chop though.

How?

[blearyeyedboy]

Riggers said:

Yup - the first car to have a negative wheelbase (fixed now)

How to make a FWD car handle better: Have the front wheels behind the rear ones?

[j_s14a]

Is this going to be 5 cyl?

[adycav]

Going to be £100k+ I'll wager, and in limited numbers.

[dele]

powerhungry said:

Great the corrado is back about time should be a graet car only down point is it will probably cost about £75000 putting way out of reach of mere mortals like me .

+1

Audi are going to price this out the range of normal people, if this was M3/1M-coupe price, i think itd jump up and down all over them