Three years after the first Audi Ur-quattro was introduced, an upgraded variant was shown at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show. Classified as the Audi Sport Quattro S1, the result was a steroid-infused version of the original vehicle. Similar to the Plymouth Superbird and the Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR, the Audi Sport Quattro S1’s presence as a production car was only a formality so the brand could compete with a better race car. Featuring cutting-edge carbon fiber body panels and an all-aluminum turbocharged engine generating 444 horsepower in competition trim, the car also existed as an early application of Audi’s now common S badging. Thirty years since the premiere of the first Sport Quattro, Audi is reviving the legacy for a concept design modernized and depicting future trends for the German premium car make.
Looking at the Audi Sport Quattro Concept, car enthusiasts with good memories should be comforted with the knowledge they are not suffering from déjà vu. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Ur-quattro in 2010, Audi revealed a modern retelling of their memorable performance car. The Audi Quattro Concept was even considered for limited production but the plan was derailed last year. Broken-hearted Audi Ur-quattro lovers might find the 2013 Audi concept car as a difficult creation to admire in risk of traumatizing themselves further. For some who were awaiting the splashy tribute sports car, the presence of the Audi Sport Quattro Concept borders on cruelty. It is already noted as unlikely that the Sport Quattro Concept will evolve much further than an amusing prototype.
The only major stylized difference from the 2010 Quattro Concept to the 2013 Sport Quattro Concept is the front end is identical to Audi’s current production machines. The use of carbon fiber aerodynamic elements provide a splitter and diffuser honour their past as well as impressing 21st century counterparts. A vehicle weighing 4,078 pounds, the Sport Quattro Concept’s engineers has pursued the advantages of high strength steel and aluminum in creating a solid composition for the vehicle. The hood is detailed with louvers on the passenger side corner. Outlet ducts behind the front tires servers as one of the final characteristics used to define the Audi Sport Quattro Concept from the 2010 concept look-a-like. Borrowed from the new A8 sedan, Matrix LED lighting is employed all around the Sport Quattro Concept incorporating diodes delivering custom illumination based on a wide range of conditions. The two-seat concept vehicle dimensions present a wide vehicle at 54.57 inches.
A racing-oriented interior included with the Audi Sport Quattro Concept places the driver first. Equipped with a multi-function steering wheel providing the quick access control layout that a Formula 1 driver would receive, the Sport Quattro Concept also provides the operator with a heads-up display and a digital instrument panel. The original Ur-quattro is regarded as a pioneer for utilizing the then-space age LCD electronic instrument cluster on a production car. Operating using an available Race mode, the Audi Sport Quattro Concept’s display provides the driver with a central speedometer as well as race track information. Interior focus on racing also includes attention to luxury appointments. The Audi Sport Quattro Concept is an air conditioning system integrated into the vents for pinpoint accuracy.
Powering the 2013 Audi Sport Quattro Concept, something more ambitious than a 306-horsepower turbocharged engine beats under the hood. Running on a quattro all-wheel drive platform, the concept vehicle operates as a plug-in hybrid. A 110-kilowatt electric motor fed from a lithium-ion battery pack allows the Sport Quattro Concept to travel 31 miles without a single drop of gasoline. However, when gasoline power is called upon with the Audi Sport Quattro Concept, a twin-turbocharged, 4-liter V8 engine is summoned to life providing 560 horsepower and 516 pounds feet of torque. This eight-cylinder gasoline engine is the same powerplant propelling the Audi RS7 Sportback. When working in unison, a collective effort of 700 horsepower will be transmitted through the quattro drive system. 0 to 60-mile per hour acceleration for the Audi Sport Quattro Concept is estimated at 3.7 seconds. Top speed for the hybrid vehicle is appraised at 189.5 miles per hour.
Ahead of the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, several retro-themed show cars have top billing. Like Audi, Volvo revisited their P1800 design with their Concept Coupe. In both cases, flashbacks of past legends include a forward-look into what is expected to be powerplants for future performance cars.
Information and photo source: Audi AG