still feeling nostalgic about the rides of yesteryear, in particular the 80s where Euro-made cars were rattling the dirt playground? well, don’t be cos’ as much as would love to flashback on our love for Lancia Delta, there are much to look forward to like this Audi Sport Quattro Concept. the new Sport Quattro marks the 30th birthday of the Sport Quattro first introduced at the 1983 IAA which was essentially a homologation model for the WRC, so it makes sense for the German automaker to slide a bit of design inspiration from the iconic Ur-quattro and Sports Quattro that ultimately set a record at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in the 1987. the similarity is not literal, but from the stance and profile, it does evoke some resemblance to the one ride that once set our hearts on fire. if that doesn’t strike you so, we are sure the angular, flat C-pillars, the blisters over the fenders and the rectangular, double headlights design (albeit, implemented with modern technology by the way of Audi’s Matrix LED technology), would. the latter, along with the new striking, single-frame grille, are design cues pointing to future Audi production models.
power comes in the form of a plug-in hybrid drive that comprises of a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 unit and a liquid cooled, disk-shaped electric motor that combines to give yield to 700 horsepower (515 kW) and 800 Nm (590.05 lb-ft) of torque. though blessed with the power worthy of a supercar status, Audi is careful to ensure economy is top on its priority list, for which Cylinder on Demand system is introduced, working along sides with start/stop system to achieve (at least on paper) an average 2.5 liters per 100 kilometers (94 US mpg) and a CO2 of 59 grams per kilometer (94.95 g/mile). the electric drive feeds on 14.1 kWh of lithium-ion battery which is good for a pure electric range of 50 km (31 miles). power from the hybrid drivetrain is transfer to all four wheels via a modified eight-speed tiptronic gearbox. as with most EV, it offers three modes of operation: EV for pure electric drive, hybrid mode for maximum efficiency, and Sport mode for maximum performance for adrenalin junkies. on the performance aspect, the concept claims a naught to 100 sprint in just 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 305 km/h (190 mph).
the Audi Sport Quattro Concept is set to debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show as a showcar – so for those who can’t wait to see it in person, or for those who aren’t lucky enough to be there, there’s an awesome image gallery below for your enjoyment.
