# I drove the Audi Quattro Concept the other day...



## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

*I drove the "Audi Quattro Concept" the other day...*

Here's my story. Feel free to ask any questions...

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/07/audi-quattro-concept-quick-spin-review-road-test/

- Mike


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## jim (Jan 3, 2003)

Great review, Mike :thumbup: .


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

jim said:


> Great review, Mike :thumbup: .


Thanks!

Just so you guys know that my life isn't all sexy supercars... I am at the launch of the Nissan Quest today (um, that would be a minivan). 

- Mike


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## dalekressin (Sep 3, 2008)

Well gotta take the great with the not as great to appreciate!


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## dalekressin (Sep 3, 2008)

Mike,
I would give the green light to this car for sure.
I wonder if I could buy one. I wonder if the following is accurate: RS4 lower than RS5 lower than RS8 or = This concept car?


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

dalekressin said:


> Mike,
> I would give the green light to this car for sure.
> I wonder if I could buy one. I wonder if the following is accurate: RS4 lower than RS5 lower than RS8 or = This concept car?


Are you asking where it will fall in Audi's model lineup?

It will be priced about $150,000. That puts it right next to the R8 V10. Personally, I like the R8 more, as I like its styling and civility. However, the Quattro Concept is very exclusive (about 400 will likely be made) so that appeals to some buyers.

- Mike


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## dalekressin (Sep 3, 2008)

I figured it would be close to the R8.
I have a neighbor with the R8 and it is very nice. The concept car looks very nice as well. The rear spoiler is stunning.


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## mtbscott (Jul 16, 2003)

Emission said:


> It will be priced about $150,000. - Mike


They must not want to sell many...sorry but I find that to be a ridiculous price. Not sure if it came to be, but when Car and Driver compared the M3/CTS V-Coupe, and RS5 in Europe, they also said the Audi might come in around $90K, $20K more than the others. Seems to me like part of Audi's attraction once was their seemingly more reasonable prices compared to BMW and Mercedes.
As I've mentioned before, I'm on the "list" for a TT-RS next year. Good info says it will be base priced around $58K which is reasonable. If it's $70K Im out. In its category the Cayman S is the benchmark and it needs to slot in around that or less to be viable I think. Not sure what market the Quattro coupe is going for at that price, I think most people spending in that stratosphere want either an exotic/near exotic, or a superluxury car a la Bentley.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

mtbscott said:


> They must not want to sell many...sorry but I find that to be a ridiculous price. Not sure if it came to be, but when Car and Driver compared the M3/CTS V-Coupe, and RS5 in Europe, they also said the Audi might come in around $90K, $20K more than the others. Seems to me like part of Audi's attraction once was their seemingly more reasonable prices compared to BMW and Mercedes.
> As I've mentioned before, I'm on the "list" for a TT-RS next year. Good info says it will be base priced around $58K which is reasonable. If it's $70K Im out. In its category the Cayman S is the benchmark and it needs to slot in around that or less to be viable I think. Not sure what market the Quattro coupe is going for at that price, I think most people spending in that stratosphere want either an exotic/near exotic, or a superluxury car a la Bentley.


I agree that the price is too steep. It should be $85,000.

Did you know that I drove the TT-RS on a track when Audi brought one to the States in April? That's me in the white helmet...

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/15/2010-audi-tt-rs-quick-spin/

- Mike


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## Griffoun (Jan 19, 2006)

Emission said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Just so you guys know that my life isn't all sexy supercars... I am at the launch of the Nissan Quest today (um, that would be a minivan).
> 
> - Mike


Read your review on the minivan just now :thumbup:

One thing I'd like to point out, after being in Hong Kong for a couple weeks and observed how people in Hong Kong and Japan like the boxy people hauler, I look at the Odyssey and Sienna in the US and think how different they are from the Asian market: not just the size, but everything is round and ugly, with a long (I'd almost say "extended") engine compartment . The 2011 Quest's design, minus the grille, (why can't Nissan bring the Elgrand's grille to the US?) is very Japanese. Sure it's still larger than Nissan Elgrand, but the evidence of Japanese DNA is there. I dig the body and the tail.

I feel Toyota and Honda are heading down the same road where GM and Ford used to go: make a boring and ugly car and expect people will still come and buy, while the Koreans, namely Hyundai's Sonata and Elantra, are coming up with some great looking and fuel efficient vehicles.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

Griffoun said:


> I feel Toyota and Honda are heading down the same road where GM and Ford used to go: make a boring and ugly car and expect people will still come and buy, while the Koreans, namely Hyundai's Sonata and Elantra, are coming up with some great looking and fuel efficient vehicles.


That's an interesting observation. I may agree with you. 

Along those same lines, it's shocking to not see a diesel minivan, as low torque and great fuel economy seem like a perfect fit for that segment.

- Mike


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## thebmw (Oct 19, 2006)

Mike,
Can you please explain to me what is the hype behind the current Quattro Concept? To put it bluntly, what is the point of the car? It's not a sports car. It's not even a real sports sedan or a sports coupe. To me, it's worth $20-30K. Who in the world would pay $85-150K? I just don't get the hype here.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

thebmw said:


> Mike,
> Can you please explain to me what is the hype behind the current Quattro Concept? To put it bluntly, what is the point of the car? It's not a sports car. It's not even a real sports sedan or a sports coupe. To me, it's worth $20-30K. Who in the world would pay $85-150K? I just don't get the hype here.


It is the equivalent of the Z8 to a BMW loyalist.

The original "Quattro" came out in the mid-80s. It was an amazing car, with all-wheel drive and a turbocharged inline-5. Expensive, exclusive, and unique. This is a modern interpretation of the orginal "Quattro" model. It isn't trying to be the best, just a limited edition model paying homage to its predecessor. Exclusivity will drive the price up, way up. Yes, the R8 is a much better sports car.

BMW did the same thing a decade ago when it introduced the Z8. That car was a modern interpretation of the original 507. And, at the time, the M3 was a better sports car.

- Mike


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## 6 Brit (Jan 19, 2009)

Emission said:


> It is the equivalent of the Z8 to a BMW loyalist.
> 
> The original "Quattro" came out in the mid-80s. It was an amazing car, with all-wheel drive and a turbocharged inline-5. Expensive, exclusive, and unique. This is a modern interpretation of the orginal "Quattro" model. It isn't trying to be the best, just a limited edition model paying homage to its predecessor. Exclusivity will drive the price up, way up. Yes, the R8 is a much better sports car.
> 
> ...


well said :thumbup:
the original quattro was a MONSTER!


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## thebmw (Oct 19, 2006)

Emission said:


> It is the equivalent of the Z8 to a BMW loyalist.
> 
> The original "Quattro" came out in the mid-80s. It was an amazing car, with all-wheel drive and a turbocharged inline-5. Expensive, exclusive, and unique. This is a modern interpretation of the orginal "Quattro" model. It isn't trying to be the best, just a limited edition model paying homage to its predecessor. Exclusivity will drive the price up, way up. Yes, the R8 is a much better sports car.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. I understand why the "Quattro" has a following and it seems I misread your article. When you were describing the specs of the old Quattro, I read them as the specs for the new one. Thus I read it as a 200hp car! After re-reading your article, it does seem appropriate to price it around or above the RS5, but still below the base R8.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

thebmw said:


> Thanks for the reply. I understand why the "Quattro" has a following and it seems I misread your article. When you were describing the specs of the old Quattro, I read them as the specs for the new one. Thus I read it as a 200hp car! After re-reading your article, it does seem appropriate to price it around or above the RS5, but still below the base R8.


I liked your original post (before the edit). 

While I really fell in love with the Z8 when it came out nearly a decade ago (I finally had the chance to drive one - an example from BMW's museum, no less - up the California Coast over the summer), the Quattro Concept didn't do as much for me. I simply didn't get the "emotional connection," and I am a big Audi fan. It looks cool in person, but the R8 looks better. The R8 is more comfortable and more powerful too (keep in mind that the Quattro Concept is basically a mix of components from the RS5 and the TT RS).

How could Audi have made the Quattro Concept better?

First, it should have a V6 making about about 700 horsepower (408 hp is ho-hum these days). Nobody really cares about the inline-5, so drop it.

Second, it needs a better dashboard (lose the 80's-era display icons and replace them with round dials). Give me the future, not the past.

Lastly, it needs a bit more aggressive bodywork. It is cool looking, but still a bit too plain on today's roads. Rather than tack-on some wacky appendages, I'd strategically expose some of the carbon fiber, to emphasize the styling.

Just my $.02. 

- Mike


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## thebmw (Oct 19, 2006)

Emission said:


> I liked your original post (before the edit).
> 
> While I really fell in love with the Z8 when it came out nearly a decade ago (I finally had the chance to drive one - an example from BMW's museum, no less - up the California Coast over the summer), the Quattro Concept didn't do as much for me. I simply didn't get the "emotional connection," and I am a big Audi fan. It looks cool in person, but the R8 looks better. The R8 is more comfortable and more powerful too (keep in mind that the Quattro Concept is basically a mix of components from the RS5 and the TT RS).
> 
> ...


I'm glad I edited it before anyone else saw it! But it did make sense if the Quattro concept really did have 200 hp and 0-60 in the 7 second range!


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