In Turin, Italy, there is significant industry speculation surrounding the supercar that Audi plans to reveal at the Frankfurt auto show in September. The German luxury brand has released renderings of a wide, bold, red concept vehicle named the Quattro Sport concept. Some media outlets are questioning whether this showcar is Audi’s response to the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car.
Audi is using the familiar name of the Audi 80 compact sports sedan, which was developed for a sophisticated market and won the Rally World from 1982 through 1984, to link the concept to its inspiring origin. Three decades later, Audi engineers and designers have better “raw material” to create what is intended to be the most advanced, powerful, and spectacular Audi for the road ever. The powerplant has not been announced but is expected to include race-tested E-tron electric-vehicle and hybrid technology.
The bodywork of the concept car will be ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber combined with aluminum. The design, both exterior and interior, is emotional and fully committed to communicating the concept’s technology and potential in a stronger-than-usual Audi style. Audi has made significant progress since the Paris 2010 show, and its mission now is to challenge its strong competitor, BMW, in the luxury market.
With BMW heading into new territory with EV and hybrid technology, Audi must also prove that it is at the forefront of such breakthroughs. The competition between the two brands at auto shows is always strong, but this time it is expected to be even more intense. Audi’s goal is to showcase its advancements and we can expect to learn more about their plans at the Frankfurt auto show.
