Quattro/S2 Audi Quattro Concept

[AudiQuattro]

I understand that good point. I think the changes in management at Audi have also contributed to the more than usual number of concepts.

 

[JHF]

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[AudiQuattro]

Great video!

 

[klier]

Oh, great! Yet another Audi Quattro Concept. Number 7,876,342,087,266,404. Maybe the #....,405 will finally be a near-production Concept.

And what exactly is the difference with BMW? I truly lost count in BMW concepts the last years...Many vaporware concepts I might add, not even remotely near production.

 

[EnI]

And what exactly is the difference with BMW? I truly lost count in BMW concepts the last years... Many vaporware concepts I might add, not even remotely near production.

Like?
You mean the design studies for Concorso d'Eleganza Villa Este? Those are candies from design department for that particular purpose only: for that particular exhibition and nothing more. Eg. Mille Miglia 2004 Concept Coupe, M1 Hommage etc. Not to even mention the Concpets that were a result of design collaborations with eg Zagato, Pininfarina.
Technical concepts - for showing the tech are also only built for such purposes only as well - eg. Concept ConnectedDrive and many other past concepts by BMW Technik GmbH (E1, Z13, Z21, Z22, Z29, H2R etc).

The only real vapoware was the Concept CS. And to some extent the xCoupe. And MINI Rocketman. Those were cars that was meant to be built but never had been.

Z9 GT --> 6er
CS1 --> 1er
xActivity --> X3
VED --> i8

Not to mention all the pre-production concepts like X1, X6, M3, M5, 4er Coupe, Active Tourer, i8, i3 etc.

 

[Deckhook]

And what exactly is the difference with BMW? I truly lost count in BMW concepts the last years...Many vaporware concepts I might add, not even remotely near production.

Were all those different concepts or different versions of the same concept like being discussed here?

I think the complaint here is the lack of direction regarding what they want the Quattro Concept to be, though if I recall correctly BMW had considered more than one engine option on the i8 so maybe multiple options have to be mulled over before settling on the right one.

 

[klier]

Were all those different concepts or different versions of the same concept like being discussed here?

The i8 comes to mind...

 

[Tumbo]

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That is an awesome video. Imagine having a job like that. It's like being a kid every day

 

[AudiQuattro]

I think some of us are forgetting that the Audi Quattro concept isn't just a potential new car. It's a new design language, particularly for sport/RS vehicles (exterior and interior) representing a number of future vehicles- current model next generations and completely newly derived models. Accompanied by the biggest investment from VAG in Audi history in developing new models, facilities and technology to expand the Audi portfolio that is meant to steer the company into the future. I'm thinking with the problems rumoured about the Q7 development that has resulted in time and financial cost and most likely lost customers to newer and more advanced vehicles from competitor's, Audi want to ensure things are fully agreed and accepted- internally and from public/customer perception.

 

[7saen]

There are certain aspects of a car's conception and designing process that need to stay behind closed doors. Showing too many different variations of the same thing shows that they lack confidence and and a clear target.

It's not as if all the other car makers that show us concept cars, just make something and then show it to the public. There's a whole process behind.

Sorry I had to step in here
While most of what you're saying is true, the assumption that having explored more than one variation indicates a lack of a clear vision, isn't entirely correct.
Sometimes designers don't recieve a clear briefing about how the car should be, even if the people in charge do have a clear vision. It's simply because a clear target might limit creativity. that's why in the starting phase of a design process there are a lot of crazy ideas that eventually might not make it into the final proposal. But it's always easier to start with something way out there and then tone it don, than starting with something conventional and then trying to spice it up
As for why the alternative proposals don't get shown, it's mostly because you can still use some of the ideas for different projects. In this case: what might not work for a Quattro Concept, might work for the next TT or the next A5.

As for this car in particular, I suspect that there is (still) no business case for it. meaning that they made it to gauge the public reaction, which means that in case of a positive reaction that might lead to a board decision to make this car, we're looking at a realisation time of at least 3 years. That of course opens the question of the final styling of the car.
Some of you might have already heard that Audi replaced their highly criticized Head of Design Wolfgang Egger, who was motivator for the form language that we saw in recent Audi concepts: the edgy, kind of stiff surfaces that, imo, lack the feeling and warmth of the previous generation and doesn't really offer anything new to the Audi DNA, unlike what Peter Schryer started in the 90s with the Mk1 TT and the C5 A6 of what DeSilva continued with the Single Frame era.
Mark Lichte, who will be taking over from Egger will be in charge of developing a new form language with the Audi design team. Exciting times are coming at Audi!! And you can be sure that it will look different than what Audi is offering today, and by today I mean the concept cars and the few production cars that are coming up (Q7, TT, A4). So if this, as a concept of making a sports car that echos the Glory of the urQuattro, gets greenlighted, I'm sure that it will look completely different than this. which, if you ask me, is good news.

 

[EnI]

The i8 comes to mind...

First, i8 wasn't a vapoware. And second: it was realized in a very similar form to the VED Concept - an i8 predecessor. While there were only 2 i8 Concepts: the Spyder and the i8 Concept. So, two different forms.

The problem I have with Quattro Concept is they are presenting the third concept of the same car - in same form, yet with different styling. Not to mention different engine etc.

It's like Audi officials not knowing what kind of car exactly to offer to the customers. And just a bit experimenting & teasing & collecting reactions & feedback from potential customers. A bit strange way of doing marketing.

The changes of design direction lately aren't helping either. It looks like something strange is happening @ Audi strategy wise. Or so it seems.

 

[klier]

First, i8 wasn't a vapoware. And second: it was realized in a very similar form to the VED Concept - an i8 predecessor. While there were only 2 i8 .

Obviously it wasn't but the i8 took it's time (still not on the market here), and it went through two changes at least..

 

[TheNewBATMAN]

Obviously it wasn't but the i8 took it's time (still not on the market here), and it went through two changes at least..

True. So how the i8 concepts and Quattro concepts differ, other than some ridiculous fanatical bias, exactly ?

I'd rather they have two concepts at least, before launching the production version. That gives them time to gauge reaction and make necessary changes needed. Am looking at you Mercedes, with your CLA.

Make me fly to the sky then drop me way down, shame on you. And how come the new S and C so awesome ??

 

[klier]

And how come the new S and C so awesome ??

Don't worry, awesome for the usual suspects only

 

[Deckhook]

First, i8 wasn't a vapoware. And second: it was realized in a very similar form to the VED Concept - an i8 predecessor. While there were only 2 i8 Concepts: the Spyder and the i8 Concept. So, two different forms.

But am I right in thinking BMW like Audi worked on more than one engine option, I seem to recall diesel was championed for a period before settling on a petrol engine though the idea and desired direction of the car remained on track even if the results don't appeal to me personally.

The problem I have with the Quattro Concept is a total U-turn from solely petrol power coming from a 5cyl to then a hybrid v8TT on a completely different chassis. It's as if they don't know the customer base or the price point they want to market it at. There's nothing that gets my goat more than a concept used to gauge public reaction with no intention of going into production, if this is what Audi are doing here then f#@k them.

 

[SCOTT27]

But am I right in thinking BMW like Audi worked on more than one engine option, I seem to recall diesel was championed for a period before settling on a petrol engine though the idea and desired direction of the car remained on track even if the results don't appeal to me personally.

The problem I have with the Quattro Concept is a total U-turn from solely petrol power coming from a 5cyl to then a hybrid v8TT on a completely different chassis. It's as if they don't know the customer base or the price point they want to market it at. There's nothing that gets my goat more than a concept used to gauge public reaction with no intention of going into production, if this is what Audi are doing here then f#@k them.

Yes Diesel was considered for they i8 but the car was to be sold in non-specific diesel markets.

The Vision EfficientDynamics to the new i8 showcases the steps in order to keep specific elements of a design but make them acceptable for the real world requirements the car will have to face such as safety , aerodynamics etc.
And did they not do well? There is no other car like the i8 on how it oozes visionary design at every angle.
Interestingly enough. We will have to provide a new Vision for EfficientDynamics one day as that strategy continues to develop.

At the CES though it will be interesting , Audi promising their moment will come.
Whilst across the hall the BMW i8 will be present with Laserlight technology and that moment is now.

 

[martinbo]

Audi's biggest issue precluding them from attaining dynamic greatness is their continued pursuit of "front-wheel drive compatible quattro". They have got to ditch their practice of offering FWD in their A4-upwards models for an all-AWD strategy in their premium end models.

Then, I reckon that they ought to engineer a new, through-the-block AWD system (along the lines of that seen on the Panamera) to be applied across the board for all longitudinal AWD models. This combined with the light-but-potent inline turbo 5 could form the foundation for a multitude of future performance models. The result is a huge reduction in mass ahead of the front axle - the key to liberating decent front suspension and steering tuning for Audi's fast saloons.

 

[emet]

Audi's biggest issue precluding them from attaining dynamic greatness is their continued pursuit of "front-wheel drive compatible quattro". They have got to ditch their practice of offering FWD in their A4-upwards models for an all-AWD strategy in their premium end models.
[...]

It's like you read my mind

 

[Deckhook]

I think we all have been wishing for this to happen for some time and I do recall a rumor that Audi were considering this in the near future a few years ago but haven't heard a peep since.

The real question is whether the rest of their customer base would wish for a switch from to driving style of FWD to that of RWD because you need to remember that the majority of Audis sold don't have quattro.

 

[Centurion]

Audi's biggest issue precluding them from attaining dynamic greatness is their continued pursuit of "front-wheel drive compatible quattro". They have got to ditch their practice of offering FWD in their A4-upwards models for an all-AWD strategy in their premium end models.

Then, I reckon that they ought to engineer a new, through-the-block AWD system (along the lines of that seen on the Panamera) to be applied across the board for all longitudinal AWD models. This combined with the light-but-potent inline turbo 5 could form the foundation for a multitude of future performance models. The result is a huge reduction in mass ahead of the front axle - the key to liberating decent front suspension and steering tuning for Audi's fast saloons.

Good idea, but in a period when volume growth is limited by factory capacity VAG are looking to boost their profits by increasing the margins. When even things we take for granted in cellphones and tablets such as GPS, don't come standard in cars because of costs then it's unfeasible to introduce performance improvements customers are unwilling to pay a premium for.