Audi Quattro Coupe (2014)

CAR GARAGE | Audi Quattro Coupe (2014) | Like the Sport Quattro before it, the 2014 Audi Coupe Quattro saves a good deal of weight simply by being a good deal shorter than its parent and omitting a back seat. Compared to the base A5 coupe with its 2.0-liter turbocharged four, the Quattro trimmer is 13.6 inches overall on a 9.5-inch shorter wheelbase. Prototype Curb weight is quoted as 2.866 pounds, a whopping 871 pounds lighter than an A5 coupe, 454 pounds lighter than a TTRS coupe, and 849 pounds lighter than a base R8 coupe. Reasons for aesthetic, the A5's rear overhang (bodywork behind the rear-wheel center-line) was sliced 7.9 inches, and overall height dropped by 1.5 inches. Width is little changed. The 2014 Audi Quattro Coupe should be a close copy of a prototype That looked virtually showroom ready as of spring 2011. As ever, though, Audi's signature aluminum trim will be evident, along with genuine carbon-fiber and leather upholstery Accents.

Speaking of engines, the 2014 Audi Coupe Quattro concept will doubtless retain the turbocharged and inter-cooled incline's 5-cylinder, Mainly in tribute to its '80s forebears, although Those cars did not have the benefit of direct fuel injection. Audi's 7-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automated manual should be available; like others of its ilk, this gearbox can be set to shift like a conventional automatic. The engine concept was muscled up from 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque to 408 horses and about 360 pound-feet via a larger turbocharger, valve timing with Appropriate wilder-engine computer mapping, and tweaked the intake and exhaust systems. Audi claims the prototype will do 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds, the which would be at least a match for many sports cars with similar power-to-weight ratios.

Count on a standard Audi's ESP anti-skid system with traction control and large 4-wheel ABS disc brakes nestled within 20-inch wheels wearing low-profile high-performance tires. The current prototype's suspension is garden-variety Audi, so look for an all-coil setup with 5-link front and rear multi-link geometry, plus an anti-roll bar at each end.  Styling for the 2014 Audi Coupe Quattro should also be very close to the concept design. We expect the prototype's active rear spoiler, made of carbon-fiber, will carry over as well. Ditto LED headlamps and a hood-like Quattro Sport with a narrow central air intake and offset-right heat-exhaust louvers. Though not quite finished yet, the 2014 Audi Coupe Quattro promises to rival the exotic R8 for performance, Curb appeal, and exclusivity.

Weight is the enemy of performance, fuel economy, emissions, safety events. We've Stated That truism engineering many times in these reports Future Car, but it's worth repeating especially in regards to the 2014 Audi Coupe Quattro. The prototype shell employs high-strength lighter steel for the main structure, aluminum for the door skins, and carbon-fiber for the hood, deck-lid, rear spoiler, seat shells, and other components. Autocar quotes sources as saying the Audi production models should Boast additional weight-savers.  The Quattro Coupe concept features boasted two electronics That Could Appear in production, if only Because they'd have little effect on weight.  who've hose driven the 2014 Audi Coupe Quattro prototypes have been impressed by its handling, acceleration, comfort, and general practicality, but the jury is still out on matters like ride comfort and quietness Because engineers are still mulling suspension settings, steering and brake effort, amount of sound insulation, control layout and, of course, engine tuning.

As noted, the 2014 Audi Coupe Quattro Likely will be as much a technical testbed as a new showroom lure.  That Audi won in 1982 and 1984, first with the Quattro and later with the short-wheelbase Sport Quattro Group B the which inspired concept. A little over 200 ... Sport Quattro road cars were built, but in all but a few countries Audi says they're off enthusiasts' radar.  Meantime, we sincerely hope the Quattro Coupe does come Stateside. As Car and Driver's Aaron Robinson opined after driving the prototype, "Audi has already created a beachhead in Porsche's territory with the R8, and the Quattro Concept would be a great back-fill to the catalog. To that, Audi, we say Andiamo.