Tuesday 9th September 2003

Audi Le Mans Quattro

Stunning new Concept from Audi

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Audi - very sensibly - are now hoping to build the high profile achieved at Le Mans in recent years and have unveiled the Le Mans Quattro.

The concept comes complete with a V10 twin turbocharged engine mounted longitudinally just forward of the rear wheels. The five litre unit is good for almost 600bhp with huge amounts of torque available from just 1750rpm. The gearbox is a six speed unit with sequential shifting. This combination allows the Le Mans Quattro to hit sixty mph in just 3.7 seconds. Theoretically the top speed is 213mph, but it is limited to 155.

The car has been built on an aluminium space frame chassis, with the outer skin and components using aluminium and carbon fibre, helping to keep the weight down to 1530kg.

As the name suggests, the car comes with permanent four wheel drive split 40:60 front to rear.

[swilly]

Ahh the obsession with power power power from the big boys only to then be limited to 155. Why?

Unfortunately from the look of this 'thing' Audi have obviously sacked the designer of the TT, which regardless of its 'hairdresser' credentials is a living design classic.

[plotloss]

The best thing about Audi is that the limiter is software based and can be removed very easily...

I'd have one in a shot!

[PetrolTed]

I like it. A pretty original design. You don't look at it and just think - "bit of A4, bit of Vectra, bit of Mondeo" like some other recent designs.

[bertie]

Want one!!!

[swilly]

I have thought for a long while that modern designers just dont know when to stop.

I imagine they get to a point where the design is perfect, then not content, add the odd crease, sharp edge, vent etc etc to make it that little bit extra.

Take the Z4 for instance, surely the concept design got scrumpled in the post but the management liked the creased look of it.

The thing about the TT is that they did stop when it was right.

[tuscan_s]

Bugatti Veyron with an Audi badge...

[t1grm]

Nice looking motor. Look'ss a lot like a murchilagio (sp?) to me. Wonder whether it'll ever make it to production. And why oh why limit it to 155?

[plotloss]

Hardly, Veyron is a supercar and been designed from the ground up as such this is a quick coupe and nothing more.

Think of it more as a competitor to the new 6 series rather than the Enzo...

[tycho]

I'd deffo have one...

[dontlift]

Come to Papa!!!!!


Hubba Hubba Hubba Hubba

[FourWheelDrift]

They'll never make it, although we might be looking at the next generation TT.




Hope they do though.

[plotloss]

Early indications from my very reliable sources are that it will see the light of day, possibly not in current form.

Its not going to be anything like the TT though, think half as long again and 3 times the price...

[campbell]

This think looks a little loke an TT (which i dont realy like) but this thing has some thing about it, my be is the power or the fact it wont be marked a hair dressers car but these comapnies shouldnt be makeing concept car, they should just make the blasted things.

[Jamie Summers]

Lovely looking car, but definitely some styling cues nicked from the new Carrera GT

[tuscan_s]

plotloss said:

Hardly, Veyron is a supercar and been designed from the ground up as such this is a quick coupe and nothing more. Think of it more as a competitor to the new 6 series rather than the Enzo...

I wasn't thinking in terms of competition, just that it looks like a Veyron. Put them side to side and you'll see...

[Stephen White]

I'm assuming that the engine and driveline are the same as in the Gallardo, so I don't think that the new 6-series would be in the same league, really... Nice design proportions overall, but I'm not too sure about the, er, 'headlights'? I guess I'm just old-fashioned...

[anonymous-user]

I'm pretty sure that it will make it to production. In one form or the other. As has already been alluded too, it's the same V10 from the Gallardo with a couple of turbos banged on for good measure.

I can't belive that Audi would have put quite so much effort in to the Gallardo platform if it wasn't meant to be shared with at least one other model. This concept even looks as though it's got similar proportions (wheelbase wise), so I doubt it would be too difficult for them to productionize.

The question is, will the DSG gearbox (I think that's what it's to be fitted with) take the 600+ lbft torque?

[plotloss]

DSG in its current incarnation probably couldnt but give it two years or so and it will be offered as an option on every model.

Cant change quicker than it apparently...

[joust]

Now that I would change the Ur Quattro for!

[danmangt40]

Wow, too hot for words! a turbo gallardo in curvy audi clothes. Anyone thinking of this as something TT or Veyron like has missed the point. This is the car that legitimized the gallardo. They needed to build the platform in higher volume than lambo could support to afford the expense. The v10 in both the gallardo and this concept are based on the 4.2 liter audi v8, albeit heavily redesigned. slapping a pair of turbos on it is a traditionally audi thing to do, and we saw this motor earlier in the nuvolari. Like the pikes peak, nuvolari (upcoming a6/a5 coupe)and the avantissimo (a8) before it, the adventurous headlight treatment will almost certainly be toned down. unlike most of the concepts we've seen, this one's gonna make it, as the drivetrain already exists in the gallardo's 6-speed e-gear (NOT DSG, its a version of magnetti marelli's box, but as DSG is the hottest thing in transmissions right now, that may change for both the lambo and the lemans), hooked up to a 40:60 split 4wd system. I honestly wish they'd lighten it up a bit, this car doesn't want for 4wd, and 0-60 in a car of this size really ought to be lower. a 911 turbo has pulled 3.7's according to various sources, and that's a frumpier trandition-bound automobile with the engine in the wrong place. This one ought to weigh less. I love the looks, even more so than the gallardo. Makes one wonder if lambo would ever get the turbo v10? nah, that would probably encroach too much on the lambo v12.