Category: Audi

Normally, getting engine photos of manufacturer’s hero car is not too hard. But for the Audi quattro concept it has proved a little difficult. Until now. French website AudiPassion managed to stick its camera under the bonnet of the stunning concept and has recently published the results.

Revealed, as expected, is the TT RS engine. However, you can also see things are a bit untidy there and not to the usual level of Audi refinement. This is most likely the reason they have been reluctant to show off the car’s beating heart.

When mounted longitudinally, as opposed to transversely in the TT RS, the 2.5 litre inline five cylinder is taller and longer than Audi’s V10. No wonder it’s a tight squeeze requiring a few shortcuts here and there.

Follow the AudiPassion link below for more pics.

[Source: AudiPassion via Fourtitude]

Late last year we had a confidential whisper come our way suggesting that Audi’s stonking 250kW RS3 might not be coming to Australia. True to our source we sat on the rumour, and unfortunately for Audi fans, the info appears to have been proved correct. Further reports have reached AUSmotive HQ of Audi dealers confirming to their customers that the RS3 will not be offered for sale in Australia.

Apparently an Australian Design Rule compliance issue is at least part of the reason for the decision. Details are a bit sketchy, and we will seek confirmation from Audi Australia, however it is understood that for the RS3 to be approved for the Australian market it would need to undergo a specific crash test which is not required in any other market aside from Japan.

We’ll report back after we have heard from Audi.

Audi has sent out a few odds and ends discussing its future plans for its quattro technology. Much of it is actually old information. However, despite senior staff being quoted as such, this is the first time Audi has sent out a press release confirming quattro will be available on the A1 platform.

Looking at the image above, previewed in a brief promo video shown after the break, the A1 quattro has a meaty look to it, as well. It could be an S1, or even an RS1, perhaps. The question remains, then, to how many A1-based models will quattro be fitted?

AUSmotive learned some time ago that the A1 had been approved for quattro, but then the whole S1-that-we-can’t-call-an-S1-because-it-doesn’t-have-quattro debacle happened. It wasn’t long, though, until new rumours emerged about an all-wheel drive A1 and now it looks like it’s as good as done.

Based on the info available to date the A1 will use a Haldex quattro system similar to the set up employed in the A3 platform. This means a predominantly front-wheel drive scenario with a hydraulic multi-plate clutch distributing torque to the rear, up to 100%, as required.

Check out the press release below for more info.