7 Awesome Audi Concept Cars

1. Audi Quartz

Imagined in 1981 by Sergio Pininfarina, the Audi Quartz Concept was meant to be more aerodynamic and contemporary. It’s been described as a shorter, lighter version of the Ur-Quattro, and it’s been said that the Audi S2 resembles it. Instrument tests in 1986 documented the Quartz reaching 134 mph flat out, going from 0-60 in 7.1 seconds. Today, the Quartz resides in the Audi Museum.

2. Audi Avus Quattro

Introduced at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show, the Audi Avus Quattro is a two-door supercar with an aluminum space frame. It was designed by Martin Smith and J Mays, who envisioned the supercar having Quattro four-wheel-drive and a 6.0 L W12 engine. From this concept, the mass-produced Audi A8 followed suit in 1994 with the same space frame construction.  

3. Audi Quattro Spyder

Introduced in 1991 at the Frankfurt Auto Show right before the Audi Avus Quattro concept, the Quattro Spyder was never produced, but its legacy has not gone unnoticed. If it looks familiar, that’s because it paved the way to what would become the Audi R8 in 2008. The Quattro Spyder featured a 2.8 L V6 engine capable of 174 hp.

4. Audi AI2

The AI2 concept, which emerged in 1997 at the Frankfurt Auto show, imagined a compact, supermini car for Audi customers. Two years later, its design came to fruition with the manufacturing of the Audi A2, a five-door hatchback made from aluminum. You can read more about the A2 here.  

5. Audi Nanuk Quattro

Audi’s Nanuk Quattro concept debuted in 2013 at the Frankfurt Auto Show, in collaboration with Italdesign. This concept combines a sportscar with a sporty recreational vehicle to conquer any road, from winding canyons to the race track to snowy or sandy terrain. Fearing Audi’s aluminum space frame and possessing a curb weight of just under 4,200 lbs., the Nanuk Quattro reaches 62 mph in just 3.8 seconds with a top speed of 189.52 mph. Read more about the Nanuk Quattro concept here.

6. Audi Prologue

Audi’s prologue concept was first presented in 2014 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and it continued to make an appearance this year. With its 4.0 TFSI biturbo V8 engine, the prologue can reach 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds and has an overboost mode that boosts torque. A large radiator grille, flared rim arches, built-in trunk spoiler, and wide headlights are just some of the exterior design standouts. On the inside, the system identifies passengers by their smartphones and changes their climate control and seat adjustment preferences accordingly.

7. Audi Shark

In 2008, designer Kazim Doku submitted his Audi Shark concept into the Desire Design Competition, sponsored by Audi, and won. The Audi Shark is most noticeably a two-seat flying car. Doku was inspired by design elements of airplanes and motorcycles. The lights operate in transparent tubes, and the capsule opens straight up to allow entry. The Audi Shark looks like it would have no problem jumping right into the water and diving deep to explore the ocean depths. Check out a brief video of this concept here.'

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