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1991 Audi Avus quattro concept - W12 All-Aluminum Show-Stopper

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Share On 1991 Audi Avus quattro concept - W12 All-Aluminum Show-Stopper The 1991 Audi Avus quattro concept Audi's Mid-Engined W12 All-Aluminum Show-Stopper by Chris Lydiksen for MotorCities The car that put Audi on the sports car map in Europe was the 1980 Audi quattro (always lower case), the original 'quattro.' That car stole the Geneva auto show in 1980, and then, once in production, began stealing World Rally titles. The Ur-quattro, or Audi Turbo Quattro Coupe in the US, was a market failure in North America for being under-powered and over-priced ($35,000 in 1982). It, therefore, did little to boost Audi's image over here and was pulled from the market in 1985. Despite the Ur-quattro's absence from the US, Audi sales were booming thanks to the handsomely-styled 4000 and 5000 sedans that were not only attractive, but luxurious and practical, especially after Audi's patented quattro drive was included as an option on all its cars. But that all came crashing down in 1987 when the most popular TV news magazine in the US, '60 Minutes,' aired a ridiculous 'expose' on 'unintended acceleration' problems with Audi 5000's equipped with automatic transmissions. Without going into detail, the claims were totally false and Audi was completely vindicated by several reputable sources, most importantly, the NHSTA. But the damage was done. As the 80's drew to a close, Audi was bleeding badly and it's viability in the US market was becoming a serious question. Other European makes were already vacating the states, including Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Puegeot. The recession of 1991 didn't help matters as luxury items fell out of reach for many. What Audi needed was to show the whole world it was here to stay as both a top car builder and a pioneer of automotive technology. Enter the 1991 Frankfurt auto show. Here Audi launched a concept car assault that would continue to the present day and included some of the finest, most exciting machines ever seen by human eyes. There will be no attempt for a complete list here, but it includes the Avus quattro, Spyder quattro, ASF quattro sedan (A8), TT, and Project Rosemeyer. At that '91 Frankfurt show, and in motoring magazines for months to come, the Avus quattro absolutely knocked the socks of any who laid eyes on it. The future of the automobile, it seemed, had arrived in that one car. It was beautifully skinned in paintless, highly-polished lightweight aluminum like the Auto Union racers of old. Under its gleeming skin, the Avus showcased a super-high-tech W12 engine through it rear window glass, similar to the current Ferrari 360 Modena and Spider. Huge 20 inch 'Avus' wheels drove home the point that this car could handle itself very nicely on its namesake Avus race circuit in Berlin. There was talk of producing this beast for prices in the $1 Million neighborhood. It was also reported by some that a list of prospective buyers was being compiled. Alas, it was not Audi's intention to produce super cars, but to showcase the technology it was capable of building into its high-quality sedans, wagons and coupes. And that, it turns out, is exactly what has happened. The 1991 Audi Avus quattro introduced technology that found its way into current cars such as the Audi A8 (all-aluminum), Audi S4 & S6 (Avus wheels), and the Volkswagen Phaeton,Passat and the upcoming 'small' Lamborghini (W12 and W8 engine configurations), just to name a few. Here's to those at Audi and VAG, Ferdinand Piech and friends, who had the intestinal fortitude to put their shoulders to the wheel and produce a sunburst of light in the dark and gloomy era of the Automobile that was the early 1990's. Specs & Info Engine:  6.0L 60V W12 Transmission:  6 spd manual Horsepower:  509 bhp 0-60 mph:  ~3 sec Top Speed:  ~211 mph Audi Ingolstadt, Germany http://www.audi.com/ Send to a Friend Tags: 1991 Audi Avus quattro concept - W12 All-Aluminum Show-Stopper, car, concept car, sports car, coupe, ARTICLE This page is NOT AN AD for the vehicle pictured.

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