2015 Audi Quattro Coupe

The 2010 Paris Auto Show brought us many concepts, but while the Lotus five-year plan has since fizzled to nothing and the Renault Dezir is only planned to be chopped up and used for inspirational parts, Audi is pushing forward with a production version of the Quattro concept. That’s right, the Quattro has been given the green light for limited production which should be ready for the 2015 model year.

The production Quattro will be based on Audi’s latest aluminum spaceframe chassis with a body built in carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. It will weigh in at about 660 lbs less than the RS5 as seen on the prototypes already testing. It will also feature a wheelbase that has been reduced by 150 mm and an interior featuring seats made from forged composites.

We don’t know exactly what will be used under the hood of the sports car, but the concept version is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder attached to a classic six-speed gearbox. The engine delivers a total of 402 HP and 354 pound-feet of torque. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph is made in just 3.9 seconds, while top speed is of course limited to 155 mph. Hopefully we will see either this configuration or something a bit more powerful on the production Quattro.

UPDATE 08/24/2012: Sources have told AutoBild that the future Audi Quattro Coupe (internally known as the Q35) will only feature small bits of inspiration from the Quattro Concept displayed at the 2011 Paris Auto Show. Other than that, the four-seater, two door sports car will have short overhangs, a flat roof, LED headlights and taillights, 20" wheels, and some hood-mounted air vents inspired by the original Quattro. In terms of power, the Quattro will feature a supercharged 2.5L five-cylinder engine mated to a dual clutch S-tronic transmission. This engine will produce 380 HP and send the Quattro from 0-62 mph in a little over four seconds.

AutoBild is predicting that the Audi Quattro will debut in March 2013 to coincide with the original Quattro’s 35th anniversary, hence the internal Q35 designation. It will be priced somewhere between the Audi TT and the Audi R8, which will fill in the gap nicely with the $38,650 and $114,200 price tags of the aforementioned models.