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In 2011, Audi presented the Quattro Concept, the final production version of which has yet to come. But now, it seems that the German automaker is finally ready to take the wraps off the final production version when the 1984 Audi Sport Quattro celebrates its 30th anniversary. Rumour has it that the final version will look sportier as well as sharper than the Quattro Concept. It's also said that the final version of the car will carry a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine. Capable of producing a total power output of 650bhp, the car will seemingly take only 3.4 seconds to go from 0-100km/h. The Quattro Concept, however, had to count on a turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine with a total power output of 408bhp. In addition to a powerful V8 engine, the successor to the Audi Sport Quattro will also feature a sports tuned suspension with adaptive dampers, a sports Quattro rear differential, and carbon-ceramic brakes. To keep things light, Audi will be using such components as aluminium, magnesium, and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). In total, the car won't weigh over 1,300kg. If you are keen on seeing the car with your very own eyes, you may want to anticipate the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show as the German automaker is likely to show it there. And, if all the rumoured specifications turn out to be true in the end, expect to see a price tag of around

[extract] Fascinating sportiness, innovative technology and superior comfort: The new Audi A8 is at the front of the luxury class. The latest Audi flagship demonstrates the brand

Audi have come up with a quattro Concept car celebrating the 30th anniversary of the original Audi quattro. The Ur-quattro, the first production Audi with all-wheel drive and most importantly the first rally car that took advantage of the regulations allowing all-wheel drive to be used mainly in the World Rally Championship. This car managed to win a whole lot of races and championships, both in Group A form and the more radical Group B form. Short, stubby wheelbase and all. Now, Audi have come up with a concept car based on the principles of the Ur-quattro and I hope that this enters production. What I remember about the original Audi quattro was that it was a 2 door hatchback coupe that had those flared wheelarches, a 5 cylinder turbocharged engine that had a very distinctive sound and then, in Sport quattro form, the shortest, most unstable looking rally monster that looked more at home going sideways than in any other angle. It was magical. Then again any Audi quattro was good to look at. It was the car that started flared arches. This was the first car to use this kind of flares. This arches was used by the Lancia Delta Integrale and in fact the GD Series Subaru Impreza recently. So two other rally cars also owe a whole lot to the Ur-quattro. Anyway, a 2 door hatchback coupe with flared arches and that 5 cylinder warble is what makes a quattro. For me that is. And with this concept car Audi has not strayed away for this basic path. If fact I wouldn't like it if they did stray as these days they've actually been so far removed from the original in the first place. The new RS models have V8s, V6s but no 5 cylinder warble. The B7 RS4 had an engine note to die for, but a 2 door coupe with a V8 is stunning, but no rally bomber. Try imagining driving an RS5 through the snow or dirt doing powerslides in that huge coupe. It has to be an Audi quattro from 1980, last produced in 1991. Eleven years is a long time for a car. But it was actually so far advanced that it could stay in production for more than a decade. The Concept quattro uses the current RS5 as a starting point. It has a shorter wheelbase (2600mm instead of 2750mm), 40mm of the roof lopped off and only weighs 1,300kg. Not a portly 1610kg of the RS5 or 1500kg TT RS which is almost the same size and length as this concept car. This was achieved by the cutting of height and length and also the liberal use of aluminium (mainly the suspension) and carbon (for most removable body panels like the spoiler,bonnet, boot and trim). There are also no rear seats. Only space for a helmet and some luggage. The Concept quattro uses a 2.5liter 5 cylinder engine that makes 408bhp and 480Nm. It runs through a 6 speed manual gearbox and of course all-wheel drive. This enables the concept car to make 100km/h from a standstill in about 3.9seconds yet sip 8.5liters of fuel per 100km, even on those large 20inch wheels. Pretty decent figures for a 2.5liter engined car. This is partly down to the lightweight. The car also sports center locking hubs that hide 6-pot calipers that grip on carbon ceramic discs. Of course, this being a concept car a lot of this are very expensive parts and may not make it into production. Audi wants us to notice the similarities of this concept and the Ur-quattro. I suppose there are some similarities, engine, coupe body and all. In fact, the sketch below also shows the Concept quattro with the short wheelbase Sport quattro. But the car somehow looks too rounded and not tonka toy chunky enough in looks. I suppose its the similarity to the current design philosophy that likes that coke bottle waistline and slightly bulbous looks. It looks best (like an original quattro modernized) when viewed directly from the side. The front has a gap that is so big that small children may be scared by it. It's still all grille if you know what I mean. And now we also have LED lights (even the headlights) everywhere (front and rear). So the car is more bling with bright lights, especially those show off daytime driving lights, that huge Nuvolari concept type grille, sexy curves at its flanks rather than a butch, squared off type of coupe. No complaints about the interior though. Typical Audi, meaning very, very well built and I suppose this car also showcases the latest Audi Multimedia Interface (MMI) functions too. A good effort nonetheless. It got me excited for a while, but it somehow tapered out at the end of this article. Too many curves may be a bad thing when it comes to emulating the original. Or were they really looking to pay homage to the original in the first place? Or is just just a marketing stunt? Then I took another look at the side profile and I start loving it. Then I looked again at the front, and I hate it. Audi, get rid of that basking shark-like grille when you get around producing this car. A little subtlety would go a long way.

One of the most pointless yet poignant rides that I have had the opportunity to drive with total abandon is the Audi Q7 4.2. FSI. This car is now entering its fourth year of production and it is extremely pointless because it is a huge, petrol hungry therefore politically incorrect vehicle. It is also the love of people who think that bungalow sized SUVs, which are rubbish off road, are the correct vehicle to own. It is one car which is as long as a standard Mercedes S-class but heavier (at 2250kg), wider and much taller. Anything that is bigger than an S-class is pretty pointless in some ways. And when tree loving eco friendly terrorists tell you that it burns more petrol than the entire nation of Timor Leste at one go you may be inclined to believe them due to the 350bhp 4.2liter V8 powering it. This bulk carrier can carry 7 people as there is a 7 seater version but to say that it is a people carrier is wrong as most owners will never carry anyone other than himself, or use a driver with him seated behind. To say it is a proper off road SUV is even more pointless as no one is going to trash a S$322,000.00 vehicle in the rain forest of Pahang and that it comes with on road spec tires that have the grip of leather soles on a polished floor. We also have to note that it does not have a proper low range transfer case, but the usual Quattro All Wheel Drive system that you may also find in the A4 Quattro. It does have a ride height adjustable suspension, but that function will only be used to lower the rear so that the owner can load his or her groceries with ease. However, while it is huge, it is like any well designed German uber-mobile. It is so easy to drive (fast) and it is easy to handle. This is partly due to having 350bhp at your feet. Anything with 350bhp at your feet is usually nimble,from a certain point of view that is. Actually this is why the Q7 is poignant. An extremely large and powerful as well as politically incorrect car is very satisfying to drive as it has the 'in your face' attitude that we sometimes yearn for in a car. Four grown men in a Q7 at the traffic lights powering off at the first sight of green is a monumental thing. The Q7 has enough torque to carry four passengers from 0 to 100km/h in about 7.5 seconds. It was like the starship Enterprise doing warp factor 6. It ain't no Millennium Falcon if you get my drift. And the Perodua Kelisa driver beside us at the lights was left thinking about how a barn could accelerate faster than he ever thought possible. Now these four grown men did not think of heading to the first hip and cool nightspot to show off the Audi to the girls, but headed for some "teh tarik" at a "mamak" shop. Alfresco was the way to go and I found out that reversing and parking the darn thing was easy, especially with the Audi Multi Media Interface (MMI) monitor which has park assist features, a decently light but not dead in feeling steering and the ergonomic driving position of the Q7. The MMI feature is pretty straightforward and not like some 1st Generation BMW I(diot) drive. It was after this session of tea, gossip and lots of car talk that my friend took over the driving chores for another round of trashing, er, driving. It was during this session we found out that the hard corners that I did wasn't hard enough as we were able to put the barn into a slightly four wheel drift while blasting through a sweeping corner. Surprisingly the ESP, if it was in operation, was not intrusive at all and the adjustable (at a push of a button) suspension was hard in its sports/dynamic setting but never uncomfortable. Body roll was kept in check and a barn danced like a hippo in a tutu. Bulky yet able to do some ballet. This shows you that Audi can make a barn corner extremely well. And one more reason why its a poignant drive. The noise from that V8 FSI is superb even though people outside the car may hear more of it than the people driving it. Remember that this is the same engine in the B7 Audi RS4 and it is a marvelous engine. Any engine that can pull a barn with four grown men deserves a worthy mention. I liked driving it even better than a 1.8TFSI A4 which felt very competent but slightly clinical. But even if I had the money to plonk for one, I'd still buy a sports saloon or a coupe. Driving a Q7 is unreal, but what's the point of buying one if you really enjoy driving? There are cars like Mercedes CLS, C63 or the M5 which I'd rather buy. Or if I ever felt like buying a 2250kg car I'd save up and buy a Bentley Continental (which is a far off dream) These are real cars for enthusiastic drivers. Low center of gravity is the main reason. With low CG, means more cornering confidence and faster cornering speeds for me. The high up SUV style driving position isn't something that adds to a driver's confidence levels when he's pushing it. A barn can't handle as well as a proper sorted out car no matter what technology you throw at it due to its height. And with that you know how pointless and poignant the Audi Q7 is.