New performance Audi... but at what price?

Having spent more than seven years on staff at Auto Express magazine, and still writing for it regularly now, I know how hard it is for a car to be awarded five stars following a ‘first drive’. And for a concept to get top marks is even more unusual; these are generally high-cost, one-off prototypes and the engineers don’t want you pushing too hard, just in case it breaks or you put it in a ditch. Because of that, it can be hard to judge just how good or bad the car is. But the Audi Quattro Concept – featured in the current issue – has clearly earned its stripes. Auto Express testers have been behind the wheel, and are full of praise. Colleagues at Autocar are similarly enthusiastic, suggesting it’s highly likely the coupé (above) will go into production. There is a legion of fans of the Eighties’ original who will be whooping for joy at that. The problem for them will be affording its spiritual successor, and even if they can, finding one to buy. The word coming out of Audi is that if the car gets the green light, it will be in the region of £100,000 and only built in limited numbers. While the original Quattro – enjoying renewed acclaim because of TV’s Ashes to Ashes – was expensive, you didn’t need a banker’s bonus to buy it. Audi is deliberately pricing fans out of its replacement and personally I think that’s shame.