Although it did what it needed to do, it looks awful
Peter Birtwhistle, designer of the legendary short-wheelbase Audi Sport Quattro (above), tells Autocar what he really thinks about its design… and just in time for Audi to announce that its Ur Quattro-inspired Quattro Concept will be built in limited numbers. Birtwhistle explains that the real cause for Ur-ugliness was “stretching the Quattro look over [the shorter Audi 80 platform],” a challenge that also echoes with the Quattro Concept, which slaps retro design elements on a short-wheelbase version of the handsome RS5. As a result, the Quattro Concept looks every bit as awkward and disjointed as the Sport Quattro, with just a touch of Camaro-esque retro-self-consciousness. But as Birtwhistle’s line reminds us, sometimes ugly is the best way to emphasize purpose.
Audi Quattro ugly is a good kind of ugly.
It’s something about rally cars. The worse they look the more beautiful they are.
I don’t hate nearly as much as Ed. A retro model from Audi may be a great way to cash in on the reflected glory of the brands more adventurous decades.
Why is this ugly again?
My only problem is the lack of visibility.
That ain’t ugly at all. Coke-bottle styling (or some derivative) needs to come back after all these years. My problem? Is the concept a true pillarless hardtop? Or, are we being fooled again (Challenger, Camaro concepts vs. reality)? Sorry, but I’m fixated on this stuff and keep hoping, ’cause I can’t afford a BMW or MB! I probably can’t afford an Audi, either.
I own a pillarless 2-door hardtop and honestly I don’t see why that is such a big deal.
The new Quattro is damn good looking!
I think the Quattro concept looks fantastic and I would love to own one. Too bad it will be afflicted with a terrible case of overpriced-German-caritis.
Overall I think it’s quite a good looking car – it’s biggest let down is that enormous grill on the front. It looks likes a Cylon from the original Battlestar Gallactica.
I agree, the grill is a major turn off for me. Without the grill, I would give it an A-, with the grill, a C is all I would go for. What’s up with the giant grills?
I like it too, though it might be one of the few cars with worse visiblilty than my TT. The A5/S5 is gorgeous, but perhaps a little too subtle [unless one gets it in lime green, of course]; one can’t say that about this car! Is this a two seater or a four seater? If this car has a shorter wheelbase than the A5, it sure is not going to have much back seat room.
Still can’t get used to the tank-slit greenhouse. Had a 1984 4000S and loved the tall windows.
I think if the designer of the original admits that it was ugly because it was made to be function over form, and they then try to design a car to be ugly on purpose, as form over function(or form over form?) then the whole point of it’s proposed ugliness is lost. IMO the original Quattro was based on a not very pretty car, and then shortened and widened to make a rally car, so it looks cool in a very purposeful way, you can tell by looking at it that it’s a beast. The new car is based on a car that is quite good looking (first since the 70’s for Audi IMO) and then made ugly just to be ugly? Even if it has coke-bottle styling I will just have to hate it unconditionally…not that it’s hard to hate Audi’s for me as a dedicated Ford Fanboy.
It’s just ugly. Leave it that.
Not bad. Not an Alfa, but not weird like a Japanese design, either. But what’s up with the digital dash? Is it 1980 again, and are we in Corvette land?
to those rally drivers and Audi these cars were above rubies in her days.
mind as well call Mona Lisa was a frumpy broad.
Its not so bad, the new one, but I didn’t catch why its better than a TT. The TT is a pretty car and can get hysterical if you want.
I dunno,
In their period, the Quattro/5+5 seemed pretty damn sexy relative to what was available in the US market at the pricepoint, at the time.
There wasn’t a domestic that looked (or drove) within a lightyear of the Quattro back in the day.
Sure, with contemporary glasses it was a Civic, but let us not forget that a 77 930 was a “rocketship” when it turned in a 7-ish second 60 run….