# Fast Lane Daily Rips Audi on quattro Concept, But We’re Not Sure Why.



## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

So I’m checking Facebook and I see a photo from the YouTube automotive news show Fast Lane Daily (FLD). It’s their anchor man Derek D doing the frowny face in front of a photo of the Audi crosslane coupe concept. About an hour later there’s another update from FLD, this time today’s episode and the quattro Concept is a featured story. Color me intrigued, I watch.

The basic rundown of the story is this. According to the show Audi had planned to build the quattro Concept (Paris 2010) but decided against it in favor of the 3-door crossover cross coupe concept that was shown this year. Of course this would go over like a lead balloon to enthusiasts, and it makes a great segway into a comedic Debbie Downer impression along with gratuitous wah-wah-waaah sound effect… but it’s not really a story.

Okay, yes it’s true that the quattro Concept is pretty much dead. There wasn’t a business case for it even though pretty much every enthusiast working at Audi tried their best to make that case. We wish it were true, but the plan was only ever for about 250 units anyway and priced upward of an R8 GT… so it’s not like we’d all have been driving them. Also, and this is key, news of the quattro Concept’s demise happened about a year ago and was confirmed by Stefan Reil of quattro GmbH back in March. Yes, there was a rumor that it was back on again and this time based on the A5 but you can’t exactly hold a car company responsible for a rumor made up by the press and given legs by the blogosphere.



On to the cross coupe… it’s also likely not to be built. Yes, its basic design may be adopted by the next Q3 or maybe even more literally manifested as a 3-door coupe-like Q2, but that doesn’t mean it replaced the business model for the quattro Concept. It’s not like Rupert Stadler and the Audi board of directors sat around and said, “Yeah, let’s kill this quattro concept thing… and with that money we’re going to save, we’ll build a targa-topped crossover.” These are concept cars. They are used at Audi to propose an idea, and if that idea can be made to make a business case (looking at you TT, and R8, etc…) then they get built. If not, they don’t.

Sorry D. We had to respond. Tell JF we say hi and give him a smooch for us. Also, is that a 1:18 B5 RS 4 model car behind your desk? Just sayin’.

Sincerely,
Your Audi fanboy friends at Fourtitude.

Watch the video below. If you enjoy it, make sure to follow FLD on YouTube. And when you do, tell Derek he should go easier on Ingolstadt.


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