Audi teases 700-hp Quattro Sport E-Tron concept for Frankfurt

Wed, 14 Aug 2013

Audi's trump card for the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show has just been unveiled, sort of. It's called the Quattro Sport E-Tron Concept. Set to debut in a few weeks, sketches have been uncovered that show a few of the car's details, albeit in rough form. The news of a big-name Audi concept at Frankfurt has been swirling since June, when we first reported on it.

From the sketches, we see a car that has the same basic shape as the Quattro Concept from the 2010 Paris Motor Show, only with subtle tweaks and evolutions to a few features. The news isn't so much about the looks, though. It's the reports coming from Auto Zeitung and Audi enthusiast site Fourtitude.

Horsepower on the concept is expected to be in the neighborhood of 700 ponies - about 50 more than we initially thought - and will be split between a gas engine and an electric motor. Yup, that "E-Tron" name isn't just there for show. While it's not clear what the exact split will be between gas and electric power, we do know the same twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 found in the RS6 and RS7 will be sitting under the Quattro's hood, and that the bulk of the power will likely come from here. We may not have power figures on the hybrid system, but we do know this concept is capable of running for 21.7 miles on electric power alone.

According to Auto Zeitung, the top speed should exceed 205 miles per hour, while 62 mph will arrive in the low three-second range. Dimensionally, the Quattro is quite compact – it's about five inches shorter than an Audi S5, which is not a big vehicle to start with.

We'll have more on the Audi Quattro Sport E-Tron Concept when it makes its official debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show next month.

By Brandon Turkus