Audi shows off A1 clubsport quattro at Le Mans

Drew Phillips — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:50:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hatchback, Audi

Audi A1 clubsport quattro - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi has a huge presence at this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans. In addition to running a trio of R18s in the race, the Four Rings takes over a large portion of the track with displays, hospitality suites and even a temporary hotel that is built for the event each year.

One of the vehicles on display was the A1 clubsport quattro that debuted last week at Wörthersee, a celebration of all things Volkswagen. The show car is a clue that Audi's quattro system will soon make its way into the A1 lineup, although the demonstration is more extreme than anything that will make it to production.

Under the hood is a 500-horsepower version of the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine, allowing the A1 clubsport quattro to go from 0-100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in just 3.7 seconds. The car also features a beautiful matte white paint job, a widebody aerodynamics kit, carbon fiber roof and rear spoiler, retro 19-inch wheels and more.

You can see our live photos of the Audi A1 clubsport quattro in the included high-res gallery, and check back in the next few days for more coverage of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Audi shows off A1 clubsport quattro at Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi unveils 500hp A1 Clubsport Quattro show car at Wörthersee

Noah Joseph — Tue, 31 May 2011 08:56:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Hatchback, Audi, Misc. Auto Shows

Audi A1 clubsport quattro concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi and all-wheel drive go together like mothers and apple pie. The German automaker has cultivated its Quattro systems as emblematic of its raison d'etre, incorporating it into its rapidly expanding range... with one exception: the A1. But that's about to change.

After launching the diminutive hatchback in front-wheel-drive only, Audi is working on extending the traction to the rear wheels as well. And to give us an idea of what to expect, the company has launched the A1 Clubsport Quattro concept among the 18 vehicles on display at its annual celebration in Wörthersee.

The little beast is built around an extensively tuned 2.5-liter turbo five with just under 500 horsepower. Optimized by direct injection and channeled to all four wheels through a six-speed manual, Audi claims the concept can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill in a scant 3.7 seconds, doubling that speed in 10.9 en route to an electronically limited, Autobahn-crunching top end of 250 km/h (155 mph).

The package is rounded out by an aggressive wide-body aerodynamic kit, decked out in matte white paint with a carbon-fiber roof, with a side-exit exhaust and 19-inch alloys. While the production A1 Quattro and the S1 or RS1 to follow isn't likely to pack the 500 horses of the show car, gamers can check it out in Need for Speed World for a limited time.

Audi has also released a series of visual mods - including decals and aero kits - for the existing A1 at the show. Want to read more? We've got the full press blast after the jump along, with an extensive batch of images in our high-resolution gallery.

Continue reading Audi unveils 500hp A1 Clubsport Quattro show car at Wörthersee

Audi unveils 500hp A1 Clubsport Quattro show car at Wörthersee originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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