Here’s why Audi really needs to build its Sport Quattro Laserlight concept [CES2014]

If you’re a fan of the 1980s all-conquering Audi Sport Quattro then these images – of what is essentially a modern-day homage to the 80s rally machine — will surely stir fond memories of it being thrashed in anger at the hands of rally legends Stig Blomqvist and Sarel van der Mervwe. (Don’t know who he is, too young? Here’s Stig and other similarly crazed Group B drivers giving it the beans)

Ah, back in the day when men were real men with moustaches and machines were…well, stupidly fast and bedecked with so many wings it’d put a fighter jet to shame…

I digress though, because what you see here is the Audi Sport Quattro Laserlight concept unveiled at CES 2014. The Sport Quattro is not new (C’mon Audi. Build it! Build it! Built it!), it’s been around in concept form since 2010 and in true Audi fashion it is being shown again, this time at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

More refined with each passing year the Sport Quattro laserlight was unveiled showcasing, you guessed it, new ‘laserlight’ technology. The dual headlight arrangement now features a combination of LED and laser light technology.

Two trapezoidal elements are visible within the headlights – the outer one generates the low beam light using matrix LEDs whilst the inner element produces laser light for high-beam functionality.
Let’s be honest LED technology is in its infancy with regards to its use of in-car headlights, yes the daytime running lights employed by all and sundry have been around for some time, but full LED headlights, no, that’s new tech. Audi is now taking this a step further with laser light tech. Measured in mere microns the laser diodes are quite a lot smaller than those of the light emitting (diode) variety but are said to have twice the range of a LED and can illuminate the road ahead for up to 500m. Apparently Audi will debut some of this new technology on its 2014 Le Mans R18 e-tron
Quattro LMP1 racer.

Inside is traditional Audi fare, that is top-notch, but in the Sport Quattro there are some lovely additional techie elements. All key information is shown on the large high-resolution TFT display ahead of the driver, effectively replacing your common cluster of gauges. Shown in three-dimensional graphics and featuring a cutting-edge Tegra 30 processor from Nvidia, the driver can switch between different modes from navigation map and current song selection and media info, to the more classic view with a speedometer and rev counter.

Which is good because you’ll want to see the 412kW and 700Nm bi-turbo V8 rev all the way to the redline, while it paints four thick black lines down the asphalt. But wait, as with all concepts these days, the Sport Quattro also…er, sports an electric motor located between the V8 and 8-speed tiptronic transmission. Good for 110kW and 50km of all-electric driving, enabling the Sport Qauttro to sip fuel at a rate of just 2.5l/100km. Presumably not if you drive it like Stiggy B. It will however hit 100kph in 3.7 seconds and go on to top speed of 305km/h which should please Mr Blomqvist no end.