High performance car-specified subsidiary of Audi
Audi Sport GmbH
, formerly known as
quattro GmbH
,
[3]
is the high-
performance car
manufacturing subsidiary of
Audi
,
[1]
[4]
[5]
[6]
itself a subsidiary of the greater
Volkswagen Group
.
Founded in October 1983 as quattro GmbH, it primarily specializes in producing high-performance Audi cars
[2]
and components, along with purchaser specified
customizations
.
[1]
The company's former name was a
homage
to Audi's original
four-wheel drive
rally
-inspired road car?the
Audi Quattro
. In 2016, the company was renamed Audi Sport GmbH.
[7]
It is located in a 3,500
square metres
(37,670
sq ft
) site at
Neckarsulm
,
[4]
near
Stuttgart
, in the
German State
of
Baden-Wurttemberg
. Development and manufacturing
factories
[2]
is based within a larger 10,700 square metres (115,170 sq ft) site of the now defunct German automotive maker (and
Wankel
pistonless rotary engine
pioneer)
NSU Motorenwerke AG
[
clarification needed
]
Its core products include the
Audi RS4
, the
Audi RS6
and the
Audi R8
. Furthermore, it is a 'closed company', in that it does not sell its
automobiles
directly to the public via franchised outlets under its own
brand
name; instead, they are sold under the Audi
marque
. However, it does now
[
when?
]
sell 'quattro GmbH' branded
lifestyle products and accessories
via Audi
franchised outlets
and Audi Forum such as that located in the
Allianz Arena
on the northern outskirts of
Munich
, Germany.
Business areas
[
edit
]
Audi Sport GmbH specializes in four 'key' areas,
[1]
including the
design
,
testing
and
production
of specialist and
high performance
Audi
automobiles
, such as the
Audi RS3
,
Audi RS4
,
Audi RS5
,
Audi RS6
,
Audi RS7
,
Audi RS Q3
,
Audi RS Q8
,
Audi TTRS
and the
Audi R8
.
They also design and specify
roadwheels
, and design and produce
sports suspension
[1]
and the specialist car body parts (such as front
bumpers
,
splitters
, side skirts, rear bumpers, diffusers and rear spoilers) which are mainly used on the Audi
"S line"
trim specification available on most of the
model range
.
RS cars
[
edit
]
The Audi
RS
cars have the technology and performance comparable with
high performance
sports cars
such as the
Porsche 911
.
[
citation needed
]
Being based on conventional
saloon
(sedan) or
estate
(station wagon) cars, RS models also retain the everyday comfort and practicality of regular mainstream
models
. They are some of the most
powerful
vehicles
ever offered by
Audi
. quattro GmbH
create
,
design
,
develop
and
produce
all RS models in conjunction with parent, AUDI AG.
[1]
[2]
The "RS" initials are taken from the
German
:
RennSport
? literally translated as "racing sport". RS is Audi's highest trim level, positioned above the "
S
" ("Sport") specification level of Audi's regular model range. RS cars are usually produced in limited numbers over a limited time scale (historically, nearing the end of the production run of a certain model, before a new evolution or generation of the same model),
[
citation needed
]
and are built with some of Audi's latest
technology
and
engineering
. Whilst RS cars generally command a much higher purchase price, compared to their 'lesser' brethren, they also retain above average
residual values
.
[
citation needed
]
S line
[
edit
]
S line
is a trim specification that is offered on many Audi models. Whilst the individual
S line
parts and components are designed and manufactured by quattro GmbH,
[1]
[2]
[4]
Audi "S line" cars are still manufactured in the same
AUDI AG factories
, on the same production lines as their related models with differing trim levels. Cars with "S line" trim should not be confused with high-performance "S" and "RS" models. Audi cars with S line trim bear identical performance figures to their counterparts with SE or base trim levels, with the exception of the
Audi Q7 S line
with the
3.0 V6 TFSI petrol engines
(213
kW
(290
PS
; 286
bhp
) for standard, 245 kW (333 PS; 329 bhp) for S line).
Audi exclusive
[
edit
]
quattro GmbH offers potential purchasers of new Audi cars the possibility of customizing their new car beyond the scope of "conventional" options, to their own personal desires during the initial manufacturing process.
[4]
This facility is called
Audi exclusive
,
[8]
and extends to virtually all areas of the car. The customer may choose unique exterior
paint
, in any colour, as well as
alloy wheels
originally developed by quattro GmbH. For the interior, the upholstery can be finished in various grades and grains of
leathers
(including
Nappa
), in a choice of colours. These coloured leathers may also be applied to interior door coverings and rear parcel shelves. Headlining fabrics can be customized in colour, along with
seat belt
webbing. The interior can be finished with a wide selection of wooden trims, sourced from around the world, along with colour-coordinated piping on the edges of tailored floor carpet mats. A range of in-car
office equipment
is also available.
[1]
quattro GmbH first offered this service at the
1995 Frankfurt International Motor Show
.
[2]
Audi lifestyle / Audi Accessories
[
edit
]
From 1985, quattro GmbH has developed a range of
Audi lifestyle
products, known as
Audi Accessories
.
[2]
These include
mountain bikes
and personal leather goods, such as
briefcases
, handbags,
purses
and
wallets
.
Car production
[
edit
]
quattro GmbH has historically only been able to produce one specific model at a time at its sole plant at Neckarsulm. Chronologically, the first quattro GmbH model produced was the
Audi RS2 Avant
, a
joint venture
between
Porsche
and quattro GmbH, from 1994?1996 (and actually built at Porsche's Zuffenhausen plant). After this initial joint venture, all subsequent cars have been solely (with the exception of the
Audi TT RS
) produced at Neckarsulm by quattro GmbH. The second car was the
C4 S6 Plus
, produced from April 1996 to July 1997. Third was the 2000?2001
B5 RS4 Avant quattro
; fourth was the 2003
C5 RS6 quattro
; fifth was the 2005
B7 A4 DTM Edition
saloon. Sixth out of quattro GmbH was the 2006
B7 RS4 quattro
, seventh out of quattro GmbH was the 2006
B7 S4 25 Quattro
, the eighth was a special edition A4 S-Line with 220 hp (223 PS; 164 kW) and additional options for local markets ? for example the UK 'Special Edition' with black optics pack, ventilated cross-drilled front disc brakes, black exhaust pipes, two-tone leather interior ? and the Swedish 'TS' designation with ventilated cross-drilled front disc brakes, S4 chassis, sport seats and aluminum interior detailing, and as of 2009, the ninth and latest offering is the 2008
C6 RS6 5.0 TFSI quattro
.
[2]
[4]
[6]
In 2005, they built an Audi TT quattro sport with 176 kW.
The
Audi R8
is built in a new and totally separate quattro GmbH plant at Neckarsulm.
The latest
Audi TT RS
and the
Audi RS3
are both notable departures from this Neckarsulm-only production tradition. Whilst the TT RS and RS3 were wholly designed, developed and engineered at Neckarsulm by quattro GmbH, they are manufactured alongside the non-RS Audi models, with the TT RS being manufactured at
Gy?r
,
Hungary
, by AUDI AG subsidiary
Audi Hungaria Motor Kft
.
[9]
quattro GmbH-produced cars from Neckarsulm can be identified by their specific 2nd and 3rd digit of the
World Manufacturer Identifier
section of the vehicles'
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ? quattro GmbH manufactured cars begin with 'W
UA
....', whereas cars produced by AUDI AG in Germany begin with 'W
AU
....'.
[9]
Audi R8
[
edit
]
The
Audi R8
two-seat
mid-engined
sports car
was exclusively
designed
and
developed
and is
produced
by quattro GmbH.
[4]
[6]
An old factory on the Audi
Neckarsulm
site was redeveloped, and
€
28 million was invested in the new R8 production line. Around 250 employees work on this car.
[1]
The
longitudinally oriented
4.2
litre
Fuel Stratified Injection
(FSI)
V8 engine
used in the R8, rated at 309
kW
(420
PS
; 414
bhp
) and 430
N?m
(317
lbf?ft
) of torque, is shared from the
B7 RS4 quattro
, but modified to use a
dry sump
lubrication system
[10]
and induction system.
A subsequent
V10 engined
version of the R8 is also available, using a de-tuned version of their sister company's 5.2-litre FSI V10, used in the
Lamborghini
Gallardo LP560-4
. This variant produces 386 kW (525 PS; 518 bhp) and 530 N?m (391 lb?ft) of torque.
Furthermore, quattro GmbH unveiled a
diesel engined
R8
concept
, the "R8 V12 TDI" (later renamed "R8 TDI Le Mans"). This was to use a 6.0-litre
V12 engine
, utilising
Volkswagen Group
's long-established
Turbocharged Direct Injection
(TDI)
turbodiesel
technology. This engine was rated at 368 kW (500 PS; 493 bhp) and 1,000 N?m (738 lbf?ft) of torque.
Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro
[
edit
]
quattro GmbH has developed the most powerful diesel powered
sport utility vehicle
(SUV) in its class.
[4]
[6]
[11]
The
Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro
is fitted with a
V12
Turbocharged Direct Injection
(TDI)
internal combustion engine
. A world first,
[
additional citation(s) needed
]
this all new
diesel engine
displaces 6.0 litres, generating a motive power output of 368 kW (500 PS; 493 bhp) (measured according to
Directive 80/1269/EEC
) at 4,000
rpm
, and 1,000 N?m (738 lbf?ft) of
torque
at 1,750?3,000 rpm. This allows it to accelerate from 0?100 km/h (0?62 mph) in 5.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h (155.3 mph). quattro GmbH has developed this new engine using existing technology from Audi's
Le Mans
endurance racing program ? the
Audi R15 TDI
.
[12]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
Audi
car timeline, European market (1965?2019) ?
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