A8 V12 / Spyder numbers & history

[RELAYER@aol.com]

OK, here's the info I found recently on the upcoming A8 V12 :

V12 5.6L 60 Vavle engine appearing in 1999 when the A8 is updated
Engine will be designed with help of Porsche (what do they know about V12s?)

The new A8 will come in 3 styles: Long wheel base "comfort vesion(A9),
"sporty regular wheel base and shortened wheel based COUPE (with the V12 of
course!).  
SOURCE: European Car.....if you want to see a drawing of the V12 coupe, I can
email it to you.

SPYDER: (source: Sports Car Inernational, 4/92)
construction......all aluminum of course
weight..............2,425 lbs  --  2600 lbs in american trim (that's how
serious they were, 
                       they even were calculating the cost of crashing 3 for
Uncle Sam)
Production.......would have been around 10,000 a year world wide to cover the
cost
Engine.............same old 2.8 V6, transversely mounted mid engine, turbo
charging  
                       seriouly considered and expected as to compete with
Carrera 4
Fuel economy...30 mpg!
wheels..............18 inch
Features...........large usable trunk, plenty of interior room, solar paneled
glass targa roof
                       which would vent the car on hot days
History:
I am still p**sed off at Audi for not building this car, when it was shown,
Piech said it would only cost $50,000, be faster than a 911, and be
practical.  It was also quoted that this car was to be a lesson to Porsche on
how to build a fast exotic for under $80,000 (this was at the time of the
previous generation 911, which was heavy and expensive).
I remember a quote about the Spyder in C&S or R&T car show section where
Piech said "this is the type of car Porsche should be building now!"  He also
said upon approval, it would only take 2 years to bring to prodution.

Piech, heir to the Porsche empire, was upset at the direction they were
heading (remember the ill fated 4 door porsche which was canceled late in
it's design after millions of dollars in developement).  I think Piech
decided to cancel the car after he made his point to Porsche.

This car would have launched Audi to BMW status overnight (remember what the
M1 did to thier reputation?).  It would have given a car for people to lust
after, then buy an Audi sedan because of the connection to the make.  Audi
still needs a low slung 2 seat lightweight sports car badly......this would
have been the car to set new standards and to give the NSX something to worry
about.

Do any of you also remember the AUDI QUARTZ?  this was a 2 door sports car
shown in the late 70s or early 80s.  I was a little strange in design, like a
first generation sciracco on steroids with the Audi rings at the bottom of
the C pilar which hid the gas cap.  There is a book called something like
"Show cars they never built" that I saw this in, I wish I could track down
more info on it.

                    /\        _I             Christian J. Long
                  /    \ I_I I_I I           Orlando, Florida, USA
                                             University of Central Florida
Class of 1994
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1990 Coupe Quattro    Red/Black, K&N cone, BBS wheels, 80K          
1990 90                     Gold/Tan, 70K, LOOKING FOR REAR WING SPOILER
Past Audis:
'80 5KT  '84 Coupe GT  '85 Coupe GT  '87 Coupe GT2.3  '875KCST(was Dad's)  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~