It was created to celebrate 40 years of quattro.
It is a throwback to the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO racecar.
Audi has many reasons to celebrate 40 years of quattro. The AWD technology elevated Audi into the motorsports stratosphere in the 1980s and beyond, forcing the competition to raise their game if they wanted to remain relevant. To commemorate one car that slaughtered the competition, Audi has created the RS 6 GTO Concept.
In the late 1980s, America’s IMSA series got a taste of quattro and one of the finest multi-purpose racecar drivers in the world, Hans-Joachim Stuck. At the time, the latter was driving a superbly-prepared Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO racecar. In 1989, the 90 quattro won no fewer than seven races.
The Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO racecar was powered by a turbocharged 2.2-litre 5-cylinder engine that produced a whopping 720 horsepower and 531 lb.-ft. of torque and could hit 100km/h from a standstill in 3.1 seconds. To celebrate this car’s achievements, Audi has developed an incredible one-off concept.
Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO racecar | Photo: Audi
The Audi RS 6 GTO Concept was created by a team of apprentices at the Neckarsulm factory in Germany. They took an already extremely-potent RS 6 Avant and transformed it into a near-copy of the 90 IMSA GTO car. The livery is a modern interpretation of the original, as are the scalloped white aero-discs on the wheels. No matter what though, their source is evident. Audi went so far as to mimic the side exits for the exhaust although they are now behind the front doors.
The cabin has all but been completely stripped as it now features a rear roll-cage, a pair of Recaro racing seats with appropriate harnesses.
Audi RS 6 GTO Concept | Photo: Audi
We might be biased, being big fans of station wagons and all, but this Audi RS 6 GTO Concept might the coolest ever. It is unlikely to ever see production, unlike the recently announced TT RS 40 Years of quattro.
Audi RS 6 GTO Concept | Photo: Audi
