At some point, it seems like most automakers have lost track when it comes to design. A brand known for more clinical and technical shapes (apart from the ever-increasing grille sizes), Audi has also gone this route. But it seems there’s a design renaissance underway at the German brand, the first signs of which we saw with the stunning Audi Concept C back in early September.
Audi is currently the only manufacturer to offer a five-cylinder powertrain in a production model, although stricter emissions regulations and limited applications make its long-term future uncertain. Audi’s relationship with this unique engine arrangement began in 1976 with the debut of the five-cylinder in the Audi 100. Since then, the configuration has powered everything from Group B rally cars to Audi’s fearsome North American Trans-Am and IMSA programs, and is characterized by its distinctive and distinctive growling exhaust note and unusual firing rhythm.
Audi’s latest apprentice project seems to be based on this. Fourteen trainees in Neckarsulm took the current RS3, ignored conventions and created the Audi GT50, a one-off created to mark the 50th anniversary of Audi’s legendary five-cylinder engine. What you see here is not an exercise in style, but a conscious statement of legacy, relevance and what still matters when everything around him points to electrification.
50 years after Audi’s first five-cylinder production car, the GT50 comes as a tribute to the machines with which Audi almost dominated US racing in the 1980s. The trainees did much more than just add a body kit: they redesigned the RS3 from the ground up, reworking the body and interior and even grafting an Audi 80 onto the roof to achieve the right proportions and contemporary appearance.
The visual inspiration for the GT50 appears to come from the 1989 Audi 90 Quattro IMSA GTO, a car that won seven of nine races that season. You can see this design line in the GT50’s aggressive chin spoiler, wide fenders with aero disc wheels and body outlet exhaust. The surrounding ducktail spoiler is based on the Audi 200 Trans-Am from 1988 and underlines North American racing history. Inside, the RS3’s stock interior has been completely removed and in its place is a full roll cage, racing seats and track-focused hardware.
Mechanically, Audi consciously decided to leave the RS3’s turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder untouched. Output remains at 400 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, and the identical 1-2-4-5-3 firing order ensures it delivers the same sound signature that characterized its racing predecessors.
Audi, like many others, is expected to end production of the five-cylinder RS3 in the coming years. As mentioned, emissions pressures and niche positioning make it increasingly difficult to justify the engine in a modern lineup. But the key takeaway here is this stunning GT50, which not only celebrates five decades of five-cylinder tradition at Audi, but could also provide a hint at the brand’s future design direction.
Image source: Audi
