The Audi Pininfarina Quarz was unveiled at the 1981 Geneva Motor Show, combining the revolutionary technology of the Audi quattro with a futuristic body designed by Pininfarina. Power came from Audi’s most advanced engine of the time: a turbocharged 2.1-litre inline five-cylinder producing 200 hp. Combined with permanent quattro all-wheel drive, it delivered sports-car performance while demonstrating the impressive capabilities of Audi’s five-cylinder concept.
In 1984, Audi developed a unique Audi quattro prototype featuring four-wheel steering. This experimental vehicle remained a one-off and was used to test an active rear-wheel steering system—decades before the dynamic all-wheel steering technology found in today’s Audi A8, A7 and RS models.
The Audi Aztec was one of the most spectacular concept cars of the late 1980s. Unveiled at the 1988 Turin Motor Show to mark Italdesign’s 20th anniversary, the futuristic two-seater immediately attracted international attention. Its radical design made the Aztec a true automotive work of art. The mid-engined sports car was powered by a turbocharged 2.2-litre Audi inline five-cylinder engine producing 200 hp (147 kW), driving all four wheels.
In the early 1990s, Audi also developed an RS 2 Saloon based on the Audi Avant RS 2. However, the project never progressed beyond a single prototype, making it a true one-off.
The Audi quattro concept was unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and is regarded as one of the most significant five-cylinder concept cars of modern times. Created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of quattro technology, the vehicle was a contemporary interpretation of the legendary 1980 Ur-quattro. At its heart was an enhanced version of the renowned 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder engine. Based on the powerplant from the Audi TT RS, it produced 408 hp, giving the concept an outstanding power-to-weight ratio of approximately 3.2 kg per horsepower.
With the RS Q3 concept, Audi presented the combination of a compact SUV and the legendary 2.5-litre TFSI five-cylinder engine for the first time in 2012. Its 360 hp turbocharged engine, permanent quattro all-wheel drive and distinctly sportier bodywork made the concept a preview of an entirely new vehicle category: the high-performance SUV from Audi Sport. The RS Q3 concept paved the way for the later production RS Q3 and carried the tradition of the Audi five-cylinder into a completely new vehicle segment.
With the Audi A3 clubsport quattro concept, presented at the 2014 GTI Meeting at Lake Wörthersee, Audi demonstrated the remarkable performance potential of the Audi A3. Based on the S3 Saloon, the show car was powered by a high-performance five-cylinder TFSI engine producing 386 kW (525 hp) from a displacement of 2,480 cc.
This exceptional output was achieved through extensive modifications, including a larger turbocharger operating at up to 1.5 bar of boost pressure and an optimized intercooler.
Also unveiled at the GTI Meeting at Lake Wörthersee in 2015, the Audi TT clubsport turbo concept represented one of the most extreme evolutions of the legendary five-cylinder engine. Thanks to an electrically powered turbocharger, the 2.5-litre engine produced an impressive 600 hp.
The Audi GT50 Concept is a tribute to 50 years of the Audi five-cylinder engine. This one-off vehicle was developed in 2025 by apprentices at Audi’s Neckarsulm site and is technically based on the current Audi RS 3.
