Car Lust--Audi Avus
With a few exceptions, I've never been a big fan of show cars. Many show cars are meaningless styling bucks, with impractical styling and imaginary engineering; they never see the light of day. I can see why people like show cars, but for the most part the whole exercise seems a bit empty.
Nothing about the 1991 Audi Avus concept remotely approached production, and given that its high-horsepower "engine" was a mocked-up dummy, its wild performance claims were based purely on imagination. Yet show cars are meant to inspire, and based on inspiration and impact, the Audi Avus might be one of the most important show cars ever.
In 1991, Audi was in dire need of inspiration. The premium Volkswagen brand had burst into prominence with its excellent line of Quattro sedans and coupes in the 1980s, which were leaders in style, technology, and performance. By the end of the decade, though, the wheels had come off. In late 1986 60 Minutes aired a damning report accusing the Audi 5000 of systematic unintended acceleration. The terrifying footage caused a market hysteria that crushed sales; and even investigations clearing Audi (and revelations that 60 Minutes had modified their test car to provide the dramatic footage) failed to clear the company's name to the public. Increasing weight, decreasing performance, improved competition, and uninspired design combined to rob the brand of any remaining prestige.
While it's hard to believe today, when Audi sells a variety of beautiful high-performance cars, Audi as a brand almost left the North American market entirely at the end of the 1980s.
In 1991, when Audi was at its lowest ebb, the Avus concept breathed new excitement into the marque--and finally gave Audi some much needed positive headlines.
For its era, the Avus was a breathtaking design. The shape was long, low, and organic, with a revolutionary cab-forward design--well before Chrysler popularized it. Elements of the shape have appeared in cars like the Porsche Carrera GT, various Bugattis, and the Audi TT; and while the Avus only had a dummy engine, the unique W-12 engine configuration of that dummy has gone on to live in other VW Auto Group vehicles.
Instead of paint, the Avus was finished in polished, unpainted aluminum--a gorgeous, unique finish that under the bright lights of a car show made it difficult to even discern the car's shape. The silver finish was evocative of the Auto Union Silver Arrows that utterly dominated pre-WWII European grand prix racing.
When the Avus was first displayed, I was in complete frenzied, damp-palmed lust--just like the rest of the world. Everything about it looked just right. Now, while I still think it's pretty, a few details look slightly awkward to me - the headlights, for example, and the long rear deck. But considering how poorly most show cars age, and the fact that the Avus is now nearly 17 years old, I think it's fair to call the Avus a classic.
In the years immediately following the Avus' debut, Audi began to grow into its current role as a design leader, with the first A4, the first S4, the elegant A6, and the bombshell of the TT. It's arguable whether the Avus helped prompt the resurrection of Audi's morale, sales, and design leadership by the end of the 1990s, and it's not as if the Avus single-handedly helped save Audi in North America. Not directly, anyway, but one should never discount the importance of a burst of inspiration.
--Chris H.
David Drucker on April 21, 2008 at 09:47 AM
As my second wife would say: it looks like a vacuum cleaner. It was one of the few things we agreed upon.
Feh!
Steaming Pile on April 21, 2008 at 11:54 AM
The phrase "cab-forward" is something Chrysler has been using off and on since the late 50s. Kinda like Pontiac with the phrase "wide-track." Is that new? No, I saw a print ad from 1965 touting "wide-track" handling stability bla bla bla.
Chris Hafner on April 21, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Steaming Pile: "The phrase "cab-forward" is something Chrysler has been using off and on since the late 50s."
No kidding? I'd thought that was a 1990s thing.
Cookie the Dog's Owner on April 21, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Forget SUVs--you want a Wretched Excessmobile? *This* is a Wretched Excessmobile!
Am I looking at it wrong, or do the cold air intakes run into the passenger compartment?
Mochi Mochi on April 21, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Wretched Excess indeed. "passenger compartment"? I don't think there is a passenger compartment. And David's right - it does look like a vacuum cleaner.
Reminds me of the NSX. Some people called the Prelude (mentioned because we've been discussing them lately) the baby NSX. Unique structural element of the third generation Prelude was the high-strength metal used in the six roof pillars. The roof pillars were so slim that all-around visibility was amazingly clear for 326°. I'm guessing that the remaining 34° is roughly equivalent to the total available visibility in the AVUS.
But I'm just cranky 'cause it's Monday. I'm in that "it's just another impossibly sexy shaped car". Where's the funny looking car that makes me smile when I look at it and has a top speed of 45 mph? Where's the micro car with the clowns?
Audi (the former AutoUnion) made some great looking cars over the years. The AVUS reminds me a little of some of the 1930's racer designs from Auto Union:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Speed%2C-August-1937-.jpg
Back to the past for some future thinking.
Andrei M Ponze on April 21, 2008 at 08:44 PM
Now that's something else. I had been dreaming for a hummer for almost 10 years and reading about the rumors on Syd Mead Creations at the same time. But nothing comes close to real as The AVUS. Big Thank You! Now I finally have come across the car of my Love, Lust and Dreams.
A Kennel on April 22, 2008 at 09:26 AM
Don't you mean that they almost left the North American market at the end of the 1980s (rather than "at the end of the 1990s")?
Chris Hafner on April 22, 2008 at 09:37 AM
Thanks, A Kennel--that's what I meant.
Hucbald on May 01, 2008 at 06:01 PM
I think that is the most beautiful concept car of all time... still, after all of these intervening years.
To each his own, I guess. Ha!