The story
Founded by Audi AG in 1983, in Neckarsulm.1
Eying the successful BMW M division, Audi Ag collaborated with Porsche Ag to develop the Audi RS2 Avant, a joint venture, from 1994–1996, built at Porsche's Zuffenhausen plant. All subsequent cars have been solely produced at Neckarsulm by quattro GmbH. At this time Stephen Reil became the head of Quattro and oversaw the first quattro developed RS branded car, the 2000–2001 B5 RS4 Avant quattro. The subsidiary grew in size hiring from Audi Ag, the various Motorsport projects, and competitors within the industry.
Typical development time was two years per vehicle, with Quattro sitting in with Audi AG in the early stages of the Audi variety model development to learn and collaborate and plant for the RS variant. Reil and professional race drivers from DTM and Audi’s Le Mans effort aided in tuning the RS models by driving on the track, including the Nurburgring, as well as the roads around Neckarsulm which are unusually smooth which helped define the RS signature feel of neutral handling, low NVH, and comfortable suspension that doesn’t compromise performance.
When the RS4 was completed they moved to the 2003 C5 RS6 quattro; fifth was the 2005 B7 A4 DTM Edition saloon.
In the mid 2000s Quattro grew large enough and began developing multiple cars simultaneously with the addition of the R8 and its variants. The RS models were based on Audi S models, the R8 initiative required an entire production and development from start to finish. Audi Ag was able to provide support for sourcing common parts but assembly and QA growth saw Quattro grow by around two hundred employees.
Along with the R8 quattro GmbH developed the 2006 B7 RS4 quattro, 2006 also saw the 2006 B7 S4 25 Quattro, and a special edition A4 S-Line with 220 hp (223 PS; 164 kW) and additional options for local markets – for example the UK 'Special Edition' with black optics pack, ventilated cross-drilled front disc brakes, black exhaust pipes, two-tone leather interior – and the Swedish 'TS' designation with ventilated cross-drilled front disc brakes, S4 chassis, sport seats and aluminum interior detailing, and as of 2009, the ninth and latest offering is the 2008 C6 RS6 5.0 TFSI quattro.
In 2005, they built an Audi TT quattro sport with 176 kW.
The latest Audi TT RS and the Audi RS3 were both notable departures from this Neckarsulm-only production tradition. Whilst the TT RS and RS3 were wholly designed, developed and engineered at Neckarsulm by quattro GmbH, they were manufactured alongside the non-RS Audi models, with the TT RS being manufactured at Győr, Hungary, by AUDI AG subsidiary Audi Hungaria Motor Kft.
quattro GmbH-produced cars from Neckarsulm can be identified by their specific 2nd and 3rd digit of the World Manufacturer Identifier section of the vehicles' Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) – quattro GmbH manufactured cars begin with 'WUA....', whereas cars produced by AUDI AG in Germany begin with 'WAU....'.
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The is variation between RS models in how many parts they share with the Audi range. wThe B8.5 RS5 sharing only a hood, roof, and doors with the A5. Likewise the race variants of Audi Sport vehicles are produced on the same line as the street variants with few modifications aside from safety features such as roll cage and other Motorsport necessities. The race car chassis are finished by hand in a separate facility five miles away. The R8 and R8 LMS race car share over fifty percent of their parts. The R8 engines are nearly 100% identical, meaning customers could race an entire season and be brought to a facility for revision and likewise the street cars were built to the same standard.
Until the rebrand of Quattro gmbh into Audi Sport there existed a clear division in the companies handling of Motorsport. The factory efforts at Le Mans and DTM were handled by Audi Sport and the customer racing was managed by quattro gmbh. These two entities collaborated on the race cars in a technical and development sense but the work was done separately.
Audi R8
The Audi R8 two-seat mid-engined sports car was exclusively designed and developed and is produced by quattro GmbH. An old factory on the Audi Neckarsulm site was redeveloped, and €28 million was invested in the new R8 production line. Around 250 employees work on this car.
The longitudinally oriented 4.2 litre Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) V8 engine used in the R8, rated at 309 kW (420 PS; 414 bhp) and 430 N⋅m (317 lbf⋅ft) of torque, is shared from the B7 RS4 quattro, but modified to use a dry sump lubrication system and induction system.
A subsequent V10 engined version of the R8 is also available, using a de-tuned version of their sister company's 5.2-litre FSI V10, used in the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. This variant produces 386 kW (525 PS; 518 bhp) and 530 N⋅m (391 lb⋅ft) of torque.
Furthermore, quattro GmbH unveiled a diesel engined R8 concept, the "R8 V12 TDI" (later renamed "R8 TDI Le Mans"). This was to use a 6.0-litre V12 engine, utilising Volkswagen Group's long-established Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) turbodiesel technology. This engine was rated at 368 kW (500 PS; 493 bhp) and 1,000 N⋅m (738 lbf⋅ft) of torque.
Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro
quattro GmbH has developed the most powerful diesel powered sport utility vehicle (SUV) in its class. The Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro is fitted with a V12 Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) internal combustion engine. A world first, this all new diesel engine displaces 6.0 litres, generating a motive power output of 368 kW (500 PS; 493 bhp) (measured according to Directive 80/1269/EEC) at 4,000 rpm, and 1,000 N⋅m (738 lbf⋅ft) of torque at 1,750–3,000 rpm. This allows it to accelerate from 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 5.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h (155.3 mph). quattro GmbH has developed this new engine using existing technology from Audi's Le Mans endurance racing program – the Audi R15 TDI.
From Wikipedia’s article on Audi Sport GmbH, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4