The 1991 Audi Quattro Spyder Concept is still a cool supercar

Indeed. The Quattro Spyder (QS) made its debut at the 1991 Frankfurt Motor Show, some 15 years before the R8 would enter production. Like the R8, the QS was mid-engined, all-wheel drive and aluminium-bodied. 

Power came from a 2.8-litre V6 with – by today’s standards – a measly 172bhp. Audi claimed it weighed 1,100kg, so it ought to have been reasonably sprightly, if not massively fast.

No. Well, perhaps (do enlighten us, German-speakers of the Internet), but not this time. It hides it well, but the QS’s glass roof is actually removable. Not pictured, so watch this brilliantly Nineties promo vid from about 1:38 to see how it works. 

Because the “envisioned price of 100,000 German marks could not be met”, even though widespread speculation that it would be built (it does look production-ready, doesn’t it?) apparently resulted in Audi dealers taking thousands of advance orders. 

Too right. We bet plenty of people would’ve paid over 100,000DM for one of these. In today’s money, that’s just over £43,000 – less than half the price of a new R8. But it was not to be. Just a month after showing the QS Audi went full concept and gave us the Avus, with its mid-ship (wooden) W12 and bright-finish body, and the QS was consigned to the history books for good.