New Audi RS3 vs. Old Quattro Rally Car: the Duel in the Forrest

Now that deliveries of the all-new RS3 Sportback have started in Britain, the local company division had a chance to test it against the legendary Ur-Quattro rally car (it's the 80s A1 B-Class quattro). It's part of a publicity stunt called "Born Restless", and while the RS3 can't cope with the rough stuff, we like what we see.

As far as production figures go, the original Quattro that people could drive down the road is no match for today's RS3. But it is a snapshot of the 80s, a time when Audi was beginning to transform into the brand it is today. The car packed a 2.1-liter five-pot that delivered about 200 horsepower though the permanent four-wheel-drive system via a five-speed manual gearbox. The top speed was 138 miles per hour (222 km/h).

As for its modern day equivalent, it's less at home in the dirt and more at home on the race track. The engine has the same number of cylinders, but it's altogether more advanced. With an output of 367 PS, it will rocket to 62 mph in 4.3 seconds if road conditions are ideal.

While the twin clutches of the 7-speed gearbox takes care of changing cogs, you can get to 125 mph in just 16 second and won't have to stop until 174 miles per hour (280 km/h). On low-friction road surfaces, drivers can even perform controlled drifts if desired.

The practical five-door compact has a curb weight (without driver) of 1,520 kilograms (3,351 lbs), 55 kilograms (121.3 lbs) less than its predecessor. However, original was only 1,290 kg (2,844 lbs). So much for progress!