- Audi’s apprentices have built another concept car, and this time it’s a throwback to the IMSA racers of the 1980s.
- Based on the Audi RS3, the GT50 concept has a turbocharged five-cylinder engine under its hood.
- The concept is slickly executed and actually runs and drives.
Working for a German automaker might sound serious and all about engineering—but Audi takes a different approach. In recent years, young apprentices at Audi’s Neckarsulm headquarters have crafted a lineup of bold, fully functional concept cars, each one impressively creative. Their latest creation, the Audi GT50 Concept, celebrates the upcoming fiftieth anniversary of Audi’s iconic inline-five engine.
First, a look back at what Audi apprentices have accomplished over the years. Five years ago, a dozen apprentices created the RS6 GTO, a wild retro-futuristic hot wagon based on the RS6. Then, two years ago, they unveiled a scrappy little EV reminiscent of a Blade Runner–style NSU Prinz—a compact 1960s and 1970s runabout from one of the brands that would eventually form Audi’s four-ring legacy.
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This year, 14 apprentices transformed a turbo-five–powered RS3 into a machine that looks like it jumped straight out of the IMSA-racing scene of the 1980s. Built in just six weeks, the Audi GT50 Concept even features the actual roof from an Audi 80 and is packed with racing-inspired details.
Every part of the car has been redesigned, from the stripped-down interior to all-new body panels. With its sleek surfaces and oversized wheels, it looks like a concept from a video game—but it’s fully functional on the road. Thanks to the RS3’s running gear underneath, the car is expected to deliver around 395 horsepower.
Perhaps most excitingly, Audi doesn’t treat these one-off builds as mere exercises—they’re true concept cars that can hint at the brand’s future direction. The RS6 GTO, for example, eventually inspired the production RS6 GT. While the Audi GT50 Concept might be too radical for mass production, an RS3 variant featuring some of its retro-inspired elements could be possible.
With its X-shaped headlights and taillights, the Audi GT50 Concept looks like something DJ Marshmello might drive—a nod to the pop culture the young designers are immersed in. It’s inspiring to see a group of 20-somethings reach back into Audi’s heritage and carry it forward into the mid-2020s. When the concept was unveiled to an audience of roughly 3,200 Audi employees, the reaction was electric. Clearly, the next generation at Audi is doing something right.
