The Audi e-tron, which wowed Detroit back in January last year, was thought to be a preview of a mid-engined R4 model. It was expected to be part of a platform sharing program with stablemates Volkswagen and Porsche. However, according to Auto Motor und Sport any such plans have been shelved by Audi.
One of the reasons given are fears the cheaper R4 would cannibalise sales of Ingolstadt’s own TT model line, as well as eating into sales of the Porsche Boxster.
Also caught in the cross fire is the potential MX-5 rival from Volkswagen, the Concept BlueSport, meaning the planned Volkswagen Group MiMo platform is unlikely to become a production reality.
There’s also some speculation that this news may end the future of the Audi quattro concept. However, given an A5-based prototype has already been in circulation there’s still some hope.
[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via Motor Authority]
2 replies on “Is the Audi R4 over B4 it begins?”
HAHH that title mad me spit half my drink out!
I hope its not over!
[…] only a few weeks ago that Auto Motor und Sport theorised the Audi R4 and its Volkswagen Group cousins had been scrapped, or at least, sent to the bottom of […]