Audi 'R4' Gets The Chop
Planned Audi Boxster rival is, well, no longer in the plans
Reports in the German media suggest that Audi's much-awaited mid-engined sports car, the 'R4' has been axed.
According to Auto Motor und Sport, the R4 project - whose existence had previously been confirmed by Audi CEO Rupert Stadler - has been canned over fears that it would not only cannibalise Audi TT sells but also threaten the already sluggish sales figures of the Porsche Boxster (now fully a member of the VW Group stable, of course).
The axe falling on the R4 also throws into doubt the future of VW's hoped-for mid-engined MX-5 rival (which we saw a taster of with the VW Bluesport concept), which was expected to share a platform with the now-dead Audi.
There is of course no official word on what will happen to the VW roadster now that it has lost its corporate sibling, but you can be fairly sure that any new sports car project from VW is really going to have to sing for its supper.
Which is why I think Porsche's version will happen.
It's also convenient for Audi not to have to review their marketing obsession with 4wd.
Would have been funny to see the average Quattro driver spin at the first wet roundabout, not having realised that the throttle was not an on-off switch on a proper car...
Makes perfect sense. A bit of a shame, but makes sense.
Shame really, given that boxters aren't for everyone (me being one) and whats the closest alternative? Z4 and SLK. Theres room in the market for this in my opinion. I hope the Bluesport gets made, looks cracking!
Apply their reasoning across the board and you'd kill Seat, most of Skoda and half of Audi. You have to wonder why it took them so long to remember they already sell Boxsters...if they didn't make a real effort with the handling it'd tread on the TT's toes, and if they did it would be another Boxster.
Interesting to know the ratio of quattro to fwd TTs sold
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