Monday 9th May 2011

Audi 'R4' Gets The Chop

Planned Audi Boxster rival is, well, no longer in the plans

---

Not the R4 (the e-tron Spyder instead)

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.

[MrSpike]

Hopefully the VW varient can live on?

[Crow555]

Canned because it might sell too well?

[George H]

Shame because it looks brilliant

[P9UNK]

MrSpike said:

Hopefully the VW varient can live on?

that Bluesport concept does look like something that should have been put into production about ten years ago. You can't argue about the quality but certainly not a sportscar that I would want to be seen in. I am almost tempted to use my new term I saw on Jags new concept on Friday from another poster...epic fail. I don't mean it though.

[Agoogy]

I thought Porsche were having a slice of this to make a new sub Boxster '356' style car too? shame if they've all lost out... although on the other hand at least someone has finally noticed VW/ AUDI/Porsche can't keep making models that overlap so obviously without doing more harm than good

[EDLT]

I don't see how Porsche losing sales is a bad thing, as long as someone in the group gets the money. If someone wants a posh convertible, but doesn't like the Porsche they could have the Audi, now they will buy a Mercedes or BMW instead.

[nickfrog]

EDLT said:

I don't see how Porsche losing sales is a bad thing, as long as someone in the group gets the money.

Maybe because Porsche's margins are higher so they'd actually miss out on group profit by selling a cheaper alternative ?

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...

Edited by nickfrog on Monday 9th May 11:57

Edited by nickfrog on Monday 9th May 11:58

[M Powered]

EDLT said:

I don't see how Porsche losing sales is a bad thing, as long as someone in the group gets the money. If someone wants a posh convertible, but doesn't like the Porsche they could have the Audi, now they will buy a Mercedes or BMW instead.

Each model needs to make a financial ROI (or at least make a return on the platform possible via the volume equation) otherwise why bother??

[wab172uk]

Sounds like porsche are haveing a fit over this and winning.

Wonder if the Audi R8 would have ever been born with the situation now between VAG Group & Porsche?

Sorry but the R8 project has been canned as it will take sales from the 911.

[McSam]

Crow555 said:

Canned because it might sell too well?

Yes. Canned because it will mostly take sales from cars that the company also sell. So why waste millions developing something that will only take money you'd have got anyway from cars already selling?

Makes perfect sense. A bit of a shame, but makes sense.

[mat205125]

EDLT said:

I don't see how Porsche losing sales is a bad thing, as long as someone in the group gets the money. If someone wants a posh convertible, but doesn't like the Porsche they could have the Audi, now they will buy a Mercedes or BMW instead.

^ This!

[McSam]

mat205125 said:

EDLT said:

I don't see how Porsche losing sales is a bad thing, as long as someone in the group gets the money. If someone wants a posh convertible, but doesn't like the Porsche they could have the Audi, now they will buy a Mercedes or BMW instead.

^ This!

Yeah, someone in the group will still get the money - but at the absolutely incredible cost of designing, building and validating a new car and then tooling up a production line and then marketing and actually selling the thing. Surely you can see why they'd much rather not do that for a very marginal gain?

[soad]

George H said:

Shame because it looks brilliant

Indeed. Spoil-sports eh

[marcosgt]

Margin, brand image, etc, etc...

Who's going to buy a Porsche if there's a VW version of the same car?

M.

[typezerora]

Lol that's an Aston Martin in that picture

[Nicholls22]

I can imagine the reason why its been dropped.......Why bother making something that would compete against what we already own?

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!

[mat205125]

McSam said:

mat205125 said:

EDLT said:

I don't see how Porsche losing sales is a bad thing, as long as someone in the group gets the money. If someone wants a posh convertible, but doesn't like the Porsche they could have the Audi, now they will buy a Mercedes or BMW instead.

^ This!

Yeah, someone in the group will still get the money - but at the absolutely incredible cost of designing, building and validating a new car and then tooling up a production line and then marketing and actually selling the thing. Surely you can see why they'd much rather not do that for a very marginal gain?

Where did it say about "marginal gains"? Given that the article describes the Boxster as a "sluggish seller", reclaiming a proportion of the Z4, SLK, Boxster sports car market makes great sense. I can, however, understand the concern that the sales of the soft top TT could be effected.

[Speed Camera]

Crow555 said:

Canned because it might sell too well?

That's what i was thinking.

[collateral]

Sad, I would've been interesting to see how Audi's car measured up, although I always thought it sounded a little unlikely.

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

[inf20011]

typezerora said:

Lol that's an Aston Martin in that picture

Then it would have a Ford badge on the bonnet.....LOL!