CARS PREVIEW: Audi s Future RS Car Plans Taking Shape

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Audi s Future RS Car Plans Taking Shape

Audi s Future RS Car Plans Taking Shape

Audi s Future RS Car Plans Taking Shape

Audi's RS division, which all but ignores the U.S. market, is keeping busy. It just released the RS3 in Europe, and next year will launch the new RS4. Most of its mechanicals come from the RS5, including a naturally aspirated V-8 engine making 444 horsepower at 8250 rpm. It feeds a crown gear center diff that's able to send torque forward or backward according to programmed maps, making the car feel oversteery and driver-sensitive. Transmission is a seven-speed S-Tronic twin-clutch. Active variable-ratio steering will be optional. The bodywork will incorporate extra aluminum compared with the regular A4's, and be available in sedan and Avant variants.
An R8 facelift comes later this year. The optical change is a new grille with angled-off corners. The significant mechanical change is a shift to an eight-speed S-Tronic twin-clutch trans, replacing the clunky single-clutch used now.
Meanwhile, Audi continues development of the quattro concept. Management is scheduled to decide on production by July. This carbon-bodied coupe was a star of the 2010 Paris show, and the company has built more than one high-speed tester with RS5 suspension, the TT RS's longitudinally mounted five-cylinder turbo motor boosted to more than 400 horsepower, and a manual transmission. Wheelbase is shorter than the RS5 and the carbon body is a lot lighter, which could easily cut weight to below 3000 pounds.
I'd like to be optimistic about it. It depends on production as well as design," Audi technical boss Michael Dick says. "It would have to be a short-run car. But people want it." Audi would position it as an expensive boutique car, with Magna-Steyr possibly assisting with production.