VW Says Audi Will Oversee All Future SUV Designs For Brands Including Porsche

So Audi will design the A4/A5 and all SUVs. Everything smaller(A1,A3,TT) then the A4 will be developed by VW, and everything larger(A6,A8,R8) then the A4 is developed by Porsche. Audi got the short end of the stick...they will basically be an SUV manufacturer from now on.

And Porsche will develop all sportscars....

But does that mean Lamborghini and Bugatti as well?

Lamborghini and bugatti will be forced to continue to make super cars I guess then.

I think too much is being read into this.

The next Cayenne if built won't look like a Q7- neither will the next A8 look like a Panamera. Brand recognition will still be there despite this so no worries.

I am not comfortable with anybody making and or designing Porsche's but Porsche! I am still trying to get over the defunct take over situation! It is sad that the totally independent sports car manufacturer is over! I do hope and pray that this new collaboration will bring some new, very high quality smaller (356) type vehicles that cost a lot! Yes! A LOT! "within reason" We need exclusivity!

I'm glad Audi will help Porsche design their SUV's because it's not always been the best looking. Porsche can design sports cars that is fine. Form following function. They know how to keep heritage so whatever brand they are working on at least you know they will keep heritage in mind before anything.

Just because VW owns a big stake of Porsche doesn't mean they can't buy themselves out in the future. It's all shares and stocks really. It doesn't change much. They've shared manufacturing plants in the past it's at the highest level some financial things have changed. To me it doesn't make or break any brand. Hell, Ferrari is owned by FIAT. Looks bad right?. I could care less.

Porsche would never hire a guy like you! With all do respect, your thinking is to "casual"! Dr. Ferdinand Porsche knew the value of being totally independent. A casually thinking liberal is to dangerous when trying to maintain a valuable brand like Porsche. This thinking may work for "Toyota" or the like but not for "Porsche". Your final statement says it all - quote ="I could care less"!

Audi to "luxury" and leave the "ultimate driving" stuff to others? What a confidence boost!

The next Cayenne may not look like a Q7 but everything underneath will be the nearly identical. Same for the A8 and Panamera. And on down the line of all of the VAG brands.

This is what platform sharing is all about. VAG is going to do to Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagon what GM did to Chevy, Buick, and Cadillac.

Cadillac Cimarron anyone?

Good, because Porsche hasn't been designing anything for quite some time anyway.

The Cayenne mechanically is a Toureg with a different body and different suspension. Only S and Turbo offer a Porsche designed V8. The V6 is from VAG.Porsche will continue to offer it's own V8 for the Cayenne. I don't know what the V6 engine will be. Perhaps by Suv's being designed and engineered by VAG the costs will be better amortized so that Porsche's "new" V6(currently offered in the bottom wrung Panamera) will finally be put into the Cayenne and Cajun. It remains to be seen.Anyway Audi is a very capable division. You all have heard of a mid-engined awd sportscar called the R8.If they can design that they can certainly design an SUV.
I think Porsche has the better deal. They get to design all the sportscars, coupes and luxury sedans that are RWD for both Bentley and probably Lamborghini.(As in Estoque). What's nice is the small midengined sportscar to be shared with Audi,VW, and Porsche will utimately have final design and engineering done by Porsche.This protects their "sportscar" heritage. Audi essentially focuses on FWD and AWD platforms as they have done in the past. It has been a good formula because the original VW water cooled 4 cylinder was an Audi designed engine from the get go. Until the FWD golf all VW had was an aircooled flat 4.

In my opinion I believe that if VAG conitnues on with Bugatti, Porsche will have a hand in the engineering of it as well. I also think that it makes the most sense as this has been Porsche's legacy all along.The fact that they can make a RWD rear engined car handle the way it does speaks volumes for their engineering capability.