Audi Green Lights R4 For Production - Who Should Be Worried?

this is craziness, i never thought id see the day where i might be able to afford a mid engined Audi based on a RWD platform. do i get another A4 when the B9 arrives or do i wait for this R4 and say f*** the rear seats?

You mean $39000 US, I don't think it will happen.

NeoReaper, this is the beauty of platform sharing on display. Audi is rapidly adding new models to fill existing product gaps.

The BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK will be in the crosshairs of the Audi R4, nut with a mid-engine layout, the R4 will handle more along the lines of a Porsche Cayman.

This might even attract some would-be BMW M3 buyers who might decide to heck with the rear-seats if they can get a mid-engined, reasonably priced small sports car that doesn't go options crazy like Porsche is known for doing with its entire lineup.

i totally agree, ive been a fan of platform sharing for quite some time and its great to see its fruition.

To honest with you I think the price for this car is to good to be true. I mean $24,000 pounds (I presume) for an Audi R4. I thought this car suppose to slot between the Audi TT/TTRS and Audi R8 V8/V10/V10 Plus/GT?

If it is than I think it will cost more than $24,000 pounds (I presume) even for the base model. I have to wait and see to believe.

Audi actually offers MORE bang for your buck when compared to the closest BMW and Mercedes-Benz model.

Sure, in terms of performance models (S & RS) Audi might charge a premium over the competition, but with regards to basic A4, A6, A8 models, Audi offers similar performance with more levels of standard equipment and is usually priced a few to several thousand dollars less, especially when the BMW xDrive and Mercedes-Benz 4-Matic boxes are checked off.

It's the basic philosophy of offering equal or slightly lower performance, equal and usually higher levels of comfort and luxury interiors, equal or better levels of technology, and attractive exterior design for a price that undercuts the competition.

39,000 U.S? This is Audi we are talking about. They cant even price a front engine sedan that low. Much less a RWD mid-engine convertible. Audi and the word "Bargain" aren't mutually inclusive. You will never read about an Audi offering more "Bang-for-the-Buck" than it's competitors. Audis are overpriced vehicles.

just cuz Lexus cant make a compelling vehicle doesnt mean Audi doesnt. the A3 and A4 starts below 39k. i have no idea what youre talking about...

upon inspection of the website, so does the A5, TT, and Q5.

The render looks good, and I like the idea of the car. Curious what it will cost. Presumably this is designed to slot above the TT, especially since it's based on the Boxster/Cayman. Price it lower and you won't sell any TT's, and you'll cannibalize Boxster/Cayman sales. There's a lot more real estate between the TT and R8 than there is below the TT.

And Lexus makes BORING vehicles with no soul to them. Still love my new Audi A6.

wow, -9 and I said I liked it. Wonder what it would've been if I'd said I didn't?

Hot! Very good looking.

Audi R4 pic (German car mag)
http://tinyurl.com/nx42ck3

Audi R4 e-tron concept at car show
http://tinyurl.com/ltrz6de


International engine of the year awards:

Engines from Ferrari over 4 liter category), McLaren (3 to 4 liters) and Porsche (2.5 to 3 liters) won in their sizes, as well as:

Best engine: 2-2.5 Liter
2.5 –Liter TFSI in Audi TT-RS

Best engine 1-1.4 Liter
1.4-Liter TSI in Volkswagen Golf

Best new engine
1.4-Liter TSI in Volkswagen Golf

http://tinyurl.com/kt33myz

http://tinyurl.com/kholng7

Wait a minute. This article is two years old, June 2, 2011 to be exact. How about something a little more recent before we begin banging the drums?

Apr 23, 2013

"Speaking with Autocar, Audi R&D boss Wolfgang Dürheimer revealed that a Porsche Boxster-sized sports car had been in “design, packaging and evaluation” phases but was not a major priority.

He went on to reveal that developing a new sports car with sufficient technology but with a pricetag between that of the TT and R8 would be difficult.

“We would want to bring technology to the segment, but getting the volume and pricing right for a mainstream sports car would be a challenge,” he said."

So the article for June 2, 2011 is not only out dated it's also fiction.

Here is the URL from Motor Authority

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1083700_could-audi-revive-stillborn-r4-sports-car

Recent information indicates that a production version of the R4 is being developed. It appears one of the issues is where to re-position the TT in order to position the R4.

Your Apr 23, 2013 article from the so-called 'Motor Authority' site rehashed part of an article from the Autocar site. Motor Authority omitted certain information in order to lead readers to assume the R4 is still born.

The next day, Apr 24, 2013, another writer from the same Motor Authority site reported: "Audi may be re-considering production of a mid-range sports car to slot between the R8 and the TT. This is a good idea, especially if it looks anything like our rendering."
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1083733_mercedes-cla-shooting-brake-audi-r4-cadillac-ats-coupe-todays-car-news

Why the contradiction? Two different individuals from the same website read a vague Autocar article on April 20 and came to different conclusions.

Autocar article April 20, 2013: 'Durheimer also said there was space below the R8 for an Audi sports car, as well as above it. He said a Porsche Boxster-sized model had been in "design, packaging and evaluation" phases, but the project was not a priority. "It's difficult to realise for production," said Durheimer. "We would want to bring technology to the segment, but getting the volume and pricing right for a mainstream sports car would be a challenge." "Something mid-engined would be the perfect solution for an Audi of this size," he added. "It would have two boots, perfect weight distribution and perfect handling." '
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/shanghai-auto-show/audi-still-warm-hypercar-production-shanghai-motor-show-2013

May 18, 2011, Australian site Motoring: "Audi's next-generation TT will take a considerable leap in price to make way for the company's upcoming R4 baby sports car, according to sources in Ingolstadt. While it will be based on 2013's all-new A3, Audi will soften the TT and position it at least 10 percent higher to give the mid-engined baby sports car room to move. That means the baby sports car can't possibly arrive before 2014 and could possibly be even later. Despite rumours in Germany that it had killed off the ambitious small sports car project it will share with both Volkswagen and Porsche, sources insist Audi design boss, Wolfgang Egger is already working on the production version of the R4. "We have to move the TT upwards slightly to push the R4 in slightly below where the TT sits today," one source insisted. "It has definitely not been cancelled. It's still on. The timing is difficult, though, because there are a lot of things we have to do first to let it work. "It will still be shared with Porsche and VW and that's the current plan, but it will need to wait, for us, until we move the TT's positioning or we don't have the room in the brand for it." The R4, which made its debut as the R4 e-tron at last year's Detroit Motor Show, will share the clever MRS (Mid, Rear, Sports) architecture with Vol

The R4, which made its debut as the R4 e-tron at last year's Detroit Motor Show, will share the clever MRS (Mid, Rear, Sports) architecture with Volkswagen's MX-5-chasing Bluesport and Porsche's sub-Cayman baby car. Likely to be powered by a version of Audi's much-lauded TFSI 2.0-litre, turbo-charged, direct-injection four cylinder mated to a DSG gearbox, the R4 will also be capable of the hybrid and electric power Audi sees as its future."
http://www.motoring.com.au/news/2011/prestige-and-luxury/audi/tt/audi-moves-tt-for-r4-24894

May 24, 2013, Australian site Motoring: Audi Australia boss Andrew Doyle said "Personally I think there would be a market here for a smaller R8. We haven't got confirmation, and for good reason I think the guys are keeping a few things to themselves. But my personal opinion is that [R4] would find a market for itself, especially if it's anywhere near as dynamic and as appealing as an R8 but in a smaller package." Though still to be officially confirmed, Audi's top brass in Germany continue to hint that the R4 will happen, once timing and range positioning has been decided. As a volume seller, it will probably be pitched below the TT at a more affordable price, but Audi has previously indicated it wouldn't launch the R4 before the new third-generation TT arrives in 2014... it would be unlikely to show up before the new TT, sometime in 2015.'
http://www.motoring.com.au/news/2013/audi/audi-r4-perfect-for-oz-36766

Uh oh, I want one!