Big Mistake? Audi Considers DITCHING Quattro AWD On RS Models For REAR Wheel Drive!

Mercedes-Benz went from rear-wheel drive to all-wheel drive on its E63 and S63 AMG models. BMW has said it will likely go all-wheel drive from rear-wheel drive on its M models. Why is it surprising that Audi would go from all-wheel to rear-wheel on its RS models?

Audi should make the determination on a model-by-model basis.

With the amount of power RS models have they should stay AWD, which will help with performance and putting down the power. Lower end models would be fine with RWD option.

The guy from Audi says they're considering RWD to compete with more focused models from M and AMG. So I'm thinking this will maybe be an option for some kind of 'RS Plus' models that are more performance-focused than the regular RS models. They brought out a RWD version of the Huracan so maybe this is following that line of thinking. Although coming from a oompany that doesn't make any RWD cars it will be interesting to see if they can improve the driving experience vs. AWD

So, all this BS about "why would I want our cars to drift because that's not the most efficient way around a track" was just that, BS?

They better get the engine off of the nose of the car if they're going for rwd.

Quattro is not a company. It's a trim level.

I'm trying to imagine an RWD vehicle with the engine placed in the chassis where it is for an FWD design and how that would handle. It would seem that AWD would be a blessing and conversely the RWD chassis set up that way cursed from the get go.

I think all Audi sedans and coupes should be RWD designs with AWD optional rather than FWD designs to start with.

Audi already make less profit per car than BMW or MB, that's with the platform sharing from VW. Can you imagine what profit levels will look like if they had to start producing their own platforms?

The profit figure is obviously highly dependent on costs. Audi has invested massive amounts of money on autonomous driving and the A8 will showcase the result of that investment. Profits fluctuate all the time based on R&D and it makes sense for Audi's profit to right now be lower given its costly investments in autonomous driving.

Everybody is investing in autonomous driving

Profit #3rd

Well one can assume Porsche would be in charge of chassis development. But I question why after all these years that Audi chooses to Abandon AWD based performance models. Why not tweak them or develop something akin to what Ford has done with the Focus RS. Audi's philosophy has always been high performance with stability. Certainly engine placement can improve and ultimately improve handling further. Quattro make them unique and they certainly have their audience. No Audi customer is going to want to go drifting with their car so I fail to see the point.

How can you make this blanket statement: "No Audi customer is going to want to go drifting with their car so I fail to see the point."?

Drifting is giddy fun. Are you saying that Audi driver want cars devoid of fun?

Darringer-Your average Audi driver likes Audi's because they are well made, have beautiful interiors, are very powerful yet very stable. Audi has made it's reputation on Quattro AWD. It has been a philosophy that has worked for them. They have stood out from the luxury car crowd for doing just this. Probably more than half of the Audi drivers are very rich women who don't even know what all the controls do. I know of one who barely has any miles on her S4. It is of course a dual clutch as she does not know how to drive a manual and would never buy one. Sure drifting is fun but your average Audi driver is simply not interested. Drifting is for Porsche sports cars and BMW M2's, not 4door Audi's.

I agree with MDarringer, you're making sweeping statements that sound uniformed and more like your opinion than anything else. And if it is your opinion then my opinion is you're wrong. Most Audi buyers value stability over anything else? Even RWD cars from other German competitors are designed to do high speeds on the autobahn while being very stable.

More than half of Audi drivers are very rich women? Please dude. Please. Do you have to be "very rich" to drive an Audi? The A3 starts at $31k. When you start adding sexism and gender bias into the equation, then your credibility is in negative figures. Read more

So Audis are for dull people who need to take fiber laxatives?

I agree with MDarringer, you're making sweeping statements that sound uniformed and more like your opinion than anything else. And if it is your opinion then my opinion is you're wrong. Most Audi buyers value stability over anything else? Even RWD cars from other German competitors are designed to do high speeds on the autobahn while being very stable.

More than half of Audi drivers are very rich women? Please dude. Please. Do you have to be "very rich" to drive an Audi? The A3 starts at $31k. When you start adding sexism and gender bias into the equation, then your credibility is in negative figures. Read more.

Where I live there are some incredibly rich woman who drive a lot of Audi's. The A4 and Q5 are the models you see the most. There is one R8 in town that I see rarely as well as a couple of TT RS's. I've also seen about 3 or 4 A5 coupes. There are a few men that drive them. The ratio where I live seems to be about 70/30 in favor of the women. This is pure observation. I've seen some young kids driving around in old used A4's with "gangster" wheels as well.