Given the risks of product overlap. I mean who would buy an RS5 if they could buy a Sports Quattro for €10,000-€20,000 more? So, auditt, you could be right. There is a chance that Audi will only make 500 or 1,000. At this stage, there are only three certainties:
1. Styling of R4/ e-tron / Sports Quattro will make into production in one form or another
2. We can expect to see more of the 2.5-litre 5-cylinder engine and the longitudinal transmission of the S4/ S5/ RS5
3. There is massive demand for a a proper Quattro replacement
It would be nice to see all this in a car costing €50,000. The TT-RS would be that car if it didn't use the Golfs platform and Haldex AWD. The RS5 would be that car if it used the 5-cylinder engine in a much lighter body. Neither the TT nor the A5 can cut it, because the Sports Quattro has immediately made their styling look boring and dated. So, what I'm saying here is that a mainstream Quattro replacement represents a significant new mainstream model for Audi with potentially awesome profits. Why blow it by only making 500 units?
I've always regarded the Audi Quattro as the thinking man's 911 (apologies to Fab).
I can't wait for it to return. I'll pay 911 money for it, but not Ferrari figures.
Basta.