Audi's new genius: Steve Lewis

[tailpipe]

Just found out that the designer behind the R4 / E-Tron is a Brit called Steve Lewis. He is responsible for the exterior design. Car Magazine has an interview with him on their website where he talks about the E-Tron.

Looks like this is indeed the forthcoming R4. We can forget the E-Tron for the time being, I doubt that a viable electric sports car will be launched by Audi before 2018. What the R4 will be is a new mid-engined sports car, or as everyone here calls it: the R8's little brother.

The R4 clearly lends itself to the VW/ Audi range of powerful and economical 4-cylinder engines, which will do very well in such a small car. The big question is rear-wheel drive or Quattro or both? I am sure Audi will find a way to use the TT's Haldex 4 system.

If the R4 signals a new design direction for Audi, i.e. it's a TT for the next generation, this makes me wonder whether there is room for both the TT and the R4 in Audi's product line-up.

The TT has always been a Golf in fancy clothes. Sure it's quick and the TTRS version is very powerful. But it is often criticised for not being 'involving enough' to drive. The R4 will certainly be a good drive and is likely to have many of the same engines offered in the TT, so the overlap is likely to be considerable.

Besides, would you rather drive a mid-engine Audi or front-mounted engine one? I say the king is dead, long live the king or rather the TT is dead long live the R4.

The TT is also an anomaly: it is the only Audi not to have a letter and number to its name. The R4 will correct this. What it will also correct is the overlap between the S3 and the TTS.

[Zyklon5]

Most definately it will have quattro but i'm very curious about the implementation. Size and price positioning suggest the engine line up of the TT-S/RS, this car with a 2.5 TFSI should be bonkers :D the real question is what sort of AWD system will power it.

Later edit: Car Magazine also has some specs:

length 3.93m lower and narrower than a TT, 1350 kg with 400 kg of batteries. Replace the 400+ kg of batteries and electric motors with a combustion engine ~200kg and quattro hardware might just get a weight of under 1200kg.

This R4 concept is way smaller than a TT, 30 cm shorter in fact, maybe quattro isn't such a certainty. Now i realize why it seemed a little chuby from certain angles.

[RXBG]

unless audi plans to change its raison d'existence dramatically the R4 and any such will have quattro standard.

remember- audi has been working on a new awd setup for quite sometime. should be dramatically lighter, flexible, and more compact.

[PeterJohn]

Probably a clutch type faux-AWD as the R8 and TT.

I don't think a small car like this benefits much from 4WD. But I think they'll do it anyway to make a clear distiction between this and the Porsche variant.

[Zyklon5]

Maybe the 5th generation Haldex will be used.

http://www.haldex.com/en/GLOBAL/Media/Press-releases/Imported-Press-Releases/2009/Haldex-secures-order-worth-SEK-45-billion-for-All-Wheel-Drive-system-to-VW/?menu=2602

[The Pretender]

http://www.carbodydesign.com/archive/2010/01/audi-e-tron-detroit-concept-design/

[ZeroCool]

i think it's going to be the first RWD Audi ;)

[The Pretender]

i think it's going to be the first RWD Audi ;)

In that case they can keep it.

[The Pretender]

http://www.fourtitude.com/news/publish/Audi_News/article_5580.shtml

[Zyklon5]

The size similarity to A1 puts new ideas on the table. A1 will have hybrid AWD, FWD powered by the combustion engine and RWD powered by electric motors, maybe R4 will have the same drive train only reversed.

[tailpipe]

I agree that the R4 will be AWD. Not to offer this with such an overt sporting model would dilute what the brand stands, so for marketing reasons if not dynamic reasons we should expect Quattro in some form. The question is whether lesser models in the range will offer RWD. Why not? That could be interesting.

What excites me is the prospect of a new AWD system. If anyone has reliable info on the set-up, please post it.

(Edit: Having just Zyklon5's direction to the Haldex website, it looks as if it will be Haldex 5. I've heard that Haldex is increasingly good, but does it match Torsen?)

[roadrunner]

The size similarity to A1 puts new ideas on the table. A1 will have hybrid AWD, FWD powered by the combustion engine and RWD powered by electric motors, maybe R4 will have the same drive train only reversed.

That's not what I have heared: A1 based on Polo ptalform

Polo platform not prepared for AWD!

A1 = no quattro version (not even for S1)

[roadrunner]

i think it's going to be the first RWD Audi ;)

That's fine with me - as long they offer a quattro version.

For me, and that is of cource only me - quattro is part of the essence, the genetical code of Audi.

Therefore quattro is mandatory fo the R4

It brought me to the brand in 1980 with the Audi quattro introduction in Geneva (30th quattro anniversary this year btw)

I waited till i could get an Audi with quattro before buying my 1st Audi

I will ALWAYS go for the quattro option. In Austria, where we have every weather condition - it is not only marketing - but a true security feature and source of joy :incar:

Oh, and did i mention that i truly love the looks of the e-tron D and also think that we are seeing the next leap in Audi design language :bow:

[Zyklon5]

Since i'm in a bit of rush i did a quick google translate of a post from clubaudi.ro, the author works for a dealership afaik. It's about the Audi A1 and from his statements this might be a Polo platform derivate.


Usually i try not to speculate on the information on new Audi models (to press their first role as "sensational" and are not necessarily obtained from official sources) but I would like to recall the knowledge of official data factory:
- Start of production: May 2010;
- Start of delivery: September 2010;
- Obviously the car will be presented in final form at beginning of year one of the salons, and considering the target customer most likely at the Geneva on March 2, 2010;
- A common platform is VW AG group;
- Engine will highlight current policy of downsizeing: Diesel 1.6 petrol 1.2 and 1.4 in different variants of power;
- Prevailing gearboxes will be S-tronic, but there will be classic and manual gearbox;
- There will be quattro variants, but a new formula - hybrid-electric traction front traction combustion engine and rear electric motor;
- There will varinte hybrid;
- Will be at least two body variants "compact" - 3 doors and "sportback" - 5-door, but very probably a Q1 competitor for the Mini Crossover;
- Media system will be a compact, integrated, phone-navigation.
Come back when I have other official data.

[The Pretender]

I agree that the R4 will be AWD. Not to offer this with such an overt sporting model would dilute what the brand stands, so for marketing reasons if not dynamic reasons we should expect Quattro in some form. The question is whether lesser models in the range will offer RWD. Why not? That could be interesting.

What excites me is the prospect of a new AWD system. If anyone has reliable info on the set-up, please post it.

(Edit: Having just Zyklon5's direction to the Haldex website, it looks as if it will be Haldex 5. I've heard that Haldex is increasingly good, but does it match Torsen?)
The R4 also need Longitudinal engine layout IMHO.
"Haldex 5" is just another name for Saab's XWD.

[tailpipe]

The R4 also need Longitudinal engine layout IMHO.
"Haldex 5" is just another name for Saab's XWD.

Well, it looks like SAAB won't be using XWD! :harass:

More seriously, I don't think it matters whether the R4 has a longitudinally-mounted engine or a transverse one. From what I've seen of both the VW Bluesport and Audi E-Tron, the new rear-mid-engine platform looks almost certain to be transverse. Since this platform is broadly similar to that of the A3 / Golf in size (and probably in overall configuration), I see no reason why AWD cannot extend to the front axle - although I doubt there'll be much luggage space.

I view this car as a junior Ferrari. I expect it to have amazing power and on-road dynamics. I think it is going to excite a lot of people. Sorry to go back to the styling - but the more I see, the more I love it. Brilliant. It makes every other Audi look boring and dated.

I just hope the styling signals a new design language for the entire Audi brand.

[Benman]

That's fine with me - as long they offer a quattro version.

For me, and that is of cource only me - quattro is part of the essence, the genetical code of Audi.



Yep, I agree with that and what Pretender said. For me, quattro only. Otherwise if I wanted a nice handling RWD, I would just buy a BMW...

Ben:addict:

[Zyklon5]

The head of the Volkswagen Group, Martin Winterkorn, spoke with Autocar about the possibility of a new entry level Porsche model. Perhaps fancifully dubbed the 356, the new model would slot into Porsche's lineup below the Boxster and Cayman. In England, the new baby Porsche would cost about £33,000, which means nothing to us here in the U.S. and is about what a base Boxster costs. That said, the article mentions the possibility that the next generation Boxster and Cayman might go way up scale.

Big question: what would this new 356 be? Autocar speculates that the 356 will be based heavily on the mid-engine architecture of the upcoming Audi R4 and the conceptual Volkswagen Bluesport. We don't know if the 356 will be strictly a coupe or also be available as a roadster. In fact, we don't even know if the R4 will be coupe-only. We'd image the two cars will have similar, if not identical, body configurations. Though not the engine. In order to keep some brand DNA in the Porsche, the 356 will ship with a new forced-induction flat-four.

Those that remember the 944 Turbo S and the 968 know this is in no way a bad thing – except the 924 Turbo's engine was the EA831 inline-four originally intended for the Volkswagen Bus and Audi 100. It was never really any good, even in turbo form. The reborn 356's mill (most likely a turbo as opposed to supercharged) should be good for around 250 horsepower – very close to where the base Boxster/Cayman currently sits. Expect the 356 to get much better fuel economy, however.

The new 356 will share a transmission with the R4. Again, the 924, 944 and 968 shipped with a modified Audi 100 transmission acting as a transaxle, so there is precedence. As to what that transmission will be, we don't know but we'd guess a DSG of some sort. Audi's R4 should arrive sometime in 2011, with the Porsche 356 bowing in 2012. Is any of this going to actually, you know, happen? Magic 8-Ball says, "Ask again later."

Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/28/rumormill-volkswagen-head-kinda-confirms-new-entry-level-pors/)

[The Pretender]

The e-tron II from detroit is 100% a transverse mid engined designed car. (Bluesport based).
If the Boxster/Cayman will go way up-scale it mean they will be in a different league then a bluesport based R4.
I realy like the e-tron II but i don't like the fact it will most likely transverse Bluesport based with some kind of Haldex layout if ever 4WD.