With the five-cylinder TT RS and the V10-powered R8 gone, you might be tempted to say the Audi Sport lineup is missing a lot of excitement. That’s true to some extent, but the managing director of Four Ring’s go-fast division promises more performance models are on the way. Talk with CarSebastian Grams said the team was looking for a “different kind of concept” to replace the mid-engined supercar.
The R8 successor should fit into the Volkswagen Group’s electrification strategy, and the same can be said of the TT. Parent company Audi had to give the proverbial go-ahead. Gram went on to say there would “definitely” be more SUVs with the RS badge in the future, without going into details. One has to wonder if the next-generation Q5 will finally receive the Audi Sport treatment to rival the AMG GLC and BMW X3 M.
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Managing Director of Audi Sport also promised an additional RS electric car to follow up on the RS E-Tron GT. Future models without combustion engines are being engineered without adding too much weight by finding the perfect balance between extra power and battery.
Plus, a plug-in hybrid performance car is on the way and it’s “nothing less amazing than what you’re driving today.” As per the announcement made in September 2019, the next generation RS4 Avant will adopt the PHEV setup. Not all models will get the RS treatment as the German brand wants to avoid what Sebastian Grams calls “RS inflation”.
When asked about whether the company’s commitment to Formula 1 from 2026 with Sauber would lower the R&D budget for road cars, Audi Sport officials said that would not be the case. He explained that limiting the F1 budget was important to avoid spending a lot of money to be ahead of the competition.
By 2030, all Audi Sport models will be electrified to some extent, meaning the ICE-only car days are numbered. Meanwhile, the company has ruled out creating a four-cylinder RS model, unlike Mercedes-AMG’s “45” range.
