Autoblog

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Over the past five years, Volkswagen has continued to tease us with sports car concepts that never seem to come to fruition. Back in 2003, VW unveiled the Concept R in Frankfurt to critical acclaim and two years later, the wraps came off the EcoRacer, proving that the automaker was still kicking around the idea of a lightweight, affordable roadster for the masses.

In the interim, VW had two similar concepts that never left the studio, but when the Los Angeles Auto Show rolls along later this year, a new mid-engine coupe will be revealed, and this one actually has a shot at production.

According to Autocar, this newest concept aims to be a budget alternative to the Lotus Elise, balancing performance and fuel economy in a low-cost package. Sources suggest that the coupe will feature either a 168 hp, 1.4-liter TSI gasoline engine or a 125 hp, 1.6-liter TDI mounted amidships and sending power to the rear wheels via a seven speed DSG gearbox. If and when the production version debuts in 2011, the coupe's curb weight is pegged at just over 2,200 pounds, allowing it to run to 60 in under seven seconds while still returning over 55 mpg.

If the project is given the green light, the same architecture that underpins the VW variant could form he basis for the oft-rumored and continually denied Audi R4. And with Porsche's stake in V-Dub, that means a 914 successor is just a badge and prayer away.



[Source: Autocar]

For almost a year, we've been hearing rumors from a variety of sources that Audi planned to build a mid-engine sports car that would utilize the Porsche Boxster's underpinnings after the Stuttgart crew takes a majority stake in Audi's parent company, Volkswagen. By most accounts, including a leaked product outline, the so-called Audi R4 was on its way to production by 2010. But according to Automotive News, the plans have been dashed due to Porsche executives who worry that the R4 could steal sales away from their beloved Boxster.

AN quotes an Audi spokesperson as saying that, "It was never in our product planning." While some industry insiders maintain that it's best to keep the VW/Porsche alliance separate, Nick Margetts, from the automotive analysis firm JATO Dynamics, maintains that the R4 never would have threatened Boxster sales. Margetts says that, "Audi drivers are very different from Porsche drivers," and we tend to agree.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

It's obvious that the fast-paced risks Colin McRae endured during his time behind the wheel have set the tone of his retirement. The term "retirement" is a total misnomer however, as McRae has kept himself busy consulting, marketing and developing his own line of rally machines. The R4 is so close to completion that McRae has taken on another project dubbed the Enduro.

Much like the R4, its purpose is to offer privateers an entry-level means of competing in cross-country rallies, approved by the FIA's T1 regulations that cover everything from Dakar to other Baja-style campaigns.

The machine was developed in conjunction with MDV Specialist Engineering and is made up of a space-frame chassis in which a Land Rover-sourced, turbocharged diesel 2.7-liter V6, tuned by Roush, produces 240 HP and 383 lb.-ft. of torque. Power is sent to the all four wheels via a six-speed ZF transmission equipped with a non-variable LSD in both the rear and center.

As with the R4, McRae envisions the Enduro competing in a one-make series, named the Pirelli McRae Enduro Trofeo, which will include three FIA World Cup events and three Baja series campaigns. Pricing is expected to be around 150,000 euros when it's finally offered up next year.

[Source: EVO]

Porsche of late is doing everything to remain in the news. Crystal balls are still trying to glean what Porsche plans to do with Lamborghini and Bugatti, which have thrived under Audi's watch. Now the brand, for which there is no substitute, has struck a deal with Audi to develop an entry level sports car called the R4 as well as the next Boxster and Cayman. The R-car will be the lowest rung in an "R" lineup that will hop even numbers from R4 to R10.

The R-cars will be geared not to compete with Porsche models: the R4 will ride below the Boxster and use turboed 4- and 5-cylinder engines. The R6 sandwiched by the 911 and Boxster, the second generation R8 to come in coupe and roadster versions, and an R10 supercar based on Audi's perennial Le Mans conqueror.

What will each party get? Audi gets Porsche engineering, Porsche gets aluminum spaceframes, diesel tech, DSG for all torque ratings, and they both get massive R&D savings. Both the R4 and the Boxster will then benefit from each company's pool of goodies, like night vision, heads-up display, brake energy recuperation, MagnaRide from Audi, and PDC from Porsche. The only thing left to decide is the timing: the Panamera drops in 2009, and Audi wants the R4 in showrooms in 2010. Stay tuned for a lot of in-house wrangling and a slew of hot new sports cars.

[Source: Car Magazine via eGM Car Tech]

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When Colin McRae unveiled the R4 at last year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, all we saw were some static shots of the prototype underneath a makeshift tent. This year, McRae and his masterpiece were in full effect. The only problem – we were only able to capture a few shots of the R4 at night.

Read on for more.

The Audi brand is in full-blown growth mode right now, with newer products like the Q7 and A3 soon to be joined by the A5 and R8, and Audi promises that 22 new products in total are on the way. Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated product of all is the forthcoming R8, which has garnered lots of attention from news media and enthusiasts alike. Since Audi's supercar has been well-received, why not add a smaller Boxster-fighter to keep the good vibes going?

We've already told you about speculation that Audi was cooking up an R4 for 2009 or 2010, and now South Africa's topCar magazine is giving us more gas for the flame. We like Audi's 2.0L FSI turbo four, but at 270 hp, powering a 2,500-2800lb car, we'd like it even more. topCar reports that an all-new platform is being designed for the R4, with a steel spaceframe and plastic and aluminum body panels. Of course, a more sporty RS4 is rumored to be on the way as well, which could be powered by a 2.5L inline five with 350 hp.

It seems like everything under the sun is scheduled to appear in 2009 and 2010, and if even half of it comes to fruition, we'll be some busy bloggers. We hope the R4 is among the projects that makes the cut.

[Source: Wheels24 via Winding Road]

It may be the case that Audi's foray into the midtacular* world of mid-engine cars won't end with the new R8 super sports car. German outlet Autobild claims that Audi is considering a smaller mid-engine sports car called the R4 that would obviously make life a little harder for the Porsche Cayman and Boxster. It's also claiming that Audi may revive the rear/mid-engine NSU TT, the car after which the current TT was named. The original NSUs were much like the European version of the Corvair, featuring rear-mounted air-cooled four- and two-cylinder engines. The hotted up version was, of course, called the NSU TT. It's hard to tell through the garbled Google translation how solid any of this information is, but we're certain the success of Audi's mid-engine R8 will play into Ingolstadt's future product plans.

*"midtacular" on loan from Comedy Central and The Daily Show / The Colbert Report. We have to give it back before tonight's episodes.

[Source: Autobild via German Car Blog]

When AutoBild released their November issue with the above illustration on its cover, rumors of a new coupe from Audi began spreading like wildfire across the web. As we've discovered all too often, speculation and photoshopping go a long way in stoking the fires of the rumor mill. We're sure this is no exception, but a few sentences of translation and analysis can't hurt. Right?

Designed to compete with the likes of the 2009 BMW Z4 and its M-badged variants, the Audi R4 will be a strict two-seater and, much like it's larger sibling the R8, will have a mid-ship mounted engine (that's were we started glazing over). A few engine choices will be available, with the top slot being filled by a 300 HP V6. Although the mid-mounted engine placement would seem to imply that Audi is taking a shot at Porsche's Cayman and Boxter, AutoBild's sources maintain that those vehicles are not its intended competition.

If the R4 will ever see the light of day, expect it sometime in 2010. We're not holding our breath and we'd suggest you do the same.

[Source: Autobild and Fourtitude]