The Audi R4 is an EV roadster that will share its chassis with the next generation mid engine sports cars from Porsche and will be powered by a a purely electric drive train with with two motors placed at the front and two more at the rear axle fed go juice from a next generation Lithium ion battery pack, just like the E-Tron concept. With over 300 HP the R4 should be good for a 4.8 second 0 to 60 MPH run and will have a range of up to 155 miles.
Audi recently revealed the E-Tron concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and shortly after announced that the electrified R8 super car is a preview a future electric car from the four ringed automaker. The latest reports have said that Audi is planning on taking on Tesla’s electric roadster with a German topless wonder of their own, and best of all the design will be inspired by the curvaceous E-tron concept.
Audi’s EV roadster is being called the R4 and the new zero emissions sports car will share its chassis with the next generation mid engine sports cars from its German Porsche cousins the Boxster and Cayman. However unlike the flat six powered sports cars, the future R4 will be powered by a a purely electric drive system made up of a quartet of motors, with two placed at the front and two more at the rear axle and fed go juice from a next generation Lithium ion battery pack, just like the E-Tron concept.
The flow of electrons will generate a total of 300 HP and over 3,300 lb-ft of torque thanks to the nature of electric motors that will deliver an instant acceleration and propel the open air EV from 0 to 60 MPH in just 4.8 seconds and can run for a range of up to 155 miles, all without emitting a single hydrocarbon.
This is definitely not the first time you’ve heard about a future baby R8, known as the R4. The last reports suggest that the Audi R4 will be in fact the production version of the BlueSport concept revealed by Volkswagen at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
This is the first time that anyone has said that the R4 will use a smaller powerplant than the ones found in the TT. This means that we will see a range of 1.4 TSI, 1.8 TSI and 2.0TDI engines. The engine from the newly launched TT RS might also be used in a powerful high-performance version of the R4.
The Audi R4 will be offered in both coupe and roadster bodies. The baby R8 will be priced between the Volkswagen production version of the BlueSport concept and a Porsche based on the same architecture. Can you say 914?
Fire up the rumormill again. We’ve been bringing rumors about Audi working a "baby R8" known as the R4. Now here’s where it gets tricky...
We know Volkswagen wants to share the BlueSport concept with premium brands Audi and new cousin Porsche. We’ve heard that the R4 will likely share many pieces with the next Porsche Boxster. Also we there are rumors going around that if Porsche gets in bed with the VW BlueSport chassis, it will be the basis for either a 914 revival or the next generation Boxster (which will get a four-cylinder engine).
So here’s one possible scenario for the R4’s birth: It’s based on the BlueSport, which will also be the basis for the next-generation Boxster. This rumor is still a little thin, so don’t bother trying to chart this one just yet.
If the R4 does see the light of day, it will likely be offered with two seats in both coupe and roadster versions. It could use a version of the 2.0-liter turbo four cylinder engine, that is also rumored for the Volkswagen R20. In the top-of-the-line application, it may make as much as 300 hp. Pricing would likely be in-line with Audi’s social standing and would be in between anything that VW and Porsche would offer.
AutoExpress revealed today new details/speculation on the future R4 that is set to be released in 2011. It will be built on an entirely new platform and will be placed above TT in Audi’s line-up. It seems Porsche is getting into is role as Volkswagen’s owner, because the R4’s new platform will also likely underpin the next generation lighter Boxster and Cayman.
Like many of the future Audi model the design will be inspired by the R8 sport car getting LED lights, large trapezoidal air intakes and low profile. Under the hood of the future R4, Audi will likely raid the bin of TFSI engines, with the entry-level model most likely to get a highly tuned 2.0-liter turbo. There will also be a 335bhp 2.5-litre five-cylinder option.
Also mentioned was the diesel version of the R8 looks like it will make production. While an oil-burning sports car may keep some people’s head scratching, the formula seems to be a good one: 500 hp V12 engine with 190 mph top speed and 25 mpg. The car will likely be named R10. A car with a V12 called R10 may start the head scratching again, but remember, Audi’s Le Mans dominating gas powered V8 car was called the R8, and its diesel V12 replacement was the R10 TDI.
First rumors said it will be called R4, then possibly the R3; but either way it looks like it will have a future. Here is a new rendering of Audi’s plans for a smaller roadster to go under the R8.
The future R4 (or R3) will replace the current generation TT and will compete with the next-generation Porsche Cayman set to be launched in 2013. It will be offered in both coupe and roadster versions.
The Audi R4 will be built off an all-new mid-engine platform and will be a strict two-seater. The R4 will be powered by a series of engines, but the top of them will likely be a V6 engine delivering around 280-300hp.
Audi of America boss Johan de Nysschen announced that there will be a small sport/utility vehicle and another supercar added to its U.S. lineup.
The new SUV will be placed bellow the Q5 and will have the same size as the Toyota RAV4. Audi has previously hinted at the small SUV, which might not be called a "Q"—since the company has a deal with Nissan that lets it use the badge on only the two larger vehicles, the Q5 and the Q7.
He also confirmed there will be a new supercar coming to America, but he offered no other details about the future model.
Johan de Nysschen said it’s unlikely that Audi will bring the small A1 to the United States in its first life cycle.
Could the supercar be the long denied R4?
In the past few years there are rumors about a "baby" version of its R8 supercar to challenge the Porsche Boxster premium roadster. The new model was supposed to be called R4 and go into production in 2010 with a sales target of 30,000 units a year.
But now, internal Audi sources told Automotive news that the automaker has no plans to build such an R4. " It was never in our product planning," the spokesman said.
German media reports say Porsche’s top executives are concerned about Audi developing cars that threaten Porsche sales. Porsche is expected to take majority control of Audi parent Volkswagen group in the next three months.
Colin Couchman, a London-based automotive analyst at Global Insight, said increased competition between Audi and Porsche would not be a good strategic move over the long term. " It’s best to keep the Audi and Porsche brands as separate as possible," he said.
Porsche has denied any involvement in developing with Audi’s help a new baby SUV, but according to Car Magazine the two companies joined forces on creating the R4 model and the next generation Boxster/Cayman.
Full story
Audi is working on a small sports car called the R4, a car that will challenge the
Porsche Boxster and will be launched in 2010. If will be made,
Audi will invade the territory owned by Porsche, which now has a near-controlling interest in the
Volkswagen group.
The Audi’s supercar R8 is a a current example of Audi pushing into Porsche territory. When it goes on sale in the spring, the R8 will compete against the
Porsche 911. Audi plans to build 4,000 units of the €104,000 R8. Through 11 (
> Full story
This year Audi has launched the new TT and the R8 supercar, but this are not all the goodies coming from Audi. In 2010 will be launched a new sport car, as a main competitor for the 2009
BMW Z4 and its M-badged variants. The R4 will be built together with another company from the
Volkswagen Group, probably
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