With the rebranding from Quattro to Audi Sport, the German manufacturer has followed through with the promise that all-wheel drive is just a powertrain, not the company.
Speaking at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Audi Sport CEO Stephan Winkelmann suggested that future vehicles could come with rear-wheel drive options.
This is quite a break from the AWD reputation Audi has made for themselves. As Symmetrical AWD is to Subaru, Quattro is to Audi. And it seems that that’s the problem. By serving as the brand identifier, the Quattro name locked Audio into the one platform. And as that platform is one that tends not to corner thanks to all that front-located engine and AWD drivetrain, Audi Sport had a struggle to make a real sports car.
Allowing for rear-wheel development allows the brand to focus on performance-specific vehicles, namely ones that can take a corner.
A RWD R8 is under development and two other models are expected to be unveiled at the Frankfurter Mo’ Sho’ this September.
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