Future Audi RS Models Could Go Rear-Wheel Drive

Up until recently, Audi’s in-house performance department was called Quattro GmbH, sharing a name with the company’s all-wheel drive system. When former Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann took over Quattro last year, he re-named it Audi Sport—apparently for a very good reason. Winkelmann told Auto Express that the automaker might ditch all-wheel drive in some Audi Sport models.

“When looking at the name, we decided Quattro could be misleading,” Winkelmann said. “I can imagine we can also have cars with rear-wheel drive or two-wheel drive in the future.”

Winkelmann didn’t get into any specific plans for a future rear-drive Audi Sport model. The R8 immediately springs to our minds—its platform-mate, the Lamborghini Huracan, is offered in rear drive form, and it’s delightful. Otherwise, your guess is as good as ours.

Winkelmann has been tasked with making Audi Sport a better rival to BMW M and Mercedes-AMG, both of which offer a mix of rear- and all-wheel drive performance-oriented cars. Audi Sport is expanding its lineup in the US with new products like the RS3 sedan, and promises two more new cars to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show this fall.

Audi offers some of its current cars, like the A3, in front-wheel drive format, but the automaker hasn’t built a rear-drive road car since its rise to prominence in the 1970s.

In any case, Winkelmann clearly has big plans for Audi Sport. We can’t wait to see what he comes up with.

Article by:  CHRIS PERKINS / RoadAndTrack.com