German automaker Audi is working to go all-electric within the next decade, as it pledges to become an all-electric brand by 2033. But before that happens, Audi plans to bring some extraordinary combustion-engine-powered cars to market, designed by the automaker’s head of design Marc Lichte, as previously mentioned. He said the final series of Audi RS-badged cars with combustion engines would be exciting machines.
Audi officials say that not only the ICE-powered RS models, but also the brand’s pure electric models with the RS badge are equally impressive. “I assure you, both the EV and the ICE will be impressive. Especially the last generation ICE RS models, they will be stunning… exciting,” he told British automotive publication Top Gear. It’s clear from his comments that the brand’s traditionally-powered performance cars will shine before Audi phases in on EVs.
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However, the head of Audi design did not reveal any further details about the upcoming RS model. The next-generation RS4 and RS6 are expected to feature a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The R8 is going away, and so is the TT RS. The RS Q3 and its Sportback sibling are unlikely to retain the five-cylinder engine in their next-gen incarnations. So, it’s clear that the days of pure ICE models with RS badges are numbered.
In another interaction with Autocar UK, Audi’s design chief also revealed that the automaker is working on the next-generation A8, which will debut in 2024 as a production version of the Grandsphere. Lichte revealed that the production model will be very close to the original concept. However, he further stated that it will not be a replica of the Grandsphere concept. It could appear as the Audi A8 E-Tron, and is based on the advanced Platform Electric (PPE) architecture jointly developed by Audi and Porsche.
First published date: Jan 30, 2023 at 17:18 PM CST
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