The head of Audi's Quattro confirms that the next RS4 will pack a turbocharged V6—and it might make its way to the U.S. market.
Let's start with the good news. Heinz Hollerweger, head of Audi's Quattro GmbH, says that expanding sales in the U.S. is vital for improving the division's performance. "Europe is becoming a less important market, the U.S.A. and China are where we see growth happening," he told us at the press launch for the new Audi R8. So naturally we asked him about the replacement for the current RS4 (pictured)—specifically its prospects for America. And those prospects look good.
Firstly, as previously reported, Hollerweger confirmed that the new car will switch to six-cylinder power, with a turbocharged unit in place of the outgoing model's charismatic naturally aspirated V-8. "I think that power has increased more than enough, and of course other performance is improved too," he said, adding that the upcoming car will have a higher output than the last one's 420 horsepower.
Although he wouldn't discuss exact timing, he said the RS4 will be launched relatively early in the production cycle of the new A4. We're presuming that means shortly after the S4, which is due next year and which will stick with a modified version of the current car's supercharged V-6.
The more pressing question is whether the new RS4 will make it to the U.S. Hollerweger confirmed that it will launch as an Avant station wagon, saying, "that is what people expect from the RS4." Based on past experience, that means Audi America is likely to deny it to us. But there is a glimmer of hope. "The U.S. is changing, and there is more demand there [for wagons], so maybe that will change," Hollerweger said.
So will there be a sedan? Hollerweger suggested not: "we have to think of where we want to sell cars, and what is expected there. The potential in China and the U.S. for RS models is getting us thinking about body styles that may work there—maybe a hatchback, like the RS7."
With a Sportback four-door version of the current S5 having already been sold in certain markets, that sounds like a pretty broad hint that we're likely to get an RS5 Sportback rather than an RS4. RS4 Avant or RS5 Sportback, we'll take Audi's maximum A4 however we can get it.
Source: Car and Driver
