# More Audi R5 News from Georg Kacher Piece about Porsche 551



## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

Earlier this week we'd posted a story linking a Volkswagen Group chassis architecture guide published last week by Georg Kacher over at Automobile. Kacher's submitted another piece this week about the Porsche 551 - the so-called "Baby Boxster" that was slated to be a corporate cousin of the proposed Audi R5.

Kacher's got new details on 551, including confirmation of scaled down MSB-M (MSB Mid) architecture and a timeframe pushed out from 2014 to 2017 based on Porsche's own full plate of projects that would sell more cars and earn more money for Stuttgart.

The article confirms what we already knew, that Volkswagen and Audi have both cooled on the idea of building their own versions of such a car, although Kacher seems to think that Audi's problem is more that the car would be developed by Porsche.

The article didn't officially say R5 was done for, but it did say Porsche was willing to go it alone on 551, even without VW or Audi. Apparently by basing the car on MSB Porsche can still achieve enough economies of scale with components shared from other MSB-based products (Porsches, Lamborghinis, etc.) that the model will likely still work.

So what do you think? Is Audi better off with no R5 than with a Porsche-developed R5?

* Full Story - Automobile Magazine*


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## Microice (Dec 10, 2011)

The moment the 551 comes I think the R5 would be a go with Audi building the car. It wouldn't make sense for Porsche to build the R5 as that is akin to Audi building the Macan as its running on the Q5 platform and engines.


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

Microice;bt1841 said:


> The moment the 551 comes I think the R5 would be a go with Audi building the car. It wouldn't make sense for Porsche to build the R5 as that is akin to Audi building the Macan as its running on the Q5 platform and engines.


Porsche will build Macan in Porsche factory according to their press release. Given the timeframe, audi could build R5 and an MSB-based R8 on same line. Porsche would simply develop.


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## R5T (Apr 7, 2010)

I already think the R8 don't belong in the Audi line-up at all, let alone there will be another useless mid engined car in the line-up.
I don't see the point in building this kinds of cars while the rest of the Audi range are mostly boring cars.
The New A3 is a shiny example of a modern boring Audi car.


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

R5T;bt1846 said:


> I already think the R8 don't belong in the Audi line-up at all, let alone there will be another useless mid engined car in the line-up.
> I don't see the point in building this kinds of cars while the rest of the Audi range are mostly boring cars.
> The New A3 is a shiny example of a modern boring Audi car.


They can't all be RS cars. I don't find the A3 boring, but I'm also more of an S, RS or R customer myself. I think though if you asked Audi marketing, even if they never made a dime on the R8 it's been a home run for Audi and the building of the brand. I suspect you'd find a lot of people who disagree with your statement, myself included.


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## Microice (Dec 10, 2011)

R5T;bt1846 said:


> I already think the R8 don't belong in the Audi line-up at all, let alone there will be another useless mid engined car in the line-up.
> I don't see the point in building this kinds of cars while the rest of the Audi range are mostly boring cars.
> The New A3 is a shiny example of a modern boring Audi car.


You have a point when you say there is no point in the R8 if everything else is not as good. Though Audi's aren't ugly they could do with some out of the box thoughts. I don't mind the A3 being ok if they give us a limited run of cars like the A1 clubsport, Quattro concept and R5 to spice things up. Maybe the higher ups (Porsche?) are not so keen on Audi being so sporty.


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

Microice;bt1849 said:


> You have a point when you say there is no point in the R8 if everything else is not as good. Though Audi's aren't ugly they could do with some out of the box thoughts. I don't mind the A3 being ok if they give us a limited run of cars like the A1 clubsport, Quattro concept and R5 to spice things up. Maybe the higher ups (Porsche?) are not so keen on Audi being so sporty.


All the cars you mention here are very specialty cars... very low volume. Even Porsche would not do so well if it did not have the Cayenne. Not everyone buys hard-edged sportscars. In the US the #1 and #2 segments are pickup trucks and family sedans.


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## squishacorn (Jan 17, 2008)

R5T;bt1846 said:


> I already think the R8 don't belong in the Audi line-up at all, let alone there will be another useless mid engined car in the line-up.
> I don't see the point in building this kinds of cars while the rest of the Audi range are mostly boring cars.
> The New A3 is a shiny example of a modern boring Audi car.


There are no words to express how intensely I disagree with you on every point of your comment. So I won't even try.  But I am curious. What are you comparing the "rest of the audi range" to? Ferrari? Porche? Some other exotic? I think if you were to compare apples to apples you might come to a different conclusion.


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## Microice (Dec 10, 2011)

[email protected];bt1851 said:


> All the cars you mention here are very specialty cars... very low volume. Even Porsche would not do so well if it did not have the Cayenne. Not everyone buys hard-edged sportscars. In the US the #1 and #2 segments are pickup trucks and family sedans.


I didn't mean to say Audi should focus on the speciality cars and not the bread and butter. My favourite Audi of all time is the B7 A4 2.0 Quattro. But the reason the R8 is so loved is because its an out of the box car from a bread and butter manufacturer and I wouldn't mind another car along those lines.


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## R5T (Apr 7, 2010)

Microice;bt1854 said:


> I didn't mean to say Audi should focus on the speciality cars and not the bread and butter. My favourite Audi of all time is the B7 A4 2.0 Quattro. But the reason the R8 is so loved is because its an out of the box car from a bread and butter manufacturer and *I wouldn't mind another car along those lines.*


And that car is called TT.


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## John Y (Apr 27, 1999)

I'll buy one, whichever badge end up on it.


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## Microice (Dec 10, 2011)

John Y;bt1857 said:


> I'll buy one, whichever badge end up on it.


New reports say Audi trademarked the 'R6' name so there it can go either way with the name.


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## John Y (Apr 27, 1999)

Microice;bt1858 said:


> New reports say Audi trademarked the 'R6' name so there it can go either way with the name.


Yeah, I meant the Porsche or the Audi badge - I'd take the VW version too, if that were the only one to be produced.


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## R5T (Apr 7, 2010)

Audi also have filed trademark for "R6"
This could means the next R8 move up to Aventador level and creating space between TT and next R8 for a R5//R6.
Mening the R5 will be a 2.5TFSI 5 cylinder and the R6 could get the all new V6 Bi-Turbo 3.0TFSI engine.


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

R5T;bt1864 said:


> Audi also have filed trademark for "R6"
> This could means the next R8 move up to Aventador level and creating space between TT and next R8 for a R5//R6.
> Mening the R5 will be a 2.5TFSI 5 cylinder and the R6 could get the all new V6 Bi-Turbo 3.0TFSI engine.


Interesting but I don't see R8 moving up market. I suspect this is more simply them filling in the gaps and buying up the nameplates. Call it the Q7 lesson.


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## rs4life1337 (Dec 24, 2014)

R5T;bt1846 said:


> I already think the R8 don't belong in the Audi line-up at all, let alone there will be another useless mid engined car in the line-up.
> I don't see the point in building this kinds of cars while the rest of the Audi range are mostly boring cars.
> The New A3 is a shiny example of a modern boring Audi car.



They are not boring at all, if you take the time to learn about them and drive every one and know what Makes them unique you will fall in love with the great cars they truly are.

ABS:thumbup:


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