Future for Audi RS cars Audi Sport boss on hot EVs

‘Amazing’ EV future for RS Audis

FutureofTTandRSmaybeuncertainbutelectrificationopensnewdoors,saysMD

R8 GT RWD ends ICE supercar lineage after 16 years

The electrified Audi RS models of the future will be “no less amazing” than today’s line-up, according to Audi Sport managing director Sebastian Grams.

The sub-brand will produce “partially or fully electric cars” by 2030, he said, prompting questions about how these will look, feel and drive.

The man overseeing the transformation has led Audi Sport for nearly two years, having taken over at a crucial time as it starts to build on the success of the RS E-tron GT.

Autocar spoke to him about learning from today’s high-performance EVs, Audi’s partnership with legendary gymkhana driver Ken Block and joining Formula 1 in 2026. combustion engine is involved? “We’re going in the direction of performance plug-in hybrid systems. And I can tell you that this will be no less amazing than what you’re driving today. I believe that you will also have more opportunities to design the driving performance to be even cooler for the customer. So what kind of modes do you have? You see it here with the drift mode [in the R8 GT RWD]. You can play with these things that are coming more from the electrical side and also in combination with the electric motors on board. It will be fun. ”

Do you think there’s a way to do that without adding too much weight? “This is the major question, I guess for all high-performance manufacturers. But yes, we can do that. It’s a trade-off, so we need to perfectly design that. This is exactly what my head of R&D [Steffen Bamberger] is doing brilliantly with the team: to find the perfect balance. ”

RS E-tron GT of 2021: Audi Sport’s first EV

Does combustion still have a role to play for Audi Sport, especially regarding run-out specials like the R8 GT RWD? “What you see today is pure fuel combustion [in the R8 GT RWD and the TT RS Iconic Edition], but we’re on our way to electrification with a clear plan. By 2030, we will have 100% of partially or fully electric cars. Where we have new models coming, combustion engines play a role to make a hybrid powertrain agile and fun. ” BMW M has gone on record saying it doesn’t feel that its customers are particularly concerned about a lack of engine noise. Are you also confident about keeping your fanbase in the move to EVs? “I think we have a perfect example with the RS E-tron GT. This was our first highperformance EV out of Audi Sport, and you can already see that people who drove our RS6 before are moving into the electric world and are completely open to the electric world.

“We believe that sound plays a major role also in electrification. Therefore we also decided to bring a specific RS sound to the RS E-tron GT. This isn’t like a combustion engine; it’s transformed into the electric world but also shows the performance. And with our latest product, the [S1 Hoonitron] prototype with Ken Block, we wanted to show how pure and also fascinating electrification can sound. ”

What lessons have you learned from the RS E-tron GT that you’re applying to this 2030 target? “Firstly, performance isn’t a problem at all. Secondly, with the E-tron GT and the RS E-tron GT, we also need to bring a specific differentiating design, and we need to make it more sharp. So edgy, sporty: Our biggest wish is to have an R8 successor, but it depends on other things

Grams was formerly at Seat, Porsche

people love to have these elements in the electric age. ”

Are you excited about the prospect of RS-branded SUVs? “We have our RS Q3 and RS Q8, which are very well accepted in the market. But we will definitely also bring more SUV models in the RS segment and also in the electric world. We have 16 models within the RS portfolio, and we’re trying to offer the perfect product to different customer groups. ”

Will there be a successor to the R8? Listen to Block’s S1 Hoonitron to hear RS future

“Our biggest wish is to have a successor of the

R8. If you’re asking if we need to do it, it depends on other things inside the [Volkswagen] Group. We can’t decide these things alone. Therefore we have a board of management. We’re looking for different kinds of concepts. It needs to fit our strategy in the right direction of electrification. ”

How far advanced are plans for an electric TT? “I can’t comment. Today, the TT is an icon. And what we want to show with the Iconic Edition is, let’s say, the ultimate TT you can get. We as Audi Sport always fight for perfect high-performance products in the different segments. Let’s see what the future brings. ”

Now that Audi is committed to Formula 1, will budgets be tighter for road cars? “Not at all. First of all, the regulations are changing for F1. So you have a clear cost cap giving every competitor a limit. This was important for us, as you don’t want to burn endless amounts of money.

“With F1, we want to make the [Audi] brand even more visible around the world. ” PIERS WARD