Audi R5 to Be Launched in 2014

Audi has been the car maker with the wind in its sails these past few years. What was once a builder of gray saloons for businessmen now is an outright supercar manufacturer that can match the best of Porsche and Aston Martin.

Now, according to Carmagazine sources, Audi is planning to launch a brand new mid-engined sports two-seater to rival models from Lotus. The car will share its “MiMo” (Mittelmotor - mid-engined in German) with other future sports cars from Porsche and Volkswagen.

Though the news is not officially confirmed, a car like this will make a lot of sense, as Lotus’ new lineup has opened a gap in the market for a lighter mid-engined sports car with a prestigious German badge. The future Audi sports car is supposed to only be 3.9 meters (153 inches) long, as the Ingolstadt manufacturer is aiming for lightness to increase both fuel efficiency and driving dynamics.

The e-tron concept on which the R5 will be based on is powered by an electric motor, thus a hybrid version is a definite possibility. However, we can expect the range topping version of the R5 to be equipped with Audi’s more traditional 2.5-liter turbo engine from the TT-RS. Smaller 2.0-liter TSI engines will also make the car relevant in the world of low-emissions we are likely to see in the near future.

According to the same Carmagazine sources, we can expect the car to be launched in 2014, the same year as Lotus’ new lineup. The sports car will be built at the Karmann factory in Osnabrück (Austria), and will most likely have both a convertible and a coupe version.