Audi’s long-rumored “baby R8” could be on the way with showcar-inspired styling and a few surprises. The compact R4 may share a basic design with new 2-seat soft-tops at the sister Volkswagen and Porsche brands. Recent word out of Volkswagen says the program still hasn't been approved for production, but if it gets the green light, it's believed the three cars will each have a character all its own.

What It Is

The 2015 Audi R4 is one of three new rear/mid-engine 2-seat roadsters being planned—but not yet approved—by parent Volkswagen Group for mid-decade debuts. The others are a VW version that will likely be patterned on the 2008 BlueSport Concept (and might keep that name), and a Porsche “550” that will slot below that brand’s Boxster in size, power, and price. All are based on VW Group’s new purpose-designed MMB sports-car platform and will thus share a basic format, a certain amount of underskin componentry, and perhaps a few major dimensions. However, Britain’s Autocar magazine reports that each model will have its own exterior and interior styling, powertrains, suspension tuning, and features so as not to compete with one another for sales.

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Early insider reports had led Consumer Guide to predict a 2012-model rollout for the R4 and 2013-model intros for the VW and Porsche (the latter once rumored as "New 356"), but the entire MMB program slipped behind schedule for various reasons, not the least of which was VW’s acquisition of Porsche AG back in 2009. As things stand now, Autocar expects the Audi R4 to start sale late in calendar 2014, suggesting a 2015-model U.S. debut. We’d guess the VW and Porsche will reach U.S. dealers by mid-2015 if not sooner. We’d also guess the three brands will be under orders to coordinate their introductions so as not to steal one another’s publicity thunder. Of course, all this assumes the trio gets approved for production. Interestingly, Audi officials recently told Autocar that the R4 will arrive after the brand’s next-generation TT premium-sporty/performance car and may also follow the redesigned version of its R8 exotic car, implying that both of those will surface by mid-2014.

Updated by Don Sikora II 1.12.2012

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