Liking the Audi R8 is as inevitable as feeling occasionally hungry during the day or sometimes sleepy late at night. Unfortunately the sexy supercar is something the vast majority of us can only ever drool over. The R8 5.2-liter was the third most selected car in the popular Forza 3 online video game, and to give you an idea, the Jaguar XKR-S was 99th. Now, according to the UK’s Auto Express, Audi may be planning a baby R8.
Going under the R badge, the car would likely be the oft rumored R4, a car that will likely compete against the Porsche Boxster or Porsche Cayman, and be similarly priced. Initial images show a sharp looking Nissan 370Z-style body with a distinct Audi nose, similar to the TT. With the brand’s new focus on more efficient and smaller engines, the baby R8 would likely have a baby engine compared to the R8′s base 4.2-liter V-8, or remarkable 5.2-liter V-10 capable of producing 525 hp, the one that has video-game enthusiasts flocking to the R8, if only in the virtual world.
Much more likely, the R4 would have Audi’s very capable 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo 360-hp engine seen the in the TT RS, the highest performance TT model. In fact, it’s likely that the R4 could be greatly influenced by the TT RS. A hybrid version is also possible, and could come to fruition in the form of a manipulated Audi e-Tron Spyder. Regardless the R4 is likely to be developed as a convertible, requiring only a top to be added for a traditional coupe.
With a more accessible entry price, and some of the exquisite styling and luxurious, premium interiors we’ve seen from Audi, the R4 could be a huge success. Still, the car hasn’t been officially given the green light, which means at this point, we’re at least a few model years away from getting inside one.
