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With increased range, Audi R8 E-Tron revving up for production. Maybe

As Tesla Motors proved mightily in 2013, an expensive EV with a long range can sell quite nicely, thank you very much. Perhaps Audi was taking notes, since its all-electric R8 E-Tron's on-again/off-again odyssey appears to be on again, according to UK's Autocar, citing Audi's Urlich Hackenburg. The model is near the approval stage for production, and the key to the green-light is the fact that its single-charge range has been almost doubled to 250 miles. The R8 E-Tron gained kudos in these parts last June by turning in a rather brisk 8:09 time around Germany's Nurburgring track, a record for a production electric vehicle (check out the really quiet video here). Still, plans for the 376-horsepower model, which has two electric motors and was first shown off at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2009, had been put on the proverbial blocks largely because of a relatively short single-charge range of about 150 miles. Then word came out last spring that Audi would produce maybe 10 units before reports from Australia's Drive late last year indicated that plans for potentially broader production were being resuscitated.

Spy shooter confessional | Autoblog Podcast #554

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore and Green Editor John Snyder talk to SpiedBilde spy photographer Brian Williams about just how he manages to get the shots of those camouflaged prototypes. Then, our editors discuss driving the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye Widebody. They also chat about a couple of news items, including the official reveal of the Audi E-Tron Quattro, as well as the latest happenings at Ferrari — like the beautiful Monza SP1 and SP2.Autoblog Podcast #554 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Chatting with spy photographer Brian Williams of SpiedBilde Driving the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Audi E-Tron Quattro Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2, and other Ferrari news Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Audi Sport Quattro Concept to spawn volume sports car?

There have been two modern re-imaginings of the original 1984 Audi Ur-Quattro: the Quattro Concept of 2010 (shown above) and the Sport Quattro Concept revealed at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. In between them, there have been numerous rumors about what, if any, kind of production car Audi might make of them. According to a new report in Auto Motor und Sport, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler has "indicated... that the car will come," and based on the specs presented, what we get might end up being a mix of the two.
Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi's head of R&D, apparently wants a sports car with wider appeal than the 700-horsepower hybrid Sport Quattro Concept. AMS says his vision would be built on a modified A6 platform - the same MLB architecture under the Sport Quattro Concept - with ample use of carbon and aluminum keeping the weight down to around 1,300 kilograms (under 2,900 pounds). Engines could include a 2.5-liter, five-cylinder (like that of the original, smaller Quattro Concept) offering anything from 310 to 360 hp. Those numbers would be at least 48 horsepower shy of the first concept, but a less-powerful entry point to a new model range would provide a lower cost of entry. Besides, a full model range would likely include a significantly healthier powertrain option on the top end.
At the moment, Hackenberg is said to be unsatisfied with the design of the car, which could well mean we'll get another concept car before a production version appears.