Audi Sport Not In Any Hurry To Build Halo Car, Report Says
Crossovers and EVs come first for the Ingolstadt marque.
Audi Sport's recent influx of supped-up RS models has got the industry hopping and waiting for its next big move. Speculation claims that the brand could be working on its hottest car of all, but according to CEO Stephan Winkelmann, there's no rush. The list of priorities for Audi as a whole is one that pushes volume and electrification first in order to make room for that glorified-hypercar project down the road, reports Automotive News.
It's all a part of Winkelmann's plan to globalize the Audi brand. By first harping on consumer favorites like the proven large vehicle and EV segments, the automaker will have a foot in the door of markets across the world.
"This is important because this is one of the things which is allowing you to have a worldwide presence," Winkelmann said. "The segment is growing, and we have good synergies there, and we also have fantastic cars in terms of design and performance."
Not only will it help to build the Audi name, it will also help grow the capital needed to develop a possibly world-beating exotic.
Audi Sport's decision to pick and choose which models it treats to extra performance is unique to that of other in-house tuners like Mercedes-AMG. The latter makes go-fast versions of 23 different models while Audi Sport will stick to a more exclusive approach, further building the grandeur of the Audi Sport brand. This, along with a strengthened global reach, will help pave the way for its most extreme model to date.
"I'm very keen on working on this in the future," Winkelmann mentions in regard to a hypercar project. "I think not only the brand deserves it, but there is a demand outside, and the [customers] are looking into it."
According to him, a list of consumers have already inquired about a possible halo car, but they'll have to wait for the right time. Winkelmann's 11 year stint with Lamborghini certainly taught him a thing or two, and if there's one thing he knows most, it's how to garner interest. Anticipation is a major tool for Audi Sport, as he explains.
"If you want to build up, you have to have always something on top."
