Last week an Audi spokesman told Automotive News the carmaker has no plans to build such a car. "It was never in our product planning," he told reporters. While the latest denials from Audi aren't encouraging, perhaps the Germans are taking a leaf from Ferrari's book. The Italian sports carmaker denied unequivocally the existence of any Ferrari 2+2, yet that is exactly what will be sitting at the Ferrari stand at October’s Paris Motor Show.
The R4 was expected to be a more focused and sporty TT with a better looking body and styling cues from the larger and more expensive R8 supercar. Previous reports claimed the car was due by mid-2011 and that it would feature a brand new mid-engine platform.
Considering its closest competitors would have been the aforementioned TT and the Cayman/Boxster from Porsche, which of late has been having a much more influential role in the affairs of Audi and its parent company VW, it’s not surprising officials have decided against developing the car.