Audi are pushing ahead with plans for an A9 supersedan to challenge the big boys in the likes of the Porsche Panamera and Mercedes-Benz CLS. The A9 will be marketed as a flagship luxury four-door sports coupe based on the A8.
The interesting part about the A9 is that the platform it uses could very well be used to create the production Lamborghini Estoque as well, killing two birds with one really lightweight space frame stone.
The master plan at Audi was always to produce sibling four-door sports coupes to its sedan models, like how the A7 Sportback is to the A6.
Nonetheless, the A9 hasn’t been given the all-clear for take-off yet as a source from Audi tells Autocar, “The project isn’t officially confirmed for production, but work is progressing on the business case, both at an accountancy and engineering level.”
Excellent news then as Audi is considering a platform-sharing process for the A9 that could see the same platform take the Estoque to production as well since Lamborghini is a fellow Volkswagen Group brand.
The A9 will ride on an aluminium space frame with the main components coming from the brand’s MLB (modular longitudinal architecture) architecture. Tentatively, all three models, including the range-topping A8s, would share the air-sprung chassis and be built at Audi’s Neckarsulm plant.
Engine options would however differ for the three models. The A9 will find a new 4-liter V8 petrol under its hood with options for a V6 and oil burning V8 as well with the possibility of a range-topping 6.3-liter W12 finding its way in there too.
Nonetheless, the Estoque will stick to Lamborghini’s stonking 5.2-liter V10 from the Gallardo, if it does make it to production that is.
Still, as the platform-sharing card is played it could very well raise the chances of an A9 an Estoque as it makes financial sense, as explained by Lamborghini top dog Stephan Winkelman to Autocar, “We couldn’t approach a thought like this [production of the Estoque] without the Volkswagen Group. It’d be very difficult to do something. The investments are so high that if you don’t have synergies, it’s financially impossible.”
Note: The Audi pictured is that of a design study by Spanish designer Andy Garcia and not an official Audi concept
Source: Autocar
