Audi planning new A9 flagship . . . and a production version of the Lamborghini Estoque could share same underpinnings

Audi is considering adding a flagship four door coupe to its line-up as part of plans to bolster the profitability of its current range topping A8, whose lightweight aluminium space frame and four-wheel drive running gear the proposed new model has been conceived around, according to high ranking Ingolstadt insiders.
The new Audi flagship, which is likely to wear an A9 badge if and when it receives a production go-ahead from company boss Rupert Stadler, is designed to compete against established coupes like the Mercedes-Benz CL as well as upcoming newcomers such as the production version of the BMW GranCoupe concept wheeled out at the Beijing auto show back in April. Set to follow the design established by the A5 and A7, the A9 is likely to be clothed in an aluminum body boasting a sleek coupe like profile and four doors.
Nothing is set in stone just yet but studies on a future A9 are well underway. “We’re currently looking at it. It’s really a question of how far we can stretch the brand,” said an Audi official who asked not to be named at the recent Los Angeles auto show. By basing the new four door coupe on the same underpinnings as the A8, Audi hopes to improve the overall economies of scale of its existing top-of-the-line model.
As well as the A9, Audi is also looking at basing a production version of the Lamborghini Estoque on the same aluminium spaceframe structure, which Ingolstadt sources suggest can easily be modified to suit different front end forms, wheelbase lengths and roof structures. There are even sugggestions that the A9 and Estoque could be produced together at Audi's Neckarsulm plant - the same site responsible for production of the A8.Source URL: http://carneeew.blogspot.com/2010/11/audi-planning-new-a9-flagship-and.html
Visit Car New for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection