As Audi looks to slash costs in the wake of Volkswagen’s dieselgate scandal, it has been revealed that the German marque won’t design and engineer its own platforms anymore.
German magazine Der Spiegel broke the news and reports that Audi’s MLB platform could be the biggest victim of the money saving measures.
The MLB architecture currently underpins all models from the A4 to the A8 and the Q5 and Q7 SUVs and for the next-generation range of models, could be replaced by VW’s transverse MQB and Porsche’s MSB platforms.
This would mean that Audi’s mainstream A4 and A5 ranges could switch from a longitudinal engine layout to a transverse setup based on the VW Passat’s MQB architecture, while the brand’s larger A6 and A7 would move to the MSB platform offering rear-wheel drive (alongside all-wheel drive variants) for the very first time.
This decision could also see the carmaker ditch the mid-engined platform of the R8 supercar, spelling an end to the model as we know it. However, there is a possibility that the third-generation R8 could be based around the Porsche 911.
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