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Written by Ollie Kew
Having just driven the new 444bhp Audi RS5, boss of Audi Sport (and yes, the former Lamborghini CEO) Stephan Winkelmann was on hand to chat all things on Planet Fast Audi. Fancy an RSQ8? Or an R8 GT3 RS"? Then read onTop Gear: What"s your biggest priority an RS SUV, or a hardcore R8 Performante"?Stephan Winkelmann: The first one, and I"ll tell you why. Once you create a brand, you have to create a line-up. We have the R8, and we will do derivatives in different directions. But we have to create a line-up which is more worldwide-sellable than today"s.If I put the money down, I have to make sure it"s equally distributed. But we will not stop doing the icons". They are part of what we"re all about. It"s not just about numbers, it"s about emotions. But we"re a small manufacturer, and we have to prepare the boat to sail in safe waters. That means different steps into electrification. That and motorsport are the main drivers. In motorsport we have visibility around the world, we won the N rburgring 24 hours, and we"re worldwide. We"re big on social media. We are making a step in Formula E. The world does not change from one day to the next, so you have to prepare yourself for what will come next. It will be a disruption, not an evolution.TG: The R8 LMS won at the N rburgring, and your ex-employer held the lap record around the Ring with the Huracan Performante. Would you like to use that platform to go after lap records?SW: We have a lot on our plate! For my sake, my ego, I try to do things I like, but it has to fit the big picture, and my frame is very large. I"m working on many pieces of a puzzle and lap times are not my priority.TG: What about even higher performance cars? Does Audi want to push into the hypercar stratosphere?SW: My priorities are preparing for the next decade, and motorsport. I"ve only been in the job a year. Matters like electrification and the other things I"ve mentioned are what are consuming one hundred per cent of my time.TG: BMW M and AMG are seen as proper sub brands, and you seem to be more connected with the Audi mothership. Is that unfair?SW: I think your view is maybe the truth. I can just say what we"re working on. For me, Audi Sport is the starting point. We decided to move from Quattro GmbH" to Audi Sport" and I think that move, the new branding, was the right one, and it shows our DNA comes from motorsport. It"s consistent. Quattro", was, for me, a 4x4 option. It"s a given DNA of Audi, but it"s not the name of a brand. In Quattro they were taking care of the cars, but not the brand and the story we have to tell. So this is what we"re creating, it"s what we"re missing. Someday, I want a customer to say "I"m buying an Audi Sport", not "I"m buying an Audi RS car." When we achieve that, we"re on the right track.
Date written: 26 Jun 2017
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 8263
Having just driven the new 444bhp Audi RS5, boss of Audi Sport (and yes, the former Lamborghini CEO) Stephan Winkelmann was on hand to chat all things on Planet Fast Audi. Fancy an RSQ8? Or an R8 GT3 RS"? Then read onTop Gear: What"s your biggest priority an RS SUV, or a hardcore R8 Performante"?Stephan Winkelmann: The first one, and I"ll tell you why. Once you create a brand, you have to create a line-up. We have the R8, and we will do derivatives in different directions. But we have to create a line-up which is more worldwide-sellable than today"s.If I put the money down, I have to make sure it"s equally distributed. But we will not stop doing the icons". They are part of what we"re all about. It"s not just about numbers, it"s about emotions. But we"re a small manufacturer, and we have to prepare the boat to sail in safe waters. That means different steps into electrification. That and motorsport are the main drivers. In motorsport we have visibility around the world, we won the N rburgring 24 hours, and we"re worldwide. We"re big on social media. We are making a step in Formula E. The world does not change from one day to the next, so you have to prepare yourself for what will come next. It will be a disruption, not an evolution.TG: The R8 LMS won at the N rburgring, and your ex-employer held the lap record around the Ring with the Huracan Performante. Would you like to use that platform to go after lap records?SW: We have a lot on our plate! For my sake, my ego, I try to do things I like, but it has to fit the big picture, and my frame is very large. I"m working on many pieces of a puzzle and lap times are not my priority.TG: What about even higher performance cars? Does Audi want to push into the hypercar stratosphere?SW: My priorities are preparing for the next decade, and motorsport. I"ve only been in the job a year. Matters like electrification and the other things I"ve mentioned are what are consuming one hundred per cent of my time.TG: BMW M and AMG are seen as proper sub brands, and you seem to be more connected with the Audi mothership. Is that unfair?SW: I think your view is maybe the truth. I can just say what we"re working on. For me, Audi Sport is the starting point. We decided to move from Quattro GmbH" to Audi Sport" and I think that move, the new branding, was the right one, and it shows our DNA comes from motorsport. It"s consistent. Quattro", was, for me, a 4x4 option. It"s a given DNA of Audi, but it"s not the name of a brand. In Quattro they were taking care of the cars, but not the brand and the story we have to tell. So this is what we"re creating, it"s what we"re missing. Someday, I want a customer to say "I"m buying an Audi Sport", not "I"m buying an Audi RS car." When we achieve that, we"re on the right track.
Date written: 26 Jun 2017
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 8263
