Audi ‘R6’ sports car in the works – report

German manufacturer Audi is planning a new mid-engined sports car to fill the void between the TT and R8, according to a new report from Germany.

This isn’t the first time the four-ringed brand has been rumoured to be working on a mid-range sports car – the front-engined 2010 and 2013 Quattro concepts were meant to spawn a production model, but that never came to fruition.

However, AutoBild reports that Audi is plotting a new sports car, this time based on the mid-engined Porsche 718 Boxsterand Cayman underpinnings. The report claims that the car is referred to internally as PO455 and if it makes it to production it is likely to be named the R6.

This could be the start of an onslaught of new models from the brand’s performance division, which recently was rebranded to Audi Sport.

The new moniker was set up to more clearly delineate Audi’s hardcore performance cars, such as the RS models and the R8, from the rest of the brand – think AMG to Mercedes or M to BMW.

Former Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann was recently appointed as the head of Audi Sport, and is reportedly planning a host of new RS models – suggesting a new R-badged sports car could be among them.

Currently, the Audi Sport range offers RS-badged versions of the A3 to the A7, plus the RS Q3 SUV and R8 supercar (aTT RS is on its way), so there are several gaps to fill including the Q5, Q7 and A8 should the brand explore future model options.