Mr. Grams, the final editions of the Audi R8¹,² and Audi TT RS³,⁴ signal the end of an era. Considering that the portfolio of the Audi Sport GmbH is undergoing a sea change, isn’t it a challenging time to be heading up the brand?

For me, it’s nothing short of the most thrilling job at the most thrilling moment of all time. When you think about how the Audi R8¹,² super sports car and the magnificent Audi TT RS³,⁴ sports coupé with its iconic design have shaped the Audi brand and Audi Sport GmbH, it’s only natural to feel a twinge of regret that these will be the last of their kind³^,⁴. At the same time, I can’t imagine a more fitting final chapter to these emotionally charged cars and their success story. I am unbelievably proud of what we have achieved. Now, we are coupling the wealth of experience gained in developing these vehicles with our unwavering drive to look beyond the horizon in order to take our portfolio to the next level.

What will it take to make that a reality?

More than ever, the emphasis in the future will be on creating the perfect high-performance machine by fusing hardware and software as well as analogue and digital experiences. I was involved in developing the first-generation Audi R8 engine, before making the transition to electric powertrains. And in my prior role, I set up a software unit within the Group. My entire team at Audi Sport GmbH and I personally will tap into our experience and know-how to write even more illustrious and exciting chapters in the brand’s history.

How is the Audi Sport GmbH positioning itself for what is an increasingly electrified future?

We continue to see ourselves as bold, innovative and progressive. In that vein, we are systematically pursuing both electrification and digitalisation as highly promising technological avenues. The Audi brand already boasts a powerful drive system. When combined with intelligent software, this has the potential to unlock additional performance features and boost the fun factor in our vehicles. For us, it’s clear that a cogent, systematic electrification strategy will underpin the future viability of our business.

How important is digitalisation?

Connecting vehicles and drivers to the digital world is already a top priority today. Going forward, we will incorporate functions, such as enhanced digital support for racetrack experiences, that are unique to the Audi RS models. What’s more, when drivers are busy on their mobiles during the charging process, for instance, we will offer hallmark Audi RS experiences. Those are the topics we’re focusing on intensively at the moment. If we look ahead to a time when automated driving is a reality: That will unquestionably prove to be a game changer for our industry and also play a key role in high-performance motoring. As you can see, there are a whole lot of things brewing.

And what about a high-performance engine’s trademark growl? How will that carry over into the all-electric era?

Acoustics will continue to play a very important role going forward. That’s why we’re placing special emphasis on sound engineering so that our vehicles not only look different from the basic models but also produce a distinctive note.

How do you ensure that you stay true to the Audi Sport DNA despite the transition to electric drives and digital systems?

As the saying goes, change is the only constant in life. That means nothing ever stays the same. So I prefer to look at where we’ve come from and where we stand today. Not only is our current, 19-strong portfolio of Audi Sport models bigger than ever before, but we also achieved record sales in 2021 despite the pandemic and were the only manufacturer to compete in the Dakar Rally with a partially electrified⁷ vehicle. When we first opened our doors, we had only a handful of employees. In the 1980s, we sold accessories and sports gear before expanding into exclusive, customised equipment the decade after that. Then came the Audi S6 Plus – the first of our very own vehicles. Since then, we’ve written chapter after chapter of an incredible success story. Today, the Audi Sport family has more than 1,500 employees, and the team that crafts the Audi R8 largely by hand now also produces the Four Rings’ electric flagship – the Audi RS e-tron GT⁶. All this is only possible because we have never stopped evolving. We have stayed true to ourselves by venturing new paths time and again and refusing to compromise on what sets us apart. And that’s exactly what we will continue to do to carry the Audi Sport GmbH legacy into the future.