If the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid or the Audi TT RS has informed the world of anything, it's that the two German automakers are killing it, drawing from a seemingly endless pool of engineering talent to make the cars of our wildest dreams come to life. Being siblings by Volkswagen marriage, both automakers already share components and even engines, but the coming demands of the upcoming technological bottle neck will force them to collaborate even more closely.

As such, Porsche and Audi have officially announced a joint venture to share platforms. Given that electrification and autonomy is no longer as distant a future, automakers will need to make a massive push to invest in the technology. By splitting the tab as well as the technology that results from the R & D efforts, companies can save money on what would otherwise be a car built at a loss. It's already something that's done for niche vehicles that would not be worth building if only one automaker was undertaking the platform development and engineering headache, just take the BMW and Toyota partnership for the new Supra and Z5 as an example of that.

Porsche and Audi already have a lot in common, but using each other's platforms could result in better versions of each car. Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG stated, "The best brains of both companies will together set the technical course for the future. We are united by many shared values, above all, by our pursuit of the best solutions and the best offerings for our customers." Match made in heaven or not, both automakers will need to retain brand identity in each of their respective vehicles. "Together, we will make faster progress in the race for the mobility of the future," said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG.

He added, "We will utilize the expertise of both companies and take advantage of synergies and cooperate wherever it makes sense. But we will also be very careful to maintain the differentiation between our brands. A Porsche is always a Porsche, and that will remain so in the future." With cars like the Porsche Mission E offering an electric platform for Audi and Audi's recent venture into layered chassis architecture, both companies stand to gain a lot out of the deal. Although let's be honest, the biggest winner here is Volkswagen, which is likely pushing deals like these to save money in order to cover Dieselgate costs.