The Audi R8 is a historically important car for the brand. It changed the way that people viewed Audi. It also proved that they could be cool, fast, and performance oriented. Now we're getting official word that the V10 R8 is the last of its breed.
A few weeks ago we reported that the R8 would be all-electric when the next generation arrived. Despite lots of other ideas out there, Audi confirmed that today. Production is slated to end by 2023.
Sebastian Grams, head of Audi RS confirmed it himself by telling Top Gear “Audi RS is following the fully-electric strategy of the main Audi company. This is [the plan] with our S and RS models. If we should build a new kind of super sports car, it will be electric. It follows our strategy, our vision, into a fully-electric future.”
That's not only very clear about the fact that we won't get another V10 R8, but it also hints at something else. Notice he said, "If we build." So there seems to be some chance that Audi doesn't replace the R8 at all.
Of course, considering how fast electric vehicles are getting, the RS e-tron GT is already capable of keeping up. Audi could also end up reviving the badge sometime later in the decade. That would give the brand time to come up with a unique way to stand out.
One thing we do know is that it won't have anything massive to do with Lamborghini. Though the two have always shared parts to make both the R8 and the Huracan, they're clearly diverging here.
Lamborghini does plan to have an all-electric car by 2027 or 2028 but it won't be a super sports car according to their CEO. Grams also made it clear that Audi won't be chasing a Rimac-style hypercar in the near future.
“If you build a lightweight car, then you do not need 2,000hp to have fun on the road. Physics will always limit the performance you can use even on track. For instance, if you have 2,500hp or 2,000hp, it doesn’t make any difference.”
That's a great point and drives home the fact that electrification is dramatically changing the automotive landscape. We look forward to finding out what form the next R8 ultimately takes.
Sebastian Grams, head of Audi RS confirmed it himself by telling Top Gear “Audi RS is following the fully-electric strategy of the main Audi company. This is [the plan] with our S and RS models. If we should build a new kind of super sports car, it will be electric. It follows our strategy, our vision, into a fully-electric future.”
That's not only very clear about the fact that we won't get another V10 R8, but it also hints at something else. Notice he said, "If we build." So there seems to be some chance that Audi doesn't replace the R8 at all.
Of course, considering how fast electric vehicles are getting, the RS e-tron GT is already capable of keeping up. Audi could also end up reviving the badge sometime later in the decade. That would give the brand time to come up with a unique way to stand out.
One thing we do know is that it won't have anything massive to do with Lamborghini. Though the two have always shared parts to make both the R8 and the Huracan, they're clearly diverging here.
Lamborghini does plan to have an all-electric car by 2027 or 2028 but it won't be a super sports car according to their CEO. Grams also made it clear that Audi won't be chasing a Rimac-style hypercar in the near future.
“If you build a lightweight car, then you do not need 2,000hp to have fun on the road. Physics will always limit the performance you can use even on track. For instance, if you have 2,500hp or 2,000hp, it doesn’t make any difference.”
That's a great point and drives home the fact that electrification is dramatically changing the automotive landscape. We look forward to finding out what form the next R8 ultimately takes.