THE ICONIC Audi R8 is set for a revival – having been pulled from production just one year ago.
The beloved supercar – which, upon its debut in 2006 was Audi’s first of its kind – is to return as a plug-in hybrid that could become their most powerful and fastest roadgoing model to date.
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Pencilled in for a debut in late 2027, the new R8 has progressed beyond the feasibility stage, according to Autocar.
As before, the Volkswagen-built two-seater will be twinned with Lamborghini – another brand owned by VW – as it did when it was first produced in 2006 alongside the Gallardo, which mechanically was the R8’s twin.
The highly-successful collaboration was then renewed in 2015 for the second-gen R8 and Huracan, respectively.
To that end, this next-gen release will likely use the drivetrain, structural elements, electronics and chassis of the Temerario – Lambo’s recently released successor to the Huracan.
Two key rivals for the next R8 have been identified in the Mercedes-AMG GT and Porsche 911, with Audi focussing on the car’s everyday usability, as it did before, with both coupe and cabriolet variants likely to be released.
The resurrected R8 will draw power from Lambo’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, which will be combined with electric motors.
The petrol engine, with a flat-plane crank, generates 789 bhp, which is then further enhanced by three electric motors, raising the total output to 907 bhp.
Autocar added that the return of the R8 in 2027 looks to coincide with the launch of the more powerful Temerario, meaning that the new R8 Performance could hit an output of close to 1000 bhp.
At this stage, specs are hard to nail down, but that power would mean the R8 would target a 0-62mph time below 3.0 seconds and a top speed close to the Temerario’s official 210mph.
Potentially, it would be the most powerful and fastest road-going Audi to date.
The decision to revive the R8 reportedly came from agreement between Audi’s board and its Volkswagen Group parent on how they can transition to an all-electric line-up.
It will see the model cycles of select ICE models extended, as well as the expansion on the number of plug-in hybrids.
Production of the third-generation R8 is expected to take place at Audi’s Böllinger Höfe facility in Germany.
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In total, 44,418 R8s were sold globally from 2007 to 2023, boosted, perhaps, by the recognition it gained as Tony Stark’s car of choice in the Iron Man film franchise.
The final R8, a Vegas yellow model, rolled off the production line back in March 2024 after a 17-year run, and is currently housed at the Audi Museum in Ingolstadt, Germany.