Next Audi R8 Arrives Soon, But Not As An EV
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Audi put its famed R8 supercar on hiatus after the 2023 model year. There have been rumblings about an all-electric replacement, potentially called the RNext, arriving a few years down the road. That car may still happen. But according to a report from Autocar, the next-generation R8 will arrive much sooner, and, perhaps to the delight of some enthusiasts, it won’t be all-electric. It will be a plug-in hybrid.
Audi
Divisions
Audi Sport GmbH
Founded
July 16, 1909
Founder
August Horch
Headquarters
Ingolstadt, Germany
Current CEO
Markus Duesmann
Status
Active
Total Vehicles Sold In 2022
1,650512
Revenue In 2022
$58 Billion
Region
Europe
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The New Audi R8 Will Twin With The Lamborghini Temerario
As with the first two R8 generations, the third-generation R8 will share a chassis and underpinnings with a Lamborghini. Autocar says the R8 will have the same setup as the Lamborghini Temerario, the plug-in hybrid supercar that debuted at Monterey in 2024. Audi will power the new R8 with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 tuned up to 778 horses and supplemented by three electric motors. Two of those motors will be on the front axle, making the vehicle all-wheel-drive. The total system output will be around 895 horses.
That powertrain should yield some impressive performance. Autocar expects a 0-60 MPH time « well below 3.0 seconds » and a top speed of 210 MPH. Both numbers should easily outdo the previous R8, which accelerated from 0-60 MPH in 3.1 seconds and hit a top speed of 199 MPH in its final iteration. A 3.8 kW battery pack will deliver a nominal EV-only range of around six miles (probably less by more stringent EPA standards). Per the report, Audi will offer the new R8 as a coupe and convertible. It will differentiate itself from the Lamborghini model by providing more « everyday usability. »
When Will the Third-Generation Audi R8 Arrive?
Autocar says the new Audi R8 has moved from the « feasibility » discussion to the « engineering » phase. It should arrive in late 2027, making it a 2028 model-year vehicle in America.
An Even Crazier Audi R8 Performance Could Be Coming
Lamborghini S.p.A.
The aforementioned specs may be for the base model R8. Autocar says that more powerful versions of the Temerario will debut around the same time as the Audi R8. Those upgrades could arrive as an Audi R8 Performance, potentially bumping the car to around 1,000 HP.
TopSpeed’s Take
Audi
The outgoing R8’s charm was its naturally aspirated V10 engine. Jumping from that to an electric car was bound to be a leap. A V8 PHEV feels like a more appealing bridge vehicle that Audi can launch in the short term. Like the recently departed R8, the new version probably won’t be a massive seller in the Audi lineup. The halo car may be more important for branding and, as Autocar notes, meeting FIA homologation requirements to compete in endurance racing.
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