Here’s some cheerful news just before the holidays: the mighty Audi R8 might be close to its demise, with no replacement in sight. As of now, this is just a rumor.
The Audi R8 never demanded the same attention from me as its Italian and British competitors did, but as one of the last remaining naturally aspirated supercars, this blow will be harsh if true. Despite citing no sources, Automobile Magazine’s Georg Kacher reports:
From what we know today, there will be no replacement for the slow-selling R8, which will be phased out in 2020 when the new Lamborghini Huracán arrives. Also dead: the proposed zero-emission R8 e-tron and the Scorpion supercar powered by a 1,000-hp V-8 boasting a desmodromic valvetrain created from four 1.2-liter Ducati motorcycle engines.
This makes me wonder if all the events as of late–Dieselgate, Audi quitting Le Mans, Audi Quattro becoming Audi Sport and Stephan Winkelmann’s sudden departure from Audi to Bugatti–led up to this.
I’m also fairly certain that redundancy between the R8 and the Gallardo and, later on, the Huracán, has been a point of consideration for Volkswagen AG. You can sell a Huracán for a lot more money, after all.
Anyway. This isn’t something to fret over just yet. 2020 is still a little bit away and we have much happier things to discuss, like the rear-drive R8.
We have reached out to Audi for comment and will update if we hear back.