There are currently no plans for a direct replacement for the Audi R8, the Ingolstadt automaker’s R&D chief Peter Mertens said to Car & Driver during the Geneva Motor Show. This comes as the manufacturer has to spread its development budget further afield, with pure EVs and plug-in hybrids increasingly feature alongside traditional internal-combustion engined-models.
Regardless of engine type, all will spawn high-performance version eventually, Mertens said. “All three concepts will have a future. There will be very traditional combustion-engine high-performance vehicles, pure battery-electric vehicles on the high-performance side, and our sister brand Porsche also very much proves with their plug-in hybrids that the combination of both is a fantastic answer as well,” he said.
The report by Car & Driver indicates that there is a base V6 model set to appear, despite an earlier denial by Audi Sport technical project leader for the Audi R8, Markus Haverkamp. This move, should it materialise, will enable the R8 to offer a more attainable entry price point compared to the Lamborghini Huracan with which it shares a floorpan, rear bulkhead and drivetrain, the report notes.
How then does this bode for the future of the R8? “It has a long life, and it’s doing okay,” Mertens said, while also agreeing with assertions that there are currently no plans for an R8 successor. Fast models are still a substantial consideration for Audi, though. “Never say never; performance cars are good for Audi,” he said.
The current, second-generation Audi R8 made its global debut in 2015, so it’s already three years into its lifecycle. Since then, open-top and rear-wheel drive versions have surfaced, though it is likely there are more variants to come, particularly a track-focused version a la R8 GT.
GALLERY: Audi R8 Coupe Audi Sport Edition
GALLERY: Audi R8 with Audi Sport parts
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