It was at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show where Audi revealed the Le Mans Quattro concept that went on to become the first-generation R8 about three years later. While the original show car had a twin-turbo 5.0-liter V10 engine, the subsequent production model did away with forced induction to offer a high-revving naturally aspirated 5.2-liter mill. It kept the V10 formula until the very end, with the GT RWD unveiled a little over a year ago.
Lest we forget the Four Rings also offered the first-gen model with a smaller 4.2-liter V8, and both powertrains had a gated manual gearbox. When the second-gen car arrived at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, it was a V10-only affair without a clutch pedal. A new emotional video dubbed “The Last Lap” features a selection of R8 versions that were offered throughout the years. Fans of Ingolstadt’s supercar were asked to contribute by selecting where and how the cars were shot as well as having their say about the storyline and soundtrack.
The result is a great mix of R8s burning rubber, including an early version with the desirable six-speed manual gearbox. There’s also the hardcore GT based on the first-generation model joined by the 2023 GT RWD serving as the R8’s swan song. It’s worth noting that one lesser-known version is missing from this lineup, namely the fully electric E-Tron. It had a limited production run of fewer than 100 units at approximately $1 million a pop.
There was an even more obscure R8 as few will remember the bonkers concept powered by a twelve-cylinder diesel engine. Unveiled in January 2008 as the R8 V12 TDI before being renamed a couple of months later as the R8 TDI Le Mans, the oil-burning supercar had a twin-turbo 6.0-liter diesel. It pumped out nearly 500 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque, sent through a six-speed manual gearbox. This unusual combo helped it hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of more than 186 mph. That massive engine did find its way inside a production car, the ludicrous Q7 V12 TDI.
Earlier this year, Marcos Marques, project manager of eFuels at Porsche, revealed Audi had toyed with the idea of an entry-level R8 powered by an inline-five engine. It would’ve been rear-wheel drive with a manual transmission or a DCT, powered by the turbocharged 2.5-liter unit from the TT RS and RS3. Technically boasting less hp, the I5 actually had more torque than the V10 thanks to forced induction.
What’s next for the R8? The V10 will be retired by the Volkswagen Group next year when the last Huracan rolls off the assembly line. Despite the engine’s demise, it’s only a temporary goodbye for Audi’s flagship sports car, however. Oliver Hoffmann, the man in charge of the Technical Development division, has suggested there will be a third generation. It’ll likely eschew the combustion engine altogether and become a fully electric supercar on the VW Group’s forthcoming Scalable Systems Platform (SSP).
Meanwhile, Lamborghini is planning a Huracan replacement with a combustion engine, but we suspect it’ll have a hybrid powertrain with a twin-turbocharged V8. It’s expected to utilize an electric motor and the Revuelto’s dual-clutch, eight-speed automatic transmission. If reports are accurate, the eight-cylinder mill will behave most of the time like a good ol’ naturally aspirated engine. The turbos allegedly don’t kick in until 7,000 rpm.
Sadly, the R8 will skip this setup and go straight to a full EV without any Lambo connection. Francesco Scardaoni, Asia-Pacific region director at Lamborghini, said the company is making so much money nowadays that it can afford to ride solo, without sharing costs with Audi.
