The last Audi R8 has rolled off the assembly line and with it comes the end of an era. After 17 years and two generations, the highly coveted supercar has been sunset which is appropriate since the final car is an V10 Performance coupe finished in Vegas Yellow. But this one isn’t going to a customer. Audi has instead opted to preserve this specimen in its official museum in Ingolstadt, Germany.
Originally set to end production in 2023, Audi decided to keep things running a little longer due to receiving a surplus of orders when they announced the imminent demise of the supercar. Things have been quiet regarding the R8’s successor, but one thing seems pretty certain. With Audi’s commitment to launching only electric vehicles starting in 2026, the R8 successor is bound to be an electric. The PB18 E-Tron concept could possibly be our closest look at things to come.
Based off of the Audi Le Mans Quattro concept car, the R8 made its initial debut at the 2003 International Geneva Motor Show, as Audi’s way to celebrate their success in endurance racing. The official road car would then be officially launched at the Paris Auto Show in 2006. Initially equipped with an 4.2-liter V8, Audi later opted to sweeten the deal by dropping the Gallardo’s 5.2-liter V10. In 2008, a convertible model, the Spyder, was added to the lineup, which was then followed-up by the high-performance GT model in 2011. The R8 was also the first production car to be equipped with full-LED headlamps. The First generation R8, also known as the Type 42, was considered one of the best handling road cars of its time.
The second generation, model code: Type 4S, was based off of the Modular Sports System platform shared with the Lamborghini Huracan. It was due to release for the 2015 model year in Europe, 2017 in the US. Unlike its predecessor, the manual transmission was no longer available, and the entry level V8 trim was dropped. The Spyder was added again to the lineup as well as a rear-wheel-drive model called the R8 RWS. An all electric Audi R8 e-Tron also went into production, but on a much smaller scale with less than 100 units being sold.
The R8 became so iconic that various iterations had become used as Tony Stark’s personal car in 6 films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From the original Type 42, various Spyders, an e-tron prototype, up to the second generation 4S. The Audi R8 has become a staple of the Supercar World.
At the end of the day, the R8 will certainly be missed and its place in history will definitely be solidified. Here's hoping its successor can be just as memorable and exciting as the original R8.
