The Iconic Audi R8 Supercar Might Live Again As A 907-Horsepower Hybrid

Over the past few years, Audi has been on a tear trimming some of the more enthusiast-focused vehicles from its lineup. All its coupes? Gone. All of its cabriolets? Also gone, most without a real successor on the table. The brand hasn’t announced plans to replace the TT or build a new two-door A5, leaving fans of impracticality out in the cold. Well, that could change, as Audi might offer one coupe soon. The R8 supercar is reportedly coming back from the dead.

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a year since the last R8 rolled out of the assembly plant, partly because the R8 was such a force and partly because Audi actually extended the production life of the thing. It was supposed to be over and done with near the end of 2023, but well, why not crank out a few more units? Since then, Audi seems to be bad at abstinence because not only does British outlet Autocar report that a third R8 is in the works, it seems to have support at the top.

The new R8 is tentatively slated for a debut in late 2027. Development of the Mercedes-AMG GT and Porsche 911 rival has progressed beyond the feasibility stage, understands Autocar, and engineering is under way with the backing of Audi chairman Gernot Döllner.

While not set in stone, there’s reason to have hope here, so what might we be looking at under the hood? Well, it seems that the next R8 should use the plug-in hybrid powertrain from the Lamborghini Temerario, which includes three electric motors, a 3.8 kWh battery pack, and a 10,000 rpm flat-plane crank V8 for a combined output of 907 horsepower.

Actually, the next R8 could use a whole lot more than just the powertrain from the new baby bull. Structurally, the Mk1 R8 was an evolution of the Gallardo, the Mk2 model a more spacious Huracan, so don’t be surprised if a future R8 keeps with tradition and hides a whole lot of Lambo under the skin.

This direction seems like a heel-turn for Audi, with the brand previously dropping hints that the future of its flagships was electric. There were the AI:RACE and e-tron Vision Gran Turismo concepts of 2018, and before that, the limited-run R8 e-tron. Oh, and who could forget the S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron? While those efforts might not result in the next R8 being an EV, recycling Lamborghini’s plug-in bones would be a shrewd move for two reasons.

Firstly, it would spread development costs of some expensive stuff across multiple cars, something performance cars often need to do to be economically viable. Think BMW Z4 and Toyota GR Supra, or the previous Camaro sharing a chassis with Cadillac’s smaller sedans, or Mazda sharing major components between the third-generation Miata and the RX-8.

Secondly, Audi’s been fairly successful at sending the R8 into the crucible of motorsports with a whole lineup of turn-key class-prepared R8 LMS race cars. Not only is that a brand booster, selling race cars to privateers is a way to make money on a supercar without having to worry about fleet emission averages. For, say, GT3 homologation, you’re going to need a combustion engine instead of electric motors, so starting with a platform designed to accommodate an engine makes sense.

If everything goes according to plan, don’t be surprised to see a new Audi R8 arrive in two years, possibly built in the same place at least partially responsible for a decade of R8s. Audi’s Böllinger Höfe plant currently builds just the e-tron GT sedan, with nothing having yet replaced the R8 line. Why not use that space to keep the lineage going?

Top graphic credit: Audi

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