Audi sold less than 100 units of the R8 E-Tron, deciding to end production of the 1 million euro electric supercar after just one year. Needless to say, Four Rings hopes the confirmed all-electric successor to today’s naturally aspirated V10 engine will perform even better when it arrives in the following years. In a new report, Autocar having good authority, the EV is currently in development and will be out in the middle of this decade.
Citing sources from inside Ingolstadt, the British magazine claims the replacement R8 will go by another name while remaining true to the two-door coupe’s performance formula. It looks set to be the most powerful Audi ever and features a wide variety of handcrafted components. Production will take place at the same facility in Böllinger Höfe, Germany where the gasoline-powered supercar is currently being assembled. The ICE model is rumored to be pulling back in late 2023, but not before the hardcore hard-wheel-drive special edition.
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There are two plausible scenarios regarding the platform to use and both are related to Porsche. It could be the SSP Sport architecture that will underpin the next-generation Taycan and E-Tron GT or the new sports car platform being worked on for the electric successor to the current 718 Boxster and Cayman duo. Whatever foundation to use, the electric replacement R8 should be faster and more powerful than the E-Tron GT, which makes 637 hp for 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds.
Audi Sport boss Sebastian Grams told Autocar that while the R8’s successor is a priority, the smaller and more affordable TT sports car won’t be overlooked either: “We’re working on it.” The future Tourist Trophy will also take to the electric road as the luxury brand has announced all new product launches from 2026 will not have combustion engines.
While the R8 is gearing up for an electric future, its sibling model will retain the combustion engine for another generation. Lamborghini has confirmed the Huracan successor will have an ICE with more than six cylinders as part of its plug-in hybrid powertrain. Baby Lambo is likely to be born in 2024 as next year will be the replacement for the Aventador.