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The Audi R8 has officially come to an end

The Audi R8 first appeared at the 2003 International Geneva Motor Show and the 2003 Frankfurt International Motor Show but it took three years for the car to enter production. It was produced in two generations, and in 2021, the German manufacturer began the gradual shutdown of this model. Now, the Audi R8 has officially come to an end.

The last copy of this model was produced in Germany, and according to TopGear, it will find its place in a museum. The long lifespan of the R8 is a testament to its popularity, and when its end was officially announced, the company received a large number of orders and had to extend production for a few extra months.

At the end of 2023, Audi introduced the R8 Coupe Japan Final Edition as the last edition of this sports car, officially marking the end of its production. It will be powered by a 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine with 612 hp (456 kW) and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of torque. The same engine powers the R8 V10 GT RWD, but this version has a seven-speed S-tronic transmission that sends power to all wheels.

Audi R8 Coupe Japan Final Edition
Audi R8 Coupe Japan Final Edition

It is finished in matte white with black side air intakes for cooling the rear brakes and black side mirror cups, while the rear part features a black spoiler. Inside, the seats are in a combination of black and beige Nappa leather, while the ceiling is covered in Alcantara. There’s also Alabaster White accents, diamond stitching, and “Japan Final Edition (1 of 8)” plaques on the door sills.

Audi will produce only 8 copies of this car and each one will cost 225,389 euros.

Of course, Audi does not intend to shut down this model completely, as the all-electric R8 will soon hit the market. In September 2023, in an interview with Autocar, Head of Technical Development at Audi Sport, Oliver Hoffmann, hinted that the brand has not given up on sports cars. He added that the systems and modules of the SSP platform will be used, while the components of some other electric platforms will be borrowed. He also confirmed that by 2025, Audi will have at least 20 models in the global offer that will be powered only by electricity.

This means that future sports cars will use different components of the MEB, PPE and SSP platforms, i.e. take the best from the rest of the world, which would reduce development costs, and the cars would have access to the best features of each platform. Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume previously confirmed that models based on the SSP platform will develop up to 1,677 hp (1,233 kW).

Source: Audi, Top Gear

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The Audi R8 has officially come to an end
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Sebastian Vettel as test driver of Porsche 963 Hypercar

Sebastian Vettel is one of the most successful Formula 1 drivers in history, who was a member of several teams (BMW Sauber, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin) from 2007 to 2022. Recently, he got a new role, the factory driver of the Porsche 963 Hypercar.

“I’ve always followed other racing series, and my curiosity about endurance racing (WEC) encouraged me to give it a try. I’m excited for the long drive at Aragon and I’m looking forward to the time I’ll spend behind the wheel,” said Vettel.

Last week, Vettel spent some time in the simulator at Porsche’s headquarters (Weissach), and after that he said he hopes to get a better feel for the track. During the 36-hour test on the 5-kilometer long Motorland Aragon track, he will experience real endurance racing. On this track, the Porsche team will prepare for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which will take place on June 15-16.

Vettel achieved 53 victories in his career, and in the 2013 season he set the Formula 1 record for the number of victories (13) in one season. He was also the youngest Formula 1 champion in history at 23 years and 134 days. On the list of the most successful Formula 1 drivers, Vettel is in fourth place. Only Juan Manuel Fangio (5), Michael Schumacher (7) and Lewis Hamilton (7) are ahead of him.

Source: Porsche

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Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman will not be available in EU

In a few months, the new European Union safety regulations will begin to apply, and their first victims are the Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman, which will no longer be offered in the EU. However, the Cayman GT4 RS and Boxster RS Spyder remain in the offer.

The fourth generation Boxster/Cayman debuted in 2016 under the internal codename “982”. The first generation Macan is even older, considering that it has been on the market since 2014. It is unlikely that the withdrawal of the 718 model from the EU will significantly affect Porsche sales, while the petrol Macan is a very sought-after commodity.

In an interview with Motor1, a Porsche spokesperson said that these two models will not be able to be registered in the EU, but will continue to live in other markets. The problem is the electrical architecture that the Boxster and Cayman use, and the changes that Porsche would have to make to these cars would cost the company too much. For the same investment, Porsche could produce a completely new model.

The new generation Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxter will arrive on the market next year and will be fully electric models.

Source: Porsche, Motor1

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