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.
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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