While pre-production prototypes of the upcoming second generation of the Audi R8 have already started their summer camouflage strip for the spy cameras, there is still a good amount of time until its actual reveal.

In order to partly alleviate the wait, Dutch Photoshop artist Remco Meulendijk of DesignRM decided to have a go at a rendering of how the production version of the next R8 might look like.

Using design elements that look like they have been carefully borrowed from the Audi e-tron roadster concept and subtly mixed with what recent spy-shots of the R8 II have been showing, the resulting virtual piece doesn’t look half bad, though we suspect that those headlights will not make it on the production variant – at least not in this exact size.

The color may remind you of either a Smurf’s complexion or of Audi’s famous Nogaro Blue – either way, it suits the Ingolstadt sports car perfectly.

Whether most of the look depicted by this render will be retained by the production car or not remains to be seen, but we do know for sure that the new Audi R8 is based on the recently-launched Lamborghini Huracan architecture.

At some point in the R8’s life, the base model should ditch the naturally-aspirated 4.2-liter V8 in favor of a variant of the 4.0 TFSI twin-turbocharged four-liter V8, while the naturally-aspirated 5.2-liter V8 will be carried over and improved for more power and slightly better fuel consumption.

The new Audi R8 V8 should do well with well over 400hp, while the V10 flagship model is suspected to deliver at least as the current R8 GT, so north of 560 hp. Further down the line a diesel variant is also expected, while the e-tron version should only be reserved for cash cows with electric tastes, as it may only be available on order.

By Alex Oagana

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