- A new generation of the Audi R8 could be in the works.
- Audi CEO praised the Lamborghini Temerario’s V8 engine.
- When asked about a new supercar he said “good idea”.
Audi’s fully electric sports car is set to arrive next year based on Porsche bones, but it seems that won’t be the performance flagship of the lineup. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner has dropped a strong hint that a new generation of the R8 could be under development, borrowing tech from Lamborghini.
Döllner spoke to journalists at the recent premiere of the new Audi RS5 in Austria. While that car runs a plug-in hybrid V6 producing a combined 630 hp (470 kW / 639 PS), our colleagues at The Drive asked the CEO about the future of V8 engines at Audi.
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Rather than dodge the question, Döllner admitted he is a fan of V8s. Naturally, the conversation turned to the prospect of a new Audi R8 sharing its bones with the Lamborghini Temerario. The Audi boss reportedly said “Good Idea” and laughed, hinting that work may already be underway.
Interestingly, the Audi CEO started praising the powertrain of the baby Lambo. More specifically, he said: “It’s a great V8 engine in the Temerario. 10,000 rev, really outstanding engine. And as I said, I mean, we have these opportunities at Volkswagen group to come up from the different technical solutions and combine them … The Concept C is an example that we build a car with character based on a Porsche platform. And the result is a clear Audi and that’s our approach to have our customers in mind and come up with the right solutions.”
More: Two Nearly New Temerarios Are Already For Sale, And Neither Has Cracked 60 Miles
These comments are consistent with earlier reports about the return of the R8 at the top of the Audi Sport lineup, swapping the naturally-aspirated V10 of its predecessors for a plug-in hybrid V8.
The original Audi supercar that entered production in 2006 was closely related to the Lamborghini Gallardo, while the second generation that followed in 2015 was a sibling to the Huracan. Production ended in 2024 without a successor, despite the fact that Lamborghini introduced the Temerario on the same year.
It now seems that a third-gen R8 could become reality sometime in the coming years, bringing Audi back into the supercar segment. Until the company gives us more to write about, check out a speculative rendering of a new R8 with proper mid-engined proportions and the signature side blades.
