The last Audi R8 supercar has unceremoniously rolled off the production line in Germany, following an 18-year run across two generations – but it’s not yet known when its rumoured electric successor will follow.
UK publication Top Gear reports it was on hand to see the final Audi R8 being built at the Böllinger Höfe factory near Stuttgart, which was home to the second-generation model since production began in 2015.
The first-generation R8 was built at Audi’s Neckarsulm factory from 2006, originally with 4.2-litre V8 power and all-wheel drive only, however the option of a 5.2-litre V10 was added in 2008 and a convertible followed in 2010.
First-generation production numbers are estimated to be around 24,000 before the second-generation R8 came along in 2015, ditching the V8 and going V10-only.
In 2017, the first rear-wheel drive Audi R8s launched as a part of the RWS (rear wheel series) line, initially as a limited run but later becoming a permanent offering alongside the venerable Quattro all-wheel drive models.
While the Audi R8 GT RWD was initially expected to be the final variant to send off the supercar, Top Gear reports the last model to be produced was an R8 Performance Quattro Edition, finished in Vegas Yellow, and fitted with 20-inch bronze alloy wheels and an exterior carbon pack.
The last R8 is reportedly destined for the Audi Tradition museum. It’s not known where the last customer-delivered example has ended up.
Local deliveries of the Audi R8 ended in late 2021, following the end of production for the engine tune used in Australian models.
Recent overseas reports have claimed there will be a replacement to the R8, though it will adopt electric power and likely be based on the Volkswagen Group’s upcoming System Scalable Platform (SSP).
The first models based on the SSP aren’t due until 2027 at the earliest, suggesting we may have to wait upwards of three years for Audi to add a flagship two-door model to its lineup.
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