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Audi had plans to kill off its legendary pair of sports cars––the R8 and the smaller TT––at the end of 2023. And while the TT has already met its unfortunate deadline, the R8 has managed to cheat death for the time being. That's right, our beloved, V10-powered supercar is still in production, after sales doubled in the U.S. in 2023. The R8's new cancellation date is set for March 2024, which is about three months later than originally planned.
According to a report from German publication Automobilwoche, Audi's Böllinger Höfe plant is still churning out brand new R8s alongside the fully-electric RS e-tron GT. This is no mistake, as Audi is intentionally extending production to keep up with last-minute demand. While a modest 314 R8s left U.S. lots in 2022, the news of the supercar's demise caused sales to increase by a whopping 101 percent with a total of 631 supercars sold in 2023.
Unfortunately, it isn't likely that Audi will produce another R8––at least in combustion-powered form––as its glorious 5.2 liter V10 engine is getting shelved once production ends. Lamborghini's replacement for its mechanically-related Huracan will drop the V10 as well, with a plug-in hybrid V8 setup planned instead. As for why Audi isn't building another Lambo twin, you can thank the success the company has earned from the Urus SUV.
This sudden burst in R8 demand brings to mind what happened to Toyota's 200-series Land Cruiser here in America. While the SUV was often overlooked on our shores, it experienced one of its best sales years ever following the announcement that production would end after 2021. Following that short-lived spike in sales charts, along with America's expressed longing for its forbidden-fruit 300-series replacement, Toyota has returned with a new Land Cruiser. Here's to hoping Audi will do the same with the R8.
Image Credits: Audi
Report
Feb 21, 2024
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Three Months After It Was Supposed To Die, The Audi R8 Is Still On Sale
People still want the V10 supercar, so Audi is extending production until March 2024.
Audi had plans to kill off its legendary pair of sports cars––the R8 and the smaller TT––at the end of 2023. And while the TT has already met its unfortunate deadline, the R8 has managed to cheat death for the time being. That's right, our beloved, V10-powered supercar is still in production, after sales doubled in the U.S. in 2023. The R8's new cancellation date is set for March 2024, which is about three months later than originally planned.
According to a report from German publication Automobilwoche, Audi's Böllinger Höfe plant is still churning out brand new R8s alongside the fully-electric RS e-tron GT. This is no mistake, as Audi is intentionally extending production to keep up with last-minute demand. While a modest 314 R8s left U.S. lots in 2022, the news of the supercar's demise caused sales to increase by a whopping 101 percent with a total of 631 supercars sold in 2023.
Unfortunately, it isn't likely that Audi will produce another R8––at least in combustion-powered form––as its glorious 5.2 liter V10 engine is getting shelved once production ends. Lamborghini's replacement for its mechanically-related Huracan will drop the V10 as well, with a plug-in hybrid V8 setup planned instead. As for why Audi isn't building another Lambo twin, you can thank the success the company has earned from the Urus SUV.
This sudden burst in R8 demand brings to mind what happened to Toyota's 200-series Land Cruiser here in America. While the SUV was often overlooked on our shores, it experienced one of its best sales years ever following the announcement that production would end after 2021. Following that short-lived spike in sales charts, along with America's expressed longing for its forbidden-fruit 300-series replacement, Toyota has returned with a new Land Cruiser. Here's to hoping Audi will do the same with the R8.
Image Credits: Audi
