Mid-engine, quattro, and a 5.2-liter V10 shared with Lamborghini's Huracan platform: how the Audi R8 earned its place as Audi's halo car.
The Audi R8 was Audi’s halo car — a mid-engine, two-seat sports car built by Audi Sport GmbH from 2006 to 2024, with 44,430 produced across two generations.[1] The second-generation Type 4S, built from 2015 to 2024, is the car most people picture: a 5.2-liter FSI V10 behind the cabin, quattro all-wheel drive, and aluminum Audi Space Frame construction.[1]
The Lamborghini connection
Engineering ties to Lamborghini defined the R8’s character from the start. The first-generation Type 42 drew on the Gallardo, and the Type 4S shared its platform with the Huracán.[1] The V10 grew to 612 hp in later Performance form, and total output across the Type 4S range spans 532 to 620 hp — 562 to 620 hp after the 2018 refresh.[1] Uniquely for the class, a rear-wheel-drive variant, the RWS, sat alongside the quattro cars.[1] No manual was offered; every Type 4S used an automatic.[1]
Firsts and editions
The R8’s innovations started early: at its 2006 launch it became the first production car with full-LED headlamps.[1] Over its life the range included the Spyder convertible introduced in 2008, a GT model in 2011, and a limited all-electric e-tron.[1] Within the Type 4S run, the V10 GT was limited to 333 units and the V10 Plus Exclusive Edition to 25.[1]
How it was built
Every R8 was hand-assembled at Neckarsulm, where workers fitted roughly 5,000 parts per vehicle.[1] That production method, and the naturally aspirated V10 at its heart, place the R8 in a category that no longer exists in new-car showrooms — which is exactly why interest in the Type 4S has not faded with production’s end in 2024.[1]
The full specification record is on the Audi R8 database page. To see the current market, browse live R8 inventory.
Sources
- MotorTrend, Audi R8 model hub and reviews, motortrend.com/cars/audi/r8.
- Car and Driver, Audi R8 model overview, reviews, and specifications, caranddriver.com/audi/r8.