Audi Might Discontinue The R8 By 2020 — Here’s Why

Apart from the dieselgate scandal, Audi has also quit the Le Mans racing series, has rebranded the Quattro as Audi Sport and Audi Sport boss Stephan Winkelmann will leave the company to join Bugatti. All these factors could have played their part in Audi's decision to axe the R8.

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But there is more bad news to come; the report also suggests that the replacement for the R8, the e-Tron will not be produced. Not only the R8 e-Tron, the company's hypercar powered by a 1,000bhp V8 engine codenamed as Scorpion has also been shelved.

Audi will discontinue the R8 at a time when the new-generation Lamborghini Huracan will hit the roads sharing the same platform and engine of the R8. But Audi has officially not revealed any information regarding the discontinuation of the R8.

Audi had also showcased the first-ever R8 with Rear-Wheel-Drive at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. The R8 RWS (Rear Wheel Series) features rear-wheel-drive as opposed to the Quattro AWD system. But only 999 units of the R8 RWS will be produced.

Powering the Audi R8 RWS is a 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 engine producing 538bhp and 540Nm of torque. The engine comes mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Opting for RWD has resulted in a weight reduction of 50kg on the Coupe and 40kg on the drop-top version. The car can sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds before topping out at 320km/h.

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Audi is reportedly planning to pull the plugs of the R8 by the end of this decade. However Audi has not made an official statement on the same, but the decision could have been made citing various problems faced by the company. We hope that the German automaker will develop a replacement for the iconic R8 which has been in the market for such a long time.