Audi stopped building the R8 in 2024. No replacement arrived alongside its departure. For a while, the assumption seemed straightforward. The company’s supercar chapter had reached its final page.
Then came a conversation in Austria.
During the presentation of the new Audi RS5, journalists asked Audi chief executive Gernot Döllner about V8 engines and their place within the brand’s future plans. The discussion soon wandered toward a familiar name. R8.
His answer was short. Yet people noticed.
According to The Drive, Döllner reacted to the idea of an Audi supercar related to the Lamborghini Temerario with a smile and the words, “Good Idea.” No announcement followed. No timeline emerged. Still, the remark immediately reignited speculation surrounding a possible return.
Audi’s product strategy already includes a fully electric sports car scheduled for next year. That model will ride on Porsche-derived architecture. Even so, Döllner’s comments suggest another path remains under consideration, higher up the performance ladder.
Part of the discussion focused on the Temerario itself.
The Audi CEO spoke positively about the Lamborghini’s V8, paying particular attention to its character and operating range. He stated: “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.”
Those remarks stand out because earlier reports have already linked a future Audi flagship to Lamborghini hardware. If such a project moves ahead, the mechanical recipe would differ substantially from previous R8 generations. Reports have pointed toward a plug-in hybrid V8 rather than the naturally aspirated V10 configuration associated with earlier versions.
The connection would not be unusual.
When the original R8 entered production in 2006, its engineering relationship with the Lamborghini Gallardo was well known. The second-generation model, introduced in 2015, followed a similar formula and shared much with the Huracan.
Production of the R8 concluded in 2024. During that same year, Lamborghini introduced the Temerario.
Nothing official exists beyond Döllner’s comments. Yet the situation feels different from complete silence. Audi has not confirmed a third-generation R8, but neither does the subject appear closed. For enthusiasts who thought the story ended last year, the latest remarks leave room for another chapter.
