Audi R8 history: both generations, every U.S. version and the end of production

Audi R8 history

The R8 took its name from Audi's R8 Le Mans prototype, which won the 24 Hours five times between 2000 and 2005. The road car was previewed by the Le Mans quattro concept at the 2003 Frankfurt show, which was based on the Lamborghini Gallardo, and the production R8 premiered at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. It was Audi's first mid-engine supercar, developed and built by quattro GmbH (now Audi Sport GmbH), and every R8 was assembled largely by hand at the Böllinger Höfe plant near Neckarsulm. It went on sale in the U.S. in 2008 and was World Performance Car of the Year in 2008 and 2016.

The first generation (often called Type 42) launched with a dry-sump 4.2-liter V8 FSI of 420 PS, close to the B7 RS 4 engine, and quattro all-wheel drive that could send up to 30 percent of power to the front axle. A 5.2-liter V10 shared with the Gallardo followed in 2009, along with the open R8 Spyder. Transmission choices ran from a gated manual to the single-clutch R tronic and, from 2012, the S tronic dual-clutch. Audi built just over 26,000 first-generation cars.

The second generation (Type 4S) debuted at the 2015 Geneva show on architecture shared with the Lamborghini Huracán, with the V10 only and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It brought Audi's first rear-wheel-drive production car, the 2018 R8 RWS, and later permanent RWD models. Audi of America called 2023 the final model year, and the last R8 — painted Vegas Yellow and bound for the Audi Museum in Ingolstadt — was built on March 22, 2024.[1],[2],[4],[13]

Years and production numbers

Generations and key variants

Engine and drivetrain facts

• The first-generation 4.2 FSI V8 was almost identical to the B7 RS 4 engine except for dry-sump lubrication; Audi of America rated it at 420 hp.
• The 90-degree 5.2-liter V10 FSI went into production in 2009 at 525 hp and was shared with the Lamborghini Gallardo; in its final U.S. tune it made 602 hp at 8,100 rpm and 413 lb-ft at 6,700 rpm, with an 8,700 rpm limit.
• The second-generation V10 is assembled at Audi's engine plant in Győr, Hungary; it combines port and direct injection and can shut down one cylinder bank under light load.
• Dry-sump lubrication let Audi mount the engine lower and keeps oil supply steady under high cornering loads — the same system used in the R8 LMS GT3 race car.
• The R8 LMS race cars share more than 50 percent of their parts with the road car and were built on the same Böllinger Höfe line.

Sources:[1],[2],[3]

What changed over the years

1. 2003Le Mans quattro concept, based on the Lamborghini Gallardo, shown at Frankfurt.
2. 2006–2007R8 premieres at the Paris Motor Show; production starts at Böllinger Höfe.
3. 2008U.S. sales begin; the R8 becomes the first car available with full LED headlights.
4. 20095.2 FSI V10 and the R8 Spyder join the range.
5. 2012S tronic dual-clutch replaces R tronic; R8 GT limited to 333 Coupes and 333 Spyders.
6. 2014R8 LMX: 99 cars, 570 PS and the first production laser high beams.
7. 2015Second-generation R8 debuts at Geneva, V10-only.
8. 2018R8 RWS, Audi's first rear-wheel-drive production model; 320 for the U.S.
9. 2019–2020Facelift: V10 rises to 562 hp, V10 plus renamed V10 performance.
10. 2021–2022RWD becomes a permanent model; the V10 performance RWD rises to 562 hp for 2022.
11. 2023Final U.S. model year; R8 GT RWD, 150 of 333 for the U.S.
12. March 22, 2024The last R8 is built at Böllinger Höfe after 45,949 cars.

Sources:[1],[2],[4],[5],[7],[8],[9]

What to check before you buy one

• Identify the generation, engine and transmission from the VIN. First-generation cars came with a 4.2 V8 or 5.2 V10 and a gated manual, the single-clutch R tronic or (from 2012) the S tronic dual-clutch; every second-generation car has the V10 and a seven-speed dual-clutch.
• Confirm the drive layout. RWS (2018) and RWD (2021–2023) cars are rear-wheel drive and lighter; quattro and RWD cars of the same year differ in price and equipment.
• Check recall completion by VIN: 11V390000 (2011–2012 Spyder fuel supply line), 18V639000 (2017–2018 transmission fluid leak) and 22V225000 (2021–2022 gearbox fluid level).
• For limited editions, verify the numbering: the RWS carries a '1 of 999' badge, U.S. Decennium cars are numbers 173–222, and each R8 GT RWD carries its sequential number in the selector-lever inlay.
• Ask for complete service records, and inspect the magnetic ride dampers and, where fitted, the ceramic brakes before buying.

Engine guides: 4.2 FSI V8, 5.2 FSI V10.

How to verify a Audi R8's factory options

R8s of the same year differ in drive layout, body style, brakes, carbon packages and limited-edition numbering. CarWhere checks the 17-character VIN for licensed factory build data and, when it exists, lists the equipment the R8 was built with. It does not promise a complete option list for every VIN.