Audi News
First Spy Photos of Pre-Production R8 Sportscar
By by: George Achorn, photos by Brenda Priddy & Company
Jan 29, 2006, 21:48

Rumors abound about the upcoming mid-engined Audi R8 sportscar. About all that has been confirmed officially by Audi is the name ‘R8’, shared with the all-conquering racecar that contested and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans this past summer for the last time. The car’s design is known to be based heavily on the Le Mans quattro Concept from the 2003 Frankfurt Auto Show.

Like the concept, the production ‘R8’ will share components with the mid-engined Lamborghini Gallardo, meaning an aluminum space frame and more than likely manufacture in Audi’s Neckarsulm plant – home to production of all aluminum-based automobiles from Audi and Lamborghini thus far.



Rumors have circulated in the press about what engines will power the car, though Audi has remained tight-lipped on those details. The running favorites amongst the auto industry theorists include the high-revving 4.2-liter V8 from the RS 4 and the FSI-equipped V10 shared with the S8 and just-shown S6.

Other hinted at, but less likely, powerplants that could happen include a biturbo V10 like the Le Mans concept or some sort of diesel-engined variant. The latter rumor comes from speculation that a diesel-sounding Gallardo has been seen in Lamborghini’s home of Sant Agata Bolognese puttering around, and there are currently no plans for diesel powerplants in the Lamborghini range. However, Audi with their diesel-powered R10 racecar set to hit tracks this season, have more than a good reason to begin marketing diesel with high-performance.



Just this week, spy photographers nabbed what appears to be the R8 undergoing some winter testing near Volkswagen’s top-secret test facility in northern Sweden. If this is it, and there’s no reason that it wouldn’t be, then Audi appears to be bringing the R8 to production nearly as true to the original concept car as it did with the TT back in 1999.

Note the lines of the body and the distinctive snout could literally be the original concept car if there were any good reason for Audi to bring the show car to the remote and frigid climate of Sweden… and there’s not.



The only disguise appears to be covers on the area around the body panel that was satin aluminum on the show car. Whether that design element makes production still remains to be seen. Audi could opt to add a rear quarter window as it did on the TT Coupe or keep the large aluminum segment and remain true to the original design. Neither possibility can be confirmed from the photographs.

Lighting at the front appears to be changed from the LED headlights on the concept car to something with a more conventional pattern, though it’s a lot more likely that rearward lighting might remain true to the car from what we can see in these grainy photographs.

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