A Roaring 700 Hp Beating Heart, Audi’s 3rd Generation Beast The R8

Based on Audi's electrification plans, the R8’s positioning as a bellowing supercar with a gas-guzzling V10 engine doesn't align well, but fret not, its roar may not be silenced just yet.

According to the German automobile magazine, Auto Bild, the 3rd generation R8 will get a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged powertrain with electric assistance.

Even though the publication didn't go into much detail, it did suggest a market launch for the turbocharged R8, which takes place in 2023.

Marking a big departure from the R8’s naturally-aspirated engines and the end of an era for the combustion-powered beast.

Plus, it also stated that by adding electric assistance to the turbocharged V8, the total output could be in the range of 700 horsepower.

By comparison, the outgoing R8 produces up to 602 hp and takes only 3.2 seconds to reach from 0 to 100km/h, in the case of the V10 performance Quattro model.

Therefore, with the 3rd gen being a hybrid, it would be slightly heavier, and with the addition of turbocharging would also alter the overall driving dynamics of the R8.

Speaking of which, Audi’s chairman, Markus Duesmann, mentioned earlier this year that the 3rd gen R8 could potentially become a fully electric model.

If so, a fully electric R8 would be a more dramatic leap than if it was introduced with hybridisation and turbocharging, as Audi have already built the often-forgotten R8 E-Tron.

In short, getting one more gen of an R8 with a gas engine would be great, because like the best Lamborghinis and Ferraris, this is a car that has always had an outstanding engine as the focal point.