---
title: "Audi R8 Will Live on With V-10 and Not Turbo V6, Project Boss Says"
description: "Audi remains mum on the possibility of a future rear-drive-only variant."
date: "2018-11-15"
modified: "2018-11-15"
authors:
  - name: "Chris Tsui"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/chris-tsui"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/24927/audi-r8-will-live-on-with-v-10-and-not-turbo-v-6-project-boss-says"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Audi"
  - "Audi R8"
  - "Coupe"
  - "engines"
  - "German Cars"
  - "R8"
  - "Supercar"
  - "Supercars"
  - "V-10"
---

# Audi R8 Will Live on With V-10 and Not Turbo V6, Project Boss Says

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/11/a1813544_large-e1542296187785.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Despite [previous reports](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/19378/audi-r8-getting-a-cheaper-v-6-variant>) alleging that the Audi R8 would be getting a cheaper, lighter V6 variant, the German automaker now says its supercar, in its current form, will not be sold with anything other than a V-10.

Speaking to [*Car Throttle*](<https://www.carthrottle.com/post/second-gen-audi-r8-will-bow-out-with-a-v10-no-v6-or-other-engines-planned/>), the [recently facelifted R8](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/24420/2019-audi-r8-the-mid-engined-supercars-mid-life-crisis>)'s project manager Bjorn Friedrich says the naturally aspirated 5.2-liter is "the best engine for the car…we’ll stick to the V-10."

In base trim, that engine makes 570 horsepower while 620 horses are available in the car's Plus guise. The same basic powerplant can also be found in the [Lamborghini Huracán](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/24826/this-is-what-a-2000-hp-7-second-lamborghini-huracn-looks-and-sounds-like>).

The report also says Friedrich refused to specify whether or not a rear-wheel-drive RWS version of the updated R8 is in the cards, though he didn't rule it out. *The Drive* reached out to Audi for further comment and while it did confirm the "V-10 remains the engine for the R8," it did not address our question of if a RWD variant is coming in the future.

When the original Audi R8 came on the scene in 2006, it came with a 4.2-liter V8. Three years later, Audi added two more cylinders with another liter of displacement. When the mid-engined supercar was completely redesigned for 2015, it was 10 cylinders or bust with no V8 option in sight.

The R8 might even go out of production as a staunchly V-10-only machine if [another previous report that says Audi has no plans for a replacement](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/19280/audi-has-no-plans-for-a-third-generation-r8-report-says>) proves true.

For 2019, Audi's halo model got a new look, more power than before, and calibration tweaks to the steering and traction management systems. The 2018 model starts at $138,700. Expect the facelifted version to go for around the same money.

## Author
Chris Tsui is *The Drive*'s former Reviews Editor and current freelance automotive journalist. He's based in Toronto.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/cltsuii/>)