Good News: Audi R8 Production Extended Thanks to Strong Sales
Bad news: It’s only for a couple of months.
Although it was originally scheduled to retire at the end of 2023, skyrocketing demand for the Audi R8 supercar has forced the automaker to extend production a wee bit longer. Speaking to Motor1, an Audi spokesperson confirmed that the deadline has now been pushed to the end of March.
"It is true, the last Audi R8 will leave the production line at the end of the first quarter of 2024," the spokesperson told the outlet. "This marks the end of the production of an iconic sports car at the Audi Böllinger Höfe site in Neckarsulm. The all-electric Audi e-tron GT will continue to be built at the Böllinger Höfe."
Sales of the stylish supercar doubled in its final year of production, with a reported 631 cars sold in the U.S. in 2023 compared to 314 in 2022. It's unclear if those orders have all been delivered and the production extension will accommodate fresh orders, or if the additional time will merely help alleviate a possible backlog.
Back in August, Audi hosted a retirement party of sorts for its iconic supercar, where I had the opportunity to drive a 2023 Audi R8 V10 around Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca. More significantly, however, it was in the company of the father of the R8, original designer Frank Lamberty, and nine-time Le Mans 24 champion Tom Kristensen. It was a significant moment for those two and several other Audi employees present, seeing their longtime halo car drive into the sunset one final time.
Audi's decision to terminate the R8 dates back a few years, and a decision on a direct replacement appears to not have been reached yet in Germany. Chances are that if there's a direct successor, it will likely be a purely electric sports car. Either way, the German supercar had a phenomenal 15 years on the streets and on the racetrack, where it conquered the hearts of many enthusiasts.
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