Every year we witness the inevitable process of having to say goodbye to certain car models that have been on the market for years. This 2024 is no exception. As usual, the first months of the year bring us a renewal of inventory with the introduction of new models and leaving behind some automotive classics such as the Audi R8.
The German manufacturer extended the death certificate of its iconic sports car on March 22. Just released in spring, the last unit of the Audi R8 left the assembly line that the brand with the four rings has in Böllinger Höfe, near Stuttgart, where its headquarters is located. A yellow example corresponding to the V10 Performance quattro variant had the honor of becoming model number 44,418 of the R8 that Audi has manufactured continuously since November 6, 2006.
To put an end to the production of the Audi R8, one of the brand's most acclaimed sports models, the German company added a touch of class to the car. Instead of configuring it under one of the series created to dismiss it from the market -GT, Japan Edition and Green Hell-, the leaders preferred to dress it with the characteristics of the V10 performance quattro variant.
Covered in a layer of Vegas yellow paint, the last R8 manufactured by Audi will be destined for the automobile museum that the German brand has in Ingolstadt. There visitors will be able to see up close what has been one of the company's most emblematic sports models. It is equipped with a powerful 5.2-liter V10 naturally aspirated engine, which delivers a power of 620 HP and allows it to reach a top speed of 331 km/h and go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds.
The end of production of the R8 was initially scheduled for the end of 2023. But Audi decided to postpone the release of its last unit after receiving an increase in orders after the announcement of the car's disappearance. The German manufacturer has not yet commented on the possibility of another model taking over from the R8. If so, its successor will be an electric vehicle.
The firm with the four rings plans to launch its latest model equipped with an internal combustion engine in 2026. From this date it will only manufacture electric vehicles, a commitment that extends to the Audi Sport division that is responsible for the R8.
The Audi PB18 e-tron that Audi launched on the market in 2018 could be considered the successor to the R8 in the event that the German company does not opt to manufacture a specific model to replace the R8. This sports car includes a solid-state battery pack that is lighter than liquid-type batteries and easier to charge. This is a technology that Audi's Volkswagen Group parent company is preparing for the second half of the decade.
The farewell of the Audi R8 is not the only farewell of this 2024. Among the models that are no longer manufactured this year is a automotive classic like the Ford Fiesta. The oval brand's utility vehicle stopped production on July 7, 2023 after 47 years on the market and more than 22 million copies sold.
