A prototype of an Audi R8 has been spied near the company’s Ingolstadt headquarter today, wearing camouflage over some significantly redesigned body bits. At the front, the whole bumper has been revised around a new hexagonal grille design shared with the A6, A7, and A8. Also modified have been the side intakes. Gone are those vertical bars, replaced by conventional mesh. Slight changes to the side skirts and chin spoiler will only be noticeable by doing a side-by-side comparison.
The back of the 2019 or 2020 R8 features a new grille design that goes across the car instead of being cut in the middle, where the license plate is. The air diffuser seems more understated, and that leads to believe this is the 400+ hp base model that’s been rumoured for many years.
Instead of square mufflers, this R8 now has two oval ones with those little perforations that help it sound better. This could be connected to either a 2.5-litre 5-cylinder with over 400 hp or, most likely, the 450-hp 2.9-litre V6 from the RS5.
If sales are the main problem of the R8, then this engine will do a lot to help. Not only will it make the mid-engined supercar cheaper to buy, but it will also lower taxes based on emissions or displacement.
Performance should go down a little, but it should still reach 100 km/h in around 4 seconds with launch control. A new infotainment system and Virtual Cockpit could be what today’s R8 lacks to compete with the Porsche 911.
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