Audi Sport is fighting to ensure the V10 remains an integral part of the next-generation R8, despite the increasing likelihood the flagship supercar will go all-electric in its next generation.
Speaking to Autocar at the recent Nurburgring 24-hour race, Audi Sport managing director Oliver Hoffmann suggested there was a strong desire to see the free-revving, naturally-aspirated engine live on in the third-generation R8.
However, increasingly stringent emissions regulations and a broader move towards electrification make such an engine increasingly difficult to justify. Hoffmann explained there is a need to not only identify what type of drivetrain will be most appropriate for such cars, but also which engines would be best suited to electrification.
“The V10 is an icon, and a USP within the segment,” he said. “With the current R8, our customers love this car. We are fighting for the V10, but [for the next-generation] it’s more or less a question of ICE or electrification, and which kind of engine is useful for it.”