Audi’s last third-generation TT coupe left production in November 2023. The second-generation R8 finished production in March 2024. This means Audi no longer offers traditional petrol-powered coupes. Instead, its top models are now all-electric performance vehicles.
Rumors have suggested both the TT and R8 could make a comeback. The TT might return on a new Porsche platform. Meanwhile, the R8 could come back as a plug-in hybrid, sharing technology with the Lamborghini Temerario.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner spoke to UK magazine Autocar about these possibilities. He said, “We are car guys. We are thinking about everything. Let yourself be surprised.” However, he added it was still too early to share concrete plans.
Audi is preparing to enter Formula 1 racing next year. Many see this move as a sign the brand wants to keep petrol-powered halo cars in its lineup to promote itself.
Historically, the Audi TT was built on the Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 platforms. It stood out with its stylish two-door coupe and convertible design. From 1998 to 2023, Audi made 662,762 TTs, although sales slowed near the end.
The Audi R8 had two generations. It launched in 2006 as a V8 coupe. In 2008, Audi added a V10 engine and introduced a convertible version in 2010. The second-generation R8 started in 2015, featuring only the V10 engine, except for a few electric R8 e-trons. Between 2008 and 2024, Audi produced 44,418 R8s worldwide, including 687 in Australia.
Initially, many expected the R8’s return as a fully electric model, built on Volkswagen Group’s new System Scalable Platform (SSP). But in March, Autocar reported the 2027 R8 might instead use the Lamborghini Temerario’s platform.
This would keep the R8 linked with its predecessors, which shared platforms with Lamborghini’s Gallardo and Huracan models. The new R8 is expected to be more understated than the Lamborghini and use a twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain from the Temerario.
There are reports the plug-in hybrid R8 could be named the R8 e-tron, though this name has been used exclusively for Audi’s fully electric vehicles in the past.
