Audi R8 dead in Australia; Lamborghini Huracan safe

Audi’s V10-powered icon has taken its final bow in Australia, as emissions complications squeeze it out of production.

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Production complications and emissions rules have spelled the end for the Audi R8 supercar in Australia – though buyers looking for their all-wheel-drive V10 fix can be assured the related Lamborghini Huracan remains safe for now.

To blame for the R8‘s axing are the unique engine tunes offered for its 5.2-litre V10 in the Australian market – that differ from those sold in Europe and elsewhere with tighter emissions and noise rules – which are no longer produced for the local market by Audi’s engine plant in Hungary.

While the German manufacturer could feasibly introduce the tunes offered in overseas markets, the niche sales it attracts – with 29 examples sold so far in 2021, 17 in 2020 and 12 in 2019 – has likely seen Audi Australia elect not to invest the resources required to keep the R8 in local showrooms.

“The current generation of the Audi R8 Coupe and Spyder are no longer offered in Australia, for local homologation reasons. The R8 will continue to be produced for other markets,” an Audi Australia spokesperson said in a statement.

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The current revision of the car’s 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated V10 was introduced with the R8’s mid-life facelift in 2020, which develops 397kW and 540Nm in entry-level RWD variants, or 449kW/560Nm in the flagship all-wheel-drive Performance model.

Those figures are down 22kW/10Nm and 7kW/20Nm respectively on variants sold in Europe, where all models are fitted with petrol particulate filters (PPFs) to reduce noise and emissions – systems not fitted to R8s in Australia, with local bosses outlining in 2020 Audi’s decision to accept reduced outputs in order to retain the more sonorous exhaust note delivered without the PPF.

The less potent 397kW/540Nm tune (as offered in Australia) was recently discontinued in the US, with the uprated 419kW/560Nm variant rolled in to replace it – likely fitted with a petrol particulate filter, mirroring its European counterpart.

The Audi R8’s death is unrelated to new side-impact crash safety regulations (known as ADR 85) set to come into force in Australia this November for existing vehicles launched prior to November 2017, which will bring to an end sales of the Nissan GT-R supercar and Alpine A110 sports car. Click here to read full details on the new rule change.

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While the R8 is departing Australia, its twin under the skin, the Lamborghini Huracan, will be safe, given the emissions complications forcing the Audi’s demise are specific to the German brand. Lamborghini representatives have confirmed to Drive the Huracan will be compliant with ADR 85, and will continue to be offered locally.

A successor to the current Audi R8 – which went on sale locally in second-generation guise in 2016 – is yet to be confirmed globally, however with the car maker confirming it will launch its last new combustion-engined car in 2025, any next-generation model would likely adopt electric power.

“AUDI AG is currently discussing various concepts for a possible R8 successor, but no decision has been made so far,” a spokesperson for Audi Australia told Drive.

A total of 29 examples of the R8 have been sold in Australia in 2021, up from 17 in 2020, and 12 in 2019. 94 units were sold the year the second-generation model launched, 2016, though that wasn’t enough to best the 103 sold in 2008, the year after the first-generation model went on sale locally.

Production for the Australian market ceased earlier this year, and Drive understands no more than a handful of R8 examples remain in local showrooms.

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