The Audi R8 doesn’t appear to have a bright future beyond its current version. While nothing has been confirmed yet, Audi’s R&D boss, Peter Mertens, admitted that the German automaker has made no plans for a direct replacement for the range-topping supercar. The lack of commitment from Audi, coupled with investments the company is making in diversifying its own portfolio, points to an uncertain future for the ground-breaking R8 that put the company on the supercar map.

This is one of those times when you’re greeted with a story that is surprising on the surface, but not really shocking when you start to think about it. For what it’s worth, the Audi R8 lived up to all of Audi’s expectations. It brought the German automaker into the supercar market, and it’s been thriving there since. It’s hard to imagine an Audi being able to match wits and capabilities with the Ferraris and Lamborghinis of the world, and yet, the R8 has done just that.

But there is a time for that to end. Like every automaker in the business, Audi’s future is now being defined by expanding into hybrids and electric vehicles. As such, funds that normally go to a halo car like the R8 are now being diverted into more important segments. That’s probably one of the reasons why there have been no internal discussions regarding a replacement for the current-generation R8.

The good news is that just because the R8’s future is now in question, that doesn’t mean Audi’s going to stop building cars that can live up to its legacy. Mertens admitted that, in addition to hybrids and EVs, Audi is still developing next-gen models that carry old-fashioned internal-combustion engines. Even better, all of these types will have fast and go-faster versions. “All three concepts will have a future,” he said. “There will be very traditional combustion-engine high-performance vehicles, pure battery-electric vehicles on the high-performance side, and our sister brand Porsche also very much proves with their plug-in hybrids that the combination of both is a fantastic answer as well.”

Unfortunately for fans of the R8, the supercar might be left out because of this new focus and strategy. Granted, plans and priorities could still change. The R8, as it is, has a few more years on its life so the narrative about its future could change in that time. But, from the looks of things, the R8’s status isn’t as much of a sure thing as it once was.

References

Audi R8

Read our full review on the 2017 Audi R8.

Read our full review on the 2017 Audi R8 Spyder.

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