2016 Audi R8 Leaked

The Audi R8's design is so iconic that you could be forgiven that the first car rolled off the production line all the way back in 2006. Although it received a mild facelift along the line, it is largely the same car that debuted 9 years ago. Audi has been working on a completely redesigned R8 that will be based on the new Huracan platform Lamborghini has developed. The second generation Audi R8 is supposed to be officially revealed at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show this March, but a short video and images leaking the redesigned car have surfaced on Instagram. They have since been taken down but the images have resurfaced elsewhere on the internet.

This screen cap above is taken from Instagram user dreboog's video showing the car up on the lift with the wheels off and the hood slightly open. There is also a red cloth on the roof, but as you can see, the new front end is plainly visible to the eye. The redesigned front end keeps the new Audi design philosophy and is similar to the new Audi TT that was revealed at the 2014 Geneva International Motor Show. There is a new trapezoidal grille and more squared off headlights. Also to be noticed is that there is the absence of the iconic side blade that was such a distinguishing feature of the Audi R8's profile. Instead there looks to be small side intakes for the mid-engine layout. Although final judgement has to be reserved until the car is seen in the metal, I have to say that the lack of side blades is a bit of a letdown aesthetically. The side blades looked very aggressive and gave the R8 a presence that other supercars did not have.

It is expected that the new R8 will share the same 5.2L naturally aspirated V10 that is in the Lamborghini Huracan, most likely detuned to have less than the 600hp offered by the Huracan. The new R8 is also supposed to be 150lbs lighter than the current car.