It’s 5am on an industrial estate just outside the city of Heilbronn in southern Germany. Never let it be said that this job isn’t glamourous. And yet, despite the smokestack location, the day is set to be filled with fanfare.
It begins with a proper Stars in their Eyes moment, as the painted bodyshell of a Vegas Yellow Audi R8 rises up from the basement below and is then rapidly revealed by an overdramatic garage door. Just missing the smoke machines.
Of course, I wouldn’t be out of bed at this time to watch any old R8 get pieced together, but this is the last ever car. Yep, after two generations and 18 years of production, it’s the end of the road for Audi’s internal combustion-engined supercar. Over 45,000 examples have been built since its introduction in 2006, and while the name could possibly appear on a future flagship EV, the R8 as we know it is soon to be dead.
The factory is Audi’s small Böllinger Höfe plant. Although we say small there are still 41,000 square metres of production space and around 1,500 employees. The R8 has been built here since the place opened in 2014, but in 2020 the e-tron GT muscled itself onto the same line and ensured that the dominant sound in these halls is of tyre squeal on polished floors rather than the echo of V10s.
Speaking of engines, I’d assumed that the Lambo-developed 5.2-litre V10 would come straight from Audi’s plant in Hungary ready to be plugged in to the middle of the R8’s carbon and aluminium spaceframe, but stumbling across the engine room it’s clear that isn’t the case. In fact, over 100 extra bits need to be fitted to each engine before it’s ready to meet its chassis.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 2024-Ausgabe von BBC TopGear India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 2024-Ausgabe von BBC TopGear India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
ELEVATING PERFORMANCE
JK Tyre's Levitas Ultra Takes Luxury to New Heights
TVS APACHE RR 310
THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE SPORTSBIKE IF I’M BEING HONEST.
SKODA SLAVIA
AFTER SPENDING ALMOST TWO MONTHS WITH THE SKODA Slavia Monte Carlo edition, driving it around on both highways and city roads I can confidently say I’m truly enjoying my experience.
MERCEDES-BENZ EQE SUV
We traded our trustworthy Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+ for the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 500. Yes, I make good life decisions… sometimes.
GOLDEN OLDIES
The restomod scene has exploded in recent years we gather four supermodels in Italy to show it's not as easy as it looks...
BURN OUT FADE AWAY?
By Switching from V8 to electric with fake noise, has Dodge missed the point of a muscle car completely?
THROTTLE OPEN
Revving through camaraderie, innovation, and the pulsating heart of India's biking culture.
IT IS ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY
The TVS Apache 310 RR Road Test
A COMPACT SEDAN THAT THINKS BIG
Honda’s third-generation Amaze arrives at an interesting juncture. As compact sedans fight for survival against an SUVdominated landscape, Honda’s bestseller steps up with a fresh approach, focusing on safety, practicality, and a touch of sophistication.
2024 AUDI Q7
Refinement Without the Ruckus