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Jun 25, 2023

The 2023 Audi R8 GT RWD Marks The End Of The German Brand's Glorious V

With a reputation for being one of the most approachable supercars, Audi gives a

With a reputation for being one of the most approachable supercars, Audi gives a fitting send-off to its halo model with a limited-run GT RWD variant

Since the release of the first R8 in 2006, this car has amassed a fan base for its distinguished body, outstanding speed, and it's high-end look. The Audi R8 V10 Rear-Wheel drive is the German brand's farewell to its flagship supercar. The R8 is a supercar so cool that Tony Stark pulled up in it in the very first Iron Man movie, and it's been a mainstay in the supercar industry since the first iteration was released, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and beloved gas-powered supercars are no exception. But why will the R8 V-10 RWD be the last installment in the line of these magnificent supercars?

RELATED: The 2023 Audi R8 GT RWD Says Hello to Oversteer and Goodbye to the V-10

The Audi R8 was the very first supercar from Ingolstadt heavyweight. It was considered to be a high-performance model that didn't have much of a learning curb. Meaning if someone was able to afford the price tag attached, they could get behind the wheel of this car and drive it with confidence, unlike many other modern supercars that can feel like piloting a rocket on wheels, the Audi R8 was designed to be user-friendly. Having said that, the Audi R8s have never been lacking in the power department.

The 2023 Audi R8 V-10 Rear-Wheel Drive carries on Audi's high-performance legacy with a 620 horsepower engine, and a top speed of 199 mph, and the 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V-10 has the amazing soundtrack, that these cars have become known for. While Audi's legendary Quattro has always been offered with the R8, it's really the rear-wheel drive model that adds to the fun quotient.

Part of the reason the R8 models have become so beloved is because of the ease of handling. Couple that with the mid-engined layout and a reduction of weight with the rear-wheel drive model, which means less weight on the front axle and you should end up with a truly entertaining drive.

Being part of the VW Group has its perks and the Audi R8 became the brand's flagship sports car. After Audi Acquired Lamborghini, it took cues from the Italian supercar manufacturer on how to make high-performance machines. The name "Audi" is Latin for "loud", which is fitting for the R8, considering the fact that it was the first supercar to feature the thunderous-sounding V-8 engine that the R8. The V-10 engine, at the time, was also shared with the Lamborghini Gallardo. The gasoline engine will be discontinued in favor of a more quiet, and environmentally friendly all-electric model.

RELATED: The Audi R8 Will Be Retired to Make Way for an Electric Supercar

Another virtue of the Audi R8 V10 rear-wheel drive is it made way for a unique feature to be added to this car, the Torque rear mode. This feature helps drivers safely drive like the hero in their favorite action movie, by safely (well, relatively safely) whipping the R8 around corners like a pro. This setting has seven modes of assistance, to adjust to the driver's steering inputs and help them stay in control. The lower levels of the rear torque mode help to correct oversteering, and the higher levels take off the training wheels so-to-speak to let drivers feel the full effects of the over steer in this rear-wheel drive supercar.

RELATED: The Audi R8 Officially Dies After 2023 With Production Ending After Two Generations

Audi R8s have a very distinctive body. Not quite as distinctive as the Porsche 911s, whose models have looked nearly identical for the better part of 50 years, but it's in the ballpark. But nonetheless, car enthusiasts can pick an Audi R8 out of a crowd, and the 2023 R8 V-10 RWD is the spitting image of its predecessors. This is even so, despite Audi ditching the single-side blade when it debuted the second generation.

The air vents at the very front of the car combined with the headlights that are thin and slightly tilted downward can be said to give this car an aggressive look, but delightfully so. The intense look of the car couples nicely with the roar of the V-10 engine, and the 620 horsepower it is capable of producing. Another interesting aspect of this version of the R8, all the badges a black.

RELATED: The Audi R8's Successor Will be a Brutal Supercar with a Weird Name

The 2023 Audi R8 RWD also has features added to the body to make it more aerodynamic, making it much easier for the engine to reach its full potential on the road, including the flicks on the front bumper, and the air tunnels just in front of the back wheels on either side of the car to help feed the naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V-10 engine with all the oxygen it needs to tear up the asphalt. The car also features a swan neck rear wing that helps double the car's downforce, to help keep the rubber attached to the 20-inch wheels glued to the road, contributing to its impressive top speed of 199 miles per hour.

RELATED: The Audi R8 Will Be Retired to Make Way for an Electric Supercar

The 2023 Audi R8 RWD is the last installment in its series. And this is due in part to the take-over of electric vehicles that are just on the horizon. The Audi R8 has fallen behind many technical advancements in the supercar world, and in the increasingly environmentally conscious era we are moving into, the 5.2-liter V-10 rear-wheel drive engine, shared with the Lamborghini Huracan, no longer fits the build of the modern market. So, all good things come to an end, and this illustrious supercar is no different. Audi will likely phase out this car with an electric version.

But, that doesn't mean that it has to fall behind in its performance. The 2023 Porsche Taycan has 616 horsepower. But for many car lovers, hearing the engine revving as they accelerate is half the fun. But perhaps the electric cars of the future will have perks of their own, ones that we can't currently dream of.

Adrian Monroe is a car enthusiast with expertises in classic cars, motorcycles, and luxury sports cars.