TheAudi R8is amid-engine, 2-seatersports car,which uses Audi's trademarkquattropermanentall-wheel drivesystem.It was introduced by the German car manufacturerAudi AGin 2006. Production ended in the first quarter of 2024. The car is exclusively designed, developed, and manufactured by Audi AG's private subsidiary company manufacturing high performance automotive parts,Audi Sport GmbH(formerly quattro GmbH),and is based on theLamborghini Gallardoand presently theHuracnplatform.The fundamental construction of the R8 is based on theAudi Space Frame,and uses an aluminiummonocoquewhich is built using space frame principles. The car is built by Audi Sport GmbH in a newly renovated factory at Audi's 'aluminium site' atNeckarsulmin Germany.At the time it was introduced in 2006, the R8 became the first production car with full-LED headlamps.

The second generation of the R8 (model code: Type 4S) was unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show and is based on the Modular Sports System platform shared with the Lamborghini Huracan. The development of the Type 4S commenced in late 2013 and was completed in late 2014 (2015 model year in Europe, 2017 model year in the US). Initial models included the all-electric e-Tron and the V10 5.2 FSI along with the V10 plus. Unlike its predecessor, there was no manual transmission available and the entry-level V8 trim was also dropped. In 2016, the convertible (Spyder) variant was added to the line up which was initially available in the base V10 trim. In mid-2017, the high performance V10 plus Spyder was added to the range. A rear-wheel-drive model called the R8 RWS was introduced.

In 2018 (2020 model year in the US), the R8 received a mid-cycle refresh with mechanical and exterior changes. The newer and more aggressive design language carried over from famous Audi models of the past and its appearance is slightly more angular up front. The refreshed model had substantial performance improvements over its predecessor. The base R8 gets a power boost from 532 hp to 562 hp, while the V10 Plus was renamed V10 Performance Quattro and the engine saw a power increase by 10 hp (7 kW), now up to 612 hp.2023 R8 GT is last R8 with 620hp limited to 333 units.

The Audi R8 e-tron (2015) was an all-electric version of the second-generation R8. Unlike the earlier 2010 prototype based on the first-generation R8, it actually entered production, but only on a small scale, with less than 100 units sold. It featured a 92-kWh battery.