The cat’s out of the bag for Audi – early spy shots of the heavily disguised 2015 Audi R8 leaked last month and have circulated around the automotive webiverse. Audi have since returned to the famous Nurburgring in Germany for further performance testing of the highly anticipated R8 replacement. This time, though, Audi have stripped away the disguises – finally giving us a good look at what the next R8 supercar will look like.

The revealing shots show that the new Audi R8 will feature subtle design updates, maintaining the appeal which made the original so popular. Although Audi have masked some of the design around the front and rear of the car, it is clear the new R8 will feature new, sharper head and tail lights – taking inspiration from the 2014 Audi TT. The sharp, angular lines give the new TT a much more aggressive, race-ready appearance.

The biggest changes are the at the rear of the Audi – the new TT sports a downforce generating rear diffuser. New rectangular exhausts are flush with the redesigned rear bumper, nestled underneath large ventilation panels.

Performance and technical details are being kept under tight wraps – however, Audi have confirmed that the R8 will share the same weight saving hybrid carbon-fibre and aluminium chassis as the new Lamborghini Huracan. They have also revealed that the new R8, although retaining the same engine options, could be offered with turbocharged engines for the first time in the model’s history. Controversially, Audi have scrapped manual transmission as an option in favour of a new, dual-clutch, automatic gearbox – a move sure to cause some friction with manual driving purists.

An Audi spokesperson disclosed that the next generation R8 will feature revised suspension – with a new layout helping to fine tune the already excellent handling of the original supercar. Combined with its four-wheel drive system, the new R8 is clearly positioning itself to handle well, taking corners with ease and precision.

The next gen R8 will go on sale in 2015, with prices expected to be around the £100,000 mark – a relative bargain in the supercar world. For more details of the upcoming R8, see our previous article on the Audi.

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