OK, it is 5 am in the morning here in Germany and apparently one of my (Audi) sources read this thread and thought he needs to add a few things to what I posted. Please be aware that he doesn't work for Audi Sport directly, so the information could be inaccurate or even false (however, usually...he is pretty accurate).
Audi did not completely abandon the R8 (development for successor seems to have been stopped though, this seems to be true but he couldn't say if the stop is permanent or temporary, too many things going on at Audi right now).
Instead, the new performance parts from Audi Sport are supposed to help the R8 to appeal to more customers. He told that the parts are only a first step and more will follow. No power kits though planned...so far.
BUT: Audi will offer at least two more powerful versions of the V10 engine in the R8 over it's lifecycle.
One could be the facelift with 630 hp and the other one a more powerful version with 640 hp... (just my guess, he didn't say).
Base model with 2.9 l V6 Biturbo is apparently dead for good, like I said before.
Also interesting: Instead of the 2.9 l V6 Biturbo, they plan a V10 version with less than the 540 hp in the V10 (non Plus) with less options and a cheaper price (vs. non Plus version).
Another detail: Apparently the V10 5.2 l engine is not "done" at 650 hp as rumored before. He said that there were prototypes engines running with close to 700 hp but the problem seems to be the DCT in the R8 (and Huracan) and some AWD parts which aren't made for this kind of power and torque. Apparently torque is even artificially limited on both cars. A power increase would require a substantial overhaul of the R8/Huracan drivetrain.
Bad news in the exhaust/sound department though: Every technical change which requires a re-certification (new!) of the R8 will require the removal of the exhaust button (no more switching, similar to the new RS5) and what is worse: The flaps cannot stay open under 80 kph. I didn't know that. No wonder that RS5 sounded so bad.
I wonder how Porsche and McLaren and Ferrari will cope with these restrictions.
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet (2015), Porsche Cayenne S Diesel (2017), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mini JCW (2015)