The Audi R8 was born out of a design study that celebrated three consecutive wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – 2000, 2001 and 2002 – and which was shown at the 2003 International Motor Show. Ironically, the only year the R8 failed to win Le Mans.
Three years later, 20 years ago next year, it was revealed as a production-ready model at the Paris Motor Show and it had even assumed the same name as its inspiration. That car had been retired after a remarkable five wins in six years, and from 2006 the R8 would mean to most a sports car built by Audi with the help of Lamborghini.
The R8 hit showrooms in 2007 with the underpinnings borrowed from Lamborghini's Gallardo, but powered by a V8 with manual or automatic transmission. When the V10 arrived it even had the same engine as the Lambo, but the manual gearbox had been removed from the spec list. The upshot is that those early manuals are some of the most sought after today.
A second generation arrived in 2015, spinning off the then-new Huracán, and in 2024 Audi built the last of it 46,000 R8s.
At the Scramble on Sunday 11 January, two decades of Audi’s most impressive modern machine will be celebrated outside the Guard House.