So following the leakage earlier today, we can now bring you the 2016 Audi R8 in all its official glory. Turns out the leaked image was legit and this is actually what the new R8 looks like. Not that it’s bad, but we have to say we have strongly mixed feelings about it!

One gets the feeling Audi was too scared the drastic changes might ruin the successful formula they have been exploiting for the past ten years that they fell down from the other side of the roof. Save the headlights and the grille, and a slight revision of the bumpers, they haven’t changed anything in the styling of the new model. That would have been alright if the new stuff looked good, but the 2016 Audi R8 really is not what you call handsome.

The new R8 remains pretty unchanged in the engine department as well. What they’ve done is delete the V8 option, at least for now, and bump the power of the existing V10 engine from 520something horsepower to 540 (610 horsepower in the Plus version). In other words, the 2016 Audi R8 is an ugly Lamborghini Huracan. Performance is similar to the Huracan as well, with a 0 to 100 km/h time of 3.4 seconds and top speed of 320 km/h for the normal model, and 3.2 and 330 km/h for the Plus.

There are some interesting technology features such as the optional laser headlights, virtual instruments, and a sexy new cabin featuring a cool little steering wheel and minimalistic switches. The interior of the new R8 is a lot more successful than the outside.

One thing that does set apart the new Audi R8 from, well, pretty much everything else in the market, is the addition of an e-tron variant. FInally Audi got around making the R8 e-tron electric sports car and they have given it two electric motors with a combined power output of 460 horsepower. The car is plenty fast enough for an EV, making 100 from 0 in about 4 seconds and reach 250 km/h, but it’s the driving range that impresses the most: 450 km (279 miles). Just about the only bad thing about the new e-tron is the price tag which is around 190,000 Euros.