Since 2016, we've been awaiting more news about a V-6 powered Audi R8, which showed up in a leaked product roadmap at the time. Alas, it sounds more than likely that such a car is dead.

According to an Audi spokesperson, there will not be an R8 with a V-6 mounted in the middle, Road & Track reported Tuesday. The unnamed source was blunt in stating "there is no V-6 planned." Boo.

Such a car was likely to house a twin-turbocharged V-6 engine, likely on loan from the RS 5. The engine displaces 2.9 liters and makes 444 horsepower. Since the end of V-8 powered R8 models, it leaves the V-10 engine as the sole option going forward.

There's a bright spot in all of this, however. Spy shots seem to show a hardcore Audi R8 GT is in the pipeline, and it will likely house a more potent version of the V-10 engine that makes 610 hp and 413 pound-feet of torque in V10 Plus guise. For what it's worth, the Lamborghini Huracán Performante churns out 640 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque from its version of the same V-10. The photos also showed a facelifted front and rear end, along with a new lip spoiler and extended side skirts. Massive oval exhaust tips also recall the original R8 GT.

2020 Audi R8 GT spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

2020 Audi R8 GT spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

2020 Audi R8 GT spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

2020 Audi R8 GT spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

2020 Audi R8 GT spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

2020 Audi R8 GT spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

The long-term future for the R8 is a little cloudier. Audi's R&D boss Peter Mertens said in a recent interview that there currently is no planned successor for the second-generation R8, though he hinted that could change. Instead, we know Audi Sport has big plans to launch the e-tron GT electric super sedan, which could end up pulling plenty of performance and technology from the Porsche Mission E's J1 platform.