Genius. Billionaire. Playboy. Philanthropist. Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Tony Stark will go down as one of the most iconic characters of all time. Apart from playing Iron Man in the MCU, Robert Downey Jr. is renowned for living a lavish lifestyle. And just like his onscreen MCU character, the superstar drives some really cool cars - something that is common between him and almost all his MCU co-stars.

Over the years, the MCU has been a hotspot of some stunning HotCars. That includes some popular cars and some blink and miss appearances that even automobile lovers might have missed. And one that has featured very prominently is the Audi R8. Ever since the R8 made its MCU debut in the first Iron Man blockbuster, it has featured heavily in plenty of MCU movies.

Dubbed as Tony Stark's favorite car, the Audi R8 is iconic in more than one way. Where is Iron Man's Audi R8 today? Let's find out.

The R8's MCU Debut And An Action Sequence That Never Made It To The First Iron Man Movie

The Audi R8 from Iron Man
Via: Iron Man Wiki - Fandom

It’s no secret that the minds behind the most successful comic universe in the world like to plan every movie intricately, swiping the audiences off their feet. As such, they couldn’t have picked an ordinary car for the most charismatic MCU character. Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is a lot more than just a charismatic and witty billionaire. The man behind the suit is a genius who loves machines. Hence, it is no surprise that almost every automobile lover adores RDJ's portrayal of Iron Man. Speaking of machines, the magnificent Audi R8 started its journey in the MCU with Iron Man (2008). Since then, the Audi beast has evolved with every movie, just like Stark's Iron Man suits.

Launched in 2006, the dazzling R8 is a mid-engine, twin-seat sports car which uses Audi’s Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system. The car was introduced by the German automobile giant at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, 2 years before the release of the iconic Marvel movie (Iron Man). It felt like a match made in heaven. The brash, wealthy, and sarcastic attitude of the character was well matched by the style, arrogance, and finesse of the Audi R8. The car was the standout in Tony Stark's garage that houses some iconic cars, including a Shelby Cobra, Tesla Roadster, a 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster, and a Saleen S7.

It is no coincidence that the R8 was Tony’s go-to car, despite having hi-tech suits that could fly him around the world. The Audi beast is a tough cookie in the real world too. The strength of the car is no secret to John Favreau, the director of the first Iron Man movie. A scene was planned for the R8 to dramatically collide with Iron Man’s wicked adversary. However, despite several attempts, the R8 unsurprisingly didn’t flip over. Eventually, the scene never made it to the film. In Favreau’s words, "our stunt specialists did their best to turn the R8 over onto its roof, which would’ve given us a dramatic final scene, but they failed - the car clung to the road too well."

Related: The Audi RS E-Tron GT Is Faster Than We Thought After Watching Carwow’s Review

Iron Man 2, Avengers: Age Of Ultron, And Other MCU Appearances

Audi R8 Spyder from Iron Man 2
Via RAC

Iron Man 2 was one of the most loved super-hero films to this day. The movie saw the new Audi R8 Spyder make an appearance just a few minutes into the movie. It also seemed like the ingenious owner of Stark Industries had finally decided to either sell or shift a few cars to a garage where he wouldn’t end up destroying them himself. Next up was the Avengers (2012) that set the stage for Earth's mightiest heroes - Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Thor, Black Widow, and the Hulk to come together and knock some aliens to the ground. However, most fans with a keen eye noticed that the flashy Audi car that Iron Man loved so much, wasn’t in the movie. The sequel to the Avengers movie, "Avengers: Age of Ultron", saw Stark's prodigal car make a much-awaited comeback. The redesigned brand new Audi R8 enchanted viewers with its new golden-yellow hue, and spectacular finesse. Tony Stark was also seen driving another Audi R8 in "Captain America: Civil War". By then, the car had earned the unofficial global title of "Iron Man's Car".

Tom Holland featured as Tony Stark’s protege - a young version of the web-slinging superhero, Spider-man in "Spider-Man: Homecoming". This movie saw the charismatic mentor to the young Avenger drive a brilliant Audi A8. The world premiere of the film saw Spidey ride on top of a camouflaged A8, while Robert Downey Jr. and John Favreau turned up to the event in an Audi R8 Spyder.

Related: Here’s A Detailed Look At The Lexus LC 500 From Black Panther

Not Just Tony Stark's Favorite Car, Robert Downey Jr. Loves The Audi R8 Too

Robert Downey Jr. driving his Audi R8
Via Cartoq

Robert Downey Jr.’s fans around the globe know for a fact that Audi vehicles occupy most of the superstar’s garage space. One of his personal favorites is believed to be the R8 (2014 model). He has been spotted in his red R8 on more than one occasion. He is also known to have ordered vanity license plates with the name Stark on it, followed by a number. The red Audi beast (pictured above) boasts a license plate that reads "Stark 16". We can only vaguely attempt to guess what the 16 stands for, but the car has an iconic status for fans around the world.

Going back to the Audi R8 in the MCU, it's been a while since the sleek Audi supercar featured in the same frame as Stark or any other Avenger. With Tony's character arc coming to a conclusion in Endgame, it's unlikely we're gonna see Iron Man driving the R8 anytime soon unless it's a flashback scene. There's a good chance that the iconic Audi car is sitting nice and secure in Stark's garage waiting for Peter Parker or Morgan Stark to take it for a ride someday. We are eagerly awaiting to find out what happens next! Kevin Feige, are you reading this?

Next: Here Are The Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Driven By Captain America