Audi has registered the name "R8 Green Hell" as a trademark.

Audi may be planning a new Nürburgring-inspired variant of the R8. The German automaker recently registered the trademark "R8 Green Hell" with the European Union's Intellectual Property Office, named after the famous Nürburgring circuit.

This trademark, first discovered by Automobile, is not ironclad proof that a new model exists. Automakers often file trademark applications for a name even if they are not developing a new model. In this way, automakers secure a name they may want to use in the future.

If Audi does intend to create the R8 Green Hell, it won't hide what it is. It will be a hardcore version of the R8 that has some relevance to the Nürburgring, whether it's a track-focused special edition or a version of the R8 aiming for the lap record.

For comparison, the current Nürburgring lap record for production cars is 6:44.97, set by the 2018 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ.

The Green Hellcat could also be a parting gift for the current R8 model. Audi is reportedly considering replacing the R8 with an electric model, or at least a model with some electrification. The current R8 was introduced for the 2017 model year, with minor updates for 2020.

The second-generation R8 did not receive as rave reviews as its predecessor, and there were rumors of the model being discontinued; the V10-powered supercar did not fit in with Audi and its parent company Volkswagen Group's electrification plans.

We contacted the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to see if Audi had filed a trademark application for the "R8 Green Hell" trademark. No such application has yet been filed. This means that the Green Hell may only be a European model.

Pictured here is an Audi R8 LMS GT2 race car, which could serve as inspiration for a future hardcore R8 road car.