Audi
entered the luxury sport segment of the car market with its R8 mid-engine
sports car - equipped with the expertise that Audi has gathered from its
involvement in motor sport and from building sporty premium class cars.
The R8 is the embodiment of superlative road behaviour, pioneering technology
and latest Italo-German Audi design. The 420 bhp V8 FSI engine, quattro
permanent four-wheel drive and the aluminium space-frame body endow the
R8 with outstanding qualities to challenge the Porsche
911 leadership of this segment, as do its everyday suitability and
Audi's typical standards of perfection in quality and finish. Following
on from rally success with the revolutionary Audi quattro and the triumphs
of its touring car, Audi has added another chapter to the history of motor
sport with the R8 racing car: with five wins to its name in the Le Mans
24 Hours, the R8 race car is the most successful model ever to have competed
on the legendary circuit at Le Mans.
For
a sports car, the exceptional everyday suitability of the R8 is highlighted
by the large amount of space, due in no small measure to the generous wheelbase
of 2.65 metres. Whatever the build of the driver and passenger, they will
always be able to find their perfect seated position. The luggage compartment
is an important aspect of everyday suitability: 100 litres fit beneath
the front lid, and there is room for bags with a total volume of a further
90 litres behind the seats. And even passionate golfers need not forgo
their sport when driving the R8: two full-size golf bags can be stowed
behind the seats. The impression of quality in the interior is striking:
even in the basic specification, the surfaces of the driving area and door
trims are meticulously trimmed, with neatly finished decorative seams.
And the scope for customization is as diverse as the preferences of the
R8's future owners could conceivably be: piano finish, carbon fibre and
a wide variety of leathers are just some of the options.
The
entire body shell of the R8 weighs just 210 kilograms, the pinnacle of
achievement among sports cars in terms of lightweight design quality. The
heart of the sports car is of course the engine, the mid-engine to be precise.
As well as being exceptionally compact, the eight cylinder power unit of
the R8 runs lustily and effortlessly up to very high engine speeds, peaking
at 8,250 rpm. The reward is 420 bhp and an even build-up of torque that
produces enormous propulsion across a wide range of engine speeds. The
engine's dry sump lubrication, typical of a race engine, permits a particularly
low installed location and assures a constant oil supply in even the toughest
of driving conditions – for instance on a curvy racetrack. And the FSI
direct injection underpins the very good full-load performance with a highly
efficient combustion process. The road performance is correspondingly good:
the R8 dashes from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds, whether with manual
gearbox or with R tronic sequential gearshifting. The needle hits 200 km/h
after only 14.9 seconds, and the engine's propulsion is only finally held
in check by rolling resistance and drag at 301 km/h.
Engine: 4.2L V8
Horsepower: 420 bhp / PS
Top Speed: 187 mph (301
km/h)
Peak torque: 430 Nm ( 316lb
ft)
Acceleration: 0-60 mph in
4.4 sec (0-100 km/h in 4.6)
Retail Price: starting at
80,000 pounds (105,000 euros or 110,000 dollars MRSP)
Audi
entered the luxury sport segment of the car market with its R8 mid-engine
sports car - equipped with the expertise that Audi has gathered from its
involvement in motor sport and from building sporty premium class cars.
The R8 is the embodiment of superlative road behaviour, pioneering technology
and latest Italo-German Audi design. The 420 bhp V8 FSI engine, quattro
permanent four-wheel drive and the aluminium space-frame body endow the
R8 with outstanding qualities to challenge the 
For
a sports car, the exceptional everyday suitability of the R8 is highlighted
by the large amount of space, due in no small measure to the generous wheelbase
of 2.65 metres. Whatever the build of the driver and passenger, they will
always be able to find their perfect seated position. The luggage compartment
is an important aspect of everyday suitability: 100 litres fit beneath
the front lid, and there is room for bags with a total volume of a further
90 litres behind the seats. And even passionate golfers need not forgo
their sport when driving the R8: two full-size golf bags can be stowed
behind the seats. The impression of quality in the interior is striking:
even in the basic specification, the surfaces of the driving area and door
trims are meticulously trimmed, with neatly finished decorative seams.
And the scope for customization is as diverse as the preferences of the
R8's future owners could conceivably be: piano finish, carbon fibre and
a wide variety of leathers are just some of the options.
The
entire body shell of the R8 weighs just 210 kilograms, the pinnacle of
achievement among sports cars in terms of lightweight design quality. The
heart of the sports car is of course the engine, the mid-engine to be precise.
As well as being exceptionally compact, the eight cylinder power unit of
the R8 runs lustily and effortlessly up to very high engine speeds, peaking
at 8,250 rpm. The reward is 420 bhp and an even build-up of torque that
produces enormous propulsion across a wide range of engine speeds. The
engine's dry sump lubrication, typical of a race engine, permits a particularly
low installed location and assures a constant oil supply in even the toughest
of driving conditions – for instance on a curvy racetrack. And the FSI
direct injection underpins the very good full-load performance with a highly
efficient combustion process. The road performance is correspondingly good:
the R8 dashes from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds, whether with manual
gearbox or with R tronic sequential gearshifting. The needle hits 200 km/h
after only 14.9 seconds, and the engine's propulsion is only finally held
in check by rolling resistance and drag at 301 km/h.