 | |
| Manufacturer | quattro GmbH, (a subsidiary of Audi AG) |
|---|---|
| Parent company | Volkswagen Group |
| Production | 2007–present 4,289 built[1] |
| Assembly | Neckarsulm, Germany |
| Class | halo vehicle |
| Body style(s) | 2-door coupé |
| Layout | Mid-engine, quattro permanent four-wheel drive[2] |
| Engine(s) | 4.2 L V8 FSI |
| Transmission(s) | 6-speed manual 6-speed single-clutch semi-automatic |
| Wheelbase | 2,649 mm (104.3 in) |
| Length | 4,431 mm (174.4 in) |
| Width | 1,904 mm (75.0 in) |
| Height | 1,249 mm (49.2 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,560 kg (3,439 lb) |
| Fuel capacity | 75 L (20 US gal/16 imp gal) |
| Related | Lamborghini Gallardo |
| Top speed | 301 km/h (187 mph) |
|---|---|
| 0-100 km/h (62 mph) | 4.4 seconds[3] |
| 0-100 mph (160 km/h) | 10.1 seconds |
| 1/4 mile (~400 m) | 12.5 seconds @ 113.2 mph (182.2 km/h) |
| Type | V8 |
| Displacement | 4.2 L (4163 cc) |
| Power | 420 PS (309 kW/414 bhp) @ 7,800 rpm |
| Torque | 430 N·m (320 ft·lbf) |
| Lateral Acceleration (200 feet (61 m) skidpad) |
1.01 g |
The Audi R8 is equipped with a 4.2 litre Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) V8 engine developing 420 PS (309 kW/414 hp) and 430 N·m (320 ft·lbf), and is basically the same engine used in the B7 Audi RS4, but modified to use dry sump lubrication.
The transmission is either a manual gearbox with metal gate for the shift lever, or an "R-tronic" gearbox (single-clutch semi-automatic sequential manual transmission). These options are the same as those available on the Lamborghini Gallardo. A double-clutch gearbox (Direct-Shift Gearbox - DSG, now badged by Audi as "S-tronic") is not currently (as of January 2008) available.
The R8 has a dry weight of 1560 kg (3439 lb). Its suspension utilizes magneto rheological dampers.[4]
As Audi AG owns Lamborghini (Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.), 15% of the R8 is shared with the Lamborghini Gallardo, including the transmission and chassis.[citation needed] The R8 is made distinct by its exterior styling, cabin, engine, and pricing.
Safety features include Bosch ESP 8.0 Electronic Stability Programme with ABS, front dual-stage airbags, and side-impact airbags.[5]
Amongst the options list for the Audi R8 are a Bang & Olufsen sound system,[6] and "Audi Ceramic" Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) composite brakes with monobloc alloy Brembo calipers on all four wheels (6-piston at front, 4-piston at rear) with SGL Carbon ceramic discs.
In the production of the Audi R8, 70 workers fit 5000 unique parts by hand - the factory produces 15 cars a day. It has also been credited as the only car in the world to undergo a CT Scan.[citation needed] Ninety-five lasers inspect the entire car in 5 seconds, to ensure that over 220 measurements are within 0.1 mm of the programmed plans.[7] The 2-seat coupé is currently available in Europe as well as the USA, Canada and Japan. In addition, an open-top roadster, Porsche Carrera GT-like model is rumored to follow in 2009.[citation needed]
Many publications were hailing it as the first car to truly be able to beat the Porsche 911 — considered by many to be one of the best sports cars ever made, and the leader in its class.[citation needed] Initial comparison tests have proven quite positive in this respect; Evo Magazine listed it as a "supercar",[8] compared the R8 to the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and BMW M6 and after praising the R8"s "amazing stability, traction and grip, unparalleled steering accuracy and bite, (and) its uncannily flat and disturbance-free ride", claimed that as a result of "the sublime effortlessness of it all", the Audi is a better sports car. The article concluded that "Audi humbles Porsche. A new dawn starts today".[9]
Hennessey an American Tuning firm created a package for the Audi R8 with 700HP.It is currently available for 2008.
Other publications have also written similar reviews of the Audi beating the Porsche in comparison tests.[2][10]
Top Gear compared the Nissan GT-R to the R8, and remarked that the R8 was "simultaneously less impressive and yet somehow more involving". On the R8 they wrote that "it rewards driver input", calling it "fantastic in a way that will appeal more to true car enthusiasts" but also remarked that it was "much slower" and the Nissan GTR was cheaper. [11] On their test track, the car performed better than a Lamborghini Gallardo and an Aston Martin DB9.
On Bedford Autodrome, tested by Evo Magazine, the R8 was faster than the Lamborghini Gallardo and the Koenigsegg CCX.[citation needed]
The R8 TDI Le Mans produces 500 PS (493 hp/368 kW) and 1,000 N·m (738 lb·ft) of torque. It uses Audi"s quattro permanent four-wheel drive system, and is mid-engined. It has a six-speed manual gearbox. It goes from 0-62 mph in 4.2 seconds, and its top speed is 202 mph (325 km/h).[citation needed]
The R8 TDI Le Mans has modified suspension settings and brakes, to cope with the added power and weight (300 kg (661.4 lb)) as a result of replacing the standard V8 engine with the V12 TDI. The V12 TDI requires more cooling than the standard R8, hence the NACA duct in the roof to feed additional air in to the engine. The vents on the front and back of the car have also been increased by 20% in size. The headlights are all-LED. For its appearance at the Detroit Motor Show, Audi fitted 20-inch alloy wheels. The rear bulkhead has been moved forward in order to accommodate the V12, meaning it loses the space behind the rear seats usually found on the standard R8.
A V10 engined version is also planned for 2009, but was put on hold in December 2007.[citation needed] This version of the R8 was initially going to have the same engine as the RS6, a 5.0 litre V10 TFSI engine. It was thought initially that this version of the engine, which produces 580 PS (572 hp/427 kW), was going to be fitted. However, the twin-turbo system overheated, and one prototype was destroyed at the Nürburgring.[15] It was initially expected that the production version of the high-power R8 would have a new V10 engine developed from the V8 engine that powers the RS4 and the R8. However, a different approach using the V10 of the Gallardo is currently in the final design stages, so much so that the car has now been signed off for production, and will appear during the second quarter of 2009. Also, R8 V10 will coming to 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January 2009 as a 2010 model.[16]
Although it was rumored by the automotive press since the announcement of the production R8 in 2006, it was only in August 2008 that spy shots of a convertible R8 were published online.[1] Although there is still some camouflage on the car itself, a "soft-top" roof is clearly visible and the unique sideblade has been removed. Compared with the coupe model, the convertible will have extra chassis support, a pair of roll-over safety bars as well as minor changes such as the location of the fuel tank filler. It is expected as both a V8 and V10 powered model.
