Posted : 12/01/2009

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Detroit – Audi has introduced the next variant of its R8, the Audi R8 V10.

Its 5.2-litre, ten-cylinder engine churns out 386kW and 530Nm of torque, with quattro all-wheel drive, lightweight aluminum body, all-LED headlights and striking design.

The V8-powered R8 produces 309kW and 430Nm, and the V10 is a derivative based on the 5.0-litre V10 used in Lamborghini's Gallardo and LP560-4.

The R8 V10 is the result of cumulative know-how from Audi’s string of Le Mans victories. Its naturally aspirated engine combines racing technology such as dry sump lubrication with FSI gasoline direct injection. The ten-cylinder design is the perfect synthesis for impressive top performance, mighty pulling power, and low weight. Starting in 2009, this engine will also prove its potential on the world’s racetracks – in the new R8 racing car Audi is developing for customer teams in conformance with the GT3 rules.

The V10 engine in the production sports car will be almost identical in construction to the one in the racing version. Its displacement is 5204cc @ 6500rpm it delivers 530Nm of torque @ 8000rpm, its power tops out at 386kW.

With a six-speed manual gearshift, it weighs 1620kg – 31kg more than the V8.

The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro rockets from zero to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds. In the version with the sequentially shifting R tronic it reaches 200 km/h sufficient to reach a top speed of 316km/h.

The 5.2-litre powerplant uses direct injection according to the FSI principle developed by Audi. A common rail system injects the fuel into the combustion chambers with up to 120 bar of pressure. Direct injection reduces the susceptibility to knocking and provides a certain amount of cooling through the evaporation of the fuel, which in turn supports a high compression ratio of 12.5:1. This in turn contributes to superior performance and improves fuel economy. The R8 V10 with R tronic gets by on an average of 13.7 litres per 100 km.

19-inch wheels equipped with tyre pressure monitoring display are standard equipment. Their 10-spoke Y design is exclusive to the R8 V10. Tyre sizes are 235/35 front and 295/30 rear.

The car features a high-end damper technology as standard: Audi magnetic ride adapts the characteristics of the suspension in milliseconds to the nature of the road surface and to the driving style. Suspended in the oil of the shock absorbers are tiny magnetic particles which, when a voltage is applied, rearrange themselves so as to slow down the flow of oil through the valves.

Special details also distinguish the body of the R8 V10. Its sideblades are more accentuated than in the eight-cylinder version. The side sills are more striking and wider; the exhaust grilles at the rear windows have a matt aluminum look. Through the large rear window, the ten-cylinder engine is clearly visible.

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