The second generation of the Audi R8 will make its debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show in March. Audi tells us that “no model with the four rings is closer to motorsport”. The V10 mid-engine machine comes with a newly developed Quattro drive which the manufacturer tells us will “ensure breath-taking driving performance.”
Some of the statistics released on this vehicle are astounding. On-paper we are told that the new R8 V10 Plus will offer up to 610hp and can achieve 0-100km/h in an impressive 3.2 seconds with a top speed of 330km/h through its 5.2 FSI engine. Another version of this engine will offer 540hp.
“Motorsport is in Audi’s genes, it has always been a permanent feature of our brand’s character,” says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Technical Development at Audi. “With the new Audi R8, our engineers are bringing accumulated racing expertise from the race track onto the road. No other model of ours evokes more dynamic emotion. The new R8 V10 plus is therefore the most powerful and fastest series-production Audi of all time.”
The new R8 has lost some weight too. The top model weighs in at 1,454kg and even though it has more equipment it still weighs 50kg less than its predecessor. This weight loss is on account of the use of a combination of aluminium and carbon fibre reinforced plastics.
We’re told that this new R8 is the basis for two more models, the Audi R8 e-tron and the Audi R8 LMS race car. According to Audi the electric range of the e-tron will be 450km. Maximum torque will be 460Nm and it will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds. The R8 LMS has been developed with new GT3 regulations in mind.
