The Audi R8 Thread

59343e0f68f151130898bff25ef36930.jpg


Original still a looker

d165cc13f300c3c2966ad86bfaec460d.jpg


53a2eecb584c16a088ffeff30d1fc099.jpg
 
Audi executive asks: do we really need V10 and W12?

Audi’s board member for technical development has asked whether the Ingolstadt automaker “really needs” to keep its V10 and W12 engines alive for its next-generation vehicles.

Speaking to Automotive News Europe, Peter Mertens confirmed that the German brand had plans to “thin out” its engine-transmission range – hinting that the V10 as used in the R8 and the W12 from the A8 could face the axe – as it turns its more and more of its attention to plug-in hybrid models and all-electric vehicles.

“We will thin out our engine-transmission combinations, but entire engine families might also disappear,” Mertens told the publication. “Do we really need a V10 and W12 for the next generation of cars?”

Interestingly, Mertens added that he believed the V8 would live on for some time still.

“We get questioned about the [future of the] V8, and in particular the diesel, but I cannot imagine we will do without it,” he revealed.

“We have a very important group of customers that really wants eight-cylinder engines in larger vehicles. Will it exist forever? No, but [it will] for a rather long time.”

http://www.carmag.co.za/news_post/audi-executive-asks-do-we-really-need-v10-and-w12/
 
Audi R8 2.9-litre V6 spotted testing ahead of 2018 launch

Audi is set to introduce a turbocharged V6, shared with the Porsche Panamera in four new performance cars, including a new R8 model

An Audi R8 has been spotted testing on the continent using a V6 engine, which will be offered in a new entry-level variant to be launched next year.

The twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 petrol unit is the same as the one used in the Porsche Panamera, Audi RS4 and RS5, and it's also due in the next Q5 RS.

It's a 90deg engine that has been developed in a joint venture by Audi and Porsche as part of a new modular engine family known under the working title KoVoMo.

The new turbocharged V6 motor fills the void left by Audi’s older, naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8 petrol engine. Audi’s V8 has not been offered with the Mk2 R8 because of what Ingolstadt officials describe as a combination of the high costs of updating it to meet future emissions standards and concerns in markets such as China, where road tax is linked to engine capacity.

In the latest Panamera 4S, the new V6 engine delivers 434bhp at 5650rpm and 405lb ft of torque between 1750rpm and 5500rpm when running a relatively low 0.4bar of turbocharger boost pressure.

With subtle tweaks, including greater boost, the joint-venture engine is claimed to offer more than 500bhp and up to 500lb ft, although it has yet to be confirmed what output Audi has settled on for its quartet of new performance models. Audi officials have told Autocar that the V6 unit will come with more than one power output.

The new 2.9-litre engine differs in capacity from the slightly larger, 3.0-litre version of the joint-venture V6 recently launched by Audi in the new S4.

Further differentiation is found in the induction system, with the S4’s engine using a single twin-scroll turbocharger and the 2.9-litre version getting twin turbochargers.

The only visual cues to differentiate the V6 model from its V10 sibling, according to the spotted development car, will be smaller exhaust baffles hidden behind the rear grilles. The former has been made possible due to the V6's lower volume.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/audi-r8-29-litre-v6-spotted-testing-ahead-2018-launch

799ae4db2f51843cc9619c8099dc87fb.jpg


a883df008ede6f9e3043cf141f4edcfa.jpg


7db27d4ee7ecd331269552e5b3909c95.jpg
 
Audi is reportedly planning on killing off the R8…

A fresh report suggests the current Audi R8 will not be replaced.

A fresh report suggests that Audi has no plans to replace the current R8 with a third-generation model (a rumour we’ve heard before), with the supercar set to be phased out in 2020.

According to Automobile Magazine, the R8 – with its 5,2-litre naturally aspirated V10, now also offered in rear-wheel drive – will not be replaced simply because it has not been selling in high enough volumes. The report adds, however, that the Lamborghini Huracán – with which the Ingolstadt supercar shares its platform – will live on.

Automobile Magazine furthermore suggests that Audi has also pulled the plug on a proposed new R8 e-tron (the first version was killed off in late 2016) as well as another mysterious (rumoured) supercar dubbed “Scorpion”.

An RS version of the upcoming Q8 SUV, meanwhile, will apparently arrive in 2020, sharing its V8 with the Lamborghini Urus.

http://www.carmag.co.za/news_post/audi-is-reportedly-planning-on-killing-off-the-r8/
 
Audi R8 RWS 2018 review

Should I buy one?

Of course, there is another rear-driven car in possession of a screaming atmospheric engine and that puts purity at the heart of its appeal; one that does so in such a freakishly tactile manner that the R8 RWS, ultimately, doesn’t come close to as a sensory experience. We’re talking about the Porsche 911 GT3, which is similarly priced. There’s also the McLaren 540C, which boasts a sweeter chassis but is more expensive and less immediately likeable.

Putting those esteemed rivals to one side, the R8 seems to have come into its own rather nicely with this RWS iteration.

Since the V8 of the first generation was dropped, it’s been a car that at times has, despite its fabulous engine and crushing pace, felt a touch uncomfortable in its supercar skin. Here, with enough power and a bit more dynamic panache, it fulfils the top-end sports car brief with aplomb.

Audi R8 RWS

Engine V10, 5204cc, petrol Power 533bhp @ 7800rpm Torque 398lb ft @ 6500rpm Gearbox 7-spd auto Kerb weight 1590kg Top speed 198mph 0-60mph 3.7sec Economy 22.8mpg CO2 tax band 283g/km Rivals Mercedes-AMG GT C, McLaren 540C Coupe, Porsche 911 GT3

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/r8/first-drives/audi-r8-rws-2018-review

5DEBF2F5-B8F5-4F67-9778-5638FCA6F12A.jpeg
9E54205F-C106-4B67-99A8-5F7D1D2A7500.jpeg
333D528A-7074-41DF-A5EE-68E464A4C016.jpeg
CB10CF0C-EDBB-4BDF-892C-4B998976AB31.jpeg
 
Audi R8 Spyder V10 RWS

Front wheels, rear wheels or four wheels - Audi Sport is acknowledging that performance car enthusiasts have personal preferences when it comes to the way their power is transmitted to the tarmac by bolstering the acclaimed R8 range with the limited edition Audi R8 Rear Wheel Series. Even more uncompromising in its pursuit of driver reward, this latest version of the much loved V10 super sports car makes history as the first ever rear-driven series production Audi model, following the global success of the R8 LMS GT3 racing car.

Priced from £112,450 OTR, the new R8 Rear Wheel Series (RWS) has been available to order in the UK as a Coupé or Spyder since September, and first deliveries of UK examples, which are all built almost exclusively by hand at the Böllinger Höfe Audi Sport facility, will commence in March.

Despite the overtly rearward bias in the drivetrain, performance off the line and beyond remains reassuringly breathtaking, with the 0-62mph sprint being dispatched in just 3.7 seconds (Spyder: 3.8 seconds) and the pace remaining furious until v-max at 198mph (Spyder: 197mph).

The mid-mounted V10 engine, which is now one of the last naturally aspirated powerplants in the segment, produces 540PS and peak torque of 540 Nm (398.3 lb-ft) at 6,500 rpm. Its enthralling, visceral sound can be further enhanced by the fitment of a sports exhaust.

Combined fuel economy in the Audi R8 Coupé V10 RWS amounts to 22.8mpg, corresponding to 283 grams of CO2 per kilometre. For the Spyder, these figures are 22.4mpg and 286 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

The Coupé weighs 1,590 kilograms (without driver), 50 kilograms (110.2 lb) less than the R8 Coupé with all-wheel drive which needs additional components like the propshaft, multi-plate clutch and centre differential. The Spyder is 40 kilograms lighter than the Audi R8 Spyder V10, weighing in at 1,680 kilograms (without driver). The axle load distribution of 40.6:59.4 (Coupé) and 40.4:59.6 (Spyder) together with chassis and handling tuning specially adapted for rear-wheel drive provide for particularly entertaining driving. The electromechanical power steering is completely free of torque steer and enables precise handling.

https://www.netcarshow.com/audi/2018-r8_spyder_v10_rws/

IMG_3611.JPG

IMG_3612.JPG

IMG_3613.JPG

IMG_3614.JPG

IMG_3615.JPG

IMG_3616.JPG
 
Audi executive suggests that R8 will be killed off…

The chances of Audi building a third-generation R8 appear slim.

Late in 2017, a report suggested that Audi had no plans to replace the current R8 once it reached the end of its second-generation lifecycle. And now a high-ranking executive at the Ingolstadt automaker has seemingly confirmed the news.

Speaking to Car and Driver at the Geneva International Motor Show, Peter Mertens, head of research and development at the brand, agreed with the suggestion that there were no plans for a third-generation version of the German supercar.

“I would say so. I always get [my PR chief] very nervous when I start talking about that stuff,” Mertens told the US publication.

However, Mertens also went on to say that the R8 flagship “has a long life, and it’s doing okay”, before adding: “Never say never; performance cars are good for Audi”.

Of course, as Car and Driver points out, Audi is expected to spend much of its development budget on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids over the next few years, which means things don’t look particularly rosy for the naturally aspirated R8…

http://www.carmag.co.za/news_post/audi-executive-suggests-that-r8-will-be-killed-off/
 
2018 Audi R8: lower-priced 2.9-litre V6 variant to join facelifted range

Audi is set to introduce a turbocharged V6, shared with the Porsche Panamera in four new performance cars, including a new R8 model

The Audi R8 is soon to become more affordable thanks to the introduction of a new entry-level variant powered by a V6 engine.

Using a twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 petrol unit, shared with the Porsche Panamera, Audi RS4 and RS5, the model will extend the R8's reach deeper into the sports car segment and effectively fills the void left by Audi’s older, naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8 petrol engine.

The six-pot powerplant is a 90deg engine that has been developed in a joint venture by Audi and Porsche as part of a new modular engine family known under the working title KoVoMo.

Audi has not offered a V8 with the Mk2 R8 because of what Ingolstadt officials describe as a combination of the high costs of updating it to meet future emissions standards and concerns in markets such as China, where road tax is linked to engine capacity.

In the latest Panamera 4S, the new V6 engine delivers 434bhp at 5650rpm and 405lb ft of torque between 1750rpm and 5500rpm when running a relatively low 0.4bar of turbocharger boost pressure.

With subtle tweaks, including greater boost, the joint-venture engine is claimed to offer more than 500bhp and up to 500lb ft, although it has yet to be confirmed what output Audi has settled on for its quartet of new performance models. Audi officials have told Autocar that the V6 unit will come with more than one power output.

An example of Audi's desire to extend the R8's reach has come recently with the launch of a rear-wheel drive version of the V10 model, called the R8 RWS. Whether the R8 V6 will adopt a base-level rear-wheel drive version is yet to be revealed; the brand may choose not to offer such a low-cost version to retain a certain level of exclusivity with the R8. The RWS starts at £112,450 suggesting the V6 model could bring the cost well below the £100,000 mark.

Despite sharing a layout and number of cylinders, the new 2.9-litre engine differs in capacity from the slightly larger, 3.0-litre version of the joint-venture V6 recently launched by Audi in the new S4.

Further differentiation is found in the induction system, with the S4’s engine using a single twin-scroll turbocharger and the 2.9-litre version getting twin turbochargers.

The only visual cues to differentiate the V6 model from its V10 sibling, according to the spotted development car, will be smaller exhaust baffles hidden behind the rear grilles. The former has been made possible due to the V6's lower volume.

The most recently spotted test car is running with a V10 (above). The fitment of camouflage on the bumpers suggests the aesthetic changes will be focused there.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/...ced-29-litre-v6-variant-join-facelifted-range
 
Now We Hear The V6 Audi R8 Is Not Happening

Just yesterday we heard about a possible V6-powered Audi R8 headed for the New York Auto Show next week and now another source says this is not happening.

Road & Track spoke with an Audi spokesperson recently who told them unequivocally that “there is no V6 planned for the R8.” So, that leaves the 540 hp R8 V10 as the bottom spec for Audi’s mid-engine supercar.

In any case, Audi Sport has its hands full, with more high-performance SUVs to come, and its first all-electric model, the e-Tron GT confirmed to arrive in 2020.

Recent spy shots show a facelifted version of the R8 is coming and we are still hoping they build a hardcore GT version in the future.

https://www.zero2turbo.com/2018/03/now-we-hear-the-v6-audi-r8-is-not-happening.html
 
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X