Audi invited a selected few automotive mediums in order to give them a first taste of the upcoming Audi R8 along with releasing some limited info on the specs.
The journalists were invited to get a first taste from the passenger’s seat and while it’s not the best way to describe a new car, it’s better than no ride at all. Auto Express released a video of their experience, giving us the first chance to listen the new R8 clearing its throat.
What we learned from that is that the new Audi R8 will be launched in two versions, featuring a 540hp V10 and a top-of-the-line 610hp V10 Plus which is shown here. The V10 unit is a heavily reworked 5.2-litre V10 allowing the V10 Plus to score a 3.2sec for the 0-62mph time, an improvement of 0.3sec compared to its predecessor and a top speed of 205mph.
A smaller V8 version will debut later, possibly using the Biturbo 4.0-litre unit we’ve seen in other models of the Group but Audi has not confirmed anything on this stage. Purists will be sad to hear that there will be no manual option this time, with the sole transmission to be the pretty much excellent 7-speed S-Tronic double-clutch gearbox.
Underneath the familiar design the R8 hides all-new underpinnings, sharing the same architecture with its Italian cousin, the Lambo Huracan. That means that the new chassis is made from aluminium and carbon-fibre elements, making the new R8 almost 40% stiffer and 15% lighter than its predecessor. Audi was able to soften the suspension because of that, claiming that the R8 is now more settled and easy to explore in extreme situations.
The biggest question about the car is how good this new electric steering is, especially with the optional variable ratio but we can only wait for the first drives to get the answer.
In the world where Ferraris go turbo, the new R8 holds the natural aspiration flag high. Who would have thought of it?