Audi announced a few days ago that its first supercar, the R8, will be fitted with a 5.2 liter V-10, a more powerful version of the engines in the S6 and S8 sedans. It will output 518 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque, compared with the 420 hp and 317 lb-ft of the normal R8. Fuel economy is expected to plummet, but it will get a bit less than 17 mpg, which is respectable for such a large engine. The increase in power leads to a 3.9 second sprint to 60 from a standstill for the V-10, whereas the V-8 hits it in 4.6 seconds, according to Audi. The R8, when it was still being conceived as a concept car, was rumored to have a detuned version of Lamborghini's V-10 but Audi claimed that such an engine would not fit into the R8.
The exterior will stay similar to the normal model, although the Front headlights will be composed entirely of LEDs. It will also feature the mascara-like LEDs that run along underneath the main lights that Audi has incorporated into all of its 2009 models, originally seen on the V-8 R8. It will also keep its controversial side blades fore of the rear wheels.
The V-10 will also bring up the price tag over the already expensive supercar, which currently suffers from obscene dealer mark ups. It is going on sale in Germany to the tune of $182,000, but when it comes to the U.S., don't expect it to fetch anywhere near the MSRP. At this price level it will compete with the Ferrari F430 and the Porsche GT2.
Read the roadandtrack.com preview here
Posted by: Cameron
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