New Audi R8 Revealed

Photo: Audi

Audi has taken the wraps off its new road-going R8, ahead of the car’s official launch at next month’s Geneva Motor Show.

The second-generation high-performance sports car will feature a 5.2-liter V10 engine, producing up to 610 horsepower.

It will go 0-62 mph in an impressive 3.2 seconds, thanks in part to a new lightweight space frame and other technology developed on the race track, including lessons learned from its R8 LMS ultra GT3 car.

“Motorsport is in Audi’s genes, it has always been a permanent feature of our brand’s character,” said 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 R8 doesn’t lack outright pace either, with a top speed of 205 mph, thanks in part to being a hefty 110 pounds lighter than its predecessor.

Sales of the R8 will begin this summer, with two models initially being offered. The R8 V10 will start at $185,000, while the top-of-the-range R18 V10 plus is listed at $210,000.

The GT3-spec version of the car, meanwhile, could debut prior to this year’s Nurburgring 24, although no official timeline has been released.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John