Jethro Bovingdon from Evo is fresh from a shotgun ride in an all-new Audi R8 V10 around the gorgeous Ascari race resort. Here’s a few of this thoughts, but be sure to follow the source link below for the full yarn, which is well worth the read:
First the basics. The new R8 will be launched in two variants, the V10 and V10 Plus models. The familiar and (praise be) naturally-aspirated 5.2-litre V10 has 533bhp and 398lb ft in the base model, which is 15bhp and 7lb ft more than previously. The big news is the V10 Plus, though.
There’s a bigger jump between the V10 and V10 Plus for this new generation – both statistically and in concept. It’s still a daily useable car, says Audi, but think of it more like the old limited-edition and more focussed R8 GT. The engine in the Plus produces 602bhp and 413lb ft and revs to 8850rpm…
…the R8 Plus feels wickedly fast around Ascari, sounds incredible and seems to have retained the creamy fluidity of old. Let’s hope it’s not just the supremely smooth driver [Frank Stippler] masking the real foibles… but I doubt it. Stippler says the last test was 3-weeks straight at the Nürburging doing 1000-kilometres per day. ‘The lap time is fast. In the range of 10-16 seconds faster than the old car,’ he says. In Sport Auto’s Supertest the previous R8 V10 Plus managed a 7:45 in very cold conditions so we should see the new car dip below 7:30. One thing’s for sure… we can’t wait to try it on the road.
[Source: Evo]