With the reveal of the 5.2 litre V10 powered model, the R8 is now complete. Complete with near on 400kW. That will do nicely sir. Finally, the R8 has the bonkers engine to go with its oh-so-desirable body. Not that the 4.2 V8 was really anything to complain about.
The full engine spec reads 386kW power, with 530Nm torque. The 5.2 litre V10 is also used in the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. In Italian mode the V10 has a fair bit more power, at 412kW and just a wee bit more torque, at 540Nm. Still, both cars are down on power compared to the completely mad RS6, which has 426kW.
There’s been a few cosmetic tweaks over the V8 model, including changes to the front grille that a trainspotter will happily point out for you. Likewise with the more pronounced sideblades, shown here in carbon fibre. Of course. The oval-shaped exhaust outlets are a whole lot angrier than before, too. More interestingly, though, is the use of full LED lighting. The lights, including headlamps, are fitted standard to the V10 model and Audi are the first manufacturer in the world to offer such technology on road cars.
Stop the presses! I almost forgot about the room for two golf bags. They’d fit behind the front seats presumably.
The V10 is available with two transmissions, either a trad 6 speed manual or the slightly awkward R tronic, which is not to be confused with the double clutch S tronic box. The R tronic is an aquired taste, as AUSmotive found out during our R8 review.
Entry level pricing for the R8 V10 is EUR 142,400, or around AU$278,500. By the time you add all of our local taxes, expect that price to jump another eleventy million notes. Either way, if sir is currently finding himself laughing at the commoners and their silly Global Financial Crisis, I’m advising sir to ask Jeeves to arrange an R8 V10 to be delivered post haste. I expect this to be a truly astonishing car.
Full European press release and dimensions shown below.
UPDATE 13 December: The R8 V10 should be on Australian shores by the middle of 2009. To hear what the V10 sounds like in the RS6, click HERE.
UPDATE 7 April 2010: 10 new pics added at end of article.
