Tag: V10

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Audi Drive Thru Reviews

Drive Thru: Audi RS6 Avant

Audi RS6 Avant

With 426kW on tap from the twin turbo 5.0 litre V10, this is comfortably the most powerful car I have ever driven. My previous personal best, also courtesy of Audi, was the relatively feeble 309kW 4.2 litre V8 found in both the RS4 and the R8.

Last year, I was lucky enough to be thrown the keys to an RS4 for a 24 hour test drive. Despite my eagerness at accepting this offer, I was initially underwhelmed. I expected so much, you see. However, after a day with the car, I was pleased to discover it fulfilled all my preconceptions. That said, it still took time. The R8, too, is another car that doesn’t really push you in the back of the seat once you floor the warp speed pedal. The speed is there, don’t get me wrong, but again, it takes time.

The RS6 doesn’t bother with inconveniences such as time and physics. Plant your right foot and you’ll soon find yourself in a parallel universe. The RS6 clearly has a warp speed pedal that works, and it works with devastating effect. As soon as the rush is over you immediately return to planet earth so you can experience that thrill all over again. The power and the subsequent hit of adrenalin are insanely addictive in this car.

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Audi

The sound of mental

Ever wondered what a 5.0 litre V10 twin turbo with 426kW sounds like? Wonder no more.

This is the Audi RS6. The sound is sublime, the power is simply staggering.

(Thank you to Audi Centre Canberra for providing the hardware, the audio was recorded on an Apple 3G iPhone using the SpeakEasy application.)

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Audi

Audi R8 V10 breaks cover

Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro

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.

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Audi

Audi RS6 Avant opens up

Audi RS6 Avant

Audi’s bahnstorming RS6 Avant is now on sale in Australia. Starting at $270,946 it’s fair to say buyers of this car won’t be feeling the squeeze at the petrol pump. Which is just as well, because extracting 426kW from the 5.0 litre V10 twin turbo takes a fair amount of fuel. That said, some may consider a combined urban/highway fuel consumption claim of 14.0l/100km a small price to pay for such stupendous performance. Fair enough too.

Although, there’s probably not too many that wouldn’t wince at the Luxury Car Tax giving $50K a very serious nudge, this, on top of 20-odd-thousand in GST. Wowsers!

There’s not much else to say other than enjoy the pics and stats below. Oh, the RS6 sedan will arrive in Australia in the first quarter of 2009. If you’d like to check out video footage of the RS6 Avant in action, then check out Fifth Gear‘s take, filed by Tiff Needell.

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Audi

Audi unleashes 426kW RS6 sedan

Audi RS6 Avant

Audi have just unleashed the RS6 sedan. With the same 5-litre V10 twin turbo from the Avant, the engine produces a mammoth 426kW (580bhp) and this is one car that sure needs reigning in. Let’s not forget the 650Nm or torque, available from as low as 1500rpm. Epic! Australia’s first taste of this rocket ship is just weeks away with RS6 Avant deliveries expected in September, while the sedan will be in showrooms from the first quarter of 2009. The Avant has a list price of $259,000 and pricing for the sedan will be announced closer to local release.

Full release below, including more images.

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Audi

Audi R8 Spider seen unmasked at Nürburgring

Audi R8 Targa

NextAutos is reporting sightings of an Audi R8 Spider on roads near Germany’s famed Nürburgring. The Spider—although naming has not been confirmed—is believed to be available with the existing 4.2 litre V8 engine as well as the 5.0 litre V10, as the large tailpipes on these shots would indicate. The familiar side blades of the R8 hard top have been removed in the conversion to the soft top roof, but this certainly hasn’t lessened the eye candy appeal of the stunning R8. Expect to see an official release from Audi at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2009. Make sure you follow the link below to the NextAutos article, which has more images for your visual pleasure!

Source: NextAutos via autoblog