As if the regular 420hp 4.2 liter V8 Audi R8 isn't fast enough, Audi is launching the next variant of its top-of-the-line model - the R8 V10. Its 5.2 liter, ten cylinder engine churns out 525hp and 390.91 lb-ft of torque.
With Audi technologies such as quattro all-wheel drive, a lightweight aluminum body, innovative all-LED headlights, and its striking design, the R8 V10 takes a prominent position in the supercar pecking order.
The R8 V10 is the result of cumulative know-how from Audi's string of Le Mans victories. Its naturally aspirated engine combines racing technology such as dry-sump lubrication with FSI gasoline direct injection. The ten cylinder design is the perfect synthesis for impressive top performance, mighty pulling power, and low weight. Starting in 2009, the engine will also prove its potential on the world's racetracks - in the new R8 GT3 racecar.
The V10 engine will be almost identical in construction to the racing version. Its displacement is 5204cc, and at 6500rpm it delivers 390.91 lb-ft of torque, at 8000rpm, while its power tops out at 525hp. The specific power output is 100.9hp per liter of displacement - and each hp has to propel only 6.91 lb of weight, because the six-speed manual weighs only 3571 lb. The engine accounts for 569 lb -only 68 lb more than the V8.
The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro rockets from zero to 62mph in 3.9sec. In the sequentially shifting R tronic version it reaches 124mph in another 8.1sec. Even then its power hardly lessens: it's sufficient to reach a top speed of 196.35mph. The 5.2-liter powerplant uses Audi's FSI direct injection. A common rail system injects the fuel into the combustion chambers with up to 120-bar of pressure. Direct injection reduces the susceptibility to knocking and an amount of cooling through the evaporation of fuel, which in turn supports a high compression ratio of 12.5:1. This in turn contributes to superior performance and improves fuel economy. The R8 V10 with R tronic gets an average of 17mpg US.
The technical refinements of the long-stroke ten cylinder engine include dry-sump lubrication, which allows the engine to be mounted low within the chassis. The wide cylinder angle of 90 degrees also makes for a low center of gravity. The crankcase is a high-strength aluminum casting, the connecting rods are made of forged steel, the pistons of aluminum. The four camshafts are chain-driven and each is adjustable through 42 degrees. This provides great latitude in controlling the valve timing. In combination with the straight, flow-optimized ducts of the intake manifold, this improves the charge throughout the entire speed range.
The R8 5.2 FSI quattro has a six-speed transmission. A precise and smooth- shifting manual transmission comes as standard. The sequential R tronic is available as an option. The high-tech gearshift conveys an authentic racing feel - with the rocker switches at the steering wheel and the short shifting times of usually less than one-tenth of a second. When the driver actuates the Launch Control program by pressing a button, the R8 V10 takes off with electronically controlled tire slip - in both the R tronic and with the manual transmission.
The Audi R8 chassis offers both dynamic performance and astonishing levels of comfort on long distances. This high-performance sports car responds to any steering action with instant ease, achieves lateral acceleration of up to 1.2g, and handles any situation with ample safety. Its mid-engine design provides an ideal axle load distribution of 44 to 56%. 19-inch wheels equipped with tire pressure monitoring display are standard equipment. Their 10-spoke Y design is exclusive to the R8 V10. Tire sizes are 235/35 front and 295/30 rear.