AUDI R8

AUDI R8 PERFORMANCE AND CAPABILITY

While Audi is on a roll making its way into the world of electrification with its futuristic e-Tron brand, the German marque’s flagship still remains the revered mid-engined R8 supercar. The second-generation Audi R8, which debuted in 2016, received a redesign for the 2019 model year. The facelift brought a sharper design, a marginally revised interior, and significant engine upgrades.

The redesigned R8 shares 50 percent of its components with the R8 LMS GT3 race car. Also, it is considerably more formidable than ever before, with its 5.2-liter V-10 engine gaining up to 30 horsepower. Find out why the Audi R8 continues to stay relevant in 2022.

AUDI R8 PERFORMANCE AND CAPABILITY

The 2022 Audi R8 comes as a Coupe or Spyder with the same 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10-powered heart, shared with the Lamborghini Huracan and is available with two drivetrain options

V10 Performance RWD
V10 Performance Quattro
While facelifts are mostly a nip and tuck job with not much change in terms of power gains, the R8 got considerably more powerful with this revision. The base model R8 now produces 562 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. The R8 gained 30 horsepower and seven pound-feet of torque by improving different internals. However, the R8 isn’t much faster, taking the same 3.6 seconds to reach 62 mph from a standstill. This is for the coupe; the Spyder is a tenth of a second slower at 3.7 seconds.

The power gain isn’t as great in the top-tier R8 V10 Performance Quattro. The titanium valve train added only 10 horsepower and 15 pound-feet of torque, bringing the new output to 602 horses and 413 pound-feet of twist. The additional power makes the V10 Performance Quattro about three-tenths faster than the base model.

The coupe accelerates to 62 mph in 3.1 seconds, while the Spyder takes 3.2 seconds. Now, the stock exhaust sounds pretty good out of the box, but Audi will also sell you a Sport Exhaust Package ($3,600) that also gets you a Sport steering wheel with a Performance mode.

Also, for the first time, all models of the R8 can hit 200 mph. The standard Performance RWD model has a top speed of 204 mph in coupe form and 203 mph in convertible form. The Performance Quattro model is even quicker, with a top speed of 205 mph and 204 mph with the cloth top tucked away behind the seats.

The Quattro all-wheel-drive system can direct up to 100 percent of power to the rear of the car under regular driving conditions to provide a more dynamic experience. Under slippery conditions, the system can send up to 100 percent of the power to the front wheels for improved grip. Choosing the rear-wheel drive model does help shave about 150 pounds.

Audi also made improvements to the suspension and steering. You get optional dynamic steering ($1,400) and a carbon fiber front sway bar ($1,100). Furthermore, Audi Sport, the automaker’s performance branch, made changes to the profiles of the Audi drive select modes to make them stand out even more. As a result, you’ll notice significant distinctions between the drive modes which include:

Comfort
Auto
Dynamic
Individual
Meanwhile, the V10 Performance variant now includes standard dry, rainy, and snow driving modes. The optional Dynamic Package ($12,900) gets you massive ceramic brakes. Depending on the model, the calipers are either grey or red ($700). The stopping distance is also now up to five meters shorter at 124 mph.

Audi also offers a front axle anti-roll bar composed of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and aluminum. Not only does it enhance performance but it also reduces weight by about 4.41 pounds. With these changes, Audi claims that the R8 now offers sharper handling and a better ride than ever before.

Original news in https://www.topspeed.com/cars/2022-audi-r8-performance-price-and-photos-ar177797.html