The Gentleman Magazine Issue 12 | December 2018 | Page 36
FASTEST MODEL IS NOW EVEN HOTTER:
EXTENSIVE UPDATE FOR AUDI R8
“Born on the track, built for the road.” The volumeproduction
model now follows after the world premiere of the R8 LMS
GT3 at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. Apart from the sportier
design, the Audi R8 Coupé and Spyder have more powerful
engines. The models will go on sale in Europe in early 2019.
“The R8 occupies a unique position for Audi in every respect,”
says Michael-Julius Renz, Managing Director of Audi Sport
GmbH. “It’s now even more powerful and faster.” adds Oliver
Hoffmann, Technical Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH:
“Motorsport is part of our DNA.With around 50 percent shared
parts with the R8 LMS GT3 and even 60 percent with the R8
LMS GT4, no other automobile is so close to motor racing as
the R8.”
Even more powerful: the engines Instant response, lightning-
fast high-revving and a unique sound – the heart of the Audi R8
is its V10 naturally aspirated engine. It is available to customers
in two output ratings. The almost identical drive technology
of the V10 engine in the R8 LMS GT3 and R8 LMS GT4 is
put to good use on the racetrack. The V10, which is produced
at the engine plant in Győr, Hungary, is very compact. A
separate radiator controls the temperature of the engine oil,
which comes from a dry sump. This principle was adopted
from motor racing and allows for an extremely low installation
position of the engine, producing a low center of gravity.
The pump module operates with multiple suction stages and
assures proper lubrication under all conditions – including
during lateral acceleration of around 1.5 G, which is possible
in the R8. Both engines have a gasoline particulate filter.
Razor-sharp precision: the suspension Modifications to the
suspension provide even more stability and precision. The
assistance has been retuned both with the optional dynamic
steering and the electromechanical power steering: Steering
response and the feedback from the road come across as even
more precise across the entire range of speeds.
Depending on the selected engine, the three additional
programs dry, wet and snow are added to the well-known Audi
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drive select modes with the performance mode. They adapt
the key dynamic parameters to the friction coefficient of the
road. Thanks to the enhanced Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC), the top-of-the-line model brakes from 100 km/h (62.1
mph) to a standstill up to 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) earlier; the stopping
distance from 200 km/h (124.3 mph) is up to five meters (16.4
ft) shorter – in each case depending on the exterior conditions.
The new Audi R8 is equipped with factory-installed 19-inch
wheels. Ultralight 20-inch fully milled wheels in five-V dynamic
design with new summer and sport tires, which convey even
more precise handling, are available as an option. Audi offers
ceramic brake discs as an alternative to the standard steel discs.
The stabilizer at the front is optionally made from carbon fiber-
reinforced polymer (CFRP) and aluminum, which cuts weight
by around two kilograms (4.4 lb).
Sharper and tauter: the design The honed character of the
new R8 models also becomes clear visually. The Singleframe
radiator grille has a wider, flatter line. Thick bars divide up the
large air inlets. Flat slits in the hood are reminiscent of the Audi
Sport quattro brand icon. The new front splitter is now wider,
as is the striking low-set air vent grille at the rear. The grille
rounds off the diffuser that extends quite some way up. All of
which underlines the sporty look of the Audi R8. In the engine
compartment the air filter is situated under a new, three-part
cover – available in a choice of plastic or carbon fiber.
R8 customers can choose from up to three exterior packages,
depending on the engine variant; these packages add various
highlights to the front splitter, the side trims and the diffuser.
As an option, the Audi rings and badges on the exterior are
painted in high-gloss black. The new metallic colors Kemora
Gray and Ascari Blue add to the paint range. The Audi exclusive
range gives customers the opportunity to customize many
details of their Audi R8 – inside and out.
The new R8 models will be arriving at dealerships in Germany
and other European countries in the course of the first quarter
of 2019. The models will go on sale in early 2019.
, Security in Motion”