- The Audi R8 has been overhauled, with a new 7-speed S tronic for all models
- New R8 V10 plus with 404kW/540Nm reaches 100km/h in 3.5sec
- Redesigned LED headlights and dynamic indicator lights are standard
Australia, March 22, 2013 – The new R8 is the fastest production car Audi has ever launched, and it has arrived in Australia. An all-new range-topping model – the R8 V10 plus – is powered by a hand-built 5.2-litre V10 that demolishes 100km/h in just 3.5 seconds and is capable of reaching a top speed of 317 km/h.
Despite its prodigious performance, the R8 V10 plus delivers responsible fuel efficiency of 12.9 litres per 100km. For a supercar of the R8's calibre, this is excellent and is partly due to the S tronic gearbox that is newly available on all variants.
The new 7-speed S tronic is less than 60 centimetres in length. Two multi-plate clutches lying behind one another, serve two mutually independent sub-transmissions; gears are shifted directly as the clutches alternately open and close. Gearshifting occurs practically without any interruption of tractive power within hundredths of a second, and so smoothly as to be hardly noticeable.
The R8 embodies Audi's full expertise in ultra-lightweight design. The aluminium body with the Audi Space Frame (ASF) weighs only 210 kilograms on the Coupé, and 216 kilograms on the Spyder. The R8 V10 plus, available only as a coupé, brings the weighs just 1,570 kilograms.
Redesigned LED headlights are now standard on all variants of the Audi R8. In addition, static turning lights are integrated in the headlights. One innovation from Audi is the rear LED indicator light with dynamic display at the bottom edge of the lamp – its light 'moves' toward the outside, in the direction the driver wishes to turn.
"When it launched in 2006, the R8 defined Audi's interpretation of supercar performance and the new model takes that idea further," says Andrew Doyle, Audi Australia's Managing Director.
"The new R8 has it all: mind-altering performance, exciting dynamics, yet it is uniquely versatile in a way that few true supercars can claim. In a few short years, the R8's distinctive design has already become more recognisable than its established rivals. The refreshed Audi R8 is everything you could possibly want in an everyday supercar."
What's New
- R8 V10 plus is an all-new range-topping model with more power
- Matte Sepang Blue is an extraordinary new paint colour available exclusively on the R8 V10 plus
- S tronic dual-clutch transmission supercedes the previous R tronic, for no extra cost
- New single-frame front grille
- New LED front headlight and rear taillight design, the latter with dynamic indicator display that 'moves' in the direction the driver is turning
- Revised front and rear diffuser design for enhanced aerodynamics
Equipment highlights
The R8 4.2 FSI quattro remains the entry model within the R8 range, starting at $279,500. Equipment highlights include:
- Fine Nappa leather upholstery
- Full Led headlights
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Navigation plus with Audi Music Interface
- New design 19-inch alloy wheels in forged aluminium
Equipment highlights of the R8 V10 plus include:
- Ceramic brakes
- Audi exclusive bucket seats
- Extended Fine Nappa leather and Alcantara headlining
- R8 leather covered flat-bottom steering wheel with shift paddles
- 19-inch alloy wheels , 5-twin spoke 'Y' design in titanium finish
- The official on-sale date for the new Audi R8 is March 22.
Pricing
*Manufacturer List Pricing (MLP) – excludes dealer delivery and statutory charges
R8 Coupe 4.2 FSI V8 manual 316kW $279,500
R8 Coupe 4.2 FSI V8 S tronic 316kW $287,000
R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI V8 manual 316kW $308,400
R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI V8 S tronic 316kW $315,900
R8 Coupe 5.2 FSI V10 S tronic 386kW $366,900
R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI V10 S tronic 386kW $395,800
R8 Coupe 5.2 FSI V10 plus S tronic 404kW $408,200
The Audi Group
The Audi Group delivered around 1,455,100 cars of the Audi brand to customers in 2012. From January through the end of September 2012 the Company posted revenue of € 37.7 billion and an operating profit of € 4.2 billion. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Gyor (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). The Audi Q7 is built in Bratislava (Slovakia). In November 2012, CKD production of the Audi Q7 was added to the existing Audi A4, A6 and Q5 manufacturing operations in Aurangabad (India). At the Brussels plant, production of the Audi A1 has been running since 2010, while production of the new A1 Sportback began in 2012. The Audi Q3 has been built in Martorell (Spain) since June 2011.
The Company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG's wholly owned subsidiaries include amongst others AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft. (Gyor/Hungary), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant'Agata Bolognese/Italy), AUDI BRUSSELS S.A./N.V. (Brussels/Belgium), quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm and the sports bike manufacturer Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna/Italy). Audi currently employs more than 68,000 people worldwide, including around 50,000 in Germany. From 2012 until 2016 the brand with the four rings is planning to invest a total of €13 billion – mainly in new products and the extension of production capacities – in order to sustain the Company's technological lead embodied in its "Vorsprung durch Technik" claim. Audi is currently expanding its site in Gyor (Hungary) and will start production in Foshan (China) in late 2013 and in San José Chiapa (Mexico) from 2016.
Audi has long been fulfilling its social responsibility on many levels – with the aim of making the future worth living for generations to come. The basis for Audi's lasting success is therefore formed by environmental protection, the conservation of resources, international competitiveness and a forward-looking human resources policy. One example of AUDI AG's commitment to environmental issues is the Audi Environmental Foundation. Within the context of "Vorsprung durch Technik," which extends far beyond its products, the company is directing its activities toward a major goal – comprehensive CO2-neutral mobility.