Audi R8

The Audi R8 (Typ 42) is a mid-engine, 2-seater sports car, which uses Audi's trademark quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. It was introduced by the German car manufacturer Audi AG in 2006.

The car is exclusively designed, developed, and manufactured by Audi AG's high performance private subsidiary company, Quattro GmbH, and is based on the Lamborghini Gallardo platform. The fundamental construction of the R8 is based on the Audi Space Frame, and uses an aluminium monocoque which is built using space frame principles. The car is built by quattro GmbH in a newly renovated factory at Audi's 'aluminium site' at Neckarsulm in Germany.

In 2005, Audi announced that the name of the successful Audi R8 race car would be used for a new road car in 2007, the Audi R8, based on the Audi Le Mans quattro concept car (designed by Frank Lamberty and Julian Hoenig), appearing at the 2003 International Geneva Motor Show, and 2003 Frankfurt International Motor Show. The R8 development program began in 2004, Lamberty's design being approved and frozen for production. Production body prototypes began field testing in January 2006. The R8 road car was officially launched at the Paris Auto Show on 30 September 2006. There was some confusion with the name, which the car shares with the 24 Hours of Le Mans winning R8 Le Mans Prototype (LMP). 6-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx described the R8 as "the best handling road car today". It is also the first production car with full-LED headlamps

The Audi R8 was initially equipped with a 4.2 litre V8 engine. Specifically, it is an all-aluminium alloy 32-valve (four valves per cylinder) petrol engine, utilising Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI),] and has a displacement of 4,163 cubic centimetres (254.0 cu in).[2] It develops a motive power output of 420 metric horsepower (309 kW; 414 bhp) (Directive 80/1269/EEC), and generates 430 newton metres (317 lbf·ft) of torque, on 98 RON 'Super Unleaded' petrol. It is basically the same engine used in the Audi B7 RS4, but is modified to use a dry sump lubrication system. It uses two chain-driven double overhead camshafts (DOHC) per cylinder bank, and utilises variable valve timing for both inlet and exhaust camshafts. The 4 wheel drive system is biased towards the rear; it sends 30% of its power to the front wheels and 70% to the rear.

Audi AG unveiled the Audi R8 V10 on 8 December 2008. It uses a 5.2 litre FSI engine, based on the unit in the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 (which in turn was based on the 5.2 FSI V10 as used in the Audi C6 S6 and Audi D3 S8), but is re-tuned to produce a power output of 532 metric horsepower (391 kW; 525 bhp), and generate 530 newton metres (391 lbf·ft) of torque. Compared to the V8 variant, the R8 V10's performance numbers are enhanced. Audi states the new 0 to 100 kilometres per hour (0.0 to 62.1 mph) time as only 3.9 seconds, 60 to 124 miles per hour (97 to 200 km/h) in 8.1 seconds, and a top speed of 316 kilometres per hour (196.4 mph).[2] Other changes to the V10 version of the R8 include some aesthetic differences: such as all-LED headlights (a world-first), interior enhancements such as Bang & Olufsen 465 watt sound system, and a more aggressive body styling, larger rear brakes and different wheels.