Audi R8

                                                           Audi R8
 high-strung mid-mounted V10, is the most powerful and the fastest road-spec Audi of all time. It is also among the most performance-oriented cars that can legally sport a license plate. Here’s our account of a rendezvous with this mid-engined supercar at an airstrip in Hosur recently.

What All’s New with the Design & Styling?

Well, everything. Yes, the silhouette remains more or less the same but there’s really not much that the two generations share between them. While the overall design continues to reflect the powerful character of the Audi flagship, the new generation R8 looks decidedly sharper and more dynamic than the model it replaces.

The Engine Start/Stop button and the Audi Drive Select Controls are cleverly located on the multi-function Performance steering wheel, just so that the driver can toggle between an almost gazillion settings without taking his or her hands off the steering wheel. 

Among the biggest highlights of the cabin is the Audi virtual cockpit that offers a plethora of information on a 12.3-inch display. There are multiple display modes; our favorite is the performance mode, which offers information on acceleration, deceleration, power, torque and even lateral forces. 

What’s Under the Hood?

Powering the Audi R8 V10 Plus is a 5.2-litre FSI V10 that belts out a staggering 610 hp of max. power.  The new R8 V10 Plus can dismiss 100 KMPH from a standstill in merely 3.2 seconds and can even go on to hit a top whack of 330 KMPH! The V10 comes mated to a 7-Speed S Tronic Dual Clutch Auto transmission and a new Quattro all-wheel drive system. 

With a dry weight of 1,454 KGs, the new R8 V10 Plus, in spite of all the additional equipment and greater structural rigidity, weighs as much as 50 KGs lesser than the last generation R8. 

Get behind the wheel, thumb the starter, set the car in ‘Performance Mode’ using the brilliant Audi Drive Select, a neat shove to the gas pedal and et voila! You’re in for a treat! There’s only a faint hint of the tires screeching and the R8 V10 .