Cars : Audi R8
Cars : Audi R8
The Audi R8 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 automaker Audi AG in 2006.
The car was 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 around space frame principles. The car is built by quattro GmbH in a newly renovated factory at Audi's 'aluminium site' at Neckarsulm in Germany.[4]
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, appearing at the 2003 International Geneva Motor Show, and 2003 Frankfurt International Motor Show. 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" The Audi R8 is used as a safety car in Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters and British Superbike Championship racing series.
The core of the base 4.2-liter V8 is essentially the same as it is in the 2012 model, with only mapping and software tweaks lifting it to 430 horsepower at the exact same 7,900 rpm power peak as before. The torque rating remains the same at 317 pound-feet between 4,500 and 6,000 rpm.
That said, it's a lovely, dry-sump motor that does a brilliant job of belying its long-stroke layout to spin happily and freely out to the limiter at 8,250 rpm.
It's full of lovely stuff, too, with things like a forged crankshaft, forged con rods and forged aluminum pistons. It rests in an ultra-lightweight magnesium engine frame that is a stressed part of the chassis, and all of its oil, power steering and alternator drives run off the back of the engine.
A V10 engine remains an option as well. The standard tune delivers 525 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque and can be ordered with the new S tronic transmission or a manual in either coupe or spyder bodystyle. A new V10 Plus model has been added to the lineup as well. It comes only as a coupe and delivers 550 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. It's lighter, too, by some 110 pounds thanks to standard ceramic brake discs, lighter carpet and various carbon-fiber parts like the front air dam, rear diffuser and even the side blades.
While it will keep offering a six-speed manual for the die-hards, the seven-speed S tronic is not only smoother, but faster and more economical as well. And more expensive.
The seven-speeder is only 23.6 inches long (6 inches shorter than the old robotized manual) and hangs out the back of the engine (so it's almost the first thing destroyed if someone hits you from behind).
It's a dual-clutch setup, with gears 1, 3, 5 and 7 on one clutch and the rest on the other. Gears on both shafts are constantly hooked up and spinning, but only one clutch at a time is engaged. Seventh gear is the fuel economy cog, so the S tronic R8 actually hit its top speed in 6th gear.
It's a costlier thing to produce than the manual (no surprises there), so it will cost more. But it has launch control, which helps it to cut 0.3 second off the 0-62-mph sprint and the gearbox saves fuel, too, even though it's 55 pounds heavier than the three-pedal R8 V8.
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Sources : Audi R8 Photo | Audi R8 Article | Audi R8 Information
The Audi R8 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 automaker Audi AG in 2006.
The car was 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 around space frame principles. The car is built by quattro GmbH in a newly renovated factory at Audi's 'aluminium site' at Neckarsulm in Germany.[4]
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, appearing at the 2003 International Geneva Motor Show, and 2003 Frankfurt International Motor Show. 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" The Audi R8 is used as a safety car in Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters and British Superbike Championship racing series.
The core of the base 4.2-liter V8 is essentially the same as it is in the 2012 model, with only mapping and software tweaks lifting it to 430 horsepower at the exact same 7,900 rpm power peak as before. The torque rating remains the same at 317 pound-feet between 4,500 and 6,000 rpm.
That said, it's a lovely, dry-sump motor that does a brilliant job of belying its long-stroke layout to spin happily and freely out to the limiter at 8,250 rpm.
It's full of lovely stuff, too, with things like a forged crankshaft, forged con rods and forged aluminum pistons. It rests in an ultra-lightweight magnesium engine frame that is a stressed part of the chassis, and all of its oil, power steering and alternator drives run off the back of the engine.
A V10 engine remains an option as well. The standard tune delivers 525 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque and can be ordered with the new S tronic transmission or a manual in either coupe or spyder bodystyle. A new V10 Plus model has been added to the lineup as well. It comes only as a coupe and delivers 550 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. It's lighter, too, by some 110 pounds thanks to standard ceramic brake discs, lighter carpet and various carbon-fiber parts like the front air dam, rear diffuser and even the side blades.
While it will keep offering a six-speed manual for the die-hards, the seven-speed S tronic is not only smoother, but faster and more economical as well. And more expensive.
The seven-speeder is only 23.6 inches long (6 inches shorter than the old robotized manual) and hangs out the back of the engine (so it's almost the first thing destroyed if someone hits you from behind).
It's a dual-clutch setup, with gears 1, 3, 5 and 7 on one clutch and the rest on the other. Gears on both shafts are constantly hooked up and spinning, but only one clutch at a time is engaged. Seventh gear is the fuel economy cog, so the S tronic R8 actually hit its top speed in 6th gear.
It's a costlier thing to produce than the manual (no surprises there), so it will cost more. But it has launch control, which helps it to cut 0.3 second off the 0-62-mph sprint and the gearbox saves fuel, too, even though it's 55 pounds heavier than the three-pedal R8 V8.
Contact Audi
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Flickr | Google+
Contact Edmunds
Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest | Google+
Sources : Audi R8 Photo | Audi R8 Article | Audi R8 Information
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