Audi R8 finally in the States!
By Brenda Priddy for StreetFire.net
Audi has confirmed production of the R8 super-coupe, which will go on sale in spring 2007. We brought you photos last year of a test 'mule' running under an A6 bodyshell, and then the "real thing" out on the world's most challenging race-track: the Nurburgring in Germany. And now, we've finally caught the R8 doing final testing here in the States.
The R8 is derived from the Le Mans Quattro concept car first seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003; it takes the name of Audi's Le Mans car to emphasis its performance potential. Though some of the technologies used in the car, such as the FSI direct fuel injection system, were developed in the R8 racer, the production R8 is more closely related to the road-going Lamborghini Gallardo.
It shares a version of the Gallardo's structural underpinnings and will come with a detuned version of the Gallardo's 5.0-litre V10, giving 450bhp, as well as the 420bhp V8 found in the RS4. This is a measure to ensure that sales of the more expensive Gallardo will not be affected. Audi hasn't announced pricing for the R8 as yet, but it will undercut the Gallardo by some margin. A starting point of around EUR 95,000 ($115,000) has been rumored, putting it up against the Porsche 911 and Aston Martin V8 Vantage.
Photo Credit: Becca Priddy for Brenda Priddy & Co.
[Video: 2008 Audi R8 Supercar]Labels: Audi