Luxury Cars Anna: November 2010

2010 ABT Audi R8 V10 GTR

Sure, the R8 is no lame duck, and this is even more so once the sports car has been tuned by ABT Sportsline. The result is a real model athlete, which does not just ooze power, but also doesn’t have a single gram of fat on its body. With the limited version R8 GT R (with only 25 units available) engineers and designers have gone one logical step further: experience from motorsport flowed into the design, and all the components have been systematically trimmed to ensure a light-weight construction and optimal weight distribution. As a result not just the bonnet, front and rear aprons, the adjustable rear wing or the tailgate are made of carbon, but the outline edge on the rear, the external mirrors and the door panel are also made of the same material. The side windows are made of Makrolon - the high-tech polycarbonate does not just reduce weight, but also has impressive strength properties. The result: the ABT R8 GT R is a proud 100 kilos lighter than its series counterpart.

Audi R8 5.2 V10 FSI quattro

Audi R8 5.2 V10 FSI quattro

IF you thought that Audi's R8 V8 supercar was fast at 4.6 seconds to 62mph then the V10 version's 3.9 seconds will convince you that you are at the wheel of a true road rocket.

Not that you would use such power in everyday driving, especially on British roads, but it is there lurking in this surprisingly practical beast that has rocked the world of elite motoring.

By practical I mean that it is very manageable in traffic, has the option of a conventional manual gearbox, can cope with average speed humps and most importantly is massively reliable.

It has also caused shockwaves because it is the only production car under £140,000 to combine a mid-mounted engine with four-wheel-drive.

And it is blisteringly fast. With its 197mph capability it takes the podium from the Aston Martin DB9 at 190mph, the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S at 185mph and the Maserati Gran Turismo S at 183mph. It is also the best accelerating car in its class - the Aston Martin DB 9 at 4.6 seconds to 62mph being the only one that can get anywhere near it.

The R8 V10 is also receiving accolades for having the most powerful engine in its class - a 5.2 litre V10 with 525PS on tap - not to mention the best power to weight ratio and excellent residual values.

All this is fine but I was bowled over not by the car's attainments but with the way it copes with everyday driving while having such massive power.

I would not use the words docile or tame, but the R8 V10 was surprisingly manageable in traffic with a clutch that did not snatch or judder and roadholding and brakes that most of us just dream of.

Its road manners are by virtue of Audi's so-called 'magnetic ride' adaptive damping system which is added to the highly-praised Audi double wishbone suspension system.

You do have to keep an eye on the speedo though because the V10 is so smooth and surprisingly silent. This is the only thing that you really have to worry about with this car. In fact it could do with more roars to match the 'Phwoars' from other drivers and passers by.

ABT Sportsline tunes Audi R8

German tuner ABT Sportsline released some sketches of their upcoming modifications to the Audi R8. Performance enhancements include adding 110 horsepower to the already powerful 420 horsepower 4.2L V8, bringing the total to 530 via a supercharger.

Abt Sportsline Audi R8

Pink Audi R8 in Holland

when you felt life was getting a little bit boring, along comes this piece of literal Dutch eye candy to remind you that many people are crazy. Yes sir, that's an Audi R8. Yes sir, someone painted it pink. But not just pink – light candy pink with darker pink blades. Now, let's say for a second that the carbon fiber blades are actually baked pink plastic. That would be kinda OK in our book. However, since they are obviously nothing but regular carbon fiber painted pink, we're against them. Moreover, they look slightly purple. And pink and purple simply do not match.

Not that there's anything wrong with pink all on its lonesome. It can be done well, and at least one of us (*ahem*) liked the Mansory Vitesse Rose at Frankfurt. But even if you totally loathe Mansory's handiwork, at least they put some effort into it. From the single photo we got here, looks like the pink R8 is just, sorta... pink. Lazy pink, really. But of course the real reason for this post (besides the laughter) is to figure out what we should call all-pink cars. Because obviously, it's now a trend.

Even though the Russians gave the Emirates a run for their stacks of $100 bills, in the end "all Dubai'd out" beat "all Moscow'd out" in our poll to determine the correct nomenclature for mirror-finished/chrome cars. But then, what to call pink cars? We've got a few ideas listed in a poll after the jump. But if you have your own suggestions, feel free to share them in the comments. Oh, and here's an all gold R8 for you to contemplate while you vote.

2010 Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro Price

Audi today announced that the U.S. manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the highly anticipated 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro V10 sports car will start at $146,000, with shipments to authorized Audi R8 dealerships across the country beginning this week.

Audi said the MSRP for the 2010 Audi R8 4.2 FSI quattro will start at $114,200, unchanged from the base prices for 2009 models:

2010 R8 5.2 FSI® quattro® (V10) pricing (excluding $1,200 destination charge, taxes, title, options and dealer charges):

R8 5.2 FSI quattro coupe (manual) $146,000
R8 5.2 FSI quattro coupe (R tronic) $155,100

2010 R8 4.2 FSI® quattro® (V8) pricing (excluding $1,200 destination charge, taxes, title, options and dealer charges):
R8 4.2 FSI quattro coupe (manual) $114,200
R8 4.2 FSI quattro coupe (R tronic) $123,300

The addition of the R8 V10 adds new levels of power to a sports car already renowned for delivering premium comfort uncommon in its class without performance compromises. The 10-cylinder 525 hp engine is the same power plant found in the R8 LMS GT3 racecar and is capable of delivering breathtaking performance. The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro delivers 391 lb-ft of torque and achieves a 0-60 mph time of just 3.7 seconds.

Anticipation has been building for the U.S. introduction of the R8 V10. Today, the first two 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro models available in the U.S. were delivered to the two winning bidders from the 2009 Boca Raton Concours d’ Elegance charity auction held in February to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, Fla. The two winning bids raised a combined $850,000 for the charity, with the top bidder paying a record $500,000 for the new 2010 R8 V10, the highest amount ever paid for a new Audi vehicle in the U.S.

Since its U.S. launch in September 2007, demand has remained strong for the V8-powered R8 4.2 FSI quattro featuring 420 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. The hand-assembled R8 V10, developed by the Audi high-performance division, quattro GmbH, receives unique exterior features as standard equipment. Chief among these: innovative full-LED headlights, a world’s first. The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro also receives new 19-inch Y-design forged aluminum alloy wheels with summer performance tires, sideblades with larger air intakes, front grille with chrome-optic accents, unique rocker panel shaping, dual oval rear exhaust tips, “V10” front fender badges and instrument cluster labeling, unique front and rear sections along with a larger rear diffuser all finished in high-gloss black.

Other R8 5.2 FSI quattro standard equipment highlights include rear-biased quattro all-wheel drive, Audi magnetic ride, Audi Navigation plus with 3D graphics and real time traffic, 465-watt Bang & Olufsen Sound System®, 6-disc CD changer, Bluetooth® telephone preparation, SIRIUS satellite radio®, Audi parking system plus with rearview camera and 10-way power heated sport seats. Sepang Blue pearl effect will be offered as an optional R8 V10 exclusive exterior color.

“The R8 is a proven worldwide success story for Audi,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “The positive effects of the vehicle on dealers, customers, and Audi fans alike have exceeded all expectations. The addition of the V10-powered R8 5.2 FSI quattro adds further equity into the already sought-after R8 nameplate and the Audi brand.”

The R8 is one of four Audi models currently built with the revolutionary ASF® chassis, a technology that Audi has mastered in more than a decade of experience. ASF is customized by model, including its application with the A8 and TT Coupe and Roadster models. The framework of an ASF body consists of extruded aluminum sections and pressure castings. The aluminum chassis and sheet metal are just as strong as steel, but lighter to boost performance and efficiency. This frame carries the sheet aluminum elements, for example the roof panel, which are rigidly connected to it and help to withstand loads on the body. The elements of ASF are varied in shape and cross-section, depending on the tasks they have to perform. Like the bones of a human skeleton, they combine optimal function with low weight. The ASF application on the Audi R8 offers extremely high torsional rigidity, light weight and high strength for optimal performance characteristics.

All R8 models are produced in Neckarsulm, Baden Württemberg, Germany along with the aluminum A8 model. Audi is continuing to shape the future in lightweight design and elsewhere too. Inaugurated in 1994, the Aluminum and Lightweight Design Center in Neckarsulm, Germany employs more than 120 specialists to work on new joining techniques, body structures, materials and construction techniques. They also look into the use of high-strength and ultra-high-strength grades of steel. In the area of fiber composites, Audi also acts as an innovative pioneer and trend-setter by leveraging its significant racetrack experience and success to test advanced component concepts under extreme conditions prior to implementation on its road vehicles.

Audi expects to release 2010 pricing and model year changes for the remainder of its lineup within the next few weeks.

2010 Audi R8 5.2 V-10 Priced At $147,200

If eight just isn’t enough when it comes to your 2010 Audi R8, you can always opt for the ten-cylinder R8 5.2 model--but at a price. Audi announced yesterday afternoon that its flagship R8 model will carry a base price of $147,200, including a $1200 destination charge.

That price puts you into a R8 5.2 coupe, equipped with the 525-hp, 5.2-liter V-10, Quattro all-wheel-drive, and a six-speed manual transmission. Customers who opt for the six-speed R-tronic semi-automated gearbox will see that base price jump to $156,300.

Adding two cylinders to the sensuous R8 represents approximately a $32,000 premium over the R8 4.2 V-8 model, but it’s still $53,000 cheaper than its closest sibling, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4.

Audi expects to begin delivering R8 5.2 models to American dealers sometime this week.