RACE bred technology is at the forefront of the new 5.2-litre FSI V10 engine that powers the 2017 Audi R8 and boasts incredible power and torque figures.
It is, quite literally, the R8 LMS GT3 racing program that has been running since 2009, that has allowed engineers to push the boundaries so much further.
The new engine develops 397kW/540Nm in the R8 V10, and an astonishing 449kW/560Nm in the V10 plus.
Capable of reaching 100km/h from rest in just 3.2 seconds, before a top speed of 330km/h, the new R8 V10 plus is the fastest production Audi ever built.
In addition, the aural symphony of the V10 engine can be heard best in Australia, which is one of the only global markets to offer the trapezoidal sports exhaust as standard equipment.
Despite this incredible performance, intelligent efficiency solutions ensure that fuel consumption figures remain responsible.
The new Cylinder-on-Demand system can shut down an entire bank of five cylinders under light throttle load, while the start-stop system is new to the Audi V10 engine.
The quattro all-wheel drive system in the R8 is also a completely new design and engineering concept.
Now an electrohydraulic clutch distributes torque between the front and rear wheels, controlled by sophisticated software.
Unlike the previous model, there is no fixed distribution. The front-to-rear torque transfer is fully variable, depending on Audi drive select and the driving conditions. The perfect complement to this advanced new quattro system is the 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission that delivers lightning-fast gear changes.
The new Audi R8 also boasts more technology and advanced infotainment capability than ever before, with a very high level of standard features.
The R8 Coupe 5.2 FSI V10 Coupe hits the road at $354,900 while the R8 Coupe 5.2 FSI V10 plus Coupe comes online at $389,900 (plus on-roads).
