The Audi R8 is available in a manual six-speed gearbox or the Audi R tronic sequential-shift gearbox. The car is fitted with permanent four-wheel drive, which distributes the power variably to the front and rear axles with the help of a clutch. Fitted with six-arm 18-inch wheels as standard equipment, the car boasts of a long wheelbase and extremely low centre of gravity that ensures maximum stability. Among other features is the direct, hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering that provides optimum feedback to assist the driver.
| Engine | |
|---|---|
| 4.2L 420 hp V8 | Std. |
| Horsepower (@rpm) | 420 @ 7800 |
| Torque (@rpm) | 317 @ 4500 |
| Displacement (cc) | 4163 |
| Bore X Stroke | 3.33 X 3.65 |
| Compression Ratio | 12.5:1 |
| 6-Speed Manual Overdrive: | Std. |
| - City/Highway (mpg) | 13 / 19 |
| - 0-60 (sec) | N/A |
| Interior | |
| Max. Seating | 2 |
| Front Legroom (in) | N/A |
| Back Legroom (in) | N/A |
| Exterior | |
| Wheelbase | 104.3 |
| Length (in) | 174.5 |
| Height (in) | 49.3 |
| Amenities | |
| Sunroof/Moonroof | N/A |
| Air Conditioning | Std. |
| Leather Seats | Std. |
| Power Seats | Driver Std. Passenger Std. |
| Power Windows | Std. |
| Power Door Locks | Std. |
| Navigation | Opt. |
| Stereo | Radio, CD Player |
| Safety | |
| Front Airbags | Driver Std. Passenger Std. |
| Side Airbags | Front Std. Rear N/A |
| Side Curtain Airbags | N/A |
| ABS Brakes | Std. |
| Payload/Towing | |
| Trunk/Cargo (cu ft) | N/A |
| Std/Max. Payload (lb) | N/A / N/A |
| Std/Max. Towing (lb) | N/A / N/A |
| Fuel Capacity | |
| Tank Size (gal) | 23.8 |
Powered by a 420-horsepower V8 engine and all-wheel-drive, the R8 has been built on the Lamborghini Gallardo platform. The car, which is currently available in the US and Europe, is equipped with a standard manual and an automated manual transmission.
The car sports interiors that have a well though out inclination toward driver comfort and has the instrument panel above the console angled slightly towards the driver. Designers have made sure that there is enough room for two occupants, with comfort levels well beyond the norm of high-performance sports cars. The luggage compartment at the front has a capacity of 100 litres, said a review.
Other features include an acoustic parking system, a rear-view camera and a unique navigation system. The car is one of the slowest ever made by Audi. The company expects to find a good base among the Indian clientele.
With 15 orders already in the bag for its super luxury R8 sports car scheduled for launch in November, German luxury carmaker Audi AG says the model is sold out for this year. Priced at Rs 1.17 crore in India, the R8 will be imported directly from Germany and will not be available for test drives. The car will not go through homologation or approval by the authorities due to the low volumes. Bookings for the car started in June. "In Germany, people have to wait for months for delivery of the R8. Since the car is partly handmade, the numbers are limited. The car is almost sold out globally this year," said an Audi spokesperson on the sidelines of the opening of the new corporate sales office of Volkswagen and Audi here on Wednesday. There are at present only two or three R8s on Indian roads bought through direct imports. A total of 2,952 units of the R8 were sold worldwide. With a mid-engine, the 420-horsepower vehicle has permanent all-wheel drive and an all-aluminium space frame body.This only supercar that runs on diesel is so popular that it doesn't even offer test drives on it. The car has an excellent design with an intelligent aluminium and magnesium body. According to Audi, there are only 2,952 R8s running the roads of the world before India joined them.
The 1,560 kg R8 is in direct competition with the Porsche Carrera S, which costs Rs 86.05 lakh. "The Indian market has discerning buyers who are prepared to pay for luxury, provided the quality and overall experience is superior," says Rod Wallace, managing director, Porsche India. Indicating that financing is an area where Audi and Volkswagen as a group want to strengthen, the Audi spokesperson said, "There are possibilities that the group will tie-up with banks in India." Volkswagen AG may also bring to India its wholly owned subsidiary, Volkswagen Financial Services AG, which coordinates financial services activities worldwide. "We are working out the details for India, which will be completed this year," added the spokesperson. Audi currently sells its A8, Q7, A6, A4 and TT models in the Indian market. In the first seven months of 2008, the company sold 595 units, against 226 units over the same period last year. Audi has seven dealerships across the country, which it wants to expand to 12.
