(continued from above)
The 2011 Audi R8 V10 is the result of cumulative know-how from Audi's string
of Le Mans victories. Its naturally aspirated engine combines racing technology
such as dry sump lubrication with FSI gasoline direct injection. The
ten-cylinder design is the perfect synthesis for impressive top performance,
mighty pulling power, and low weight.
The V10 engine in the production
sports car will be almost identical in construction to the one in the racing
version. Its displacement is 5,204 cc, at 6,500 rpm it delivers 391 lb-ft (530
Nm) of torque, at 8,000 rpm its power tops out at 525 hp (386 kW).
The
specific power output is 100.9 hp per liter of displacement - and each hp has to
propel only 6.91 lbs (3.09 kilograms) of weight, because the Audi R8 V10 in the
version with the six-speed manual gearshift weighs only 3571 lbs (1,620
kilograms). The engine accounts for 569 lbs of these kilograms - that's only 68
lbs (31 kilos) more than the V8.
The 2011 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro rockets
from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. In the version with the sequentially
shifting R tronic it reaches 124 mph (200 km/h) in another 8.1 seconds. Even
then its propulsive power hardly lessens: it's sufficient to reach a top speed
of 196 mph (316 km/h). The immense force, the spontaneity and the thrust of the
acceleration, plus the sound of the engine - all these impressions coalesce into
a breathtaking sports car experience. The V10 plays a concert with growling bass
tones and powerful high notes, which grows into a grandiose fortissimo as the
engine revs up. This sonorous acceleration doesn't reach its limit until 8,700
rpm.
Exterior Design
The wide, full shape of the R8 5.2 FSI
quattro seems to hug the road. The brawny proportions and prominent wheel wells
underscore its potential. The high-precision styling of the lines and the
elegant curve of the roof are typical Audi features. A continuous contour
optically connects the front, the wheel wells, the sides and the rear. Located
well forward, the cab visually expresses the mid-engine design. The vertical air
scoops (sideblades) on the sides are also indicative of the engine location. The
massive aluminum gas cap is mounted flush within the right sideblade.
The
front air inlets, which feed air to the coolers, and the lip of the front apron
are painted in high-gloss black. The number of cross-braces has been reduced
from four to two. The vanes of the single-frame grille have a striking chrome
finish.
A very distinctive highlight of the R8 V10 are the all-LED
headlights as standard equipment. Audi is the world's first automaker to use
LEDs for the high beam, low beam, daytime running lights, and turn signals. Each
headlight integrates 54 of these high-tech light sources. With a color
temperature of 6,000 Kelvin the LED light closely resembles daylight, which is
less tiring to the eyes in night driving. Further advantages of the LEDs include
brilliant illumination, low energy consumption, and a virtually unlimited
service life.
Special details also distinguish the body of the 2011 Audi
R8 V10. Its sideblades are more accentuated than in the eight-cylinder version.
The side sills are more striking and wider; the exhaust grilles at the rear
windows have a matt aluminum look. Through the large rear window, the
ten-cylinder engine is clearly visible in its consummate technical beauty.
When in motion, this Audi high-performance sports car creates a downforce
that keeps it in firm contact with the road - thanks to a rear spoiler which
deploys automatically at 62 mph (100 km/h) and the fully enclosed underbody,
which terminates in a sharply upward-curved diffuser. The dominant color at the
rear end is high-gloss black, including the settings of the LED tail lights. The
air outlets at the rear end also have only two cross-braces, and the exhaust
system terminates in two large oval tailpipes.
Audi R8 5.2 FSI: Review (2/2)
