Audi R8 ragtop coming, two new powerplants possible
Audi dropped a considerable amount of energy and cash when developing the R8, and, according to the reviews thus far, it's likely to be a hit. If Audi decided not to broaden the R8's offerings, it would be a huge mistake from a financial, marketing and enthusiast point of view. It's practically a given that a drop top variant of the mid-ship coupe will eventually be produced, and according to Autovisie, it will carry the name R8 Spyder and should be released sometime in 2008.
Naturally, some power upgrades are in the not-so-distant future, with the Dutch mag reporting that the 4.2-liter V8 currently employed will be dispatched in favor of the 5.2-liter V10, pulled from the S6 and S8 sedans. The possibility of a 600-horsepower RS8 version, sporting a twin-turbocharged version of the V10, was also mentioned, but we're chalking that up to rampant speculation for the time being.
However, one mill that we would certainly like to see through the glass hatch of the R8 is the six-liter V12 TDI, the same engine found in the Q7 SUV abroad. Whether we would see a high performance oil burner on this side of the Atlantic though, is an open question.
[Source: Autovisie via MotorAuthority]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ruggels 2:58PM (2/19/2007)
I hope the rag-top won't share the design of the murcielago :/.
Also, I'd be very surprised if audi dropped the 4.2, it makes more sense to keep it as an 'entry' R8.
I'd also be very surprised if anything 600hp made it into the R8, given that would most likely give it enough momentum to take on the murcielago and most of porsche's line up (not just the carrera 4)... which i'm sure posrche would not be keen on.
having picked up this month's CAR, I was interested to read just how much room there currently is in the luxury supercar segment, but still, there is the whole Porsche/VAG scheme to contend with in terms of slotting vehicles in which don't go about directly competing with fellow parent company cars, the last thing VAG needs is the whole jag/baby aston situation.
Yet on the other end, there’s the recognition that the R8 is possibly the best mid engined platform vag has, and i’d love to see it developed, even with the Q7’s engine... i just doubt it’ll happen. Audi’s not done many low volume specials recently (like back in the ur-quattro days). I just can’t see them releasing something with 600hp or 700 ft lbs of torque in a platform that comparatively light.
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MikeW 3:29PM (2/19/2007)
Move the bulkhead forward?, shrink the gas tank(s) time for turbo power.
http://gallery.audiworld.com/albums/2008r8test/DSCN4635.jpg
http://gallery.audiworld.com/gallery/awframes/indexaudi-r8.html
http://gallery.audiworld.com/albums/2008r8test/DSCN4644.jpg
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James 3:26PM (2/19/2007)
Hell no to the ragtop, hell yes to the faster engines.
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MikeW 6:10PM (2/19/2007)
http://gallery.audiworld.com/albums/album234/R8070046_medium.jpg
oops. middle one is wrong
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ruggels 3:34PM (2/19/2007)
"Move the bulkhead forward?, shrink the gas tank(s) time for turbo power."
Well audi's already indicated the only thing keeping the V12 TDi out is cooling issues, so I'm sure anything smaller, ie: bi-turbo v10, is going to fit just fine.
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wushu 4:26PM (2/19/2007)
What I'm really looking forward to is the R6 version of the Audi R8. It'll be a Porsche Cayman S killer. Now we just have to get the German government to force Porsche AG to divest its share of VW, because Porsche AG is unfairly restricting competition by killing the R6 project. Porsche AG is running scared because they know their technology is antiquidated and overpriced.
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NoNameDenton 4:56PM (2/19/2007)
A gorgeous car with some great powerplants coming out for it
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TheChaz 5:29PM (2/19/2007)
I thought they weren't going to put the V10 in the R8 because it would make the car essentially a re-badge job. The chassis is shared with the Gallardo platform and that V10 in the S6 and S8 is from Lamborghini as well.
I'm all for the diesel, though. The awesome 4.2 petrol V8 for the entry model, and the V12 diesel as the step-up. Audi is one of the few brands with any sort of marketing equity built up for diesel performance. This would be a great way to capitalize on that.
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ruggels 5:48PM (2/19/2007)
"because it would make the car essentially a re-badge job."
I think they're over that, having announced the updated gallardo would share the R8's chasis improvements :)
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Fabulo 3:34AM (2/20/2007)
"Whether we would see a high performance oil burner on this side of the Atlantic though, is an open question."
I'm pretty sure some Californian hacks would be willing to buy a regular gas version and drop a 6.7 Cummins TD in there for you :)
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nagmashot 5:16AM (2/20/2007)
The 5.2l Twin Turbo V10 comes end 2008 in the R8 that is a old news...
It is the same engine that will be power the new RS6.
The 6.0l V12 TDI is still possible. The engine is shorter as the V10 and not realy a problem to fit into the R8.
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MikeW 1:36PM (2/21/2007)
The V12 diesel is a 60 degree.
Audi doesn't have any turbo engines with the 84.5mm bore, so more than likely it will have the 2mm smaller bore (5.0)
600hp 5.0V10 is a nice middle finger to the twin turbo W12 in the Bentley.
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