2010 Audi R8

2010 Audi R8 V10 – Click above for high-res image gallery On a gravel-strewn, dead-end road 20 miles north of Sonoma, California's Infineon Raceway, the opportunity finally presents itself. We slot the R8's gated shifter into first, rev the engine to 3,500 RPM and drop the clutch. No wheel spin, no screeching tires, just an immediate and seamless conversion of potential energy into vision-warping thrust. Our skull snaps back into the headrest, our spine compresses against the seat and a few seconds later, we are running into the red. As we hit the fuel cutoff at 8,750 RPM, it dawns on us: we totally forgot to breathe. If forward momentum is so seamless and instantaneous that it temporarily halts the most basic of human needs, you know you're piloting something special. And the 2010 Audi R8 V10 is very, very special. %Gallery-71315% Photos copyright ©2009 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc. When we first reviewed the original V8-powered R8 last year, we came away with several revelations. Its ease-of-use, daily drivability and exceptional grip impressed the most, but there was always an overwhelming sense the chassis could handle more power. Sure, it had the chops to hang with a Porsche 911 or some AMG-fettled Merc, but there wasn't always that supercar sense of occasion when manning the helm. Now, with the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4's V10 mounted amidships, Audi has put any question about the R8's supercar status to rest – without compromising the complete package. With the exception of the intake, exhaust and ECU, the engine is the identical unit fitted to its Italian brother from the same mothership and carries over unchanged from the R8 LMS currently being campaigned by Audi Sport and a handful of privateers. Even though the 5.2-liter FSI V10 is rated at 525 horsepower (down some 35 ponies from the Gallardo), there's no perceivable trade-off in aural satisfaction. The exhaust note swaps the Lambo's raucous, playful intonation for a more focused – even, restrained – tone, particularly below 4,000 RPM before an extra baffle in the exhaust evolves the sound from a mumble to a wail. Think Hendrix playing at eight rather than eleven – the sound is no less sweet. The dry sump-equipped, race-bred ten's 525 ponies (at 8,000 RPM) and 391 pound-feet of torque (at 6,500 RPM) are channeled through either a six-speed manual or R tronic sequential gearbox with Sport mode. No matter the transmission (launch control works on both models), 0-to-60 MPH comes in at a claimed 3.7 seconds, with the R tronic delivering its shifts in just one-hundredth of a second. Compared to the R tronic model we tested last June, the cogswapper's programming has been tweaked to accommodate the extra output, and according to one Audi engineer, "this gearbox was made for the V10." Although it's still not nearly as smooth as a typical torque converter or Audi's own dual-clutch 'box when puttering along at part throttle, the hydraulically operated manumatic does its damnedest to limit lurches when running …
Hide Full Review