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Video: Audi R8 LMS Ultra track testing sound
The new Audi R8 LMS Ultra will be making its racing debut at the 24 hours of Le Mans race. But until we will finally see how cool the car is and what an impressive level of performance it is delivering, lets see a very cool video from a test track day at Monza racetrack. The new R8 LMS Ultra is powered by a 5.2 liter V10 engine that delivers a total of 570 HP and has received an optimized cooling system, a larger engine oil cooler and transmission fluid cooler. The car is priced at $445,000. The video has been brougth to us by Youtube user NM2255 and we have to admit he did quite an impressive job. It includes an amazing engine sound with lots of loud accelerations and fast fly bys on a very wet track!
2012 Audi R8 PPI Design Razor GTR for John Olsson
 
Jon Olsson is famous for the amazing cars, like the Rebellion R1k Ultima GTR or the Lamborghini Gallardo Ski Transporter. Now, it’s time to add another great car to his impressive garage: a specially designed PPI Design R8 Razor GTR. According to his official blog, all Olsson wanted to do was add "a nice little spoiler on it and do a nice little "quick" pimp," but PPI kind of ruined his plans. They added a full carbon fiber body kit that weighs only 600 grams. Knowing about his passion for skiing, PPI also added a ski box at the top of the R8. The standard PPI Razor GTR features a normally aspirated V10 engine that provides over 601 hp at 7,400 rpm and a maximum torque of 416 lb-ft at 6,400 rpm. However, from what we know about Olsson’s rides, we wouldn’t be surprised to see at least 700 HP under this hood. Video: Audi educates us on the R8 E-Tron’s "E-Sound"
One of the biggest allures people have of supercars is the ear-splitting noise these cars produce. After all, nothing speaks to a car’s power than all those ponies working in harmony to produce a roar like no other. But what happens with a car like the Audi R8 E-Tron, a supercar that’s powered by silent electric motors? In the case of Audi, it involves a few compromises. In this video, Audi talks about the challenges of producing that emotional sound supercar owners love on a car that’s run by electricity. The solution, as far as Audi engineers are concerned, was to develop a synthetic sound signature that can be played with a loudspeaker attached to the car’s undercarriage. Take note of the word "synthetic" because that in itself means that the sound is fabricated and not directly derived from the engine. Nevertheless, the objective with the "E-Sound" was to generate enough noise to allow drivers to enjoy the thrills of a supercar with an electric powertrain. Check out the videos - one of which you can find after the jump - to find out how Audi accomplished giving the Audi R8 E-Tron the supercar-like sounds similar to its gasoline-powered siblings. Full story Video: 1,000-horsepower Jeep Grand Cherokee gets its drag juices on
Under normal circumstances, a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 wouldn’t be able to hold a candle to cars like the Nissan GT-R, the Audi R8, and even the BMW X6M. Whereas the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is capable of producing ’only’ 420-something horsepower, the Audi R8 carries 525 horsepower while the Switzer-tuned GT-R has 850 horsepower, and the X6M carries 620 ponies. But things become very, very different when a Grand Cherokee SRT8 packs a monstrous 7.2-liter V8 engine that produces no less than 1,000 horsepower. When you line up an SUV carrying that much power, all common sense is thrown out the proverbial window. In this video, we have a 1,000-horsepower Grand Cherokee SRT8 engaging in a drag race with the three aforementioned vehicles. It’s a rare sight to see a Jeep SUV put a German supercar and a high-powered German SUV to shame. The only car that still managed to get a leg-up on the Jeep SUV was the Switzer-tuned GT-R, which took advantage of its own tuning upgrade to blast the strip and let the Grand Cherokee SRT8 eat its dust. Check out the video and see how a 1,000-horsepower Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 does in a full-on drag race. 2012 Audi R8
The Audi R8 was first launched back in 2007 and even though it has remained successful throughout its many years on the market, Audi is preparing it for a major makeover for the 2012 model year (2013 for the US market). The first details of the future model suggest that the car will receive a facelifted exterior and interior design, and more powerful engines - both V8 and V10 options. The new Audi R8 is expected in the summer of 2012. For the exterior, the R8 will only be receiving minor adjustments with a new headlamp design and millimetric changes to the LED spacing. The biggest changes will be found under the hood. The 5.2 liter V10 engine will be tuned to deliver 533 HP, up from today’s 518 HP, and will be combined with a new seven-speed dual clutch S-tronic gearbox. As for the V8, it will be upgraded to have the same specs found in the S5. This means a total of 444 HP, up from today’s 424 HP. The company also confirmed there will be an updated GT and GT Spyder version. UPDATE 08/24/2011: Fourtitude.com was able to get their hands on an unofficial official image of the front end of the future R8 facelift. Looking at the photo, you wouldn’t be remiss if you thought that what you’re looking at is the new front end of the R8. The changes are noticeably different, particularly Audi’s new hexagonal front grille and a new razor-thin lights set-up that stretches from the quarter panel all the way to the grille. UPDATE 03/12/2012: Audi has unveiled the first teaser video for the facelift version of the Audi R8 sportscar. The teaser video comes with the promise that "the new R8 is coming!" Hit the jump to watch it! Full story Video: Audi releases first teaser of the next-generation R8
It’s no secret that the R8 supercar launched Audi into a whole new stratosphere of attention, not just within the auto industry, but in the entire world. The supercar that made its world debut in 2006 has starred in a number of Hollywood blockbusters. It has participated in some of the most famous and grueling races in the world. And most important of all, it became so popular that Audi launched a whole revolution of models inspired by the R8. Now that the car is in its sixth year of existence, the time has finally come for Audi to introduce the second generation R8. To give us a little slice of the hype pie, the German automaker has released a pretty cool tribute video for their supercar, complete with all six different models of the R8, as well as a sneak peek of what’s shaping up to be an all-new model. Check out the video and going Audi in waxing nostalgic on their supercar. And before you start reminiscing, keep your eyes open towards the latter part of the video when the second-generation R8 is teased ever so subtly. 2015 Audi R8
The facelift version of the R8 should be showing its face in the Summer 2012, but Audi has even bigger fish to fry at the moment. A new generation for the R8 sports car is currently under development and will use the latest advanced construction techniques. This advanced construction will make the car lighter and faster, giving it the opportunity to provide real competition for the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche. The exterior design of the future generation R8 will be inspired by the E-Tron Concept, but the rest of the vehicle will carry almost identical features with an evolutionary styling theme and the absence of the current model’s sideblades and manual transmission. It will feature an aluminum structure, a long wheelbase, a roomy two-seat cabin, a mid-engined layout, and four-wheel drive. Despite these similarities, the next R8 will lose up to about 130 lbs from its total weight. This will be possible mainly because of the addition of some selected parts made of a new lightweight carbon-fiber and aluminum monocoque structure that is about 50 lbs lighter than the current one. Audi will also use plenty of carbon fiber elements for the transmission tunnel, floor, rear bulkhead, and B-pillars. As is typical for the R8, the new generation will be offered in both V8 and V10 versions, with both receiving increased power and improved fuel economy. Rumors say that the V8 version will deliver 450 HP, the V10 version will deliver up to 550 HP, and that the fuel economy will come in at 25.7 mpg. The GT version will also see an increase to 580 HP. It has also been rumored that the engine will be mated to a dual-clutch transmission. Expect to see the new Audi R8 sometime in 2014, with a roadster version to follow during the second quarter of 2015. 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder
Okay, so this isn’t exactly the most surprising news of the day, but it sure ranks up there with the coolest. Audi is said to be launching a Spyder version for the R8 GT at the Frankfurt Motor Show this Fall. As with the coupe version, the Spyder will be limited to 333 units and should be priced at about $20,000 higher than the coupe, which is sold for about $196,800 in the U.S. The similarities will even extend to the number of units available in the U.S. We last heard that we were getting 90 units of the GT Coupe and we expect the same number for the Spyder version. Under the hood, Audi will place the same 5.2 liter V10 engine that delivers a total of 560 HP and 398 lbs-ft of torque. The Spyder version will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and will be capable of a top speed of 196.97 mph. Thanks to body parts made in carbon fiber the R8 GT Spyder is 187 lbs lighter and in the same time delivers performance numbers that makes it the top-of-the-line version of the high-performance sports car. UPDATE 11/16/11: The Audi R8 GT Spyder made its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The lightweight, drop-top German supercar will be available in North America beginning next year and will be limited to just 90 units in the region. Audi is planning on building 333 units of the R8 GT Spyder so 90 models in North America is a pretty sizable chunk of the whole inventory. Interested parties should be on their toes so they can be part of the 90 people that can score the German supercar when it becomes available. UPDATE 02/02/12: Audi of American has announced that the R8 Spyder will be priced at $210,000 plus a $1,200 delivery fee for the US market. Only 50 units will be offered on our side of the pond. UPDATE 04/06/12: One of the only 50 R8 GT Spyder units to arrive on the US market has been presented on the NY floor and we have some pictures of it for you. Check the pictures gammery to find them. More details on the Audi R8 GT Spyder after the jump. Full story 2012 Audi R8 LMS Grand-Am
In its short life span, Audi’s R8 LMS race car has proved to be a major force in the racing scene, having already amassed over 100 victories despite being only a couple of years old. The R8 LMS’ world domination includes wins in Europe, Australia, and Asia with America being the only notable region that it hasn’t conquered. You can blame that on the stricter Grand-Am regulations, but Audi is looking into adhering to these regulations by building a car that will conform to the standards of Grand-Am racing. “We’re convinced that we’re making a very attractive offer to our customers in the USA that will meet with great response,” says Romolo Liebchen, Head of customer racing at quattro GmbH. “The anniversary event of the Daytona 24 Hours is a perfect occasion for the debut of the U.S. version of the new Audi R8 LMS.” Among the tweaks and modifications being done on the R8 LMS to make it Grand-Am ready include the use of thicker-walled tubing in the roll cage, a new front splitter, a rear diffuser, and a new Grand-Am-spec rear wing. In terms of performance, the R8 LMS Grand-AM will also come with a modified engine and the addition of an air restrictor that will drop the output of the R8 LMS from 493 horspepower to around 450 to 470 horsepower. Certain elements of the R8 LMS will also be removed for the Grand Am version, including the anti-lock system and traction control. Incidentally, Grand Am rules view these technologies as driving aids in the US. UPDATE 12/12/2011: Audi has announced that the R8 GRAND-AM is now ready for the North American market. The car successfully finished its testing at the Daytona race track (Florida) and the first deliveries will be made in January, 2012. "We successfully tested all the modifications at Daytona," says Romolo Liebchen, Head of Customer Sport at quattro GmbH. "With Frank Stippler we developed a sound and solid set-up for our customers and also gathered valuable findings in the endurance tests. The durability of wearing parts and runs at high outside temperatures meet challenging demands. We can now provide our racing customers with concrete advice and reference values for fielding the car." UPDATE 01/24/2012: The Audi R8 GRAND-AM will make its debut this weekend on the 50th running of the Daytona 24 Hours from January 26th to 29th. "Our team prepared for this step at previous runs in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. APR is known around the world as one of the leading tuners of Audi, Volkswagen, Seat and Škoda vehicles. We’re looking forward to the Audi R8 GRAND-AM with huge anticipation, our customers and fans are really excited and since the ‘Roar before the 24’ test we’ve just been dying for the 24-hour race to start." UPDATE 01/27/2012: Audi has unveiled new images and a video of the R8 Grand-Am during its practice time at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The race will be aired on Speed T.V. on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 2:30 EST. World’s first Audi R8 stretch limo is a vehicular anomaly
Generally, sports cars and limousines don’t ever fall into the same category because, well, they are completely different from one another. Of course, there’s always some guy who thinks that mixing oil and water is going to get him a different result. One example of this is the Ferrari limousine that popped up around Christmas time and the second is this elongated version of the exquisite Audi R8. This Audi R8 stretch limo was designed by Limo Broker UK and has been described as the perfect car "for your birthday bash, wedding, hen or stag party." It is based on the 528 HP Audi R8 V10 model, making it just about the fastest Audi R8 limo in the world. And while the standard R8 can only accommodate two passengers, this limo has been modified to carry eight passengers. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your opinion, this is just a concept, but the company hopes to produce one of these babies in the future. We’d rather have the real thing, even if only two of us can fit in it. Hit the jump for a video of the Audi R8 limo. Full story | featured reviews:Audi R8 latest reviews:Audi R8 tuning:
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