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2013 Audi R8 E-Tron
After the E-tron concept and the E-tron Detroit Show car, Audi has brought us the e-tron technology platform based on the R8 from the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. This has turned out to be more than just a publicity stunt or science experiment. Audi is serious about bringing this car to market and has taken the time to develop a completely new ideology behind this electric R8 and the normal gasoline version. Having the exterior design of the car already completed and in supercar form it was an easier job for the Audi engineers to develop an electric version than if they would have had to start from scratch. The mid-engine design of the R8 provides the perfect location to store heavy batteries without distorting the weight balance that Audi wanted to achieve. In essence, this electric version should be able to compete on the same levels as its V8 and V10 brothers, but will it be as exhilarating? That all depends on what the driver sees as excitement – The V10 version will provide an unbridled amount of power and harmonious soundtrack to go along with it, but the electric version will incorporate some of the most innovative technology available today. Being able to reach high top speeds in the least amount of time is the most important thing that a sports car can deliver, if it can do it by using batteries than we don’t really see a problem. If Audi can truly create an exciting Quattro experience with its new E-Tron R8 than they will have accomplished something truly special in this emerging market. UPDATE 09/12/2011: Audi is trying to keep the market’s interest on their new R8 E-Tron by bringing a near-production model to the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. They are calling it the "technology demonstrator" and showing off its four electric motors and a new exterior design. This pre-production model features a new grille, new carbon fiber front and rear bumpers, new rims, LED lights, and, as the most impressive addition, a highly ventilated hood. Hit the jump for more details on the Audi R8 E-Tron. Full story The Car Show: Season 1 Episode 8
  This week’s episode of The Car Show packed many of the things that were vacant from the last week’s episode. Yes, we said it, there was much more Car Show and a lot less filler crap. Some of the mini segments did make their way into the show, including 0-60 (one of our favorites), Behind the Wheel, and of course, One for the Road. Aside from that, there were more celebrity appearances with two different interviews and a trip up the German Autobahn and down the Pacific Coast Highway in an Audi R8 V10 Spyder. If anyone finds Adam Carolla the least bit annoying then you’ll be happy to know that he participates in Red Bull’s SoapBox Derby and falls a little short of the finish line. One nasty scrape later and he still finds a way to piss people off. All for the love of cars. Hit the jump for more details on The Car Show: Season 1 Episode 8. Full story Battle of the Revs: Ferrari 430 versus Audi R8
There are many ways in which two supercars can upstage one another, but nothing is more glorious to the ears than a good ol’ fashion rev-one-upsmanship. The protagonists on this video are a Ferrari F430 and an Audi R8. Each car comes with a bonafide monster of an engine - the F430 has a naturally-aspirated 4.3-liter V8 engine with 510 horsepower while the R8 comes with a 4.2-liter V8 engine that has an output of 420 horsepower. Basically, there won’t be any shortage of noise in both of them. The question now is which of these two supercars is louder than the other. Personally speaking, the German supercar makes for an impressive ear-crackling sound, but in this case, we’ll give the nod to the Italian stallion, which has made a tradition out of producing some of the most powerful machines on the planet. But at the end of the day, supercar enthusiasts will love waking up to this kind of sound from either of these mammoth beasts, so really, there are no losers here; just the sound of revving monsters that’s music to all out ears. Is this the new front end of the Audi R8?
 The Audi R8 has been one of the most popular sportscars in the past few years, particularly because when it was first unveiled at the 2006 Paris Auto Show, it came with a cutting edge design that propelled the German automaker’s first true sportscar into the stratosphere. However, the popular belief is that while other brands have introduced fresh takes on their exotics, the R8 has remained virtually the same. What this means is that it just might be time for Audi to give their supercar a much-needed successor. Nothing has been announced yet, but a leaked photo courtesy of Fourtitude.com has people wondering whether a new R8 will arrive sooner than any of us thought. 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. In terms of the powertrain, there’s word that Audi will continue to offer V8 and V10 engine options for the R8, to go with Quattro all-wheel drive. Some have indicated, however, that prototypes of the car have been seen using 2.5 and 3.0-liter TFSI engines. Whether these speculations have merits to them or not, one thing that’s becoming evident is that the R8 needs a make-over. And if this photo is any indication of what the next-generation R8 is going to look like, then we’re getting ready to have our heads blown off. Audi and Sony tie up for R8 LMS racing simulator
We’ve seen a lot of racing simulators in our time, but we haven’t seen anything quite like what Sony and Audi have done. It’s a Playstation Racing Simulator that has been built in the style of a carbon-black Audi R8 LMS race car. Granted, the simulator wasn’t based on an actual production model of the Audi racer, but the whole thing was custom-built by the people over at quattro GmbH. The set-up features a bucket seat for the driver, another seat for the passenger, and a roll-cage that’s really more about aesthetics than it is for actual use. Once the driver is comfortably seated inside, he uses a race steering wheel that comes equipped with paddle gear shifters, which together with the foot pedals, are all connected to a Playstation 3. For a more realistic time inside the car, the engineers also added pneumatic cylinders in place of the suspension to bring centrifugal force to the driver during high-speed acceleration, braking, and cornering, and a Dolby Surround system that makes for a realistic time around the track. The whole set-up first made its debut in Cologne, Germany as part of Gamescom 2011 where European GT3 champion Christopher Mies was on-hand to present the machine to the awestruck audience. There are plenty of simulators out there that we’d love to own, but there’s nothing quite like this. Imagine having an Audi R8 LMS sitting as the centerpiece of your game room. We’re drooling already. Video: Audi R8 GT Week Part 4
What makes the Audi R8 GT different from all other models in the R8 line-up? Clearly, there are plenty of options to choose from, but a big part of the entire equation boils down to the tremendous weight savings given to the car compared to all other R8 models. Among other things, the rear bumper and diffuser is 17.6 lbs lighter; the battery is lighter by 20.7 lbs; even the carpeting used on the car is made from lightweight material, saving another 17.4 lbs along the way. The front splitter and rear spoiler are also lightweight, creating the needed downforce to separate itself from the pack. All in all, the R8 GT is 180 lbs lighter than its counterparts, making for a car that embodies the whole definition of a "high-performance sports car". In the fourth and final episode of Audi’s R8 GT week, 5-Time Le Mans Champion and AudiWerks Driver, Emanuele Pirro, explains in detail exactly what makes the R8 GT the car that it is. Make no mistake, all the weight savings generated by the car allows its 560-horsepower, V10 engine to reach a staggering top speed of 198.4 mph. To recap all four episodes of the week-long series, we’ve added the first three episodes of the series after the jump. Full story Video: Audi R8 GT Week Part 3
The Audi R8 GT was recently brought onto the US market and the company has decided to promote the vehicle by running a week-long run of videos in a series called "R8 GT Week." We’ve already featured Part 1 and Part 2, and now Part 3 has been released. Part three is called "No compromise" and features 5-time Le Mans champion and AudiWerks driver, Emanuele Pirro, as he shares his opinion on the R8 GT. The title is fitting because Pirro says that Audi engineers are not comfortable with the word compromise and have come up with a "fantastic car, both on the racetrack and on the road which is very, very difficult to achieve." Part four should be coming out sometime soon and is called "Healthy Appetite." This video provides another opportunity to learn a few things about the sports car, such as the fact that it features a V10 engine with an output of 560 HP, sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, is 180 lbs lighter than a standard R8, and can hit a top speed of 198.4 mph. All of those wonderful features and only 90 units will be offered for America. Bummer. Check out a teaser for Part 4 after the jump. Full story 2011 Audi R8 GT "Supersport Edition" by Wheelsandmore
The Audi R8 GT has been getting a lot of face time this week - thank Audi’s "R8 GT Week" for that - and the news just keeps on coming. German tuning firm, Wheelsandmore, has introduced their latest take on the powerful Audi supercar featuring a few styling makeovers, an improved performance set-up, and a swanky name - the Supersport Edition - that hammers home all the changes that came with it. As far as the visual details on the car, Wheelsandmore limited the changes to a new set of 20" matte black coated lightweight wheels wrapped in Continental Sport Contact 5P tires to go with a new remote-controlled hydraulic lift system that can add 40 mm to the supercar’s ride height. The seemingly bare changes on the car’s detailing is more than made up for by an impressive performance upgrade that features a new electronic set-up and the addition of a handcrafted, stainless-steel exhaust system that’s 40 lbs lighter and comes with its own remote-controlled valve flaps. With these modifications set-up on the car, the output from the 5.2-liter V10 engine has spiked from the standard 560 horsepower and 398 lb/ft of torque all the way up to 611 horsepower and 431 lb/ft of torque. The added output also resulted in a faster 0-60 mph time for the R8 GT - 3.6 seconds to 3.3 seconds - and a higher top speed of 208 mph, up from the ’standard’ model’s top speed of 198 mph. 920 2011-12 Audi R8 Spyders recalled for fuel leak
"Errare humanum est!" To err is human and since cars are built by humans, it’s quite normal to experience mistakes now and then. Even great cars like the Audi R8 Spyder fall privy to recalls and that’s exactly what’s happening now. As of August 22, 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is recalling the 920 R8 Spyder models due to a fuel leak that may lead to a vehicle fire. "The fuel supply line may contact and rub against the heat shield in the engine compartment," said NHTSA. "This could lead to a small fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could lead to a vehicle fire." The first complaint came to Volkswagen on June 6, 2011, when a customer announced that he felt a fuel smell after refilling the Audi R8 Spyder. If you own a 2011-12 Audi R8 Spyder, call Audi at 1-800-822-2834 to have the fuel line inspected and replaced, if necessary. Audi Exclusive offers custom R8
Audi USA has just posted some interesting news on their Facebook account: the Audi Exclusive custom shop is offering customers the chance to customize their very won R8 in any way they want. This means customers will get to choose any color imaginable for the paint or any combination for the interior leather. Want a saddle brown paint job with a magnolia white sideblade? We question your taste, but it’s still possible. How about a Misano Red paint job with a carbon fiber sideblade? Now, we’re talking. The full line of interior options includes: Cognac Brown Fine Nappa leather with Crimson Red stitching, Classic Red Fine Nappa leather seats with Alabaser White stitching, Black Fine Nappa leather with Cognac Brown Fine Nappa Leather Seat inserts, lower door panels, floor mat piping, Saddle Brown Fine Nappa Leather with Magnolia White stitching, Magnolia White carpet, and floor mats with Saddle Brown piping. All you have to do is to let your imagination go wild, and, of course, buy a R8.
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