Last year, Audi->ke14 has dropped the official details on its updated R8 family, and, much to everyone's surprise, the company has added a new top model to the line-up: a new R8 V10 Plus.

Offering an increase of 25 horsepower over a base R8 V10 version, the new R8 V10 Plus is now also available in the U.S. This is, in fact, the second Plus model offered by Audi, after the German automaker announced the TT-RS Plus at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

Compared to the rest of the R8 lineup->ke1440, the new Plus version is distinguished by carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) additions from just about every angle of the sports car, including the front splitter, lateral air inlets, the huge rear diffuser, the lining in the engine compartment. The intense use of carbon fiber has helped drop the car's total weight to an impressive 3,461 pounds.

In addition to these features, the vent louvers next to the rear window have been painted in matte black, while the dual round exhaust tailpipe trim sections have been finished in gloss black. The new R8 V10 Plus also features LED lights that illuminate the engine compartment.

Updated 06/10/2013: This review has been updated with all of the 2014 model year details.

Hit the jump to read more about the new Audi R8 V10 Plus.

2014 Audi R8 V10 Plus

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Audi R8 V10 Plus
  • Engine/Motor: V10
  • Horsepower: 550 @ 8000
  • Torque: 398 @ 6500
  • Transmission: 7-speed S-tronic
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

As with the previous Plus model in Audi's lineup - the TT-RS Plus - the new R8 V10 Plus is all about being lighter and more powerful. To achieve this goal, Audi used adjustable bucket seats with a glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) chassis, reduced the amount of insulating materials, fitted special light-alloy wheels and installed lightweight chassis components, like the standard ceramic brakes.

These additions join the many carbon-fiber elements of the new R8 Plus. These carbon-fiber reinforced plastic components include the front splitter, lateral air inlets and the huge rear diffuser.

Aside from the lightweight elements, the exterior has been tweaked aesthetically to include matte-black vent louvers next to the rear window and dual gloss-black round exhaust tailpipe trim sections.

Dimensions:

Wheelbase

104.3 inches (2650 mm)

Length

174.6 inches (4434 mm)

Height

49.3 inches (1252 mm)

Width

76 inches (1930 mm)

Track front/rear

64.5/62.8 inches (1638/1595 mm)

Weight

3605 pounds (1635 kg)


Interior

Just like with all the other revised R8 models, the new R8 V10 Plus will get new, high-quality diamond-stitch leather seats, a new leather-covered multifunction sports steering wheels with an R8 logo.

The R8 V10 offers lots of advanced technologies, like the new Audi MMI Navigation plus system or an available Bang&Olufsen Sound System.

Interior Dimensions:

Headroom

37.7 inches (957 mm)

Legroom

41.0 inches (1041 mm)

Shoulder room (front/rear)

54.8 inches (1392 mm)

Seating capacity

2


Engine

Under the hood of the new R8 V10 Plus, Audi has placed the same 5.2-liter engine that comes in the R8 V-10. For the Plus version, however, the V-10 delivers a total of 550 horsepower and a peak torque of 398 pound-feet at 6,500 rpm. With the S tronic transmission, the R8 V10 Plus sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and up to a top speed of 196 mph, while the average fuel consumption rate is 18.23 U.S. mpg. When equipped with the manual gearbox, the new Plus version will go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, up to a top speed of 198 mph and delivers 15.79 US mpg.

Like with all the new R8 models, the new Plus version gets a new seven-speed S tronic, which spaces the gears closely. The dual-clutch transmission can be shifted at the selector lever or at the steering wheel paddles; a sports mode is alternatively available. At the press of a button, the launch control manages to start at an increased initial engine speed and with optimal tire slip.

Engine

V-10

Displacement

5.2 liters

Horsepower

550 HP @ 8000 rpm

Peak torque

398 lbs-ft @ 6500 rpm

Transmission

7-spd S tronic/6-speed manual

0 to 60 mph, manual version

3.7 seconds

0 to 60 mph, S tronic version

3.3 seconds

Top speed, manual version

193 mph

Top speed, S tronic version

197 mph


Prices

The new Audi R8 Plus will only be available as a coupe. It will go on sale at a price of $170,545 for the manual version and $179,645 for the S tronic version.

2015 Audi R8 V10 Plus - prices

Model

Price

R8 V10 plus Coupe Manual

$173,500

R8 V10 plus Coupe S tronic

$182,500


Competition

2014 Porsche 911 Turbo S

The new-generation 911 Turbo comes with a few improvements that make it even more impressive than ever.

The most impressive update is the turbocharged 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine with direct fuel injection that delivers a total 560 horsepower in the S version. This power is enough to sprint the Turbo S from 0 to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds and up to a top speed of 197 mph.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage S

A very young model, the new V12 Vantage S is also a pretty impressive sports car. It gets an AM28 6.0-liter V-12 engine that delivers a total of 565 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque.

While the output is basically identical to the other two competitors, Aston Martin claims that the new Vantage S can hit a top speed of 205 mph.

Conclusion

The new R8 V10 Plus is definitely a nice addition for those looking for the extreme R8 model. It is more powerful than any other R8 model in the lineup, but it is also the most expensive one.

The question is, does it worth the price? We will get back with an answer after we will test the car.