If you’re a fan of the Audi R8, then you know that unless you do some serious modification, you’re stuck with that Quattro AWD system. Not that it’s a bad system or anything, as Audi’s is actually one of the best, but a sports car is just so much more fun to drive when all its power is channeled to the two wheels in the rear. And, Audi knows this, which is why it’s putting out a limited run of the R8 called the R8 V10 RWS. It will be produced in just 999 examples and will be hand built at Audi’s Bollinger Hofe factory. Stephan Winkelmann, the CEO of Audi Sport GmbH, said, “The R8 V10 RWS is made for purists. A limited-edition special model for customers with an appreciation for essential driving enjoyment, the R8 V10 RWS is an absolutely exclusive offer. With its mid-mounted V10 engine and rear-wheel drive, it successfully brings the driving concept of our R8 LMS racing car to the streets.”

Along with the distribution of power to the rear wheels, it also gets a few other extras that include the front grille and vents in the front and rear being finishing in matt black. The coupe gets gloss black side blades while the lower-body blade is now body colored. A red film is available for the hood, roof, and rear end, just like on the R8 LMS GT 4 while the seats inside come wrapped in leather and Alcantara. Bucket seats are available but must be optioned at the time of ordering. More importantly, however, is what Audi did with the chassis to take full advantage of the car’s RWD nature. Basically, without AWD, the car is lighter thanks to the lack of a center differential and the propshaft. As such, the Coupe form has dropped 110.2 pounds while the Spyder sees a drop of 88.2 pounds. The chassis was modified and tuned specifically to make it easier to perform controlled drifts – that’s right: drifts. The load distribution of the Coupe comes in at 40.6 percent up front and 59.4 percent in the back, while the Spyder gets 40.4 and 59.6 – both offering just enough to kick that rear end out on demand. The car is backed by Audi’s dynamic handling system, which will use the ESC system and electromechanical power steering to help keep things under control when you get to the limit of your drift. You’ll be able to order your own soon, so keep reading to learn a little more.

For Once, I Don’t Care About No Power Gains

Normally when a special-edition or limited-production model comes about, I have to criticize the automakers for leaving the drivetrain the same and trying to get money for some minor aesthetic modifications inside and out. This time, however, that isn’t the case at all, and Audi has pleased even me with this limited-run model. It is, of course, powered by the 5.2-liter, FSI, V-10 found in the standard R8. It produces 540 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque as low as 6,500 rpm. But, your performance won’t be quite the same, as it takes 3.7 seconds to hit 62 mph (0.2 seconds slower than the AWD R8) or 3.8 seconds with the drop-top model. Top speed is said to be beyond 198.8 mph (320 kph) or 197.6 for the drop-top. Fuel economy sits at 19 mpg combined in the coupe.

The R8 V10 RWS is available in Germany, with the order books opening in fall 2017 with first deliveries slated for early 2018 – not bad for a car that’s going to be hand-built, huh? Pricing for the Coupe comes in at €140,000 while the Spyder will command a minimum of €153,000. Those prices compute to $167,345 and 182,844, respectively. But, that doesn’t really matter because it doesn’t look like this limited-run model will even make it to the U.S. as of now, so you might as well write it off as another awesome car we Americans are deprived of. On the plus side, Audi could take things to a whole new level and offer up a RWD version of the R8 V10 Plus, which would consist of the same enhancements but would up power output to 610 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. Now that would be something to see.

So, are you stoked for the RWD Audi R8 or are you stuck on this side of the pond with no hope of ever seeing one without a 10-hour flight plus layovers? Let us know what you’re thinking in the comments section below.

References

Audi R8

Read our full review on the Audi R8.

Audi R8 Spyder

Read our full review on the [Audi R8 Spyder.->art170860