Audi : R8 Coupé and Audi R8 Spyder

Audi R8 Coupé
Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 12.3 - 11.4 (19.1 - 20.6 US mpg)
Combined CO emissions in g/km: 287 - 272 (461.9 - 437.7 g/mi)
(Figures vary depending on engine/transmission/wheels/tires)

Design and body
The Audi R8 Coupé is 4.42 meters (14.5 ft) long and 1.94 meters (6.4 ft) wide. With its cabin placed far forward, a long back and 2.65-meter (8.7 ft) wheelbase, the proportions make the technology concept of the mid‑engine sports car plain to see at a glance. Characteristic design features are the sharp lines and edges as well as the two-part sideblade, which is interrupted by the continuous shoulder line and tautens the sides.

Large air inlets with vertical fins and LED headlights flank the wide, low-slung Singleframe grille that has a three-dimensionally sculpted look. Audi offers LED headlights with laser spot as an option. These double the range of the high beam. This option also includes dynamic turn signals in front; they are standard in the LED tail lights. The look at the rear is defined by the diffuser, the ventilation screen of the engine compartment and - in the R8 Coupé V10 plus - a fixed wing made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).

In the top model, the R8 V10 plus, the unladen weight (without driver) is only 1,580 kg (3,483.3 lb), and the dry weight is a low 1,479 kg (3,260.6 lb). Playing a decisive role in this systematic lightweight design concept is the Audi Space Frame (ASF), which weighs just 200 kilograms (440.9 lb) thanks to a multi-material construction. It comprises 79 percent aluminum and 14 percent CFRP according to the Audi motto: 'The right amount of the right material in the right place.'

Drive system
The engine of the high-performance sports car is available in two versions - with 397 kW (540 hp) in the R8 V10 and 449 kW (610 hp) in the R8 V10 plus. Maximum torque - 540 Nm (398.3 lb-ft) and 560 Nm (413.0 lb-ft), respectively - is available at 6,500 revolutions per minute for both engines. The response of the high-revving (up to 8,700 rpm), naturally aspirated 5.2-liter engine is particularly spontaneous. Like a racing car engine, the V10 unit has dry sump lubrication. Its characteristic sound is very distinctive, and on request Audi will install a sports exhaust system for an even fuller sound.

At the same time, the V10 engine employs effective efficiency technologies. These include the COD (cylinder on demand) system, which shuts off one row of cylinders under low load conditions. Another is dual injection, which injects the fuel into the combustion chambers and induction manifold according to demand. In certain operating modes, when drivers take their foot off the gas pedal at speeds over 55 km/h (34.2 mph), the engine is decoupled from the drivetrain and the R8 Coupé goes into a coasting mode. When the car comes to a stop, a start-stop system deactivates the V10 engine.

Engine lineup

• 5.2 FSI quattro with 397 kW (540 hp)
• 5.2 FSI quattro with 449 kW (610 hp)

Positioned behind the engine is a seven-speed S tronic that executes lightning-fast gear shifts by electrical control - by wire. The dual-clutch transmission directs the power to the quattro drive system with an electrohydraulically activated multi-plate clutch at the front axle. It has active water cooling for maximum performance. The clutch distributes drive torque fully variably according to the driving situation - up to 100 percent can be directed to either the front or rear wheels.

Chassis
The motorsport DNA of the Audi R8 Coupé also expresses itself in the chassis area with its aluminum double wishbone suspensions. In the R8 Coupé V10, it is tuned especially for sporty driving. Electrically controlled dampers (Audi magnetic ride) are standard with both engine variants. The electromechanical power steering system gives drivers finely differentiated road feedback. As an alternative, Audi offers dynamic steering for more direct steering characteristics. In addition to the quattro drive system, Audi drive select also integrates other systems into its four modes (auto, comfort, dynamic and individual): the accelerator pedal, steering, S tronic, damper control (optional), dynamic steering (optional) and the flaps of the exhaust system. The performance programs dry, wet and snow (optional for R8 Coupé V10, standard with R8 Coupé V10 plus) also influence the ESC electronic stabilization control.

Interior and controls
The lightweight construction concept of the Audi R8 is reflected in the tight lines of the interior. The defining element is the arch-shaped 'monoposto' that wraps around the cockpit. The instrument panel appears to float weightlessly, and filigree-shaped controls for the automatic air conditioning are arranged along its lower edge. Behind the seats is a cargo space with 226 liters (8.0 cu ft) of capacity, which supplements the 112 liter (4.0 cu ft) luggage compartment at the front of the car.

As in a racing car, drivers can operate all important functions without having to take their hands off the steering wheel or look away from the road. The R8 sport leather steering wheel with multifunction plus, which is standard on the R8 V10, integrates two satellite buttons: for starting or stopping the engine and for Audi drive select. The R8 performance leather steering wheel (standard in the R8 Coupé V10 plus) with four control satellites offers one additional push-button with a rotary switch for the performance mode and another for controlling the exhaust system.

The Audi virtual cockpit - a TFT monitor with a 12.3-inch screen - presents all information in intricately rendered, high-resolution graphics. The driver can choose between three views. In the performance view, the tachometer is centrally located, and other indicators and gauges are arranged around it - for torque, power, oil temperature, tire temperature, g-forces and lap times on the race track, for example.

Equipment and trim
The Audi R8 Coupé also comes with a generous set of standard equipment. One highlight is MMI navigation plus with MMI touch. The driver operates it via the steering wheel, the rotary pushbutton on the center console or by voice commands. The Audi connect module is the perfect complement to MMI navigation plus. It uses the high-performance LTE standard to take the R8 online. The Sound System from Bang & Olufsen with loudspeakers in the head restraints and the Audi phone box round out the infotainment lineup.

'Audi Sport' edition
Silver, red and black: These are the colors of Audi Sport - and of the new special edition R8 Coupé model bearing its name Along with specific components in the cockpit and body, the colors heighten the car's motorsport feeling. Audi unveiled the exclusive, high-performance sports car for the first time at the New York International Auto Show in spring 2017. The car is being built in a limited run of 200 and has been available for order since May.

Audi R8 Spyder
Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 12.5 - 11.7 (18.8 - 20.1 US mpg);
Combined CO emissions in g/km: 292 - 277 (469.9 - 445.8 g/mi)
(Figures vary depending on engine/transmission/wheels/tires)

Mid-mounted engine, quattro drive with variable torque distribution, lightweight body of carbon fiber and aluminum, new performance mode - the Audi R8 Spyder offers the finest in high-tech, and its cloth top provides for extraordinary open-top driving enjoyment. The plus version of the R8 Spyder celebrated its world premiere at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2017. It accelerates from zero to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.3 seconds and has a top speed of 328 km/h (203.8 mph).

Convertible top
The R8 Spyder has a lightweight soft top which tapers into two fins. These stretch the cloth so that it harmonizes perfectly with the athletic design of this high-performance sports car, in much the same was as the large CFRP hood compartment cover does. An electrohydraulic drive opens and closes the soft top in 20 seconds at vehicle speeds up to 50 km/h (31.1 mph). The rear window, sunk into the bulkhead, can be retracted and extended electrically.

Body
Without a driver, the V10 plus variant of the open two-seater weighs just 1,695 kilograms (3,736.8 lb). Its strong backbone is the newly developed Audi Space Frame (ASF) using the multi-material construction principle, made from aluminum and carbon fiber. The aluminum components make up 79.6 percent of its weight. The Audi engineers primarily reinforced the sills, A-pillars and windshield frame compared with the R8 Coupé. Innovative manufacturing methods lower the weight of individual components by up to ten percent. The result: The highly rigid body weighs just 208 kilograms (458.6 lb), and its torsional rigidity has increased by over 50 percent compared with the previous model.

Drive system
The engine of the open-top high-performance sports car is available in two versions - with 397 kW (540 hp) in the R8 Spyder V10 and 449 kW (610 hp) in the R8 Spyder V10 plus. Maximum torque - 540 Nm (398.3 lb-ft) and 560 Nm (413.0 lb-ft), respectively - is available at 6,500 revolutions per minute for both engines.

The response of the high-revving (up to 8,700 rpm), naturally aspirated 5.2-liter engine is particularly spontaneous. As revs rise, its characteristic sound becomes increasingly voluminous and enthralling. Audi offers a sport exhaust system for an even fuller sound. As with a racing engine, the oil supply is designed according to the dry sump principle. In contrast to a conventional oil pan bolted on below the engine, the separate oil tank allows the V10 engine to be installed in a lower position, thus enabling the car's very low center of gravity.

At the same time, the V10 engine employs effective efficiency technologies. These include the COD (cylinder on demand) system, which shuts off one row of cylinders under low load conditions. Another is dual injection, which injects the fuel into the combustion chambers and induction manifold according to demand. In certain operating modes, when drivers take their foot off the gas pedal at speeds over 55 km/h (34.2 mph), the engine is decoupled from the drivetrain and the R8 Spyder goes into a coasting mode. When the car comes to a stop, a start-stop system deactivates the V10 engine. The driver can deactivate the start-stop system as needed by pushing a button.

Engine lineup

• 5.2 FSI quattro with 397 kW (540 hp)
• 5.2 FSI quattro with 449 kW (610 hp)

Behind the V10 engine is a seven-speed S tronic with lightning-fast action, which the driver controls electrically - by wire. The dual-clutch transmission directs forces to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system via a multi-plate clutch at the front axle that features electrohydraulic activation. The all-wheel clutch, water-cooled for maximum performance, distributes the drive torques fully variably according to the driving situation - in extreme cases, up to 100 percent to the front or rear wheels.

Interior
Operation is totally focused on the driver. The latter can control all important functions with the multifunction and satellite buttons of the steering wheel without having to take their hands off the wheel or look away from the road. The large 12.3-inch, fully digital Audi virtual cockpit presents all information using rich 3D graphics - if desired, in a special performance view that includes driving dynamics information. The intuitively operated MMI navigation plus with MMI touch is standard, as are belt microphones. These make it even easier to use natural-language voice control and the phone.

Infotainment and Audi connect
With the Audi smartphone interface, a new technology makes its entrance in the R8 Spyder. This makes it possible to display selected content from the smartphone directly in the Audi virtual cockpit. The Audi phone box can also be supplied. It connects cellular phones to the car's antenna and allows them to be charged inductively. Audi connect gets the R8 Spyder online via LTE and provides a wide range of services - from online media streaming to real-time traffic information.

The Bang & Olufsen Sound System is another highlight: For the first time, Audi integrates two head restraint loudspeakers into each seat. These provide an excellent audio experience even when driving with the top down.