Audi R8, salah satu supercar mid-enjin yang dihormati kerana enjinnya yang beraspirasi semula jadi, bersedia untuk dikeluarkan dari talian pengeluaran untuk kali terakhir. Pada mulanya dijadualkan untuk dihentikan pengeluarannya menjelang akhir tahun 2023, perkembangan terkini mengesahkan bahawa pengeluaran masih berjalan di kilang Böllinger Höfe milik Audi, walaupun dengan akhir yang pasti menjelang akhir Mac.
Liza Kellner, jurucakap bagi Audi TT dan R8, menegaskan, “Audi R8 terakhir akan meninggalkan talian pengeluaran menjelang akhir suku pertama tahun 2024, menandakan berakhirnya satu era bagi kereta sport ikonik ini di tapak Audi Böllinger Höfe di Neckarsulm.” Kellner menekankan bahawa fokus strategik Audi ke arah elektrifikasi, yang dicontohkan oleh pengeluaran berterusan Audi e-tron GT sepenuhnya elektrik di kilang yang sama, telah membawa kepada keputusan untuk menghentikan pengeluaran R8.
Menerangkan perubahan dalam jadual penghentian, Kellner mencatat, “Kenyataan mengenai penghentian R8 menjelang akhir 2023 dibuat pada tahun 2019. Oleh itu, penyesuaian tarikh akhir sebenar sebanyak beberapa minggu bukanlah sesuatu yang tidak dijangka.”
R8 terakhir akan hadir dalam bentuk GT RWD, iterasi terakhir yang diperkenalkan di kebanyakan pasaran pada akhir 2022. Terhad kepada pengeluaran sebanyak 333 unit di seluruh dunia, model ini menampilkan enjin V10 semula jadi berkuasa 5.2 liter, menghasilkan 612hp dan 565Nm tork, memberikan prestasi yang membangkitkan semangat kepada roda belakang. Selain itu, Audi memperkenalkan Edisi Terakhir R8 Coupe Jepun, varian terhad yang terhad kepada hanya lapan unit, lebih menekankan status ikonik R8.
Tahun lalu menyaksikan Audi menjual 631 R8 baru di seluruh Amerika Syarikat, lebih dari dua kali ganda angka dari tahun 2022, mencerminkan semangat dan kagum yang teguh terhadap R8 di kalangan peminat automotif di seluruh dunia.
The automotive world bids farewell to an icon as the Audi R8, one of the most revered mid-engined supercars renowned for its high-revving, naturally-aspirated engine, prepares to roll off the production line for the final time. Initially slated for discontinuation by the close of 2023, recent developments confirm that production is still underway at Audi’s Böllinger Höfe factory, albeit with a definitive end in sight by the end of March.
Liza Kellner, spokesperson for Audi TT and R8, affirmed, “The last Audi R8 will leave the production line at the end of the first quarter of 2024, marking the end of an era for this iconic sports car at the Audi Böllinger Höfe site in Neckarsulm.” Kellner emphasised that Audi’s strategic focus on electrification, exemplified by the ongoing production of the all-electric Audi e-tron GT at the same facility, has led to the decision to retire the R8.
Explaining the shift in the discontinuation timeline, Kellner noted, “The statement regarding the R8’s discontinuation by the end of 2023 was made in 2019. Consequently, the adjustment of the actual end date by a few weeks is not unexpected.”
The Audi R8’s swan song comes in the form of the GT RWD, the final iteration introduced in most markets in late 2022. Limited to a production run of just 333 units worldwide, this model features a potent 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated V10 engine, churning out 612hp and 565Nm of torque, delivering exhilarating performance to the rear wheels. Additionally, Audi unveiled the R8 Coupe Japan Final Edition, a limited-run variant restricted to a mere eight units, further underscoring the R8’s iconic status.
As enthusiasts rush to secure their allocations of the Audi R8 before it fades into automotive history, the enduring appeal of this legendary supercar is evident. Last year witnessed Audi selling 631 new R8s across the United States, more than double the figures from 2022, reflecting the unwavering passion and admiration for the R8 among automotive enthusiasts worldwide.
Pengeluaran Audi R8 akan tamat dan Audi telah mengeluarkan edisi istimewa – Audi R8 Coupe Japan Final Edition. Mereka hanya menghasilkan 8 unit kereta ini, dan ini adalah penghormatan istimewa kepada Jepun dengan warna seperti putih, merah, dan emas. Luaran kereta kelihatan menarik dengan penyelesaian putih khas, bahagian serat karbon, simbol Audi hitam, dan rim 20 inci berwarna bronze.
Di dalam kereta, ia selesa dengan tempat duduk hitam dan butiran putih. Setiap daripada 8 kereta mempunyai nombor masing-masing dan “Japan Final Edition” tertulis di pintu. Enjin menghasilkan kuasa sebanyak 612hp dan tork 580Nm, menggunakan gearbox seven-speed untuk untuk menghantar kuasa kepada semua empat roda.
Audi R8 Coupe Japan Final Edition berharga ¥35,080,000 (RM1,150,698). Harganya mahal kerana ia istimewa dan hanya dihasilkan beberapa unit. Mereka yang membeli edisi istimewa ini mendapat item istimewa dengan nombor kereta itu.
Walaupun V10 R8 mengucapkan selamat tinggal, ada spekulasi bahawa Audi mungkin akan membawanya kembali sebagai kereta elektrik. Audi dikatakan sedang mengembangkan platform elektrik untuk kereta sukan istimewa, memberi petunjuk bahawa mungkin akan ada Audi R8 elektrik pada masa depan.
Audi has marked the end of an era for the R8 in most global markets with a special farewell edition limited to just 8 units—the Audi R8 Coupe Japan Final Edition. Based on the V10 Quattro, this model pays homage to Japan with its exclusive design featuring the country’s main colours: white, red, and gold. The exterior showcases an Ibis White Matte finish, carbon fibre aero components, black Audi emblems, and 20-inch alloy wheels in a matte bronze hue.
The interior is characterised by black upholstery with Alabaster White accents and diamond stitching. Each of the 8 units comes with individually numbered door sills and “Japan Final Edition” lettering. The V10 engine, likely making its final appearance, generates 612hp and 580Nm of torque, paired with a seven-speed S-tronic gearbox sending power to all four wheels.
The Audi R8 Coupe Japan Final Edition is priced at ¥35,080,000 (RM1,150,698), reflecting its exclusive status and limited availability. Buyers of this special edition will receive a commemorative piece of VIN Art, featuring the engraved chassis number of their respective cars.
Although the V10 R8 bids adieu, there are speculations about a potential return for the nameplate in the form of a high-performance electric vehicle. Audi is reportedly working on an electric platform designed for low-volume, purpose-built sports cars and supercars, suggesting the possibility of an electric successor to the iconic mid-engined R8 in the future.
The limited-edition R8 Coupe Japan Final Edition serves as a symbolic farewell to the V10-powered R8, offering a unique and exclusive model for collectors and enthusiasts. The anticipation of a potential electric successor aligns with the industry’s shift toward electrification, hinting at Audi’s commitment to high-performance electric sports cars in the future.
Not content with just winning, Audi Sport customer racing has launched a small series of its race cars.
Audi R8 LMS GT2 Tactical green
This took place shortly after the company’s first two major victories with the Audi R8 LMS GT2 at Monza.
Audi R8 LMS GT2 Kyalami green
This six characterful colours transform the most powerful model of the R8 LMS into unique individual collectors items.
Audi R8 LMS GT2 Vegas yellow
The colours also have unique names: Kyalami Green, Misano Red, Nogaro Blue, Sebring Black, Tactical Green, Vegas Yellow.
Audi R8 LMS GT2 Misano red
These unique colours for the R8 LMS GT2 marks the first time in the 13 year history of Audi Sport customer racing where such a colour concept is made available to Audi customers.
These cars in such a unique colour are a one-off and guarantees pure individuality and will never be available again.
Audi R8 LMS GT2 Nogaro blue
The cars retain the ‘made-in-Hungary’ 640hp V10 that also powers the production R8 while the chassis is the same aluminium-CFRP composite that lays the foundation for the racing R8.
Audi R8 LMS GT2 Sebring black
The ready to race Audi R8 LMS GT2 is available at 349,000 Euros (plus VAT).
At its 8,700 rpm limit, each one of the pistons found in the 10-cylinder Audi R8 engine is traveling approximately 27 metres every second. Or you can put it another way: adding up all 10 cylinders’ worth of work, the engine’s pistons can cover more than 950 km/h. That’s about as fast as your standard domestic commercial aircraft. Each piston outpaces those found in today’s Formula 1 cars.
The 90° 5.2-litre V10 Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) engine was born from the necessity that its performance exceeded the greatest expectations of a supercar customer while still providing refinement and smoothness. Its FSI system was refined through development in Audi’s original Le Mans endurance cars.
Compared with a V8 engine of similar size, the V10 has smaller, lighter pistons, allowing it to rev more freely. Compared with a V12, it has fewer moving parts, reducing complexity and internal friction.
For the US market, the current street-legal R8 V10 Performance is able to generate up to 602 ps at 8,100 rpm and 560 Nm of torque at a 6,700 rpm. That speed and the firing pattern of the cylinders – 1 – 6 – 5 – 10 – 2 – 7 – 3 – 8 – 4 – 9 – give the R8 a hissing tenor exhaust note that builds to a crescendo. Where in turbocharged engines, a turbocharger can act as a sound muffler in the engine, the naturally aspirated V10 wails, with its exhaust baffles opening at higher rpm for full effect.
The V10 engine went into production in 2009, initially making 525 ps and serving as a higher engine option for the R8. Like the entry 4.2-litre V8 engine at the time, which made 420 ps, it was developed by what is now Audi Sport GmbH, the performance sub-brand of Audi.
Like the V8 of the era, the basis of the V10 engine could be found in other Audi models, such as the S6 and S8 sedans. Unlike its sedan counterparts, however, the V10 in the R8 had a different engine crank, designed for a lighter weight, freer-revving engine and adopted dry-sump oil lubrication, which eliminated the need for a traditional oil pan.
In its place, the R8 had and continues to have a baffle plate below the engine that collects outgoing oil and serves as a reservoir for cycling oil through the engine. The oil pump module consists of a suction and feed pump for filling the oil reservoir and a suction and pressure pump for supplying oil to the engine.
This allowed engineers to mount the engine lower, which drops the centre of gravity of the car. It also allows the engine to withstand higher lateral forces as the oil pump will never be starved from cornering too aggressively. An oil cooler is run from the left-side air intake blade to keep the engine running cooler.
The dry-sump lubrication system is identical from the road-going R8 to the R8 LMS GT3 racing car, which can see much higher G-forces on tracks like Daytona and the Nurburgring due to extreme banking, slick tyres and aerodynamic changes increasing downforce.
Extensively re-engineered from the first to the second generation, the current R8 V10 performance engine still retains 40 valves (two intake and two exhaust valves per cylinder), but its springs and the roller-type rocker arms are now made of ultralight and ultra-high-strength titanium, versus steel alloys in previous applications, among other modifications.
The latest V10 also features cylinder on demand (COD) technology, which also contributes to the engine’s efficiency. Under low to intermediate load conditions – when one of the four upper gears is engaged – it shuts down the cylinders of one bank by deactivating their injection and ignition processes. The driver does not notice the transition; at stronger acceleration, the cylinder bank is activated again immediately.
Audi telah melancarkan sebuah model Audi R8 V10 yang berorientasikan prestasi paling tinggi di Amerika Syarikat iaitu Audi R8 V10 plus Coupe Competition Package 2018. Model Audi R8 yang telah disiap pasang dengan segala kelengkapan bahagian prestasi dari Audi Sport termasuk pakej aerodinamik lengkap yang dibina menggunakan gentian karbon. (more…)
According to recent reports, Lamborghini is looking to ‘one up’ Ferrari at its own game by certain restructuring strategies. But out of the lot, we are most interested in the plans of launching its first ever SUV.
Based on an article published by automobilemag.com, there has been some talk of the production of the automaker’s upcoming hyper-SUV, the Urus, which is slated for launch next year. It is said to be based on the third generation Cayenne, and will sport a number of engine options including a 458bhp plug-in hybrid V6 and a 660bhp 4.0-litre V8.
That isn’t breaking news, but what is however, is the idea that Porsche instead of Lamborghini might be running the show. Audi, acquired Lamborghini in 1999 and the former, is owned by Volkswagen who also owns Porsche. (It’s complicated family tree)
Perhaps the powers that be, hope that with Porsche at the helm of the project, things would progress smoothly as opposed to having the Italian automaker calling the shots. Mind you, this isn’t the first time that the Germans have abruptly stepped in.
The Gallardo, Lamborghini’s most popular vehicle, and which has accounted for a significant portion of the brands sales growth over the yers, shared the same platform as the Audi R8. This had many purists up in arms because they feared that the move had diluted the appeal.
However, they were sadly mistaken and the Gallardo went on to sell like hot cakes in the 10 years that the model was kept in production. And this same strategy could work for the Urus as well.
As a side note, Lamborghini are also working on a Huracan that can do some mild adventure-like activities. Unlike the regular car, this one will have an increased ride height to allow for improved ground clearance. This Huracan will probably be fitted with bigger tyres as well as wider fenders to compensate for them.
Based on this, we can surmise that no automotive manufacture, regardless of heritage, can resist the allure of the SUV. It’s a product line that is in constant demand, especially when they are made by luxury brands.
