Dear god, we alternate between hoping this is true and praying to god it's not. [via Autogespot]

Here's the thing about the Audi R8 V8 and a manual transmission it is a testament to the breed; It's fast, gorgeous, makes beautiful music, it's easy to handle and it's as easy to drive as an old Ford Escort. When equipped with the R-Tronic transmission though, it's merely magnificent when you're driving fast. However, when you're puttering around town, it's an utterly tragic, annoying, searching, shuddering mess.

Like the V8, the V10 is simultaneously gorgeous and sinister. The intakes under the headlights have a reduced numbers of fins and the entire grille treatment wears a black finish, the chin is slightly tweaked, the sideblades have bigger intakes, new wheels and at the rear the twin exhaust tips are replaced with single oval outlets. Everywhere you go it's thumbs up and long drawn out stares leading to the inevitable lane corrections. In the R8, you have to drive more defensively than normal just to avoid the staring masses.

At 525 HP, the new 5.2-liter V10 makes a little more than 100 HP/L and with 399 Lb-Ft, it's a little down on torque against competitors, but as soon as you floor the throttle, that concern disappears. It accelerates to 60 MPH in 3.9 seconds and pulls like a mule well into the triple digits. Going fast in a super car is easy, it's the quality of the car that makes it so much more satisfying. The "snick, snick, snick" of the aluminum gated shifter, the neurotically perfect feel of the clutch, a steering weight heavy and confidence inspiring. With the suspension set in regular mode, the car happily soaks up road imperfections, while in sport mode the whole thing tightens up, gets even more communicative, and gives you that masochistic punishment supercars are known and loved for.

However, you can't be a lazy driver when on the road with the R8 V10. If you want to go fast, you have to row the shifter. Cruising along at 70MPH in top gear, the R8 will accelerate strongly if you floor the throttle, but drop it down two cogs and it'll explode in a chorus of V10 serenaded acceleration. Acceleration like this can't possibly be legally contained to public streets, luckily, we had the chance to drive it at Infineon.

Infineon is built on natural terrain at the edge of a valley, utilizing the dramatic elevation changes afforded by the foot of a mountain. Its fast, banked, bumpy in places and technically demanding. Some of the corners here are downright dangerous (cresting a hill over a blind corner off camber with a wall bearing down on the track anyone?). That said, here's one of our runs in the R8 V10, time we'd like to call 12 minutes in heaven:

Click to play

It's very possible to run the whole track in one-gear in a car with this much power by just leaving it in third. The 8700 RPM redline with no lack of power all the way to the top makes it almost too easy. To get things really going you'll need to be down into second and up into fourth on the front straight. The car is extremely communicative at the limit of adhesion, the stability control system does an excellent job of independently grabbing brakes at different corners to limit understeer. A driver can take a terrible line and the car will make it faster, but take the right line and it stays out of your business and you're even faster. It's a magnificent handler with the crushing acceleration and powerful brakes to back that cornering ability up.

A few laps in, you start to feel the track as much as the car. The physical effort of driving the car becomes the effort of driving the track and you start internally competing. Better, tighter line than the last pass, smoother clutch engagement, later, harder braking. The R8 draws you into the addiction of speed. You forget how much it costs, and it's probably good the handlers at Audi limited our track time.

We'd be shocked if this was not the case, for the manual. But what of the R-Tronic manumatic which made the R8 V8 a tarnished star? Good news, in the V10 version, R-Tronic has been perfected. Even in full auto mode, the transmission makes snap decisions and executes them quickly, driving through heavy traffic is no more a chore than in a normal auto and it's completely unintrusive. Put it into manual control mode and the sport setting and it's utterly awe-inspiring. Shifting with the paddles is lightning quick and you can knock out upshifts and downshifts like an F1 driver. The car feels even faster with the automatic. If manual transmissions die as a result of transmissions like this, we'll only be a little heartbroken, because the V10 mated to the R-Tronic is a seriously good combination. The car that passed me in the video... it was an R-Tronic.

Complaining about the somewhat disappointing spec sheet numbers - conventional wisdom states that 420 HP and 317 Lb-Ft isn't enough in a $114,200 car - is to fail to understand the beauty of the base R8. But it's that complaining which has resulted in this V10 version. The base R8 is about control, not power. It's a scalpel to other supercars' sledgehammers. It asks its drivers to make the most of the sublime chassis to achieve a truly rapid pace, then gives them the feel and response to do just that. In some ways its the anti-supercar. Its subtle looks aren't meant to be the stuff of adolescent posters. Its numbers aren't meant to be the stuff of barstool bragging. That identity means it appeals more to people who wouldn't traditionally buy supercars.

What the V10 does is add an "11" to the R8's volume knob. Does that make it more awesome? Of course it does. But the R8 was always about defying that word. It was about requiring its buyers to view the car as a whole rather than an exclamation point. The V10 brings the R8 into direct competition with cars like the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo and Porsche 911 Turbo. Like those cars, it's impressively fast, but in being like them it's somehow lost some of what made it so different.

In fact, the modifications required to bump output on Audi's 5.2 liter V10 are a new exhaust system and a bit of reprogramming. Of course there's also a new set of wheels in the deal, a body kit and some carbon fiber pieces, but really it's all about looking sinister and going fast — just what Anakin's coke dealer would need. More details in the gallery ahead.

ABT Sportsline 2009 – press release CW 35
Ten cylinders. 600 HP. The Abt R8 5.2 FSI

These figures make the hearts of sports car drivers beat faster: 600 HP (441 kW),
acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds, top speed of 322 km/h. The car to which
these impressive performance figures belong is the ABT R8 5.2 FSI. Its V10 engine draws
plenty of power from its large 5,204 cubic centimetre capacity – all the more if ABT POWER
gives it an extra boost. 75 extra HP or 55 more kW provides a powerful trust at all speeds as
well as increasing the torque.

The fact that the medium-engine super sports car becomes a winner on any track is not just
due to its excellent performance characteristics, but also the perfectly coordinated bodywork
package. It has been designed by the DTM crew of ABT Sportsline according to the latest
motorsport knowledge, including the use of high-end carbon materials. The focus was above
all on the optimum distribution of weight and a systematic light-weight construction. "The 600
HP is not just intended to exist on paper, but also be available on the road", says Christian
Abt. At the same time the ABT R8 thereby looks extremely dynamic. The front spoiler, side
sills and rear apron outline the bodywork and give it a more powerful presence even when at
a standstill. They form one unit with the distinctive rear wing and the typical ABT 4-pipe
exhaust system.

The super sports car is presented on BR-type 20-inch wheels which suit the classic design.
The ABT R8 5.2 FSI is a design milestone and is of course very, very fast. This is because
the 600 ABT horsepower contain, what the dynamic design of the car promises.

The new ABT R8 5.2 FSI – data and facts

ABT ENGINE TECHNOLOGY

Engine: 5.2 FSI, V10, 5.204 ccm capacity
Performance tuning: ABT POWER
Performance: 600 HP/441 kW (standard: 525 HP/386 kW)

ABT AERODYNAMICS
ABT front grille
ABT front skirt
ABT side skirts
ABT rear skirt
ABT rear wing

ABT WHEEL TECHNOLOGY
ABT AR and BR; 20 inch; diamond-cut or high-gloss polished
Available also as complete set of wheels with high performance tyres

ABT EXHAUST TECHNOLOGY
ABT rear skirt set, consisting of the ABT rear skirt and the ABT rear pipes

Exhibit A

The problem:

We see a young lady trying to place a bag of groceries inside her Audi R8 V10. She is prevented from doing so by the R8’s 5-liter V10 engine which gives off enough heat to prepare an instant meal from the chicken and the produce in her shopping bag. This is undesirable as her dinner guests are yet to arrive and she would hate to serve them a less than fresh meal.

The Jalopnik solution:

Invite dinner guests to parking lot. Produce copy of Manifold Destiny: The One! The Only! Guide to Cooking on Your Car Engine! and find a recipe. Prepare chicken on intake manifold of engine. Serve piping hot. Initiate highbrow petrolhead conversation by pointing out Bernd Rosemeyer’s 1936 Auto Union Type C racing car on shopping bag.

Exhibit B

The problem:

We see a bike rack installed above the 5-liter V10 engine of a Lamborghini Gallardo, with a bicycle clipped to it. Even if this is a high-end racing bike made of titanium with a melting point of 3034 °F, the immense heat from the engine will cause it to melt and splatter said engine with molten metal. This is undesirable, as a Lamborghini with a melted engine will quickly come to a complete stop.

The Jalopnik solution:

Take off bike rack. Take off bike. Get on bike. Find skilled driver. Hold on to passenger side rearview mirror. Acquire balls of titanium. Enjoy 200 MPH ride on skinny bike tires.

Model: Natalie Polgar. Photo Credit: Balázs Fenyő (Audi), Milano Fixed (Lamborghini)

As part of the 2010 R8 pricing announcement, Audi told us how much green it'll take to get the even more Bruce R8 V10 with 5.2 liters of German fury. At 518 HP and 391 lb-ft of torque, it's not exactly the best bang for the buck, but with a body like that who cares?

A classic equestrian statue—albeit with neither Archduke Charles of Austria nor Tamerlane riding it—was the first massive automotive installation at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, created in 1997 to celebrate the fiftieth birthday of Ferrari. The practice has since become a major visual hallmark of the festival along with the endless bales of hay and the scores of racing drivers in attendance.

I had already heard of this year’s colossal outcrop of Aluminum und Shteel before emerging from behind a copse to arrive at the entrance of Goodwood House but that did not diminish at all its power to awe. A 40-ton loop of steel played heavenly tarmac to two pinnacles of Vorsprung durch Technik. On one end was parked Audi’s latest and greatest, the V10-powered Audi R8. Opposite the R8 was a seventy-year-old race car with 1.6× the cylinders.

Quite a car, that. A contemporary of Art Deco marvels like the Chrysler Airflow and the Cadillac Sixteen, it is a streamlined version of the V16 monster that Bernd Rosemeyer drove to win the 1936 European Grand Prix Championship with. During the Rekordwoche—Record Week—of October 1937, Rosemeyer drove this car to 406 km/h (252 MPH) on the public road. That’s within rounding error of the Bugatti Veyron’s top speed and is officially the second fastest anyone has ever gone on a public highway. The record was set three months later on a cold January morning, when Rosemeyer’s nemesis Rudolf Caracciola drove his Mercedes-Benz W125 Streamliner at 268 MPH. Rosemeyer followed ninety minutes later in the Auto Union’s successor, which accidentally developed ground effects that broke the car apart at a speed very close to Caracciola’s, killing the ethereal German.

The man who makes these leviathans of car geekery is a rather unlikely candidate for the job. Gerry Judah is a Baghdadi Jew from Calcutta living in London since 1961.

He is a classically trained artist with diplomas from Goldsmith College and the Slade School of Fine Art. Like a fellow Baghdadi Jew—Sir Victor Sassoon, builder of the gorgeous Peace Hotel in Shanghai—Judah is drawn to making large things. He has worked with many institutions and artists in creating oversized sculptures, displayed outside of museums. Like at the Festival of Speed.

A most interesting aspect of Judah’s work for the Earl of March is its remarkable variety. From Land Rovers climbing a wireframe mountain to a line of Toyota racecars strung up in line, he rarely does the same thing twice. Or, as he was quoted by Wallpaper* magazine in a grammatically correct play on the classic Apple tagline: “You've got to think differently every year.”

Photo Credit: Wallpaper* (second from top), Bruno Postle/Flickr (second from bottom), Mark Thompson/Getty Images (bottom) and the author

Normally, images would suffice, but nothing can replace the snarling shriek of the 5.2-liter V10 at full song.

There's no mistaking this particular prototype with the lesser 4.2-liter V8 model. We've heard rumor that Audi will exclusively offer the 525 HP, 390 lb-ft of torque, 5.2-liter V10 FSI in the Spyder, but we find it difficult to believe a V8 won't be offered at all. Equipped either way, the R8 Spyder will surely remove all stress and worry from your life with a quick kick to the go pedal. [via autowereld]

Just listen to the wail coming from the Audi R8 V10's 5.2 liter FSI V10 as it pumps out 525 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. If this doesn't make your day better, then what the heck will? Audi released 23 new images to go along with the driving clips and really helps to make this updated R8 one of our favorites.
[via youtube]

Over the 4.2-liter V8 R8, the V10 makes 105 more Hp, uses different air intakes and a different rear feature. Crucially, it also develops 395 Lb-Ft of torque, 78 more than the v8.

The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro: Breathtaking Performance
- The new 5.2-liter, ten-cylinder engine puts out 525 hp
- Sprint to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, top speed 316 km/h
- High-performance sports car with striking design

INGOLSTADT, Germany, Dec 8, 2008 - Audi is launching the next variant of its top-of-the-line model. With the R8, the brand has established itself at the forefront of high-end sports cars from the very start - and now comes the R8 V10. Its 5.2-liter, ten-cylinder engine churns out 386 kW (525 hp) and 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of torque, which makes for breathtaking performance. With superior Audi technologies such as quattro all-wheel drive, the lightweight aluminum body, the innovative all-LED headlights, and its striking design, the R8 V10 takes pole position against the competition.

The R8 V10 is the result of cumulative know-how from Audi's string of Le Mans victories. Its naturally aspirated engine combines racing technology such as dry sump lubrication with FSI gasoline direct injection. The ten-cylinder design is the perfect synthesis for impressive top performance, mighty pulling power, and low weight. Starting in 2009, this engine will also prove its potential on the world's racetracks - in the new R8 racing car Audi is developing for customer teams in conformance with the GT3 rules.

The V10 engine in the production sports car will be almost identical in construction to the one in the racing version. Its displacement is 5,204 cc, at 6,500 rpm it delivers 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of torque, at 8,000 rpm its power tops out at 386 kW (525 hp).

The specific power output is 100.9 hp per liter of displacement - and each hp has to propel only 3.09 kilograms (6.91 lb) of weight, because the Audi R8 V10 in the version with the six-speed manual gearshift weighs only 1,620 kilograms (3571 lb). The engine accounts for 258 of these kilograms (569 lb) - that's only 31 kilos (68 lb) more than the V8.

The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro rockets from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 3.9 seconds. In the version with the sequentially shifting R tronic it reaches 200 km/h (124.27 mph) in another 8.1 seconds. Even then its propulsive power hardly lessens: it's sufficient to reach a top speed of 316 km/h (196.35 mph). The immense force, the spontaneity and the thrust of the acceleration, plus the sound of the engine - all these impressions coalesce into a breathtaking sports car experience. The V10 plays a concert with growling bass tones and powerful high notes, which grows into a grandiose fortissimo as the engine revs up. This sonorous acceleration doesn't reach its limit until 8,700 rpm.

The 5.2-liter powerplant uses direct injection according to the FSI principle developed by Audi. A common rail system injects the fuel into the combustion chambers with up to 120 bar of pressure. Direct injection reduces the susceptibility to knocking and provides a certain amount of cooling through the evaporation of the fuel, which in turn supports a high compression ratio of 12.5:1. This in turn contributes to superior performance and improves fuel economy. The R8 V10 with R tronic gets by on an average of 13.7 liters per 100 km (17.17 US mpg).

For maximum dynamics: low center of gravity engine

The technical refinements of the long-stroke ten-cylinder engine include dry sump lubrication, which allows the engine to be mounted low within the chassis. The wide cylinder angle of 90 degrees also makes for a low center of gravity. The crankcase is a high-strength aluminum-alloy casting produced in a complex process. The connecting rods are made of forged steel, the pistons of aluminum. The four camshafts are chain-driven and each is adjustable through 42 degrees. This provides great latitude in controlling the valve timing. In combination with the straight, flow-optimized ducts of the intake manifold, this improves the charge throughout the entire speed range.

The R8 5.2 FSI quattro has a six-speed transmission. A precise and smooth-shifting manual transmission comes as standard equipment. The sequential R tronic is available as an option. The high-tech gearshift conveys an authentic racing feel - with the rocker switches at the steering wheel and the short shifting times of usually less than one-tenth of a second. When the driver actuates the Launch Control program by pressing a button, the R8 V10 takes off in a vehement quick-start with electronically controlled tire slip - both with the R tronic and with the manual transmission.

A contributing factor to the wide lead in traction and driving safety of the Audi R8 V10 over the competition is quattro all-wheel drive - it's the superior technology especially for a high-performance sports car. Four powered wheels get more grip than two. They enable the driver to step on the gas sooner when coming out of a curve. It's not only the traction that benefits, but also the transverse dynamics and the stability.

44 to 56 percent - the ideal axle load distribution

The Audi R8 chassis offers both dynamic performance and astonishing levels of comfort on long distances. This high-performance sports car from Audi eagerly responds to any steering action with instant ease, achieves lateral acceleration of up to 1.2 g, and handles any situation with superb driving safety. Its mid-engine design provides an ideal axle load distribution of 44 to 56 percent.

The wheel suspensions on dual aluminum wishbones front and rear - a classic racing technology - are optimized for neutral self-steering characteristics. Even more than in the eight-cylinder R8, this setup is designed for maximum performance. 19-inch wheels equipped with tire pressure monitoring display are standard equipment. Their 10-spoke Y design is exclusive to the R8 V10. Tire sizes are 235/35 front and 295/30 rear.

The car features a high-end damper technology as standard: Audi magnetic ride adapts the characteristics of the suspension in milliseconds to the nature of the road surface and to the driving style. Suspended in the oil of the shock absorbers are tiny magnetic particles which, when a voltage is applied, rearrange themselves so as to slow down the flow of oil through the valves.

In the R8 V10, deceleration is provided by an extremely muscular braking system - eight brake pistons at the front and four at the rear grasp the brake disks, which are ventilated and perforated to ensure unimpeded heat transfer. The brake disks on the front axle have a diameter of 380 millimeters (15 in); the rear discs span 356 millimeters (14 in).

The R8 5.2 FSI quattro is optionally available with a ceramic brake system whose disks are made of a composite material containing high-strength carbon fibers and abrasion-resistant silicon carbide. These are especially light: their combined weight is nine kilograms (19.84 lb) less than the weight of equivalent steel disks. The ceramic brakes can easily cope with the harsher requirements of racing, won't corrode, and have a typical service life of 300,000 kilometers (186,400 miles). Their calipers are painted charcoal gray and emblazoned with the inscription "Audi ceramic".

Typically Audi: Sharp lines and an elegantly curved roof

The wide, full shape of the R8 5.2 FSI quattro seems to hug the road. The brawny proportions and prominent wheel wells underscore its potential. The high-precision styling of the lines and the elegant curve of the roof are typical Audi features. A continuous contour optically connects the front, the wheel wells, the sides and the rear. Located well forward, the cab visually expresses the mid-engine design. The vertical air scoops (sideblades) on the sides are also indicative of the engine location. The massive aluminum gas cap is mounted flush within the right sideblade.

The design of the Audi R8 has already impressed experts, as evidenced by the double victory in the "World Car of the Year Awards 2008". In the ten-cylinder model, the styling has been sharpened up even more.

The front air inlets, which feed air to the coolers, and the lip of the front apron are painted in high-gloss black. The number of cross-braces has been reduced from four to two. The vanes of the single-frame grille have a striking chrome finish.

A very distinctive highlight of the R8 V10 are the all-LED headlights as standard equipment. Audi is the world's first automaker to use LEDs for the high beam, low beam, daytime running lights, and turn signals. Each headlight integrates 54 of these high-tech light sources. With a color temperature of 6,000 Kelvin the LED light closely resembles daylight, which is less tiring to the eyes in night driving. Further advantages of the LEDs include brilliant illumination, low energy consumption, and a virtually unlimited service life.

Special details also distinguish the body of the R8 V10. Its sideblades are more accentuated than in the eight-cylinder version. The side sills are more striking and wider; the exhaust grilles at the rear windows have a matt aluminum look. Through the large rear window, the ten-cylinder engine is clearly visible in its consummate technical beauty.

When in motion, this Audi high-performance sports car creates a downforce that keeps it in firm contact with the road - thanks to a rear spoiler which deploys automatically at 100 km/h and the fully enclosed underbody, which terminates in a sharply upward-curved diffuser. The dominant color at the rear end is high-gloss black, including the settings of the LED tail lights. The air outlets at the rear end also have only two cross-braces, and the exhaust system terminates in two large oval tailpipes.

Audi sets the example - in body weight and rigidity

The body of a sports car must be especially lightweight and rigid. Audi meets these requirements with the technology of the Audi Space Frame (ASF) and its high-tech aluminum construction. The body-in-white of the R8 V10, which includes an engine frame made of ultra-light magnesium, weighs only 210 kilograms (463 lb), and the quality of its lightweight design - the relation of weight to torsional rigidity - is the best in the sports car segment. The body is composed of profile extrusions, sheet aluminum and very complex gusset castings, all held together by 99 meters (325 ft) of welding seams, 782 rivets, and 308 special screws.

The interior of the R8 V10 provides a unique racing ambience at the luxury level. Its dominant element is the so-called monoposto - a wide arc that contains the steering wheel and the cockpit. As always in an Audi, the workmanship is of the highest quality. The surfaces of the dashboard and doors are lined with fine materials and adorned with precisely stitched decorative seams. Many customizing solutions are available: Audi supplies leather in a wide range of colors, packages with a carbon and piano-lacquer finish, or a made-to-measure luggage set. quattro GmbH, which has developed and is producing the R8 V10, also provides solutions for unconventional requirements.

The great everyday utility of the Audi R8 V10 is based in part on its spacious interior made possible by the long wheelbase of 2.65 meters (8.69 ft). Drivers and passengers of any size will always find a perfect sitting position. Visibility too is surprisingly good. Slender hinge pillars optimize the obliquely forward field of view. Another advantage for convenient everyday use is the luggage space: 100 liters (3.53 cu ft) fit under the front hood, another 90 liters (3.18 cu ft) can be stowed behind the seats. There is also room for two golf bags.

The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro combines its colossal performance with a generous complement of standard equipment. Highlights include heatable seat covers made of Fine Nappa leather, a driver information system, the navigation system plus and the Bang & Olufsen sound system along with deluxe automatic air conditioning and an alarm system. The instruments and the gearshift knob are decorated with red rings; the footrests and the rocker switches of the R tronic have an aluminum finish.

The list of options includes other highly attractive features - such as the Audi parking system advanced with its integrated rearview camera or numerous Audi exclusive customization options. Various leather packages provide a luxurious touch, while the bucket seats from the Audi exclusive program bring a highly concentrated racing atmosphere into the R8 V10.

The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro will be rolled out in Germany in the second quarter of 2009 at a basic price of EUR 142,400.

Suspension upgrades come in the form of magnetic ride control aimed at improving both ride and at the limit grip. It rides on new 19-inch ’10-spoke Y design’ wheels hiding 14.9 inch brakes up front 14.0 inches at the rear. The styling gets tweaked with a modified sideblades with bigger intakes in gloss clear finish over carbon fiber. The rear end gets a modified diffuser and oval exhaust tips, all designed to look pretty while it's leaving you in the dust.

NEW AUDI R8 V10 READY FOR THE ROAD (AND TRACK)

Acclaimed aluminium-bodied, mid-engined Audi sports car now available with both ten and eight cylinder power

* Second R8 model powered by 5.2-litre V10 FSI petrol engine scheduled to open for UK order in January 2009 for first deliveries next spring
* Available with manual gearbox at £99,575 OTR, or with R tronic sequential shift transmission at £104,665 OTR (R8 4.2 V8 £77,405 OTR and £82,495 OTR)
* 5,204cc V10 produces 525PS at 8,000rpm and 530Nm at 6,500rpm (R8 4.2 V8 420PS at 7,800rpm, 430Nm at 4,500rpm)
* 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, top speed 196mph, combined mpg 20.6 (R8 4.2 V8 R tronic 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds, top speed 187mph, combined mpg 20.7)
* Combines classic mid-engine configuration with advanced all-aluminium Audi Space Frame (ASF) construction and quattro permanent four-wheel-drive
* World’s first all-LED headlamps as standard, plus Audi magnetic ride adaptive damping and Bang & Olufsen audio system

Audi is sending shockwaves through the sports car establishment yet again with the new R8 V10, a ten-cylinder, 525PS, 196mph evolution of the quattro four-wheel-driven sports car that UK enthusiasts have taken to their hearts. The project that has been the subject of intense speculation since the 2006 launch of the V8-powered R8 is set to come to fruition in January when the new super car opens for UK order priced at £99,575 OTR in manual form, or £104,665 OTR equipped with the R tronic sequential shift transmission. First deliveries are expected next spring.

The new 5.2-litre FSI V10 petrol engine mounted longitudinally directly behind the cockpit is almost identical in construction to the unit powering the recently announced R8 LMS that will race at customer level in the GT3 class. It contributes only 31kg more to the overall weight of the all-aluminium-bodied R8 than the existing V8, taking it to 1,620kg, and making possible an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 324PS per ton.

Punching out its 525PS maximum at 8,000rpm, and peak torque of 530Nm at 6,500rpm, this exceptional and highly efficient direct injection unit rockets the R8 through the 62mph barrier in just 3.9 seconds as it revs freely to its 8,700rpm limit in each of its six ratios. When linked to the R tronic transmission it can reach 124mph in only 12 seconds, and in the right conditions can maintain its breathtaking momentum all the way to 196mph – an unprecedented high for a road-going Audi.

By mounting the ten-cylinder unit as close as possible to the centre of the R8, Audi engineers have achieved near perfect 44 per cent front / 56 per cent rear weight distribution for optimum handling balance. Dry sump engine lubrication – an element specifically derived from racing - also furthers this aim by enabling the V10 to be mounted as close to the road as possible to lower the centre of gravity.

Advanced Audi magnetic ride
This classic configuration, combined with advanced Audi Space Frame (ASF) construction mating lightweight aluminium panelling to an aluminium space frame, provides the very best operating conditions for the futuristic chassis with its agile double wishbone set-up and standard Audi magnetic ride adaptive damping system.

The Audi magnetic ride dampers swap conventional fluid for a magnetorheological solution containing minute magnetic particles that can be influenced by an electromagnetic field. By applying a voltage to the system’s electromagnets, the viscosity of the fluid is altered by the affected magnetic particles, increasing resistance to damper movement to iron out pitch and roll when necessary, and reducing resistance when ride comfort takes precedence. The system constantly monitors road conditions and driving style and reacts accordingly.

The striking 19-inch ’10-spoke Y design’ alloy wheels naturally contend with the V10’s formidable output with the help of the legendary quattro permanent four-wheel-drive system, which apportions power to front and rear axles in constantly varying degrees dictated by road conditions. Ventilated and perforated 380 millimetre front and 356 millimetre rear disc brakes, which at extra cost can be upgraded to virtually fade-free ceramic discs, also help to instil complete confidence. As a whole, the configuration, which also includes a super precise gear shift and fast-reacting, communicative steering, has already been lavished with exceptional praise by critics the world over in the V8-powered R8.

World’s first all-LED headlights
As a further safety enhancement feature that also adds a new dimension to the already much lauded styling of the R8, the V10 is equipped as standard with the world’s first all-LED headlamps. For the first time the high intensity diodes have been used for low beam and high beam settings, as well as for daytime running lights and indicators, intensifying the sports car’s visual drama.

The list of subtle embellishments to the taut, emotive body of the R8 V10 also includes a high gloss finish for the grille and front air intakes, more pronounced side sills, wider side cooling vents within the contrasting ‘sideblade’, high gloss rear air outlets, oval exhaust tailpipes and a new rear diffuser.

The everyday usability of the R8 has been as widely commended as its capacity to enthral drivers, and the V10 version will of course be no different. The much praised quality of the interior fixtures and the deceptive amount of space afforded by the generous 2.65-metre wheel base makes this one of the most easygoing super cars ever built, and the V10 with its extra equipment emphasizes this further. In the most powerful R8 to date electric adjustment and heating is added for the Fine Nappa leather-upholstered sports seats, and DVD satellite navigation and a CD changer playable through a 465-watt Bang & Olufsen audio system simplify and enhance day-to-day driving. An interior light package including LED footwell lighting, light and rain sensors and LED engine compartment lighting also comes as standard.

Audi’s starter for ten – The new 525PS, 196mph Audi R8 V10 joins the highly successful V8 model in the UK in the spring of 2009 priced from £99,575 OTR.

The internet's revealed the new V10 R8 a little bit earlier than we'd expected, but who cares? Nevermind being right before we were wrong, we're simply ecstatic to see the new up-powered R8 will receive a version of the Lamborghini 5.2-liter V10 to feed the most powerful production Audi ever built. The new R8 will get an estimated 528 bhp (552 HP), same as the bull-headed LP560-4 it’s borrowed from. It's also an iteration of the V10 power plant in the LMS GT3 racer and is sure to pack quite the punch in this application.

You can pick the R8 V10 out from the rest of the pack by new headlamps featuring LEDs for both the High and Low beams; less slats in the front and rear grilles; a new set of spider-spoke wheels; larger side blade intake; and a new more effective rear diffuser with large oval tail pipes. The interior will remain the same sans for some new V10 badging. We're still waiting for the Spyder to debut, but you can expect a similar feature set.

Expect to see the production Audi R8 V10 debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

[Auto Motor und Sport via CarScoop]

Those headline power figures are reached courtesy of a supercharger, and reduce the 0-60 sprint to 3.9 seconds while bumping the top speed up to 196 mph. For reference, those figures are believed to be close to those expected from the upcoming Audi R8 V10. But just look at that white paint and the all-black accents. Audi should offer the standard car in these colors instead of the questionable silver-on-silver. Things stay incredible inside too, with the addition of some very concept car-esque carbon race buckets lined with geometric white pads. If only every tuner car looked this good. [via WCF]