Audi R8 Specs & Race Results

The Audi R8 has redefined the luxury super-car category, delivering exceptional performance and quality at an unrivaled value. Audi engineered a uniquely accessible race car, and drivers and critics alike have embraced the exotic R8. The editors at Edmunds' InsideLine.com awarded it the prestigious "Most Wanted" award in 2010.

Engine Specifications

• The R8, released in 2008, features an aggressive 4.2-liter V8 engine that produces a peak of 420 horsepower at 7,800 revolutions per minute (rpm) and 317 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 rpm, powering the R8 from zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. In 2010, Audi introduced a more powerful 5.2-liter V10 engine that produces a peak of 525 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 391 foot-pounds of torque at 6,500 rpm, thrusting the R8 from zero to 60 mph in a blistering-fast 3.7 seconds.

Transmission Specifications and Fuel Economy

• R8 drivers can expect fuel to be a large portion of the car's lifetime ownership cost. Just fill it up. image by Saskia Massink from Fotolia.com

  The rocketing power of the R8 is delivered to its 19-inch aluminum wheels by Audi's award-winning "Quattro" permanent all-wheel drive system and is harnessed by a six-speed manual transmission that offers drivers maximum control and flexibility. The power of the R8 comes at a price, however, with the 4.2-liter and 5.2-liter engines guzzling gasoline at an average rate of 14 miles per gallon.

Race Results

• Forged in the spirit of Audi's proud racing tradition, the R8 has experienced success on race circuits across the globe. In 2010, the R8 LMS, Audi's race-modified version of the R8, took first and third place in the GT3 class at the 24-hour Nürburgring-Nordschleife race, which takes place on one of the world's most infamous, dangerous and challenging race tracks. The fully electric Audi R8 E-tron took first place in the inaugural Silvretta E-Auto Rally Montafon 2010, finishing ahead of the rest of the 23-car field that featured cars from Tesla and Mercedes-Benz.