2009 Audi R8 V10 Photos, engines & full specs

In late 2008, Audi stepped up its game and introduced the V10-powered version of its R8 supercar, challenging a market that struggled to bounce back after the world’s financial crisis.

When Audi, the German automaker, launched the 4.2-liter V8 R8, people were stunned by its boldness. But soon, they discovered that the 420 hp (414 PS) supercar was more of a daily-driver sports car that could challenge Porsche, not Ferrari. Furthermore, the automatic transmission was blamed for its slow reaction times and spoiling the fun of driving the R8 hard. But then, in December 2008, the four-rings-badged vehicle got an additional pair of cylinders in the back, a bump in displacement, and over a hundred ponies more to push the car clearly into the supercar territory. Even if it couldn’t beat Ferrari at its own game, it was in its league in terms of performance.

The V10 version of the R8 had to look different than its lesser-powered sibling, so Audi slightly changed the car’s front fascia. While it still sported the same LED headlights with their pearls-like daytime running lights, it had different side scoops. Instead of sporting three horizontal slats, the V10 featured just two to stand in front of the mesh grilles behind them. In the middle, the trapezoidal-shaped main grille looked similar, though.

From its profile, the V10 badges on the front fenders were the main difference between these two versions of the same mid-engine supercar. Still, the wheels were different. The 2009 R8 V10 sat on standard 19-inch alloy wheels, an inch larger than its sibling. But the clean look of the car’s greenhouse, which all customers loved, kept its shape. At the back, Audi replaced the bumper to accommodate the two oval pipes that replaced the four-exhaust system from its sibling. Finally, as a last detail, the vents that flanked the rear fascia sported two slats, echoing the front scoops.

Customers found a leather-wrapped interior with sports seats divided by a tall center stack. Audi installed there a pair of cup holders, the handbrake, and the gear stick. In the center stack, the carmaker installed the infotainment system with a color screen that featured navigation, while fronting the driver was a four-dial instrument cluster that featured an additional TFT display in the middle for the onboard computer.

Behind the cabin, the automaker placed the newly developed 5.2-liter V10 engine developed together with Lamborghini. The powerplant was similar to the one installed in the first generation of the Lamborghini Gallardo and provided 525 PS (518 hp) and 530 Nm (391 lb-ft.) of torque. Power went in all corners via either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. But still, customers preferred the manual version that provided a better driving experience than the sluggish single-clutch automated gearbox.