Photo: Audi AG
Quattro all-wheel drive is certainly one of the staple elements of Audi cars, especially when discussing its high-performance machines. On the other hand, sometimes less is more – especially in the bank account. In the U.S., that means $54,000 – the difference between the newly added R8 V10 RWD Coupe / Spyder option and the flagship R8 V10 performance quattro models.
Late last year, the Ingolstadt-based luxury automaker decided it was time to make the limited special edition R8 V10 RWS a series-production member of the sports car family. To make sure collectors weren’t that upset – we bet they were anyway, but that’s a different story – the company introduced a different moniker: R8 V10 RWD.
Moving on to a little earlier in 2020, around July, we found out the German automaker decided to pull the plug on the base R8 for the U.S. market – the standard R8 V10 quattro. They did give it a limited edition as a departing gift, and then left the range with just the performance quattro versions.
Well, it turned out these two events were somehow related, because Audi is now announcing the arrival of the 2021 model year R8 – and what do you know, the R8 V10 RWD Coupe and Spyder are also making the trip from the Audi Böllinger Höfe site in Neckarsulm, Germany.
Available starting this winter for $142,700 when selecting the Coupe or $154,900 in Spyder form, the R8 V10 RWD is a good deal if one wants to save a few bucks for the faster rear tire changes caused by the future drifts and burnouts. If the R8 V10 performance quattro is still more enticing, then its 2021 MY will cost $196,700 and $208,900, respectively (all values MSRP, exclude taxes).
Folks looking at the R8 V10 RWD should balance for themselves the silver lining, because the new version is getting a down tune for the V10 mill. The horsepower count drops by 70 units to 532 hp, while the torque slip is a little more subtle – from 413 lb-ft (560 Nm) to 398 pound-feet (540 Nm) of twist.
Likewise, the performance stats also take a hit. The sprint time from not to 60 mph (96 kph) in the flagship takes 3.2 or 3.3 seconds for the Coupe and Spyder, respectively. The R8 RWD, meanwhile, will need 3.6 and 3.7 seconds. The same goes for the top speed, down from 205 / 204 mph (330 / 328 kph) to 201 and 200 mph (323 / 321 kph), respectively.
Moving on to a little earlier in 2020, around July, we found out the German automaker decided to pull the plug on the base R8 for the U.S. market – the standard R8 V10 quattro. They did give it a limited edition as a departing gift, and then left the range with just the performance quattro versions.
Well, it turned out these two events were somehow related, because Audi is now announcing the arrival of the 2021 model year R8 – and what do you know, the R8 V10 RWD Coupe and Spyder are also making the trip from the Audi Böllinger Höfe site in Neckarsulm, Germany.
Available starting this winter for $142,700 when selecting the Coupe or $154,900 in Spyder form, the R8 V10 RWD is a good deal if one wants to save a few bucks for the faster rear tire changes caused by the future drifts and burnouts. If the R8 V10 performance quattro is still more enticing, then its 2021 MY will cost $196,700 and $208,900, respectively (all values MSRP, exclude taxes).
Folks looking at the R8 V10 RWD should balance for themselves the silver lining, because the new version is getting a down tune for the V10 mill. The horsepower count drops by 70 units to 532 hp, while the torque slip is a little more subtle – from 413 lb-ft (560 Nm) to 398 pound-feet (540 Nm) of twist.
Likewise, the performance stats also take a hit. The sprint time from not to 60 mph (96 kph) in the flagship takes 3.2 or 3.3 seconds for the Coupe and Spyder, respectively. The R8 RWD, meanwhile, will need 3.6 and 3.7 seconds. The same goes for the top speed, down from 205 / 204 mph (330 / 328 kph) to 201 and 200 mph (323 / 321 kph), respectively.
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