Audi Sport's halo car, the R8 launched in 2006 with the 4.2-liter FSI V8 that served as the basis for the 5.2-liter FSI V8, a naturally-aspirated colossus that currently powers the R8 and Huracan exclusively. Both of them are on the chopping block, though, and the same can be said about that fabulous engine.
Many expect the German automaker to replace the R8 with an electric supercar by decade's end, whereas Lamborghini has been spied testing a V8-powered supercar with some kind of hybrid assistance. Until then, however, the folks at carwow are much obliged to remind us how fast the V10-engined R8 happens to be in a straight line by racing a canvas-topped example against a mildly tuned 992 Porsche 911.
Similar to the Huracan's yet-unnamed successor, the mid-cycle refresh of the 992 is also getting hybrid assistance to lower emissions while improving performance in a straight line and in the corners. The Carrera 4S before your eyes, however, is purely internal combustion. Originally rated at 450 ps and 530 Nm of torque, meaning 444 horsepower and 391 pound-feet in old money, the black-painted C4S develops 600 ps (592 hp) and 651 Nm (480 lb-ft).
Seriously impressive for a six-cylinder engine with a displacement of 3.0 liters, especially in this application, because additional weight over the rear axle means reduced wheel spin while launching. The R8 Spyder – which, by the way, is owned by Mat Watson of carwow – is tremendously more exotic.
The centerpiece of any second-gen R8 is the high-revving V10, a glorious piece of mechanical engineering with a redline of 8,700 revolutions per minute. Equipped with a dual-clutch transmission supplied by Dana Graziano, the German supercar is all-wheel drive by default. The 4 in Carrera 4S also stands for all-wheel drive, and yes, the Porker features the Zuffenhausen-based automaker's PDK.
Photo: carwow on YouTube
Also taking into account the difference in tires and curb weight, it's tempting to bet on the R8 ending up victorious in a quarter-mile showdown. In truth, it's the mildly tuned Neunelfer that proves quicker from a dig. Driven by ex-McLaren Automotive test driver Sam Maher-Loughnan, the 992 clocks 10.9 seconds compared to a respectable 11.1 seconds for the R8.
It's even closer from a roll over the half mile, although the R8 does come into its own at higher speeds. With the right gear selected for maximum torque right off the bat, that R8 asserts dominance over the 992 in this particular scenario. Braking from 100 miles per hour (around 160 kilometers per hour) to zero is the specialty of the slightly lighter C4S, though...
At the end of the day, neither of them was developed to compete with the likes of the Demon 170 at the drag strip. You could also argue that someone interested in an R8 would never consider the 911 – including the free-breathing GT3 – as an alternative. Totally different customer pools, that's for sure!
In any case, the R8 doesn't hold a candle to the commercial success of the 911. Back in June 2023, the folks at Porsche confirmed that over 1.2 million were produced in a whopping six decades. On a yearly basis, make that 10,172 deliveries in the US alone in 2023 as opposed to 299 units of the R8.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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