Yes, the Audi R8 RWS Will Drift

Getting rid of the quattro all-wheel-drive hasn't transformed the R8 into a violent sociopath track car that will snap into oversteer. In fact, it's still a practical everyday supercar, and it's been fitted with the least powerful version of the V10 engine.

The RWS is also the cheapest version of the R8 you can buy. Unfortunately, if you're not on Audi's VIP list, getting your hands on one of the 999 units is nearly impossible.

We know that Audi won't make another R8. However, the RWS is also their first purist car in a long time. It's lighter, has a less powerful engine and won't be fitted with adaptive dampers. Sure, it's not a Lotus, but we're hoping to see stripped out version of the RS5 instead of the usual power bumps.

German reviewer Automan-TV managed to answer one of life's big questions: will a rear-wheel-drive Audi supercar drift? It does, but only under the right conditions, which in this case means a wet skid pad. We're also told that the steering feels more weighted an precise because the front wheels don't have to put down power.

The experience isn't dominated by the sideways shenanigans, but by the engine. Even though in this application the 5.2-liter only makes 540 hp and 540 Nm (398.3 lb-ft) at 6,500 rpm, it's still a screamer, totally different to the turbocharged nonsense. Performance is acceptable, as the R8 can accelerate from naught to sixty in 3.7 seconds and tops at 198 mph (319 km/h).

In other R8 news, Audi has begun road testing the mid-life facelift. The good news is the front bumper looks much better. A new exhaust system suggests the V6 base model is finally on its way.